A Family Stay at Movenpick Resort and Spa Boracay Island [review]

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Boracay Island is the most famous island in The Philippines and certainly the most visited. In fact, the government closed it for six months in 2018 to preserve its natural beauty.

The love for nature and keeping the country beautiful is one of the things I love about The Philippines.

Everything about Filipino culture is about respect. Respect for their family, humankind, and the environment. Needless to say, if you want an island paradise to kick back and relax whilst receiving world-class service where you are waited on hand and foot, Boracay is the place to go.

When looking for family-friendly resorts that offer that Filipino welcome, you won’t need to look much further than The Movenpick Resort on Boracay Island.

We had the most fantastic, albeit short, stay at this family resort on the beautiful Boracay Island. In this Movenpick Boracay review, we reveal what we got up to, and what makes the resort so special.

Where is Movenpick Resort and Spa, Boracay?

Movenpick Resort and Spa Boracay is located on its private beach, Punta Bunga Cove.

As well as having access to the private beach, the resort also features modern rooms with a balcony that provide incredible views of the ocean or have garden views.

To get there from the airport, you must drive for 30 minutes from Caticlan Airport to the Caticlan Jetty Pier, followed by a short boat ride to Boracay. From there, it’s another short drive to the resort.

The resort also offers a free two-way shuttle service to D’ Mall Boracay, where all the restaurants and bars are.

The resort is just a 15-minute walk to Balinghai Beach and Diniwid Beach.

Accommodation at Movenpick Resort and Spa, Boracay

There are a variety of different room types at the Movenpick Resort and Spa, including Superior Rooms, Deluxe Rooms, Junior Suites, and the luxurious Sol Marina Beach Suites and a Royal Beach and Pool Villa.

Families can also get adjoining rooms plus extra beds, infant beds, and cribs for small children upon request.

Whichever room you have, you can guarantee an exquisite view and luxury amenities.

Each room is modern, spacious, clean, and beautifully decorated. We loved the super-sized bathroom and the ocean views from our balcony the most!

Of course, each room also comes with the usual safety features you might expect such as fire extinguisher, first aid kit, smoke detector and a security system.

Reasons to Stay at Movenpick Resort and Spa

If you’re on the fence about staying at Movenpick Resort and Spa, here are some of the reasons why we loved it so much.

1. It has a private beach

Punta Bunga beach had the wow factor for me. I fell in love with it and thought it was the best beach in Boracay.

With its crystal-clear waters and soft white sand, Punta Bunga is unspoiled and idyllic.

When the sun came out, we headed straight to the beach to lap it up.

Kalyra jumped on the stand-up paddle board, and I grabbed the kayak for a solo paddle to explore some of the beaches south of Punta Bunga heading towards Diniwid Beach.

There is a set allocated time each day when the snorkelling gear is free. The paddle boards and kayaks are available for rent.

There are also beach chairs and umbrellas that won’t cost you expensive shakes to use each day like our one at Puka Beach did.

As it’s a private beach, you won’t be dealing with maddening crowds either. One of the best reasons for staying at this incredible Boracay resort.

2. It’s away from White Beach, Boracay Island

White Beach felt crowded to us, and we visited in low season. Due to the overcast weather on our trip, we didn’t see it in its white shining glory. It looks stunning in other pictures I’ve seen.

However, it was just too busy for me. It would have been perfect when I was a solo traveller, and I would have been amongst the bean bags lying on the beach floor with buckets of beers beside me for sure!! It’s not what I’m after now.

There are lots of choices in Station 2 on White Beach for food, and a sunset stroll along the beach is worth the experience. I recommend families visit here, but I love that the Movenpick Resort gave us the chance to escape the madness.

3. There’s a Free shuttle to White Beach

If you want to go into White Beach, the Movenpick makes it easier with free shuttles all day. The run every hour until 5 pm when they run every half an hour. It’s a short 20-minute drive into White Beach, and you get to gaze out the window at village life as you go by.

