Summer or not, Batangas has been one of the most favored places to go to by Manileños when the need for a quick respite arises. Given its proximity to Manila and the numerous activities in the area that you can engage in, there is no need for a plane ticket to experience a fun and relaxing getaway.
In case you are embarking on a trip to Batangas anytime soon, we have discovered a resort suitable for couples, families, and friends.
Located in Calatagan, Batangas, Puesto del Sol is a resort composed of spacious villas. Perched on the hilltop, it boasts an astonishing view of the The West Philippine Sea and the hillside instead. Also, apt to the resort’s name, it is the best spot to view the sunset of Calatagan.
ACCOMMODATION
Our weekend abode, Casa Isabel, is a villa that can accommodate 4 to 6 people. It is equipped with the basic comforts of a hotel room– beds with pillows in summer colors and crisp white sheets; a TV and DVD player; and wide clear windows displaying a beautiful outdoor vista. Outside, there is a dining area, a lanai, and a mini pool surrounded by lush greenery, all exclusively for us.
Casa Isabel’s Lanai and Mini Pool
Since the villas are far from each other, we enjoyed the privacy of our own puesto. I love how my friends and I were able to talk and laugh candidly without worrying that we might disturb other guests. We also enjoyed the times we spent at the lanai staring at the exceptional view before us whilst listening to good music. Also, plunging into the water anytime we wanted was an advantage that came with having our own pool.
Casa Isabel Room
My preferred side of the room with a relaxing view outside our windows
The view from our casa
FOOD
When it comes to food, Puesto del Sol offers delightful Filipino dishes. The accommodation is inclusive of breakfast, but if you also want the rest of your meals to be covered, you can have them prepared for you. You can also choose from their kitchen’s daily specials.
We enjoyed dining al fresco at Casa Isabel’s outdoor dining area. Quiet mornings were spent outside our room while sipping on cups of coffee and delighting in the light morning breeze coming from the Calatagan shores. Being absorbed by work on our normal days in Manila, moments like these are totally rejuvenating.
Filipino brekky!
Fresh catch for lunch
Read on for more about this stunning resort!
Hi Marinette! I have read and digested every word regarding your experience in staying at Puesto del Sol. After reading the whole article, my reactions varied from surprise, disbelief and utter confusion. Let me then share my side of the story on my 2 nights stay here just 2 months ago of which I had also recounted through TripAdvisor.
We were a group of 7 which made Casa Isabel the perfect villa to accommodate us. Yes, at that time, the said casa can comfortably fit 7 pax but upon browsing through Puesto del Sol’s more updated website, they cut it down to just six pax. I must agree that Casa Isabel’s indoors looked exactly what the website’s pics depicted. As good as the room looked though, it lacked in comfort. The casa’s air-conditioning unit was weak that we ended up asking for an electric fan to ease the feeling of being lightly toasted alive. Casa Isabel was quite a distance away from all the other casas and got its own outdoor dining area with two lounge chairs at the back that faced the plunge pool. We had our breakfasts and dinner served at the casa’s dining area but we’re careful in choosing which chairs to sit on for some were already rickety. Complimentary breakfast was limited (choices are hamsilog, longsilog, tocilog and hotsilog) while other dishes offered for lunch, snacks and dinner were ordinary both in look and taste. The outdoor kitchen area opposite the dining area was heavily worn-down but you can use it to cook your own meals but with a corkage fee of PHP1,500. Also, the wood on the nearby lounge chairs were chipped off causing light injury on my dad’s foot. With the plunge pool conveniently located just in front of Casa Isabel and with its depiction on the website, one would think that it was used exclusively for Casa Isabel guests. During our stay though, this notion was proved wrong as guests from other casas frolicked in the plunge pool. We approached Rizza and she did confirm to us that yes, plunge pool was open for all.
I strongly agree with you though that this resort’s trump card was its location that allowed guests to view perfect sunsets and the shimmering blue waters surrounding Calatagan. The exclusivity and charming look of the resort also helped made the place enticing to worn-out city dwellers who yearn for a more relaxed pace whilst experiencing a bit of paradise from nature. But with the worn-down facilities, inconsistent rules and slightly inefficient service of staff members (took too much time to respond to requests, left used dishes on lounge chairs in front of the infinity pool for a whole night and a consistent stoic staff member who took our orders) made the 3 days and 2 nights stay in the resort lackluster.