Showing posts with label garden resort. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden resort. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Sonya's Garden


I had this photo of Canyon Cove Beach Club taken on a boat ride in Nasugbu, Batangas  months ago. My girls thought we must pay it a visit the next time.




Last, last weekend, a quick breakfast at Tagaytay with the sun beaming beach-happy to us, made us push the dad to continue our random road trip down to Nasugbu Batangas. The truth was all the while the girls and I had ofcourse a hidden agenda_ we actually included swimsuits in our daytour bags, haha.
It took us more than an hour to reach Nasugbu from Tagaytay. There was a partial road reconstruction going on along the way. Hmm. . we could smell a stench of karma there, haha.




We entered the resort and intentionally ignored the front desk. We wanted to see the place first. The reception lobby was too busy anyway to attend to us. From the open lobby we took a quick glance of the huge pool fronting the beach. All bareness. Nothing follows.  That quick glance was all we needed to cut the beach day idea. Right away, we went back to the car with the dad who hadn't even  yet unloaded himself  and alibied to him that it was fully booked. White lie. We didn't like the resort. It looked so contrived to us. Sorry.




We decided to go back to Tagaytay. To compensate for the useless/failed  Nasugbu drive, we made a stop at Sonya's Garden in Alfonso Cavite. The girls, guilty of the tiring driving task imposed to their father, thought to make up by treating him ( remember, at this time of the year, the girls' wallets were still fat from the holiday's aguinaldo )  to his favorite indulgence_ massage! Husband had the spa's signature massage for about P800 which the girls paid willingly.




Since it was my girls first time at Sonya's, they spent the waiting time (for their dad) checking each corner of the garden.




daybed


rose petal pot



terra-cota garden chimes




Lunch done outside ( good news to my wallet, haha. actually, dining here is quite costly but soo worth it ). The girls enjoyed freshly baked goodies from the bakeshop of the garden resort. Check them at my food blog.




We also went to check the country store of the garden.




I bought a bottle of an oil-based insect repellent which I thought would be very useful on our  trips.




The youngest member of the family, my budding religious daughter had her eyes on religious items, whatelse?   She bought a rosary bracelet.




scented candles & soap



so italy




pure cuteness




pure chessy-ness,haha




Sonya's Garden is so conducive for spending the day doing nothing but to relax. It also offers a B&B cottages. Hmmm. . wish.wish. we could spend even only for a single night here next time.






























Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Casa Ibiza

This was a day last week of an infinite queue. Early part  towards late part of the day was consumed with a friend  doing manic S&R shopping. If you're a S&R member shopper, you know what I mean! S&R annual sale?_ spells crazy here in the metro! The loooong-est queue of people entering, pursuing pushcarts, grabbing cheapest salable items, buying, paying _ madmad crazy!!! Shame-on- me was there cos I too is crazy about scoring 50% off (even more) items. haha. It's funny but I'm telling you it was hard w-o-r-k !!!
As if the almost whole day S&R mad queue wasn't enough, I proceeded to the neighbor establishment, to the DFA for my passport renewal appointment. What now?? Whatelse but more hours in long queue of passport applicants. Omg! The day really tested my patience. But I gotta do what I gotta do!
The sun set on me standing in the boulevard and was picked up by my family. I almost forgot. I made an overnight reservation in Casa Ibiza. It's supposed to be just a tad more than an hour drive having its location in the nearby Antipolo, Rizal, but because of the rush hour traffic condition, it took us like nearing four hours to reach the place. Woaahhh!!! Really a whole day full of patience exams.
Thus, explained my not so nice impression of the place when we arrived , coming from those mad queues, You've got to understand me.
But anyway. .  .




. . my first impression of the place was vividly colored open air cabanas and jubilant colored villas. Followed by a lame reception or was it the absence of it.
We were placed in a tiny two storey villa with three small bedrooms, two baths, a tv room and a kitchen.




Children went straight to watch their favorite t.v. show while snacking. We had dinner on the road. While husband and I felt a need for a fresh air. Went out to have a night glimpse of the place.




We found a garden with white pagoda which I suppose where wedding banquet is being held. Within is a matching white open reception hall.




We wanted to have a drink or two, but the bar was empty_ of staff and everything.


When we came back to the villa, the girls had already chosen each room. I hadn't seen it and had to check.




Older daughter got the smallest room among the three rooms. It got nothing but a super slim single bed and an aircon.




Younger daughter got the medium room with again a bed and an aircon.

Husband and I, ofcourse got the I supposed the master bedroom cos it's the biggest one. It has its own bathroom and a closet and an aircon. In fairness, all rooms, thu' all pretty small against my expectation, were clean and span.








All rooms were on the upper level of the villa. The first floor has the sala and kitchen. Don't be deceived by photos above. The place is even smaller in actual size.
The villa is claustrophobic and quite similar to the low-cost, cluster housing in the suburbs. You wouldn't want to spend time in it and would push you out to catch a fresh air.








The facade of each villa is painted with individual loud color. Which personally, I don't think is enough to capture a Mexican villa. If you're up to experience a Mexican inspired accommodation here in our country, I would recommend the villas of  Pueblo por la Playa in Pagbilao, Quezon.




However, the lack of air inside the tiny villa was compensated by the airy garden of Casa Ibiza.




With the splash of colors all over the Casa Ibiza, it's undeniably one  photogenic resort.




It has a pool. .




.. and another one  wading pool. We made a pass on swimming. The pool failed to entice us and were actually more enticing in photos.








If you're seeking for energy and adventure, this is not the weekend place for you. Ambiance here is reflective  and really restful.




Husband had to have his breakfast ahead of us cos he still had his work that day and had to report to his office.













Left us to commute back to the city upon check-out.. We took a tricycle infront of the resort which sent us to the fx station in the town. The fx took us to Megamall which is the drop off point. I found the commuting faster cos it wasn't rush hour then.








Friday, September 16, 2011

In a Different Hue


Some places are better seen in photos.True story
Is this place familiar to you?
Hmm. .
Just been there. .
and I'm thinking. .
since as of this moment I couldn't find any kind word about this jubilant colored garden resort. .
for now, I'd rather keep my mouth shut
and well. .
i'll try tomorrow. .
i might be in a better hue..
:
:
fair enough?
:
see ya. tomorrow:D