Can you believe the first month of the year is almost over already?  It just seems like yesterday when my family and I had a great time celebrating the holidays in the Philippines.  Now, we're only a few days shy to celebrating Valentines.  Indeed, time flies!  So, before this long overdue post becomes old enough to fit a throwback, allow me to share with you our recent trip to this Balinese-inspired sanctuary named Cintai Corito's Garden.

Located in the province of Batangas, this paradise makes an easy go-to place for those people wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of the city life.  Imagine, with just an hour and a half drive from Manila, you'll be able to find a place that closely resembles Bali, Indonesia!  How cool is that?!?

I remember the time when me and my then-fiance-and-now-husband, Ronnie, were planning for our honeymoon -- we were torn of having it either in Indonesia or Thailand.  I wanted so much to see and experience Bali, specifically the town of Ubud (because of Julia Roberts' movie, Eat, Pray, Love), but due to safety concerns, we opted to choose Thailand instead.  I had a bit of a heartbreak then.  Nevertheless, we still managed to enjoy our 5-day tour of Bangkok and Pattaya.  I still wish to visit Bali, though. Good thing we found this dealgrocer voucher of Cintai Corito's Garden.  At least, somehow, I was able to experience how it feels like to be in Bali, Indonesia!

Come and take a virtual tour of this hidden gem through the following photos:

My family is basically a big group composed of 8 adults and a toddler, so we had to book two villas.  Each villa is huge, VERY clean, and comfy.  It has two queen-size beds, a spacious bathroom, a personal bar refrigerator and its own veranda.  Not to mention, it's also fully air-conditioned and complete with bath towels and toiletries. 

The terrace villa's published rate is PHP 11,550 not including taxes and service charge (good for 4 persons), but we got it though dealgrocer for only PHP 8,600 which is already inclusive of a complimentary breakfast for 4, a complimentary welcome drink, and a discounted set dinner for four.  Isn't that such a great deal?!?

To be honest, I wasn't really expecting so much of the food that's included in the dealgrocer promo.  You know, I'm not the type of person who usually gets her hopes so high over a discounted voucher.  After all, I always believe in the saying, "you get what you pay for."  But boy, I was wrong!  The Abadi Restaurant, in fact, had even exceeded my expectations!

Not only that their dishes were scrumptious, it's super worth it, too!  Can you imagine paying only PHP 300 for a bulalo soup, main course (choice of chicken inasal, barbeque, or pork loin), and chocolate pannacotta for dinner?

For the complimentary breakfast, we had champorado with tuyo (my ultimate favorite), choice of -silog (longsilog, tapsilog, tocilog), and a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.  We also ordered their best-selling suman with chocolate dip that costs PHP 150 pesos for 10 pcs.  Not bad, right??? 

Apart from the superb accommodation and food that they offer, Cintai Corito's Garden also has several facilities that you and your family can take advantage of, like their swimming pools (not heat controlled), movie room, kids playground, and spa.  A massage would cost you about PHP 1000, but they do offer a PHP 200 discount if there would be at least 4 heads availing the service.  Their masseuses are outsourced, though, so you have to notify the reception in advance if you're planning to get a massage.

My family and I really enjoyed our staycation in this Bali-inspired sanctuary.  It actually reminds me so much of The Farm at San Benito!  Perhaps, the only thing which I didn't appreciate that much is the noise caused by other visiting guests.  They do offer day tours and also hold events (weddings, team building, meetings, etc.) in their Napas and Tresna Pavillion, that's why.  Nonetheless, I still believe this place is a must-visit for everyone who wants to have a taste of Bali without having to leave the Philippines!