Boracay, PhilippinesYapak
Shangri-La Boracay
Terraced headland resort
Yapak Boracay, Philippines
Opened
2009
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Resort Luxe WellnessOutside the door
The house
Shangri-LaTerraced headland resort
Villas step down a forested headland to two sheltered coves, trading Boracay's crowded beachfronts for a quiet nature reserve.
What it’s good at
Notable
Dedicated villa hosts arrange flower-petal baths after private speedboat arrivals from Caticlan.
Notable
A detached peninsula spa village where ten private villas host traditional hilot massages.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
The sprawling hillside property looks like a screensaver, with verdant gardens, private sea-view villas, and two powdery coves—Punta Bunga and Banyugan.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Puka Shell Beach sits just down the road, and White Beach's nightlife is twenty minutes away by shuttle.
1 of 4
The rooms
Capiz-shell lamps and woven abaca rugs furnish the rooms, while hillside villas add private pools facing the water.
The pools
Bring a swimsuit.
A freeform pool curves through the palms, and a dedicated lap pool flanked by carved fish gazes over the sea.
The spa
Treatment villas sit across a rocky peninsula, opening to private outdoor baths and secluded plunge pools.
Restaurant
Sirena
Wooden dining cabanas step down the cliffside for fresh seafood and sunset drinks above the water.
Tucked into an eco-reserve with its own shimmering beach, the Shangri-La is also home to a canopy-cloaked dining aerie, sunset-surveying clifftop cabanas, and a peninsular spa on a private bay.
At the table
Terrace tables look out over the bay for breakfast, or staff set private candlelit dinners along the sand.
How it began
Before breaking ground in 2009, architect Jim Freeman trekked the jungle on foot to hand-pick each cliffside villa plot.
Boracay
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.