Savannah had a hard time understanding that the goats and chickens she saw running around were not on a farm but lived in the village.

4. The Movenpick Resort has modern facilities

When we visited The Movenpick, Boracay wasn’t even officially opened yet!!

Previously, one of the buildings was part of the Sol Marina Resort, but Movenpick Resort and Spa has taken over management to reconstruct the luxurious resort and add facilities and rooms.

It meant the resort was super quiet for us with only a few guests visiting during their soft launch phase. It also meant there was a bit of construction work going on around us, but absolutely nothing that disturbed our peace.

In fact, the noise-free guestrooms means you get very little noise disturbance when you sleep.

Of course, all that is done and dusted now, and what’s left is a beautiful resort with modern fixtures and finishes.

5. Movenpick, Boracay has the biggest resort pool ever

It was very challenging to pull the kids out of the outdoor pool each day. We wanted to explore the other beaches on Boracay, but they wanted to swim from one level of the pool to the spa and back again.

At 3,300 sqm, the multi-level pool boasts its title as the biggest resort pool on Boracay Island. It was the biggest resort pool I’d ever seen.

The kids will love staying at this Boracay Island resort for the pool alone.

For smaller kids, there’s also a small children’s pool for them to play in.

Guests can have pool access from 7am – 9pm.

You have views out to the ocean, a swim-up, poolside bar, plenty of sun loungers  – I especially loved lounging in the pool – and lifeguards!!

6. There’s a Kids Club at the Movenpick Resort, Boracay

Mums – how luxurious does laying down on a poolside chair reading a book sound? You can do it at the Movenpick Resort and Spa.

The kids will have a ball swimming in the pool, the lifeguards will take care of their safety, and then when they’re waterlogged, they can sit in the poolside cabana for kids.

The staff will teach them art lessons, chat with them and crack jokes, and even braid their hair.

I was tempted to ask if they’d braid mine too. Our girls adored hanging in the kid’s area and the attention they received.

The Kids Club is called Pirates Cove and has a pirate theme, which kids love!

7. Attentive and friendly staff

They say the sweetest word anyone can ever hear is their name. I was amazed at how the staff remembered each of our names, even if they only briefly met us by the pool.

The front desk staff greet you with a smile and the great service continues for the rest of your stay.

The next day when they saw us, they’d be saying, “Hello Savannah, Hello Kalyra!”

I was super impressed.

As soon as you arrived at the pool, they’d greet you with a smile, and set up a chair for you with towels and a beach umbrella.

They would even bring out fruit snacks around the pool and engage in conversation with you. The service was equally outstanding in all the restaurants.

You felt like part of the Movenpick Boracay family. They sure do make you want to go back.

Outstanding service is another reason you’ll want to stay at the Movenpick Resort Boracay.

8. Free chocolate hour

I’m not a chocolate fan, so this feature of the Movenpick Boracay was not so exciting for me. But if you love chocolate then Movenpick will send you to heaven!

Take yourself up to the cafe every afternoon at 4 pm and fill up your plate with as many chocolates as you can fit in.

I did try the chocolate mousse which was divine and the perfect amount of chocolate for me.

Oh, and I did like the chili chocolate!! Savannah, not so much.

9. Airport Shuttle Service from Caticlan

Nothing pleases me more than to be picked up from an airport and transferred privately to our hotel. Nothing.

Especially now we travel with kids and persist in carrying too much luggage!!

We were going straight to South Australia from Boracay so, unfortunately, had to bring all our winter gear.

A boat took us to Boracay and then a shuttle to our resort.

10. Free Wifi Throughout

Ok, so this is the 21st century and we live in a world that is always connected. Part of visiting a tropical island is to disconnect from all that and unwind, so WiFi should not be a priority.

However, if you’re someone who can’t go ten minutes without uploading your Instagram stories, then you’ll be pleased to know there is free WiFi in all public areas, and rooms, at the resort.

