Lanterna Hotel Boracay

We arrived at the place on 11AM, and they allowed us to check in early! The room is huge, with a balcony overlooking lush greenery and some coconut trees at a distance. The bathroom is equally huge, with awesome fixtures. The hotel is located on the east part of the island where the winds blow all day. One can enjoy constant pleasant ocean breeze, be it in the morning or at night. Oh, and friendly cats may visit you in your balcony 😆 The restaurant has a very cozy arrangement. One might be tempted to stay and laze around all day. They serve tasty Italian cuisine. Overall, a wonderful stay. Would definitely check in here again should I find myself in Boracay another time.

This is a review of the hotel's restaurant, not its lodging. Their entrance was a bit hard to find, because their sign was small, Google Maps' navigation was slightly off, and the street was pretty dark, but once I found it, nothing but good things followed. I reserved a table with Lyn, who I believe is part owner, over the phone. She was very gracious and had a calm voice - like a late-night love radio station host. She was also very patient when I called her multiple times to change my reservation details and to pre-order food (a local friend suggested to order ahead). Unfortunately, Lyn wasn't present when our party arrived. I would have loved to thank her in person. We did, however, get to meet Luigi, who I believe is their head chef, as we were leaving. Nothing but good vibes from the man. We ordered the Octopus Carpaccio (thinly sliced octopus garnished with black olives, herbs, and olive oil), the Scaloppine ai Funghi (slices of prime tenderloin beef sauteed with porcini mushrooms served with mashed potatoes on a bed of arugula), and the Spuntaure di Miale e Salsicce (pork ribs and homemade Italian sausage slow cooked in tomato sauce served with mashed potatoes), which were all served with unlimited warm bread, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. It would have made my Italian language teacher feel at home. Worth every minute of the wait. Food this good can't be rushed. It also explains why the place doesn't seat many people. Large crowds would create a rush in the kitchen that would lower the quality of the food. Just as our local friend suggested: ORDER AHEAD. I failed to get the name of our server, but she was very patient when I continued to make order changed when I arrived. Very friendly too! Despite being a small place, they had a pretty garden and a yoga studio. They even had two very cute cats, one white and one black. I wish we had room to try their desserts. Maybe next time!