Caylabne Bay Resort, Ternate Cavite (March 17, 2012)

Caylabne Bay Resort is famous for company outings or team buildings. Two of my previous companies had held their outings there but since I'm not really fond of joining company outings, I don't have the opportunity to explore this resort. So when my I was scouting for the nearest beach resort that my family can go to for the 1st summer vacation weekend of my son, Caylabne Bay is one of our choices. Because of the newly opened CAVITEX, getting there is such a breeze. Before it would usually take 3 hours to get to the resort, now it only took us 1.5hrs considering that Cavite is one of the busiest road in Luzon and traffic is always expected. We know that we are already nearing the resort when we passed by zigzag road lined with trees. We got a 1-bedroom suite which costs P7,000 plus additional P1,200 for extra person which includes a set breakfast. We loved the beach area for its fine sand and calm water. However, swimming pools are not well maintained and looks filthy so just to be safe, we decided not to swim there.


+points: accessible to Metro Manila, nice and courteous staff, calm water, nice fishing spot.
-points: rooms are old and rusty, price is quite steep considering that their facilities are old, food in restaurant are overpriced for its taste,  swimming pools are not well maintained/dirty, the room we got are turned in late (almost 4pm) considering that we checked in early at around 11am, rooms are not accessible to beach area and pool.

Hotel H2O : Aqua Room, Manila Ocean Park (May 2010)

It was really hot on that summer Saturday

afternoon. We came from a baptismal lunch

celebration from Mall of Asia of my officemate's

2nd child. From there, my husband had to drop by

to his office somewhere in Port Area Manila to

get something, and since it was scorching hot, I

opted to stay in the car with our son and his

yaya. However I found out that it was a bad idea

since the car's aircon cannot compete well with

the temperature outside. So by the time we got

to Hotel H2O for our overnight stay, me and my

6yo son were already cranky. The entrance to the

hotel is inside the very busy Manila Ocean Park

so we had to squeeze in with the crowd before

reaching the main lobby. The reception area was

a bit busy when we got there past 2pm to

check-in. Luckily, checking in was a breeze. In

less than 15minutes, we are already escorted to

our hotel room. Since it was company sponsored,

room assignment was on a 1st come 1st serve

basis. Lucky for us, we were able to score the

hotel's aqua room (their premier room) so once

we got inside, our mood had somehow lightened

up. The room has a queen size bed plus one

single bed (which we got for additional fee for

our yaya). The size of the room was relatively

small considering that it is supposed to be

their most expensive accomodation. The basics

are there, a flat screen lcd tv, a working desk,

mini bar, mini dresser, cabinet with towels,

robes, slippers, free wifi connection. The

bathroom is surrounded with semi-frosted glass

wall. The only highlight of our room is the

aquarium on one side of the wall which houses

several species of fish. My son had a great time

watching them especially during their feeding

time. 

+ points: aquarium, shower, free snacks in

the room (peanuts, chips, 2 canned sodas) for

their guests, buffet breakfast at Makan

Restaurant, free wifi, several restos to choose

for dining which is really accessible to the

hotel

- points: noises from nearby room and hallway

can still be heard inside the room, the

bathroom's semi-frosted wall offers not too much

privacy, access to swimming pool is very

inconvenient since you have to pass by the

Manila Ocean Park crowd to get to the entrance

of the pool