Valentino Resort and Spa, San Jose Batangas

My husband and I went to Valentino Resort and Spa for our wedding anniversary celebration. It is a quick 2hr drive from Manila so it is really accessible. The staff are nice and courteous. They have their own golf cart that the guests can ride on to get to the rooms. We got the 1 bedroom villa which cost less than 5k pesos. They also have cheaper rooms that are also nice and is more accessible to the pool area but it can only accomodate 2 pax. The villas can accomodate more guests but it is much more distant to the pool though it offers more privacy plus you can park your car right in front of the villa which is more convenient if you got lots of stuff to unload. The villa is simple and it has a really nice view of the mountain (I think it's Mount Maculot). The only thing I could complain is that the beds are small (2 single bed which is not ideal if you are on a honeymoon) and the bathroom is really basic (the hot water shower is hard to figure out how to use) plus the drainage is not that good that water tends to stuck when you're taking a shower. Anyway, the pools are nice especially the jacuzzi. They also have cabanas near the pool where you can relax. They also have a restaurant where you can dine. The meals are relatively cheap though the taste is not that exceptional. You may also order the food and have them deliver in your room. The place is very relaxing especially at night where you can only hear the sound of crickets. The staff are always smiling and I appreciate that they value your privacy but at the same time attentive to your needs. We did not have the chance to try their spa because they are already fully booked when we inquired but the ambiance is nice. The breakfast which is included in the package are just the usual filipino breakfast meal.

Bday 2013 @Casa Astillero, Calatagan Batangas

Since we enjoyed our first stay at Casa Astillero, we decided to return and spend my birthday for this year there. The area is no longer that crowded maybe because summer is almost over and most schools had already started their classes. In fact, only us and another set of campers spent the night at the beach. The weather still feels like summer however it went bad during late afternoon and the wind was blowing incessantly in the evening but that did not dampened our enjoyment. Fortunately, the sun is in heat again the following morning so we were still able to enjoy swimming and catching the waves before we got home.

my birthday cake from Sugarhouse

Casa Astillero (Caisip Compound), Calatagan Batangas

the view from our tent

My 1st summer outing for the year 2013...uhmm..make it my 1st ever out-of-town trip for this year so I was really excited on this one. Checking their website and reviews from other netizens, I somehow already have an idea on what to expect from this trip. Anyway, I had reserved a Kabana with veranda which is good for 5-7 persons worth P1500. Although we really intend to sleep on a tent, I still opted to reserved a kabana since we are bringing our kids with us and I thought this would be a good shelter for them in case the summer heat might get unbearable. Since we will be bring our own tent, they only charged us P200/tent for the tent fitching (NOTE: Guests may also opt to rent a tent for P500). Finding the place is quite a challenge because unlike other beach resort that posts directions/markers along the way, this one doesn't have any so we just have to rely on the map and instructions that they provide to us thru their email. When we reached the place, it is almost crowded because there is a company teambuilding reserved on that day. Mang Romy, the caretaker, accomodated us easily. Though I am a bit disappointed with the location of the cabana because it is quite far from the beach, it did not spoiled our trip because we were able to get a nice spot for our tents. We got a nice view of the sea and it is quite secluded from the crowd. In short, we were not able to use the cabana (there goes our P1500..hehe..). Do note also that the cabana does not have its own toilet/bathroom so you would have to use the common t&b (2 shower room, 2 toilet only). I wish they would add more shower rooms & toilet because it is not enough especially during peak season.

The beach is nice and ideal if you have kids with you because the water is calm so it would not post much danger to your kids. They would surely love exploring the beach area and playing in the sand. You'll be disappointed however if you love swimming and snorkeling because you wouldn't get to do this here because the water is too shallow. Also, make sure to bring enough food and drinks because there is no restaurant or store in the resort.

CONTACT DETAILS

CASA ASTILLERO BEACH RESORT

Pamela C. Astillero - Buenaventura
Reservations Officer
http://www.casaastillero.com

Tel Fax: 632.776-3145

Tel No: 632.986-4487

Mobile: 63.9155777160

YM: pamastillero
Skype: Pamela_b97

DETAILED DIRECTIONS 

From Tagaytay go straight going to nasugbu. When u see caltex, turn right at the instersection going to nasugbu/lian. Turn left at shell, going to Lian. Go straight. Go pass Matabungkay, Balibago, Quilitisan, Blitok, Baluarte Estate You wil see the arch of calatagan. Keep going straight until you find the church of Calatagan (Sto Domingo Church). Turn right at the church. Turn left the intersection after Chooks to go, going to Playa Calatagan. Go pass Barangay Sta Ana Arch  and Playa calatagan. Aftr 2km, turn right at Caisip compound.