Fit for the whole family |
A rainshower, 42-inch LCD TV, free Wifi, and delicious local breakfast give most people to look this one up.
Location. At the fringe of the row of hotels, inns and lodges along A. Santos in Balibago, Angeles City. About 10-15 minutes away from the Clark Freeport Zone.
Rooms. The resort has 55 airconditioned luxury rooms. A typical family room (P5,200 or about US$121) has a balcony that overlooks the pool and can easily accommodate six to eight people. The room's toilet and bath is nicely fitted with a rainshower. There's a 42" LCD cable TV and DVD player.
Wide open spaces, a cozy couch and a dining table |
Food. Order Filipino breakfast and chances are you won't be disappointed. My bangus (milkfish) was well seasoned and fried to a golden crisp, which is how I liked it. The brewed coffee was not bad. There are two maritime-themed halls -- one al fresco and the other, airconditioned.
Likes. Basic toiletries and medicines in the toilet and bath (all for sale, charged to the account of the guest) may come in hany when you don't feel like going out just to buy a few items. The staff were helpful. The resort has an in-house travel agency so you don't even have to leave the premises to arrange for tours and other travel needs. Each wing has its own pool so overcrowding seemsn not to be a problem even during peak season.
Twits. The newer wing, which houses the Lagoon rooms, is located at the back. It's a bit of a walk especially when you're lugging a heavy bag. There's free WifFi but the signal is too weak to surf in-room. There were minor snafus like a leaking airconditioner but thankfully, the service staff were prompt in attending to our complaints.
Rainshower adds a nice touch to the T&B |
Comments. Good value for money. Even the basic deluxe room can easily accommodate three to four people. The hotel seems not to have scrimped on appliances. Our villa had a 5cu ft refrigerator instead of the usual mini-sized version.
Essentials. Room rates start at P3,900 for the deluxe room. The family lagoon balcony room is the most expensive at a reasonably-priced P5,400. Tel. +632 892.0138, 892.0316 • Visit www.wildorchidresort.com • How to get there: There are buses from Manila that pass through Angeles via the North Luzon Expressway NLEX) en route to destinations like Dagupan. Travel time: approximately one and a half hour.
Attribution: This post appeared as a room review article in the January 2012 issue of InFlight Magazine and as part of an assignment covering the attractions in Angeles, Pampanga. To read the article online, visit this link.