Escape to Pico de Loro

Summer's here, time for some sun and sand, time to hit the beach. And just an hour and a half's drive south of the metro, Pico de Loro is quickly emerging as the country's premier sustainable beach resort destination. 

Dubbed as the "Philippine Riviera", Hamilo Coast is located at the southwestern tip of Luzon, roughly a 90 minute drive from the metro via the new CAVITEX Expressway. Within the sprawling seaside sanctuary lies Pico de Loro, the maiden residential community of Hamilo Coast. The massive 5,800 hectare property includes forests, mountains, 13 picturesque coves and 25 kilometers of coastline, just the place for that perfect escape from the city.

Named after the twin peaks of Mt. Pico which resembles an open parrot's beak pointing upward located within the property, Pico de Loro typifies the "residential resort village" concept exclusively for members. The resort complex includes a fully-equipped beach and country club, a boutique hotel, and four residential clusters with a total of eight mid-rise residential buildings set around a tranquil lagoon, with several restaurants and facilities for all sports and recreational activities completing the self-contained community. Paradise was never this close...

As you enter the resort, your getaway experience begins with a long flower-lined driveway leading to the property's gate, a preview of more good things to come at Pico de Loro.

The Pico Sands Hotel, my home for the escape to Pico de Loro, is a seven-storey boutique hotel with 154 spacious guest rooms with impressive views of the tranquil lagoon or the scenic mountains. Across the hotel and the lagoon lies one of several exclusive residential properties for members and the sports club.

Inside the Pico Sands Hotel, the wide and spacious lobby immediately welcomes you as you formally begin your escape. The hotel's staff serve refreshing drinks and a cold towel, just what you need after the long drive from the metro.  Inside the hotel, one finds the Pico Restaurant and Bar, a 24-hour restaurant specializing in Mediterranean cuisine. A cool bar, The Pico Bar,  across the restaurant is also open 24 hours, just in case you need a refreshing mojito, or a cold beer. Other recreational facilities include Rain: The Spa at Pico Sands, to pamper guests with traditional and progressive therapeutic treatments, and a gift shop, the Kultura Butil at Pico Sands Hotel, for souvenirs or that extra bottle of suntan lotion.

The typical hotel room is your private sanctuary with everything you need, including wi-fi and a flat screen TV. The average room size is around 37 square meters and room types offered are Standard, Superior, Deluxe, Premier, Corner Deluxe and Penthouse Suites, all with balconies with scenic views. 

Across the hotel, one of several of Pico de Loro's residential buildings can be seen, with each structure with six to seven floors housing an average of 22 units per floor. Typical residential units range from One Bedroom (40-46 sq.m), Two Bedrooms (91-94 sq.m), and 3 Bedroom units (134-143 sq.m), including other options such as corner units, ground floor garden units, lofts/bi-level units, and penthouse units.

An early morning jog or late afternoon walk around the resort community becomes a welcome routine, with walkways and paths lining the complex. The sound of birds and the tranquil lagoon add to your overall experience. In partnership with the WWF, Pico de Loro is actively involved in several environmental programs aimed at preserving the quality of its natural surroundings.

Wooden bridges connect the different structures within the resort community, providing quick and easy access to any of the facilities.

Take long walks, and allow yourself to get lost within the resort community. Its moments like these that really complete your escape, and Pico de Loro makes it all so easy to escape. Leave your earphones in your pockets, and listen to the different birds along the way instead for a cool change. 

The Pico de Loro Country Club offers an impressive list of sports facilities guaranteed to make you burn the calories after indulging in one of the many food outlets of the resort community. The bright, wide and spacious design is also a perfect place to simply hang-out, with even more dining outlets and bars.  

The reception area at the Pico de Loro Sports Club follows the same wide open and spacious lines of the resort, with a friendly staff ready to assist you. 

At the Pico de Loro Country Club's B&B, bowling and billiards are available for use by members and guests. A bar also serves refreshing drinks and cocktails, as well as light meals.

Other facilities inside the Pico de Loro Country Club include badminton courts, squash courts and table tennis, plus covered tennis courts, a video game and karaoke room and a children's playground.

If you need to seriously show your moves, the Pico de Loro Country Club has a regulation sized basketball court and a fully equipped gym as well. Or if you prefer a game of chess, The Pico de Loro Country Club has that covered too, including playing cards, Monopoly, dominoes and mahjong. 

The Pico de Loro Country Club features a multi-level pool, including an infinity pool and a wading pool, just one of the many pools in the resort community. Other activities that can be arranged by the Pico de Loro Country Club include pony rides. row boats, park bikes, bird watching and hiking through one of several mountain trails.

For your convenience, Pico de Loro offers regular shuttle services within the property. Several open-air multi-seat shuttles operate throughout the complex, transporting guests free of charge to their requested destinations inside the resort community. It's also a cool way to familiarize yourself with the resort's many facilities.  

Perched on a hill, Pico de Loro's modern and impressive St. Therese of the Child Chapel is another must-see, offering a stunning view of the coast. 

The glass-walled and fully air-conditioned structure holds regular mass every Sunday at 11:00am. Chosen for weddings countless times, the wrap-around terrace is also ideal for cocktails and receptions. 

The view from the chapel's balcony provides one the best vantage points in the resort complex, with late afternoons offering a dramatic backdrop. Even on a cloudy day, the panoramic vista is still quite impressive.

The Pico de Loro Beach Club serves as your gateway to one of many aqua sports activities, including jet skiing, kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, windsurfing, beach volleyball and football, frisbee, banana boat and speed boat cove tours, and soon, scuba diving. The Pico de Loro Beach Club also offers a number of dining outlets including a pool bar, just the place for a cold beer as the sun sets.

A perfect escape, and one awesome experience at Pico de Loro. With countless secret coves and private beaches, prepare for an awesome adventure at Pico de Loro (see my post here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2014/04/exploring-pico-de-loros-coves.html on one of Pico de Loro's secret coves). And the food? Check out my succeeding posts on lunch at Pico Restaurant and Bar here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2014/03/lunch-at-pico-de-loros-pico-restaurant.html, dinner at Sun Coral Cafe here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2014/04/a-cold-beer-by-beach-and-dinner-at-pico.html and a cool early breakfast at Pico Restaurant and Bar here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2014/04/breakfast-at-pico-de-loro.html.

For more information on Pico de Loro, visit http://www.picodelorocove.com/.

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