After I posted some pics in my IG, a lot of people messaged me asking about the place, so I made sure to blog about it soon ;p
RATES
For inquiries and reservations, you have to call or message them (0917-8839900). They replied quickly to my text and asked for my email address so they could send the proposal.
I booked a Garden Casita for P7,000 (weekday rate) for 2 adults and 2 kids. Weekend rate is P8,500. At first, they charged me an additional P1,600 for an extra person. But I said my kids can just share the bed with us so no need for an extra cot.
Meals are part of the package and it's P1,500 per head for adults and P750 each for kids below 12 (free for kids below 2). This includes lunch upon arrival, merienda, dinner, and breakfast.
Our total was P12,650 and I paid 50% bank deposit to confirm our reservation and the balance I paid in cash when we arrived. As of now, they're operating on cash basis only since they don't have credit card facilities yet.
GETTING THERE
Cala Laiya is about 2.5 hours from Manila. They emailed me this map the day before and told us to give them a call if ever we needed directions.
BUT...
We used Waze going there and had no problem until we reached Porto Laiya. From there, it got confusing na since Waze couldn't locate Cala Laiya. We entered Porto Laiya (which is a new residential subdivision, still a lot of vacant lots and construction going on) and got lost inside (mga 10 minutes lang naman). We asked some workers and finally they directed us to this small dirt road on the left side which had a small sign for Cala Laiya. You will 100% miss it for sure lol. From there, it was a bit bumpy since they are still fixing the roads.
Anyway, when we finally got there I overheard another family also complaining about getting lost and asking why there weren't any signs to lead the way. The staff said that was also their biggest problem (since majority of the guests get lost) because Porto Laiya won't allow them to put signs daw. Well hopefully they could fix this in the future so it will be easier to get there.
THE RESORT
Cala Laiya just opened last February 2018 so everything looked and felt new. I loved the modern and clean design of the place.
Even though check-in is at 2pm, we made sure to get there early to maximize our stay. We arrived at around 10:30am and the kids immediately swam in the pool. It was after lunch (around 12:30pm) when they told us we could go to our room already.
What I love best about this place is that it feels private. We went on a weekday and there were only about 4-5 other families there. But most of the time, I felt we had the whole place to ourselves. Very quiet and peaceful.
Staff was also very courteous and helpful. They were attentive and we had no issues with service.
Wi-fi is available although signal seems to be strong only in the main pavilion/pool area (we didn't have signal in our room).
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| reception area |
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| dining area |
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| main pavilion |
CASITAS / ROOMS
One of the things I was most excited about was staying in their unique casitas which are made from prefabricated materials. I love how the cabins are lone standing and spaced far apart so you really feel the sense of privacy. Best to ask for a casita nearest the main pavilion if you can (ours was like in the middle of the resort).
This was one of their 2-bedroom casitas which are located nearest to the main pavilion/beach.
Garden Casitas come with 1 Queen or 2 Twin Beds. Ours had the twin beds. Rooms are basic but very nice and spacious. I wish they had more pillows though.
There's a TV but there's NO CABLE so you can ask for a USB loaded with movies from the front desk. Good thing I read about this beforehand in one of the online reviews so I just brought our own USB with movies for the kids.
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| small ref, safe, kettle, French press coffee maker, glass bottle of water, and some Pik-Nik snacks |
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| you can open the blinds, but it gets pretty hot in the afternoon |
Best part was probably the HUGE bathroom! I was surprised at the size considering the limited space of the casitas.
Take note, they don't have any toiletries except for this liquid soap. So make sure you bring everything you need.
There's also NO PHONE in the room so you have to go to the lobby/main pavilion if you need anything. So make sure you ask na before going back to your room, especially if your casita is located on the farther end of the resort. Quite a hassle especially during check-out since it was so hot outside and we needed to call someone to help us carry our things to the car.
POOL
They have a 14-meter-long infinity pool which is a few steps away from the beach. Pool is smaller compared to other resorts so might get crowded if resort is fully booked. Luckily for us, we had the pool to ourselves most of the time.
Because it's summer though, the pool water was HOT. As in parang sauna lol! But the kids liked it so they practically stayed here the whole day. ;p
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| no separate kiddie pool so make sure you bring floaters/salbabida for the little ones |
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| I liked how we could eat while watching the kids swim nearby |
BEACH
Beach was small but clean and no strong waves. Sand was a bit rocky but water was clear.
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| I believe they can sometimes set-up the buffet dinner at this area, but not when we were there |
I read reviews on Tripadvisor that some had a bad experience when people in the adjoining property started singing karaoke loudly in the afternoon. Good thing there was none of that sort when we were there so we were able to enjoy the beach in peace.
CABANAS
Probably the best part of the resort for me were the comfy and huge beachside cabanas! They have 6 which are perfect for relaxing with the gorgeous views around you. I loved the chic black and white striped mattresses! I have to admit, I asked hubby to take a ton of pictures of me here haha! ;p
There are other seating areas near the beach like this outdoor sofa set which is hubby's favorite spot.
Food is pretty good and delicious but for P1,500 per head I find it overpriced considering they only have 2 main dishes. Set-up is lovely but they have NO FOOD WARMERS so best to eat once they serve it. The food was just on the table without any covers and I was worried about flies but good thing I didn't see any.
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| lunch - salad, veggies, chicken, and fish |
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| merienda - turon and lemonade |
ACTIVITIES
Hubby and Skyler used the kayak in the afternoon and it was beautiful especially during the sunset.
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| playing with the paddle board |
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| kayaking |
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| calm waters |
We really enjoyed and had a relaxing time here and I can't wait to be back in the future, especially when the place is further developed. Definitely our new favorite resort in Laiya.
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| if you're wondering, my eldest daughter decided to stay home with lola na lang since she was tired of traveling na daw lol! ;p |
CALA LAIYA
San Juan - Laiya Road, Laiya, Batangas Philippines
+639178839900
Website: www.calalaiya.ph
Facebook: www.facebook.com/calalaiya
Instagram: www.instagram.com/calalaiya
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