Palm Beach Resort Laiya Batangas ~ Resort Review

I have been again dreaming of kicking of my high heels to doing some barefoot sand-walking~ I thought some vitamin SEA was timely!

So we hopped on the family car and found ourselves back to one of favorite relaxation scene ~ Laiya Batangas.  

We love that it is barely 3 hours away Manila and the beach stretch is clean and tranquil.

Our latest discovery is Palm Beach Resort. 

Palm Beach is a bit tucked away from the rest of the Laiya Beaches, which makes it perfect for real time peace and quiet.

Unfortunately the sand was quite coarse (so be sure to wear the right shoes), but water is clear and view is faultless.

We stayed at the ground floor of Casa Blanca.  We could not have chosen a more perfect room.  It is closest to the resort's infinity pool and the dining hall. 

The Casa Blanca is perfectly sized for our family of four.  It is fitted with 2 queen beds and a day bed.  

There is wifi and cable, but never really got to use them much as we were out soaking up the scenery. 

 We slept soundly with the billowing waves outside as background. 

We get to check out the infinity pool, 

which my youngest enjoyed a lot.

VERDICT

• As expected we had a wonderful family time at Palm Beach ~ it was really rejuvenating and just what our stressed out bodies ordered.  It was one of the most relaxing vacations we have had.
  
• The full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner with morning and afternoon snacks) that came with our package was simple yet delectable.  
• Staff were likewise amazing ~ cordial and cheerful.

Palm Beach Resort is located in Barangay Hugom Laiya, 

San Juan Batangas 

For inquiries and reservation please visit their webpage at 

www.palmbeachlaiya.com 

Back to Nature at Villa Elma ~ Lucban Quezon

For my birthday weekend, we went on a family road trip to Kamay ni Hesus Shrine (a well-known Catholic pilgrimage site).

As it was quite a long drive back home to Manila from Lucban, Quezon Province, so my husband and I decided to stay the night at Villa Elma.

Villa Elma is a scenic nature park with bed and breakfast, located at the foot of Mt. Banahaw.

We stayed at the Log Cabin.  This accommodation is good for 6+ guests.  There is a room upstairs with a queen sized bed and a sofa that converts to a bed on the ground floor.  There is a small restroom downstairs and full bath on the 2nd floor.

 

Only the upstairs bed room is air-conditioned, but it was okay at the ground floor too, as weather at the foot of Mt Banahaw is fresh-cool.  It felt like we were in Baguio.

The room upstairs is nicely decorated ~ adorned with paintings and other work of arts.

There is also a veranda upstairs.   

Our window opens to this delightful view (Yes, I wanted to take this papaya tree home with us).

Chickens roaming around ~ This is rural living!

It was raining a bit (and the steps slippery)  during our stay so we never got to visit the rest of Villa Elma.   

The cold weather is perfect for snuggling (bring a light jacket).

FINAL VERDICT:

1. There was very little to do at Villa Elma. There is no television and no wi-fi (we brought our own, but signal was intermittent). You might want to bring board games to pass time, if you have kids along ~ A true "no-gadgets" weekend.
2. Villa Elma boasts meditation and prayer areas  and a brook to go swimming, but since the weather was off, we did not get to see these.
3. Weather is wonderful.  We loved the cool mountain breeze, especially when we woke up the next morning.  We felt so rested and relaxed.
4. Food options at there restaurant is limited.  You can bring in cooked food though or go out to buy food or just eat out. Villa Elma is about 10-15 minutes drive the town proper.
5. As you are one with nature, expect to see lots of bugs and insects around.  Though the room upstairs was clean, there were a lot of ants down stairs.
6. The bathrooms were clean too, however, I cant seem to make the hot and cold work.  We had to take cold showers. 
7. Staff were nice and very accommodating. 

Villa Elma
A. Mabini Street, Brgy. Palola,
Lucban, Quezon Province
​

Tel No. +639955045385

Email Address. info@villaelma.com.ph

Website: Villa Elma

Bakasyunan Resort Tanay Review

We were looking for an easy 1-2 hours get-away near Metro Manila to unwind and catch up with family friends.
As we live in Taytay, our default go to place is the hills of Tanay, Rizal.

Resorts abound in Tanay, so choosing one that fits our requirement was a bit of a challenge.  

We wanted a place with a back to nature ambiance with panoramic view, but with the comfort of a hotel. This led us to "Bakasyunan Resort".

The resort sits on a 15 hectare property with a view of the Sierra Madre mountains and Laguna de Bay.  

We booked 2 Carneros Inn.  The Carneros are private rooms located a few meters away the main pool.  The rooms have 2 Queen sized beds, perfect for a family of four (4).  

I am so sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the room interiors.  I got this picture from Bakasyunan website instead.



Our room is clean, but was in need of upgrading, especially the bathrooms (the hot and cold shower wasn't working and so is the bath tub).  


The air-condition was freezing, which was great since we were there on a humid-hot day.

There is a TV, but channels are limited. 


It is a huge resort with facilities for team building activities. 

There are also plenty of activities for families to enjoy, so you really don't ran of things to do.  My boys enjoyed playing mini-golf.  

FINAL VERDICT:

• We managed to have fun.  Our boys enjoyed the resort's outdoor activities.   
• The price is reasonable.  Our package came with Dinner and Breakfast. Food quality is good and servings hefty.   
• Since the resort is just 1.5 hours away from our place and with light traffic, we got to spend more time relaxing than travelling.
• Tanay weather gets a bit chilly at night, so expect cold pool waters for night swimmers.  

• As it is a huge resort with steep terrain, PWD and Seniors might find it difficult to navigate.  If you are travelling with those requiring special assistance remember to mention this during booking/reservations and request for a room closest to the main building.  

For booking inquiries check Bakasyunan Resort Tanay website: www.bakasyunanresorttanay.com or contact them through:

                      
Tel No.: 7064509
Mobile : 09175755116/09989942513/09178303438
Email :bakasyunanmarketing1@gmail.com