BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL

ABBEY: After a 4-hour hike at Masungi Georeserve, our chosen place of relaxation is at Estancia de Lorenzo. It’s a couple of hours drive from the nature park but all worth the travel as the resort is quiet and peaceful. 

We stayed in a two-storey villa which has two bedrooms and three bathrooms. They have two restaurants, a sports bar, pools, a banquet hall, and spa. Off to the spa we go to rejuvenate our aching body. In the morning we took a dip at their pool and were suprised to see a crocodile pen nearby. 

Our stay also included breakfast. I got their version of bangsilog (bangus, sinangag and itlog) with matching brewed coffee. 

Great stay at a great place. But be sure to checkout on time, else you’ll be charged even for a minute.

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL - FAMILY PRIME VILLA QUEEN SIZE BED

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL - FAMILY SWING

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL - LORENZOS RESTAURANT

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL - POOL

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL

WILL: If you’ll google Rizal resorts, the top results will be Luljetta’s or Timberland Casino. As I am Wilma (haha) I searched deeper than Google can reach, so I have found the Estancia de Lorenzo in tucked in San Mateo Rizal overlooking the Sierra Madre Mountains.

It’s a new resort, having a calming ambiance and low tolerance of noise. Well, people who are visiting the resort is willing to pay premium to enjoy the peaceful surroundings of Sierra Madre.

We checked-in on time and we were assigned to Orchid Villla just in front of the reception building. This prime family villa is huge that comprised of 2 bedrooms on second floor. 1 space that can accommodate 3 extra beds in first floor, a receiving area, 8 seater dining table, 3 bathrooms and huge veranda. We were 7 adults in that villa and it is still seemingly huge for us.

We had dinner in their Farmyard Sports Bar and Grill and the pizzas their are surprisingly good. Our breakfast is in Lorenzo’s restaurant and we were given a set meal of either sausage or bangus. Yummmy!! 

The pool is huge, temperature is fine and you can stare all you want in its greenery backdrop. 

Totally recommended! 

Here are some things that you need to know in Estancia. 

1. You can’t early check-in or check-out here. You will pay a for those minutes. 

2. You can bring food or drinks for a fee. 

3. You can’t be intoxicated in this resort. 

4. You can hail a grab and BGC is just an hour away! 

Thanks Estancia de Lorenzo for this wonderful experience for me and my family.

***

Estancia de Lorenzo -- Php15439.29 

(W) http://rizal.estanciadelorenzo.com.ph

(A) St. Patrick Street Marvi Hills, Subdivision, San Mateo, 1850 Rizal, Philippines

(T) (2) 8570.61.72 +63.917.192.7062| +63.921.847.9608

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE

ABBEY: This is one of the places I planned to visit when I went back to Philippines. I was captivated by its karst landscapes. You need to book and pay a fee of Php 1500. The Masungi Georeserve will contact you to confirm your reservation. We chose Discovery Trail as our path. 

We were there as early as 5AM. We don’t want our guide and the reserve to wait for us. It is a good 10-minute walk from the carpark to the reception area. This is a good time to take in the beauty of nature overlooking the city. 

The highlights of our trail are the “net” works or webbings. We got ourselves climbing them; worth the effort once you reach the top; like Sapot ni Rick and Yungib ni Ruben. You’ll just be awed for what nature has to offer. Be ready mentally and physically as the trail is challenging. Bring water and change of clothes. 

The fee comes with light refreshments. 

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE - Arch Bridge 

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE - With our Forest Guide

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE - Mossy Forest 

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE - Sapot ni Ric

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE - Stones and Falls

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE 

WILL: My eldest brother is a hiker and a simple man. How can I say he is a simple man? He always have this simple wish… simple prayers that you know can be easily achieved and one of those is for him to hike with his siblings. 

Abbey is a nature lover. He loves to walk in any Singapore Park and indulge in what the nature brings in and out of him. Watching people hiking Masungi sparked curiosity in him and Masungi Georeserve make it to his bucketlist. 

Kuya Ric’s prayers and Abbey bucketlist was answered and tick off in one plan. wink 

We arrived in Masungi Georeserve around 5AM. It was dark and the park’s gate is still close. When the sun rises on 530Am we were awed by the view and a sea of cloud rushing around us. It seems that they are really greeting us a good morning. 

It is a 5KM+ of hiking and climbing up and down the trails of Masungi’s magnificent beauty. We finished the Discovery Trail in more than 3hours. If you are on top of Tatay’s peak, Sapot ni Ric, Duyan and Yungib ni Ruben you will definitely stop for a while and linger on the beauty of this nature. 

So here are the MUST DOs: 

1. Book in advance. They are not accepting walk-ins. 

2. Better to rent a car than going for public transportation. 

3. Wear sunscreen and mosquito repellants. 

4. Respect and listen to your tour guide while he is explaining what’s in the surroundings 

5. Take nothing and leave nothing. 

6. Just have FUN!

***

Masungi Georeserve -- Php1,500/pax 

(W) https://www.masungigeoreserve.com

(H) Tuesdays to Sundays, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

(A) Kilometer 47 Marcos Highway, Baras, Rizal, Philippines, 1970, Marcos Highway, Baras, 1970 Rizal 

(T) 09088887002

BEST All You Can Eat Dinner Buffet in Manila Philippines - Spiral Buffet Review

ABBEY: The first time we went to Spiral Buffet I admit I don’t know much about other cuisines. And I’m not keen on exploring.

I stick to what I know and I assume what’s delicious; Filipino foods like sinigang, mechado, pork belly, tempura or anything fried. I felt during that time that it’s worth for what I paid for. Little did I know that there’s a big food world out there.

So we prepared for a second visit; this time armed with Php3900 and knowledge about what to eat and try at the restaurant.

I had lamb, sausages, curacha, sashimi, grilled squid, prawns, dumplings, roast beef, and butter chicken. I even curated my own charcuterie board with aged cheddar, salami, gouda pesto cheese. Our dessert is choco and vanilla ice cream, bibingka and puto bumbong. 

Now I can say that I redeemed myself “against” Spiral Buffet. No tables were unturned. Haha.

LEGENDARY All You Can Eat Buffet in Manila Philippines - Spiral Buffet Review

WILL: We had our first lunch buffet in Spiral last 2010. That is the first time I experienced food coma, haha! But there’s unsatisfied moment when Abbey realized that we didn’t ate the food we should have eaten. So we are coming for dinner for our BUFFET REVENGE!

Once the food counters opened, I immediately went to their cheese room and requested aged cheese as my appetizer. Then went to live station for lobster and curacha. For my second serving, I went for sausages and dumplings. Then back to lobster and curacha again. Next is the salmon and tuna and some pizza cheese slices. Then cheese room again for some blue cheese. Lastly, puto bumbong, ice cream and bibingka sealed my night. 

That “revenge” cost Php3,900/pax. Is it worth it? Definitely! The seafood is guaranteed fresh! How do I know? Abbey will flare up once the fish and crustaceans are not fresh. He didn’t! So, that is the price of the food with quality!

***

Sofitel Spiral 

(W) https://www.sofitelmanila.com/restaurants-bars/spiral/

(H) 6:30AM - 10AM / 12NN - 2:30PM / 6PM - 9:30PM

(A) Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel CCP Complex 1300, Roxas Blvd, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines

(T) +63 (2) 8-832-6988