Pinjalo resort is one of the very first hotels established in Boracay. Located in White Beach station 2 area, it has been a popular among visitors to the island for many years now. The fact it was built a long time ago, when land prices were very low, allowed this resort to occupy a vast area and provide its guest with a feeling of comfort, peacefulness and space.
Pinjalo isn’t located directly on the beach, but it’s only 2-3 minutes walk away from it. This help keep the room rates down, and so you can stay at one of the most popular areas in Boracay and still pay a very reasonable price. This 3 star resort is highly recommended for couples, large groups and families, who wish to stay at the heart of the action but enjoy some peace and quiet.
The staff is very friendly and helpful, and whenever we had any issues they were dealt with quickly. However, this isn't a place where you can expect personal service, and they have a hard time dealing with special requests from guests.
Both rooms and public areas are clean and well maintained. The resort has a very nice feel to it, with large tropical gardens, fountains and a swimming pool. The only downside is the rooms are very basic in their design.
Rooms look very basic, but they have everything you need to enjoy your stay. The shower is hot and has a decent water pressure, bed is comfortable and the AC really cools well. Only real issue is that WiFi is practically non-existent inside the room.
The pool is large and clean, but far from spectacular. Since you'll also have to walk a few minutes to reach the beach, we think this is Pinjalo's main disadvantage compared to other station 2 hotels.
The advantage of being a bit further from the beach is that you can reach the resort directly via transport. You wont have to drag your luggage through the sand which is nice. Being in station 2 means its close to everything – from nightlife venues to the best parts of the beach.
All things considers, Pinjalo provides an excellent return on your investment. You won't get anything spectacular here, but are guaranteed to have a pleasant stay without having to worry about any disturbances.
When we came back to Boracay again a few months later, we were delighted to hear the resort has been sold to a new owner. Now it’s run by the same people who own the Nigi Nigi Nu and Nigi Nigi Too resorts, with whom we have a very good experience working together. These guys know exactly how to work with Western tourists, and we weren’t surprised to see they addressed the exact issues we were concerned with when we first stayed there.
When you first get to Pinjalo, and even as you enter the reception area, it might seem a bit underwhelming. The place looks a bit tired and worn down, not what you expect to see from a resort who charges as much as they do. However, as you cross the small bridge that leads to the garden area, you’ll immediately change your mind. First of all, the place is huge and very spacious, which helps create a romantic and peaceful atmosphere. Secondly, the gardens are very well designed and maintained, making the resort very charming.
Even though this resort has been around for a very long time, there aren't many reviews to be found. To make matters worse, as mentioned they changed owners just half a year ago. Another issue is that being a budget resort, many of their guests are local tourists. Filipinos have very different standards from those of foreign tourists, so you must take that into account as well.
That is why we prefer to recommend Pinjalo based on our own experience. We haven't sent too many people there yet, but everyone we did was very pleased. We did, however, have a very strong relationship with the current owners. We have been sending tourists to their other hotels for a long time now, and never had any issue or complaint there. So, with all that in mind, we went through reviews posted at various online booking sites, and tried to fish out only the relevant information.
Tripadvisor.com shows only 216 reviews, with an average score of 4 stars. Only 4% of guests said their stay there was "below average". People really liked the garden and peaceful ambiance, and said the rooms were better than what they expected. Most of the really negative comments are from more than a year ago. Most common complaints we noticed was about how slow the WiFi is, and the breakfast being not good.
There are also 300 reviews on Booking.com, with an average score of 8.4. Guests really liked the location, the friendliness of staff members and the overall value for money this resort provides. The most common issue we noticed was with mosquitoes. Over at Agoda.com there are 417 reviews with a rating of 8.1. Guests really liked how large and clean the rooms were. Most common complaint was regarding the quality of the breakfast served.
Pinjalo resort has a few very clear advantages to it:
There are also some very clear negatives about this place:
There are 4 different room types available, as well as apartments which are designed for larger families and groups. The rooms are pretty spartan in their design, but at least they are all bigger than the normal standard in Boracay. Still, they all come with a mini fridge, AC, free WiFi, safety box and hot/cold shower. Free towels and other toiletries are also replenished on a daily basis.
Overall, Pinjalo is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to stay near White Beach’s station 2 – the place where all the nightlife and fun is. You get to enjoy the best location, but stay at a peaceful resort surrounded by beautiful gardens, and pay a much lower price. This makes Pinjalo an ideal location for young couples as well as larger groups.
the standard is the most basic room category, but is still very large with 23m2 of living space. there’s also a nice little balcony outside, where you can sit and have a drink while looking at the garden. The standard room comes with a queen size bed, as well as usual amenities provided by the hotel.
The deluxe room is 31m2 and comes with either 1 king size bed or 2 queen size, depending on your choice. there’s also a larger 45m2 version which includes an upper deck. The Deluxe loft comes with a queen size bed on the lower level, and a king size in the upper.
There are 2 types of suites available, either with 1 bedroom or 2. The 1 bedroom suite is 84m2 and comes with 1 king size bed, while the other is 112m2 and has a king size and a queen size bed in it. Additional beds can be added to both for a small daily fee.
One of Pinjalo’s main advantages is the fact they offer affordable accommodation to large groups. There are 2 Villas, named Palm and Heliconia, each with 3 bedrooms, as well as an apartment you can book. The apartment is cheaper but only has 2 bedrooms. All of these can easily house at least 6 adults, but extra beds can also be added. The apartment and Villa Heliconia are 150m2, while the Palm Villa is a whopping 280m2 and also has the most modern design and furniture.
