The reviews are a bit misleading and the pictures associated to this hotel on tripadvisor are also very deceiving. We booked 2 nights originally at the crown regency PRINCE resort in station 1. We arrived and were greeted warmly by the front desk staff. The room was nice, decent size and clean - however the hotel lacked amenities. There was no pool, and the walk to the beach on station 1 was approximately 7 minutes through a back allyway road (which is 'normal' for boracay). I would have been a little frightened to try to make the walk via the allyway at night as it didnt seem like it was lit and it wasn't really an 'official' path so I am not sure how many other people would be around late at night to help you feel safe. With the distance to the beach and the lack of pool, we decided to change our second night to the crown regency beach hotel (in station 3). Although a little bit more expensive, it was well worth it to be ON THE BEACH, and to have a really nice pool with a beautiful view. The room was comparable in the crown regency beach - maybe even larger, just as clean, however I saw a few ants in the bed - they didnt bite, so it really wasn't too troublesome.

All in all, for the Crown Regency Prince the staff is very friendly and courteous and the rooms are clean. If you really prefer station 1 to station 3, then this could possibly be a better choice for your travels.

I would have originally given this hotel a 4 star rating (out of 5) - however the morning breakfast buffet was really sub-par. We arrived ~ 9:30 AM (the breakfast goes until 10 AM i believe), and there was hardly any food left. Where there was food, it was cold. The eggs were not very tastey, and the bacon soggy. I think they only cook for the amount of guests that they have, and if you miss out on the fresh food you are kind of out of luck - which is what I think happened to us. Because of the poor breakfast, I am only giving 3/5 stars.

The crown regency beach front in station 3 also has breakfast included in the room and it is much nicer - there is a made to order egg station, and other hot items which they kept hot and replenished. They may have kept the breakfast more fresh as it seemed there were many more travelers staying at the beach hotel versus the prince.

This review is for Station 1.

The Pros:

The accommodations for this hotel were very nice. Rooms were very clean and the bathrooms up to date. I had a balcony view facing buildings and the busy street below. There is a convenience store/supermarket underneath the hotel which is open 24 hours and has everything you may need in case you forgot something. The staff was very nice and courteous.

The cons:

The free breakfast buffet was subpar. The food was cold both days I was there and there was a very limited selection. I was disappointed with the service. There were many attendants but none were very helpful. Although the beach was about a 2-3 minute walk, getting there was another story. You had to cross a busy street then navigate thru a series of back alleys to get to the beach.

Physically, the hotel was quite nice, but since Boracay is known for it's beaches and water activities, you are much better off staying at a hotel right on the beach.

I think this hotel either got some unfair reviews in the past, or they already addressed any complaints or shortcomings they had.

First of all, i noticed about HALF of the reviews here are for the Crown Regency BEACH resort. (hotel right smack at the beach in Station 3). This is for the Crown Regency PRINCE (hotel near Station 1, you have to cross the street and have 2 minutes walk to reach the resort).

I had the choice on which hotel to stay in, the BEACH front or this Prince hotel. The BEACH hotel at first seemed more ideal.. it has a pool, i think its bigger, and you're right there at the beach already. In the end upon doing some research, i hear Station 1 is the better location so we chose the PRINCE. YMMV.

Its a decent hotel for its price range, VERY courteous and smiling staff, even the security guards are very polite. Room is roomy, cool aircon, clean bathroom with strong and hot water. We have a balcony but its a lousy view (facing street and buildings). But there should be rooms facing the beach if you're into nice views from your balcony.

Breakfast was good.. nothing spectacular but average or a bit above average even for standard breakfast buffet. We stayed for 2 nights and im pleasantly surprised that they didnt have the same menu from the previous day. Their TAPA was delicious. Juice was "sparkling" Apple juice, so not the powdered juice i read in one review. At least they're trying to improve.

Free Wifi from the lobby which extends r\to the dining area, so you can surf while having breakfast. No wifi in the room, but they have a LAN cable for internet access (I assume its free, i didnt use it since i only have my ipad with me)

Location is good. Theres a 24-7 convenience store right downstairs. so you can buy anything even at the middle of the night (including burgers). The soap, shampoo and toothpaste in the hotel was inadequate for us so we just bought our preferred brands at the store. (im not gonna complain about the hotel's quality of toiletry supplies, its just a few pesos to get what we need downstairs so no big deal). They have JONAS Shakes right next door, we just order them on our way back to the hotel. You can get a quick ride to the D Mall for 10 pesos per person (because im too lazy or tired to walk :-) ). There is even a nearby ATM. AND there are not one, but TWO Spas right across the hotel. One is open 24 hours while the other is open till midnight. So after a tiring day swimming and walking, we got a massage first before retiring to our hotel.

The beach is not that far from the hotel, 2 mins walk tops. The only drawback is the "scenery" walking to the beach via alleyways and passing thru houses isnt that great. You wouldnt think that just a few meters past those dingy concrete jungle would lie the beauty and splendor of Boracay.

All in all, we definitely chose the right hotel for our Boracay trip. The sand is a lot finer at Station 1.. its so fine that i tracked some back into the hotel and in my bed.. i cant even SEE it, but i can FEEL it.. had to fluff our bedsheet a few times to get them out :)

Next time we go back, we wouldnt mind staying there again... although we just MIGHT try the Beach hotel just to see the difference..

Crown Regency Prince Hotel. Breakfast could be improved. It was cold and a bit basic and tasteless. Powdered orange juice. Additional pillow cost 200 pesos. Sand on the floor and no slippers. Be careful if you get a henna tattoo as it may mark the sheets and you will have to pay extra. Close to the beach. Room small and very slow fan. Convenience shop underneath hotel but no fridge in room. The room and was generally o.k. but we would not stay there again as there is better to be be found. We stayed 2 nights and moved to Astoria on the beachfront. More expensive but a 100% experience. We will stay at Astoria Station 1 next time without doubt. It is only just down the road from the Crown Prince.