Sharing some details regarding our recent family getaway to Pico de Loro, our first in two years since the COVID-19 pandemic.
We were finally able to go on our very first family getaway since the
COVID-19 pandemic happened in 2020 and it was in the beautiful Pico de Loro
Beach and Country Club in Nasugbu, Batangas. It was also very timely that we
recently bought our very first family car so Pico de Loro’s distance was not
an issue for us.
Pico de Loro Beach & Country Club: Our First Family Getaway Since The Pandemic
I didn’t drive though because I’m still not familiar with the route and the
terrain going to Nasugbu, Batangas. In fact, think we even took the longer
route (Governor’s Drive) because we just used Google Maps. Nevertheless, we
didn’t have any regrets because we were able to see Kaybiang Tunnel again; the
only landmark that I’ve been looking forward to seeing along the way to Pico
de Loro.
Why we chose Pico de Loro
Pico de Loro is a beautiful beach side community. It provides the feeling of
being in a secluded location that is close to nature without being super far
from Metro Manila.
Yes, it’s a long drive but at least we didn’t have to take an airplane to get
there. Aside from that, here are the reasons why we chose to go to Pico de
Loro.
1. Family-friendly
We chose Pico de Loro because we know that it’s a child-friendly location.
Mommy Khris and I have been there way back 2015 and we know that little kids
would really enjoy the activities that are in store for them at Pico de Loro.
 |
| Enjoying the swimming pool with our children |
The beach is suitable to toddlers while the swimming pools have shallow basins
for little ones to wade in. There is also a playroom inside the county club
for children’s enjoyment indoors.
One of our biggest concerns before going to Pico de Loro is the food because
Miguel only eats limited food types. We stayed at Pico Sands Hotel and we know
that hotel food is not always kid-friendly.
|
| Pancakes for breakfast |
We were afraid of not being able to prepare anything for Miguel when he didn’t
like the food. Thankfully, Miguel loved the restaurant’s fried chicken so
much.
2. Exclusivity
Pico de Loro is the premier seaside development property of the SM Group.
Having said that, it affords exclusivity to guests which we like in view of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
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| We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary in Pico de Loro |
We are still not comfortable in taking our kids to a crowded beach for health
and safety concerns. Just the same, even without our kids, Mommy Khris and I
are still have our hesitations to be in a crowded place.
3. Fast service and friendly staff
We also like that the service is very fast and efficient in Pico de Loro.
Since we are a big group, we were constantly asking for water, coffee, extra
glasses, and towels but the staff were always quick to deliver our requests. I
think it helped that the resort is exclusive so the number of guests is
manageable.
Our experience at Pico Sands Hotel
When Mommy Khris and I went to Pico de Loro in 2015, we stayed at Carola, one
of the residential condominiums in the property. This time though, we booked a
room for three days and two nights at Pico Sands Hotel, which is also
something that we looked forward to trying.
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| The children enjoying one of the beds in our room |
The Pico Sands Hotel is a modern development that offers further exclusivity
when in Pico de Loro. It offers several room types: Standard Mountain View,
Premier Mountain View, Deluxe Lagoon View, Premier Lagoon View, and Corner
Deluxe Room.
We stayed in a Deluxe Lagoon View room and it had the standard amenities like
a two double beds, air-conditioning, high-speed Wi-Fi, telephone, flatscreen
TV, locker, iron and ironing board, hot and cold shower, and toiletries.
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| Batangas bulalo |
It’s also notable that the shower gel and shampoo are contained in dispensers
instead of in single-use plastic containers. It’s a good move to help reduce
plastic waste which we all know is produced in huge quantities by hotels and
resorts.
|
| Humba |
As for our room, we had a comfortable and restful stay. The kids were always
tired from the daily activities so they always slept soundly. We also liked
the relaxing view of the lagoon which looks stunning at dusk and during early
morning.
For the Deluxe Lagoon View room, the rate is about Php 9092.80 per night.
