Leading by listening and learning

MANILA, Philippines - In Boracay, the tourist menu is filled to the brim. With countless resorts that line the shore—and stretch even to the opposite side of the island—travelers from the world over have a myriad of options for a place to retreat and call their home for the few days they are in this paradisiacal island.

Located in Station 2, Boracay Tropics is a triple A-rated resort by the Department of Tourism. A mere five-minute walk from the resort will take you to the white sand beach and other attractions in the island. But when you feel like staying put, Boracay Tropics will never disappoint.

“Boracay Tropics takes pride in how we take care of our guests. It’s a family-owned resort so we make them feel they’re family to us. We show them the famous Filipino hospitality that not a lot of the more commercialized resorts can offer. There’s genuine care for guests,” says Tricia Sarabia, general manager of Boracay Tropics.

Inspired by Mediterranean and Asian architecture, the resort boasts of 64 elegantly-designed guestrooms and cabana suites. Among these, Boracay Tropics is most known for its Dorm Room, which is ideal for friends or families traveling together. “Our Dorm Rooms are one of the more unique ones that we have because it can house six to eight people. Beds are not directly on top of each other and the room does not feel cramped,” explains Tricia.

The resort also features a bean-shaped swimming pool for guests to dip in, a spa and nail salon, event and meeting facilities, and the TropiCafe Restaurant and Bar. Amidst its lush and verdant garden, guests can dine al fresco, unwind, and make the most of their island vacation.

All these were part of the big renovation in 2003. Formerly called Rainbow Villas, the resort was originally meant to be a vacation house for Tricia’s family, who hails from Kalibo. The young hotelier shares that in the ‘80s, Boracay had only one resort with a generator. The family booked a room at that hotel (they paid the deposit), only to find out that the room was sold for a higher price to a foreigner.

“My mom got really mad. Then someone told her that she could just buy a lot for sale in the island. So she bought it and since we were not always around to stay, we built 10 nipa huts and a small restaurant with five rooms on top and rented it out to foreigners,” recalls Tricia. “Boracay was a virgin island at the time. Very, very few were still going and most of them were foreigners.”

It was in the early 2000s when Boracay started getting more and more attention from local and foreign tourists. In turn, resorts mushroomed in the island; hence, the competition. “It pays off that we’ve been here for so long so we know the place, we know a lot of locals already, and we have a good relationship with the local government. So we’re always informed on what’s the plan on the island,” she says.

A two-year renovation concluded in 2005 when the resort was formally introduced as Boracay Tropics. Tricia, an Integrated Marketing Communications graduate from the University of Asia and the Pacific, joined the resort a few years later as its general manager.

Acknowledging that she did not have any prior experience in handling hotel and resort operations, Tricia took the job and proved herself worthy of the position. She trained under human resources, reservations, sales and marketing, front office, and even housekeeping to be able to learn the ropes. So when the general manager of Hotel Celeste (which Tricia’s family also owns) and Boracay Tropics moved on in 2011, Tricia’s mom, Cely, never looked outside. Instead, she asked someone to step in, someone who had been training all these years and honing her skills in hotel and resort management. Needless to say, Tricia accepted the challenge and never looked back. 

“I was pretty much a sponge, absorbing everything. I know and acknowledge the fact that I do not know everything so I’ve always been the type to ask and talk to rank and files about anything,” she says. “My management style is very open. I listen and try to learn from everyone.”

In a nutshell, Tricia shares, her mom advises her that running the hotel and the resort is synonymous to running your own house. “You don’t have to overthink it. At the end of the day, you just want it to be clean and the people occupying it, happy.”

Boracay Tropics, more than its facilities and amenities, is also known as one of the best employers in the island—a badge Tricia wears proudly. The Sarabia family was the first employer to provide free lodging for all their staff. “When the staff are happy, they give extra care to the guests and make them happy, too,” she says. “I could have not done all these without the help and support of our people, who we also treat as family.”

According to the charming and brilliant Tricia, her dad Bert and mom Cely were big influences in her life. “I learned hard work, patience and deep faith in God from my parents. You have to put your heart into what you’re doing. Since we’re in a service industry, there is also a need for lots and lots of patience because you deal with customers who have different characteristics. And most importantly, to always seek guidance from God,” she concludes.