We are finally back in the Philippines!  By the way, we will be staying here for five long weeks, just in time for the coming Christmas season.  But before that, let me share with you our family getaway to one of the most popular and best wellness resorts in Asia, no other than - The Farm at San Benito. 

Actually, we have already decided to scratch this resort from the list of our getaway destination because the price that they quoted for us (8 adults + 1 infant) was way too expensive at Php 32k+ per night.  That amount doesn't even include a dinner set meal.  So no matter how excellent the reviews of this resort is, which happens to be 4.5/5 in TripAdvisor, we had to let it go because it's just not practical to splurge such amount of money for a luxurious overnight stay in this place.  Good thing I had been diligent in checking out discounted deals online, I was able to chance upon the same package offering of The Farm in DealGrocer at an even lower rate.  

Mommy tip #1:  Plan your getaways ahead of time and check out discounted deals online in order to avail affordable packages.

Mommy tip #2:  Before making a reservation, check the resort's reviews online and evaluate if it is really worth going to.

Moving on, since we found the amount of the discounted deal reasonable enough, we purchased the coupon online and made our booking right away to make sure that we get to block the date of our choice.  Unfortunately, the staff of The Farm who processed our booking reserved us only one Anahaw Family Villa for two nights instead of two Anahaw Villas for an overnight stay.  When we informed them about the discrepancy in our booking, they told us that there were no more available Anahaw Villa on our chosen date which was totally unbelievable because we even called them prior to purchasing the vouchers just so we can make sure that it is available on our chosen date. It was frustrating that the solution that they offered to solve the problem was for us to change our travel date which was impossible because my sister would be spending only a week in the Philippines and her itinerary was already full.  To cut the long story short, our concern was escalated to their manager who gave us a more feasible arrangement - get one Anahaw Family Villa (good for 4 pax) and two Sulu Terraces (each Sulu is good for 2 persons only) but we had to pay an additional Php 2,500 for the changes made in our accommodation.  I know, it was really unfair and very disappointing that we had to pay an extra charge for the mistake of their staff.

Mommy tip #3:  If you are availing a discounted voucher, be sure to make your reservation right away because slots run out easily.  In addition, double check the booking invoice prepared by the resort/hotel to make sure that the details of your reservation are correct.

So that's the stressful experience we have had in booking our supposed-to-be "relaxing getaway."  Anyway, before I proceed, I would like to inform you that my review of The Farm will be a four part series:

1.  A Sneak Peek of The Farm at San Benito

2.  The Farm Accommodations:  Anahaw Family Villa and Sulu Terraces

3.  The Farm's Facilities and Activities

4.  The Farm's ALIVE! Restaurant

A Sneak Peek of The Farm at San Benito
The Farm at San Benito is a hundred nineteen acres property resting in the foothills of Mount Malarayat, Lipa City, Batangas, which is about a two hour drive from Manila.  We happened to go there on the 23rd of November, when Manny Pacquiao had a scheduled fight against Algieri, so we didn't experience a heavy traffic jam along the way.  The resort is pretty far from the main road of the city proper (approximately 8 km), that's why you would need a private service in order to get into this place.  This luxurious wellness resort offers specialized healing retreats supervised by licensed health care professionals and living food chefs perfect for those people seeking treament using alternative medicine or those who simply want to detoxify and lose excess weight.

Upon arriving at the gate, the security guard checked for our booking reservation.  I don't know if they can accommodate walk-in customers because according to one of their staffs, the resort is almost always fully booked even during the rainy season.  So if you are planning to stay here overnight, better book a reservation ahead of time.
On the reception area, we were provided individually with wet towels and a welcome drink perfect for refreshing ourselves from a long and tiring travel.  We were also provided with a newsletter which contains their activities and special promos for the day.  In addition, they also gave us a map of the resort and explained to us where our villas, restaurants, and other facilities were located.  Then, we were assisted by their staff to our villa and gave us a brief orientation of the room and its amenities.

In terms of hospitality, I must say it's perfect!  We were greeted with a warm welcome and their staff were very friendly and accommodating.  They always have this genuine smile on their faces and would always check if you're enjoying your stay in their resort whenever they see you around.  Oh, I am so in love with this place!  It's really a haven for people who want to have some rest and relaxation.

For further information about this place, just hang on and follow this blog because I'll be posting a four-part series for my review of The Farm at San Benito in the following weeks.

119 Barangay Tipakan Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines

Reservations:  +632 884 8074

Fax:  +632 889 1150

Mobile (6am - 10pm):  +63 918 884 8078

Website:  http://www.thefarmatsanbenito.com