Dining in Pico de Loro
Guests can choose from several restaurants when dining in Pico de Loro. There
is Lagoa Restaurant that serves an international cuisine, including Filipino
food and Miguel’s favorite fried chicken.
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| Danggit |
Our stay in Pico Sands Hotel also included buffet breakfast which we enjoyed
at Pico Restaurant & Bar. The breakfast buffet offered mainly continental
and Filipino breakfast.
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| Taal longganisa, eggs, and danggit |
|
| Bacon and eggs |
During the two instances that we ate here, we saw that the restaurant served
fried rice, scrambled eggs, danggit, daing, bacon, Taal longganisa, beef,
mixed vegetables, baked chicken, fried chicken, pancakes, milk and cereal, hot
milo, and coffee.
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| The crispy fried chicken that the kids loved |
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| Baked chicken |
The fried chicken during our first breakfast saved us the hassle of having to
find food for Miguel because he absolutely loved the crispy wings.
Top things to do in Pico de Loro
Pico de Loro is the perfect destination who are looking for a relaxing
getaway. The hours seem slow and the surroundings and cool breeze seem to
always lull you into sleep. Still, it’s still hard to resist the activities
offered by Pico de Loro. Here are some of the things that you can do:
1. Spend your day at Pico Beach
You can go to Pico de Loro Beach and just stay under one of the beach
umbrellas if that is what you want to do. Of course, you can also take a dip
and enjoy the water as well as the gentle waves.
 |
| Enjoying the beach with our kids |
It was Rafa’s first time to swim in the beach so we definitely made sure that
he enjoyed the sand and the water.
|
| Rafa |
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| Kuya Miguel |
As for Miguel, it was his third time to swim in a beach but it was almost
three years since his last beach getaway. The happiness of both of our
children was indescribable and their laughter was music to our ears.
2. Enjoy the swimming pools
Aside from the beach, the swimming pools are also great for dipping. The
kiddie pools are great for kids and there are lifeguards on duty for your
added peace of mind and enjoyment.
|
| Mommy and Rafa |
|
| Kuya Miguel |
3. Take a stroll around the lagoon
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| Enjoying the view of the lagoon |
This is honestly one of our most favorite things to do in Pico de Loro. We
would take our kids walking around the lagoon in the morning and also in the
afternoon after our activities.
4. Enjoy the amenities at the club
|
| The kids having a great time in the playroom |
The club offers a number of activities for adults like basketball, billiards,
badminton, and bowling. For kids, they would surely enjoy their time in the
playroom.
Going around Pico de Loro
You can use your car to drive around Pico de Loro if you choose to do so.
However, there are also passenger carts going around the property to take
guests to their destination for free.
|
| The lagoon |
Pico de Loro is bike friendly so you can also bring your bike if you want to.
How to book at Pico de Loro
There are several ways to book at Pico de Loro. You may book directly at
Pico Sands Hotel
or use a booking site to book a room in any of the residential condominiums.
Some of the available booking sites are
Agoda
and
Airbnb.
Other information
Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club is located at Pico de Loro Cove, Hamilo
Coast, Barangay Papaya, Nasugbu, Batangas.
|
| Pico de Loro beach |
Presentation of a vaccination card at Pico de Loro is still required.
Epilogue
Probably one of the highlights of our year 2022 is our family trip to Pico de
Loro. It was a welcome break after being mostly at home in the last two years
because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We also planned for this trip because we wanted our children to enjoy the
beach, which we did so that getting them out of the water proved to be a
challenge. In the end, our family had a wonderful time at Pico de Loro so that
we were already looking forward to our next trip.
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Ang saya nuhhh
ReplyDeleteAfter pandemic,nakalabas at nakapagbakasyon kayo with Fam at Pumunta Pa kayo sa Napakagandang Lugar na ito plus napakspecial din kasi dito niyo cinelebrate Yung Wedding Anniversary Niyo ,daddy Iv and wifey
Many many trips , adventures sa inyo together with your fam
Enjoy and stay safe always