75 miles from the International airport, this can be a long drive in Manila's traffic. Once you get…read morethere though it felt like a real slice of hidden paradise. We were greeted by really courteous staff. From the security guard, front desk to the room attendants, it was great customer service. Three meals a day were provided and it was a feast. Usually 4 dishes plus the mandatory rice for each meal was more than enough for us. Which says a lot after a whole day of swimming in the ocean. WIFI was free and reliable around the resort. 2 hours of kayaking came free with our package as well. Accommodations were separate cottages having 1-2 rooms.The rooms were spotless and offered a very nice view of the ocean. There was AC but with the configuration of the windows along with the multitude of trees in the location, you could just leave the windows open and really enjoy the cool ocean breeze. The rest room was shared per cottage but it was well maintained and clean as well. Massages were available in-room. I personally did not avail of it but my sister did and seemed to enjoy it. The beach was clean and the water was very clear and warm. Perfect for swimming any time of the day. Overall, if you want to go to a great beach with modern facilities, it is well worth the road trip.

Beach is clean, mostly pebbles and coral so it's hard to walk barefoot on…read more Cabins are ok. Air conditioning works well, huge bathroom. Place is supposed to be "no smoking" but the people next door were smoking on the porch. Food: terrible. They could do better with what they charge. Road to the resort: terrible. We were so worried we'd get a flat tire. No TV (which is not a problem) and wifi connection was poor.

Two things I absolutely love about La Luz. First, the big rock that's perfect for both silly,…read moreimpromptu photoshoots, and thrill seeking if you dare to jump off of it! Second, it's an amazing beach to go snorkeling. The corals are teeming with colorful fish, even clownfish, which are honestly so rare at beaches with a high volume of people. This would be a great place to teach kids the joys of snorkeling since there's a lot to see. Oh god, this is the place when I wanted to go swimming around sunset with my dad, and he said no because it would probably be too dark to see anything...then when he comes back he yells at everybody, "I SAW A TURTLE!!!" Hashtag ForeverBitter. Just be sure to bring beach shoes though, as the shore is full of pebbles. Harsh on bare feet, but very generous towards your shell collection if you've got one; there are lots of gems lying in plain sight, literally right under your nose! Forget about building sandcastles here, you'll be too busy collecting shells. Or avoiding jellyfish. As a ten or eleven year old, I totally freaked out during high tide when jellyfish washed up on the beach. At least it happens during the hottest part of the day when nobody's really in the water anyway. Moving on to the rooms. My family of five (or four and a half at the time since my brother was just a toddler) plus a ninong, ninang, and their daughter who's practically a second sister to me stayed in this pretty cool room which was actually 2 floors. It was my first time to see and sleep in a loft area, so I had fun! Haha. As I remember, the bathroom was decent, although it's hard having only one for big groups sleeping over. I'd suggest maybe adding another one for those types of rooms. Sad to say that recently when my family went on a day trip here to snorkel, by taking a boat from another resort, the beachfront was crowded with rowdy, sketchy looking people. Hopefully during off season there'll be less of those unpleasant characters and enjoying the beauty and adventure of La Luz will still be possible.

I first stumbled upon this place while I was searching around the Internet, looking for resorts in…read moreLaiya, Batangas. When I saw photos of the place, I instantly loved it and proceeded to book a room for two. The place is quite pricey compared to the other resorts in the area but upon arriving there, I knew why. The resort is very spacious, the cabanas or rooms are spaced quite far from each other, thus giving a lot of privacy to guests. When I went there with my boyfriend, the resort was actually fully booked but it didn't feel like it. The sand was white and the water was clean. It was hard to believe that this place was only 2-3 hours away from Manila.

What a gorgeous beach! While the sand isn't as fine as flour, it's definitely white and doesn't…read morehave too many shells that'll poke your feet as you run. Normally pretty white sand doesn't go with pretty underwater sights, but here I was pleasantly surprised to find corals and colorful fish only a short distance from shore! If you're not the type to snorkel, there are rentable kayaks available at a fairly reasonable price. The rooms are little cottages, either made of bamboo or built like a standard house with aircon. My family stayed in the former and thanks to the sea breeze, it was pleasantly cool during the night. No need to get the more expensive airconditioned room! It's nearly 3000 pesos more. But if you're just going on a day trip, you can rent one of the cabanas on the beach. They have mattresses for midday naps and curtains so no one will see the weird faces you make while asleep. The beachfront itself is beautiful, dotted with lots of coconut trees and smaller trees whose names are unknown to me but look like giant bonsais. The latter's branches are great for climbing and sitting on. Some trees have hammocks strung between them so you can sway with the wind and listen to the waves while daydreaming away that hour between eating and swimming again. Only issue I have with Virgin Beach is you can't bring in your own food. As an added snag, the already kinda expensive fees don't include food; you still have to pay for what you order at their restaurant separately. Overall, this a wonderful resort! My family's been here twice and each time was exactly the vacation we needed.