Movenpick Resort Restaurants

The best thing about staying at the Movenpick Resort and Spa is you are never short of dining options. They have several cafes, bars and restaurants to choose from, each offering something different and unique.

We opted to eat at the restaurants for a couple of nights when the girls were tired and didn’t want to go to White Beach for dinner.

To be honest, I didn’t either.

I was so happy just to stay in one place and relax. It’s so rare we get to experience a family holiday like this in a gorgeous resort where we are not always moving and doing a lot of stuff!

The Movenpick has a wide variety of choices for places to eat. The Market is the all-day dining restaurant and the place for the buffet breakfast.

Ssäm serves Korean BBQ. It was our first experience trying this, and we loved it.

The La Riviera is the place for good Italian, especially their wood-fired pizzas.

The Café is the resort’s coffee shop and has coffee and pastries.

Then there is the pool bar, a fun pub for your sports and entertainment.

For couples looking for a romantic setting, the Sol Marina Beach Club is a beach bar and restaurant that sits right on the beach.

Activities at Movenpick Resort and Spa, Boracay

The Movenpick has plenty of tours and activities as optional extras for additional charges.

Two of the activities that we loved were the pizza-making classes and the cocktail and mocktail classes, which are available on special requests.

Savannah is the world’s fussiest eater, but she adores cooking.

If you follow our Instagram stories, you’d see Savannah and I cooking together a lot (@ytravelblog, @carolinemakepeace).

BUT, she often never eats what we cook. She loved cooking pizzas with Francesco, the Italian Chef at the La Riviera restaurant in the Movenpick.

He taught us how to cook a traditional Italian pizza in a wood-fired oven. Savannah nailed it AND ate her pizza after. It’s the first time she’s ever eaten pizza. We were celebrating.

The girls also had a blast learning how to make Shirley Temples and a Thirst Aid.

I quite enjoyed tasting the Tequila Sunrise and the margarita that the award-winning cocktail maker and sommelier made for us. And by award-winning, I mean like Tom Cruise in Cocktail throwing the bottles around!

Sagay Spa

If you’re not travelling with the family, or if the kids are having fun at Pirate Cove, then you might want to hit up the luxurious Sagay Spa.

Sagay are seashells that have been crushed by waves into powdery white sand. In Filipino culture, they are considered a natural protector and nurturers.

The Sagay Spa aims to offer just the same. It’s more than just a place offering spa treatments, but a sanctuary where you can partake in holistic therapies based on Filipino traditions.

Slow down, unwind, destress, and let the serenity of the spa be your muse. You will find eight treatment rooms, massage services including Swedish massages and facials, and a 24-hour health club.

You can also get in-room room service massages too.

Check-in, Check-Out Experience

Checking in was a breeze. Since we opted for a one-way airport shuttle, we had someone waiting for us at the airport when we arrived.

If you want to arrange a pick-up from the airport, you must contact the resort 72 hours before arriving and pay a surcharge.

Of course, guests can make their own way there and check in at the reception. Guests need to simply show up with their booking confirmation and the credit card or debit card they booked with.

Guests should note that the minimum age to check-in is 21, so you may not be able to make reservations if you are under this age. Guests must also have a printed copy of their hotel booking reservation to enter the island.

You may be asked to make a cash deposit for incidental charges.

Checking out is also simple. The check-out time is 12pm, and housekeeping will come knocking on your door if you are late haha!

FAQs About Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay

Here’s what people usually ask us about staying at Movenpick Resort and Spa Boracay.

Final Thoughts on Movenpick Resort & Spa Boracay

So there you have it, those are our thoughts on our stay at Movenpick Resort and Spa Boracay, and as you can see, we had a great time during our visit.

The Movenpick is a luxurious, 5* resort and caters to families and older couples, so you won’t find any of Borocay’s wild backpackers and young crowds here.

Whether you’re looking to just sit back on a private beach or you’re looking for a resort with an incredible outdoor pool, you’ll find all that and more at Movenpick.

Watch Our Video from Boracay:

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