An Antipolo escape for Kuya's Birthday at Loreland Farm Resort
Our family in Florida gifted us with some moolah over the holiday's. So given our Christmas blessings, Kuya EJ and I decided to spend the money on an out-of-town trip. I initially suggested that we take the family out of town for his birthday instead of just checking-in at a hotel. After our talks, we finally decided to celebrate his 41st birthday at Loreland Farm Resort, Antipolo. The resort looked very family-friendly. Plus, it was just an hour's drive from Quezon City.
I was the designated travel agent (as always =P), so I did all of the necessary arrangements, research, budgeting, booking, etc. I also made sure a certain budget was in place, and that my big family will be accommodated comfortably throughout the trip. And having seen what Loreland had to offer, I decided to reserve two big rooms for all 16 pax. Antipolo was a lot near to us (cutting our initial Subic costing into more than half), so I decided to book their Resthouse 1 & 2 after a week-long email-exchange with the Loreland representatives. You can also book Loreland Farm Resort, Antipolo City with Traveloka.
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| Resthouse 1 |
As a whole, Loreland was clean, especially for a big group like ours. Although most of the pool facilities needed cleaning and fixing, all of us still enjoyed what the resort offered. When we were there, Loreland had at least 20 pools within their vicinity. But they only opened about 4 big pools for public use, since the remaining ones were being repaired and prepared in time for summer. Lucky for us, we had a pool just in front of our lodging (plus a videoke machine that my family took pleasure in!).
THE PLANNING PROCESS
When I plan these sort of trips for my family, it's always best to know if they will potentially enjoy the place. And given the different age groups, I always make it a point to check all of the facilities first. I also ensure that there are areas and activities that will keep them entertained, as this helps lessen the dramas. Anyway, if you feel like trying out Loreland Farm Resort in the near future, here are a few Pro's and Con's that you can look into (based from our own experience):
PROS
-Plenty of swimming pools to choose from
-Plenty of grills for BBQ's, etc. (free of charge)
-Plenty of affordable cottages for rent
-Two Videoke machines for the taking! (with PHP 5 slots)
-Resthouse 1 & 2 were very spacious as each lodging came with a refrigerator, kitchen space, Private Hot & Cold T&B, cable TV, a/c, plus two extra towels
- Resthouse 1 also came with two couches, chairs and a dining table
- Resthouse 1 also came with two couches, chairs and a dining table
-If you book Resthouse 1 & 2, you will be assured of an overlooking view of the city (such a lovely sight at night!)
-Their own spa services
-A convenience store and a restaurant that has WIFI
-The location may seem too far to reach at first. But given the right directions, it's quite near when you take the ortigas extension route
-Guests get to have a P250 Gift Certificate for each room booked (we spent ours at their restaurant!)
CONS
-Some of the big rooms have kitchens but no cooking facilities (if you plan on doing some cooking, better bring your own materials)
-Gas stoves/Gas range aren't allowed in the resort
-Appliances are charged P200 for each piece
-Bottled drinks/cans have corkage fees
-Entrance fees (exclusive from the accommodations)
-A Mcdonald's joint or any food/store chain like 7-eleven may take about 5-10 minutes to reach by car, if you're coming from the resort (a little hassle though)
-The resort is not that strict with the swimming attire, as people can wear shirts and shorts in the pool
-A bit crowdy during the weekend, especially at night (all of the cottages beside our room were packed with people until the wee hours of the morning - mostly drinking sessions with a bit of loud music playing on the background)
If you plan on taking a short road-trip, you might want to consider going to Loreland for a quick getaway. The kiddies certainly couldn't get enough of the pools! =) Of course, I wouldn't forget the birthday presents that we surprised kuya with! Our ate gave him a humidifier, and I with some customized cupcakes. I had these sweet treats done by Swirls N Sprinkles again. You should check them out, as Nadine and Jeff are really great at their craft. They're like the ACE OF CAKES for me! =)
Anyhooo, here's another TRAVEL EXPENSE SHEET to help you out with your future costings. Enjoy folks!
Explore & Be Free!
Mai
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