The Resort
“Beautiful”, “World-class”, “Who would think that you can find such a striking property!”. These are a few of the reaction and comments of guests welcomed at BEST WESTERN TROPICS BORACAY RESORT HOTEL.
The structure’s exterior and interior design, and astute selection of art pieces, the overall consideration and use of the space where it stands is the resorts first and foremost drawing power.
Owners Bert and Cely Sarabia has commissioned a potent team of experts which include talents from the industry, friends and relatives. Bert and Cely openly welcomed all inputs, allowed free deliberation over home-cooked meals such as in a warm family get-together.
Ultimately, the couple made the final decisions on all aspects, putting their personal touches on all the details, guided not only by their teams’ inputs and their own personal successful business acumen, but more importantly, by their strong spirituality and social commitment.
BWBT is a work of love from the entire team – that, being the main moving force instilled by the owners.
History
By mid-80s, the relatively unheard of Boracay was receiving worldwide accolade as a travel destination to watch. Bert Sarabia, a native of Aklan, would regularly bring his family all the way from Manila to Boracay to spend the Holy Week and to give the family a break from the demands of their jewelry business.
Although Boracay was gaining popularity, the accommodation was still rudimentary – native huts, bamboo floors that also served as bed, and candles or kerosene lamp. One time, the family stayed in a resort without a generator. Bert and Cely would take turns using native fans all night so the kids would be able to sleep. The ordeal egged them to check-out the following day and to return to Aklan. But the lure of the beach and the sea, however, was irresistible to the little ones so they would get back to the island.
The following year’s experience was a turning point for the family. They arrived without an accommodation even if they booked several months in advance at a generator-serviced resort.
The resort owner handed their reserved room to a foreigner. Perhaps guilt-stricken, the resort owner hinted that the family should buy a property in Boracay and become a resort owner too. “Huwag nilang gagalitin ang mommy ninyo, gagawin talaga niya ‘yan”, Bert remarked half-jestingly. And so Cely did!
In 1987, the Sarabias acquired a 1000 sq.m. Lot, which they bought at P330 per sq.m. A cottage using native materials was built and this served the family’s accommodation during their annual break in Boracay.
When the time came, the family constructed eight cottages and four duplex units. A restaurant with four rooms upstairs completed the resort scene. Back in Manila, and alone in a taxi, Cely was in deep thought with what name to give their resort. While looking out of the window, Cely saw an alluring rainbow. “Why not rainbow?” she told herself.
In 1988, Rainbow Villas was registered as a resort. For a while, the resort’s operations were en famille. Bert and Cely were long-distance operators and so Bert’s relatives ran and maintained the resort.
In 1991, an adjacent lot of 600 sq.m. at the back of the property was up for sale. The family acquired the lot at P1000/sq.m. By 1992, the business realized its return on investment and hope was written all over its face. (Earlier, Cely had learned that biblically, rainbow symbolized HOPE.)
In 1995, an investment opportunity announced itself when another 1,600 sq.m. of the adjacent lot was offered for sale. At P4,500/sq.m., Boracay’s land worth was galloping in a frenzy. Business was good and the economic and political climate was favorable.
In 1997, the Sarabias planned to improve and expand the resort facilities. An architect was commissioned to prepare a blue print of the couple’s intentions. In this same year, however, an unexpected and debilitating incident threw Boracay’s tourism industry in a bad pitch.
At the start of the new millennium, the new government designed a ten-year term plan that made tourism a national priority. Boracay saw a boom in domestic tourism in the years following. Also seen was the emergence of the increasing number of Asian tourists. These signs did not escape the Sarabia’s astute business foresight. In 2003, the protracted business plan started to materialize.
In October 2004, a feasibility study was conducted and after some changes in the architectural plan, construction permits were secured and preliminary work began. The old structures were demolished and Rainbow Villas gave way to a bigger and more intricate development plan – a resort hotel.
The business name Rainbow Villas also bowed to BEST WESTERN BORACAY TROPICS RESORT HOTEL.The new business entity is a family closed corporation. Bert and Cely are now honing their business acumen and spending more time in Boracay as hands-on resort hotel owners.
From a quaint hut resort, to a modest Rainbow Villas, Best Western Boracay Tropics Resort Hotel steps into a sophisticated world of the hospitality industry – projecting itself as a Class AAA resort hotel in the bewitching island of Boracay, brimming with hope, still chasing a rainbow.
