MANILA, Philippines - Now what could be more exciting than sunny weather at the beach? We certainly welcomed this proposition at Acuatico Beach Resort and found ourselves drifting away from the cares of city life.
As it turned out, that was the desired effect of Acuatico: that feeling of finding solace in the comforts of its sapphire blue infinity pool and beach. Of course, in our case, it could be lazing about by or in the pool, taking in the fascinating blue skies, the mountains, and the waves of Tayabas Bay.
Such a scene is already familiar to those who have visited and continued to rave about Acuatico. The resort is roughly three hours from Manila, and is considered the only deluxe resort of its kind in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas. Balinese-inspired villas and rooms surround the much talked-about pool, which sports a floating bar that comes alive come sundown. There are only 21 rooms in the resort, thereby giving it a more exclusive feel.
The rooms are classified into Infiniti, Infiniti Poolside, Alta Vista, Vista de Laiya, Casa de Laiya, and Casa de Playa, each of them able to accommodate two persons; Family Suite and Terraza for four guests; and Estancia for six people.
Since its official opening on May 1, 2008, Acuatico has attracted holiday-goers, both local and foreign, and business or corporate guests looking for someplace laidback, fun, classy, and closer to nature.
The reception surprised the brains behind Acuatico. “The success of Acuatico was really unexpected,” began Acuatico general manager Simonette Gusi. “The original vision was only to become the destination south of Manila. We did not even actively promote the resort when we opened.”
Gusi related that their unlikely promoters were the same guests who had spent their holiday in Acuatico. She said, “At the time, Facebook was exploding. The social networking site came at the right time. Word of mouth from our guests helped, as well as from their Facebook accounts. They would post photos of their time here, and, of course, their friends would get curious and convinced to come stay here.”
Who wouldn’t be anyway? Aside from the very inviting rooms, infinity pool (the first of its kind in Laiya), and beach, Acuatico also features an outdoor Jacuzzi, a kiddie pool, a children’s playroom, a basketball court, a gameroom, and water sports facilities such as kayak and pedal boat. We must add here that the Wi-Fi is particularly strong in the resort. It made “facebooking” and tweeting by the pool so much easier.
Aside from the Acua Floating Bar and its extensive selection of beverages, there is the Oceano Restaurant which offers sumptuous and highly recommended local and international cuisine.
“We just opened Simona Spa and it offers our signature full body massage treatments with several choices of aromatic oils,” Gusi said. Simona Spa is equipped with dry sauna and shower areas.
“We get a good number of corporate clients who come here for team-building and meetings. Our conference room can seat 60 people for a theater setup,” she said.
Gusi shared that the resort is often complimented for its staff. “Guests are all praises to our staff. Acuatico’s employees know the guests by name and anticipate their needs. They keep in mind that delighting the guests is most important.”
It is this unique balance of service and facilities that creates special experiences for Acuatico’s guests. It is about the memories it creates and the moods it evokes. Sunny weather by the beach or by the pool? We will always say yes.
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Acuatico Beach Resort & Hotel is located in Barangay Laiya, San Juan, Batangas. For more information, call (632) 408-8383 or (632) 892-7577 to 79. E-mail at reservations@acuaticoresort.com.ph or visit itsß website at www.acuaticoresort.com.ph.