Th girls and I went to the Bicol region over the Labor Day weekend. We didn’t really know anybody there but I wanted to go there again for the food and some places to be discovered. It was Legaspi City in 2012 and now the pitstop was Naga. Our five year old Lucia managed to endure the nine-hour overnight trip, thanks to the comfy Lazyboy chairs of the Penafrancia bus company. Fare was P1,100 one way.
Once in Naga City, we were really excited about going to the Stonehouse Gardens Resort and true enough, the view was so refreshing with all the greenery. Exact location of the place is at the foot of Mt. Isarog National Park so you can just imagine how detached it was from the town center.
Anyway, part of the reason why I chose to go here was that I wanted to expose my kids to nature. It would have been better if there were carabaos and cows but the only ones we saw were the house dogs, the lizards and spiders in the room LOL.
It’s good that they built the resort facilities – like the pool – to complement, not destroy, the natural surroundings. But the water was a little too cold for comfort, brrr.
Because it’s summer, the camping tents and native structures are a nice touch. We could have used them if we stayed a bit longer.
The whole idea of being in Stone Gardens is communing with nature. And aside from hanging out in the pool, you can also do some walking and hiking. At night, the guests played chess or billiards and there was also karaoke in the pool pavilion.
This was our room which I booked directly for P3,500. The problem with Stonehouse is that there are hardly any reviews of them online so I hardly knew what to expect. I thought it was kinda pricey for the level of service we received.There was no TV in the room, the shower head was broken (& never got fixed) and the towels provided were of the cheap, un-fluffy variety.
The poolside bar and restaurant (if it was ever one) did not have a proper menu. The kitchen just cooked what was on supply. If I was informed beforehand, I could have stocked up at the risk of letting my kids go hungry. Anyway, there was a free breakfast that came with the package but the rice was served cold…whew.
Anyway, Stonehouse Gardens was still worth seeing in Naga City. They also offer day tours which cost P500 per person, and when you factor the cost, better to get a room and stay overnight if you are a group of 5 persons or more. Because of its beautiful surroundings, the place is also getting to be a popular venue for Christian weddings and wedding receptions in this part of town.
As a note, it was also a pain trying to go to the resort which is located in Bgy Panicuason, Naga City. The taxis in the center of town were trying to charge me P600 to P700. But luckily, I found a kind soul in the person of driver Max Alegre who only asked for P350. So do call him at 0906- 7732368 if you want a transport service
Stonehouse Gardens Resort
call 09084501932, 09283052050 for inquiries & reservations
www.facebook.com/StonehouseGardensResort/
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