Everytime we visit the Philippines, we take our family on vacation, and this time we decided to…read morevisit Acuatico in Batangas. Upon arrival, we were offered welcome drinks and adorned us with beaded necklaces. Very nice touch! Staff were warm and friendly - the hospitality was spot on! Our rooms were not yet ready then as we arrived earlier than the standard check in time, but they tried to accommodate to the best they could. While we wait, we had lunch at Oceano. Despite the variety (a la carte menu), it was a bit underwhelming. We had to follow-up on our orders a couple of times. It was not busy then, as we were the only guests dining at that time. The breakfast and dinner buffet was good. There were enough options to choose from. The rooms were nice and spacious. We love the proximity of the pool. The only minor issue was you can hear the noise from outside - not quite sound proofed. But that's ok, we slept well either way. As for the Pool area and bar, the beach towels were not readily available. We had to ask the pool attendant for some. Bar was ok. If I may suggest, if someone will order beer, a beer glass or stein should be offered - and if possible, chilled. The pool is divided into sections with different depths, which I think was smart. The infinity pool overlooking the beach was awesome! Lastly the staff, all were kind, courteous and attentive. They remembered us by names and it was truly a mark of their hospitality. Overall, it was a great stay and will surely recommend to friends and family.

This resort is amazing, the staff is great, the room is comfortable and cool! The buffet breakfast,…read morelunch, and dinner is great. Nice getaway from the city life. Could not get to snorkel or dive due to Typhoon Engay from the North of Luzon Island. The waters on Batangas was a little on the rough side, and plenty of rain and humid. Other than that, this place for me is a five star despite the tropical storm and a very short power outage we endured during our stay. Because of the storm, the beach wedding became an entrance hall wedding and went very smooth and beautiful.

This family-owned resort is the perfect place for a weekend getaway with family and friends. It's…read morejust a short 1.5hr-2hrs drive away from Manila, making it very easy to get to. Awilihan can be rented for the entire day or for overnight stays. The place can comfortably accommodate 30 people (max). The rental fee is already inclusive of the use of the house (airconditioned rooms with beds, pillows and showers), the pool, sports facilities (badminton, basketball and billiards) and the use of their pool. You can opt to bring your own food or order food from them for a reasonable fee. The entire place overlooks the Taal Lake and there's always a nice cool breeze, making it the perfect relaxation spot. I have taken my family and friends here and all of them love the place so much. Once you enter, you immediately feel comfortable. The atmosphere is very relaxing and homey and it just makes you want to lounge around. Although there's no beach to swim in, their swimming pool is enticing enough to make you want to jump in one you see it. I love how the whole place is secluded... away from the traffic and the noise of the city. I always recommend this place to my friends and family because you really can't go wrong with Awilihan! It really is paradise!

Looking to just soak in the beach, sun and sand? Well, you won't have to look very far to do that…read more At about a few hours away from Makati, Estrellas de Mendoza Playa Resort offers you a nice getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. So, slow down and sit by the beach while you soak in the calming sounds of the waves, the salty breeze in the air, and most of all, the apparent absence of any skyscraper, highway and that oh so rude pedestrian whose manners go right out of the window to make it to a meeting. With a cozy little spot by Laiya, what you get with this relatively smaller hotel and resort is an intimate getaway that will surely be conducive for some well earned R&R. Without any spas within its vicinity and with the wifi being limited to the lobby only, this can-do resort, however, makes it up through offering an array of aquatic activities like diving, snorkeling and even fishing! So, if that mini vacation of yours is way overdue, better rev up that engine and start driving. Laiya is just there waiting for you!

If I could rate this place a 0, I would. To start off the maintenance is terrible. This "resort" is…read morenot as appealing as the photos show. As well as the workers and owners had the audacity to threaten to MURDER my friends and I when we refused to pay 365 pesos for ONE hour. I definitely don't recommend ANYONE to go here. We were all very scared and worried. We even had to call the cops. They don't deserve to stay in business. CLOSE DOWN THIS RESORT

A HIDDEN GEM! A must go retreat for family, big groups, honeymooners, quick getaway, etc! Only less…read morethan 3 hour drive from Manila. The road going towards the resort is so narrow. You would not think this didn't go anywhere! We actually tried booking through Airbnb but they only limit it to sixteen people; or I think Airbnb's requirement. The representative told us to communicate through Facebook instead as we needed a big group reservations for 30 as their description on Airbnb stated they can accommodate up to 30 people! Easy reservations with them via phone and the best place to go so far since visiting the main island! The resort has their own farm of fruits and veggies so everything is fresh and depends on the season; they can only make certain meals during the season. Food is pretty decent. We reserved the villa for our stay called - 'Sta. Teresita Villa' where it has its own private infinity pool. The villa has its own kitchen, two and half bathrooms and two bedrooms. It has great views! It was so awesome! We all didn't want to leave!! We also rented additional rooms that had outdoor jacuzzi's. You can order set meals for 5 or 10 or ala carte. Just to let you know, if you are used to American portions, you may have to order more than average. They have fresh buko drinks, too. They plan to add a zip lines in the resort. I can't wait! Tips to remember: - Weather is still very warm here so don't over dress. OK, I mean HOT and humid! - Bring bug spray especially during rainy season. Bugs are huge here!! Bring slippers! - pools have overhead covers so even if rained on, you can still swim. Bring waterproof camera bags. - No wifi except in the lobby. Free wifi. 3G goes on and off within the resort so good luck! No use coming here if you are working! - It's easy to use Waze to get here but leaving, make sure to start the Waze while using the wifi in the lobby or it won't turn on till a few km's out! Remember how you got there. - They do accept credit cards. - Bring snacks or drinks as their snack bar is limited. - Make sure to explore the resort, their crops and their pet snakes! - They do have a few blackouts. - Wake up before sunset to check out the lake and mountain views! Bring your good cameras! Also, love the weather in the morning! For my 650th review, I am dedicating it to Noni's Resort! Staff were very accommodating and super friendly for our big group! Prices were pretty good for our staff and what was offered. I will definitely recommend anyone to check them out and stay for a quick weekend getaway! You won't regret it! [69/100]