La Carmela de Boracay has always been a happy place for me and my partner, Bong Quintana. We visit the resort hotel whenever our haywire schedules permit and we are welcomed with outstretched arms by our friend, Boy So. I first met him more than a decade ago when La Carmela de Boracay was just starting to operate. Boy has become family to us now.
Boy’s success story is one for the books. Armed with his hard-earned savings and tons of grit, he relentlessly pursued his dream. Boy built his hotel business in the serene paradise island with only a few rooms which slowly expanded into 540 rooms throughout the years to accommodate the steady stream of local and foreign visitors. La Carmela has become so famous that it is not surprising to spot a celebrity there. The stars who have visited include John Lloyd Cruz, Angelica Panganiban, Jessy Mendiola, Sitti, Karla Estrada, and Melai Cantiveros. Boy doesn’t sit on his laurels but constantly aspires to provide only the best amenities and service for the guests.
La Carmela de Boracay is a budget-friendly resort hotel that gives visitors the comforts of home. You get your money’s worth while staying there. Its efficient, friendly, and a reliable staff ensures guests feel at home and comfortable during their vacation. Boy believes that creating memorable experiences for tourists is essential. One way of doing this is to enhance the skills of the hotel personnel through seminars and workshops so they can learn more and deliver outstanding service.
This is how the idea of organizing a seminar for La Carmela’s staff started. “The concept for the Skills Enhancement Seminar originated when a group of educators from the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST) sought to offer training and ongoing learning opportunities in the fields of hospitality, culinary arts, and tourism as part of their advocacy. Given my connections with La Carmela de Boracay, I proposed that the group consider a potential partnership. From that point on, everything fell into place,” explained Bong who arranged and assisted in the smooth facilitation of the event.
The successful two-day skills enhancement seminar and workshop was recently held at the spacious La Carmela de Boracay Hotel and Resort Convention Center and attended by approximately 200 participants. It was conducted by EARIST professors led by Dr. Maria Rhoda Dinaga, dean of the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
La Carmela’s personnel was presented with various lectures such as Front Office Operations, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage Management, Basic Baking Demonstrations, and Quality Service Management aimed to improve their competencies in accomplishing their respective duties. The skills they acquired will play vital roles in maintaining the high standards the resort hotel is known for.
Boy remarked, “Our commitment to service excellence is unwavering. This seminar is just one part of our ongoing efforts to invest in our team’s growth and development. We are grateful to EARIST for their collaboration and expertise in making this event successful.”
On his part, Bong was happy to be part of the seminar. “The experience was fulfilling, rewarding, and truly worthwhile. Given the opportunity, we would gladly do it all over again, especially seeing the smiles on the participants’ faces and recognizing the knowledge we were able to share with them.” He shared that having a reliable hotel staff with excellent skills and knowledge is crucial in the competitive hospitality industry as it results in higher satisfaction levels that encourage repeat business and positive reviews.
La Carmela de Boracay is located at Station 2 close to the Tourist Center and just a few minutes’ walk to the talipapa (small wet market). For more information, email lcdboracaymail@gmail.com or contact +63.920.951.3665, +63.908.891.0881, and +63.939.918.3860.