Family Bonding at Club Balai Isabel
Family bonding at Club Balai Isabel happened for our family before the summer season officially gave way to the rainy season this year. Our family was able to finally squeeze in a summer escapade. After several consecutive summers of staying home, we finally had our chance. This is our last hurrah for summer 2013 and we chose a simple overnight stay at Club Balai Isabel.
About Club Balai Isabel
Location: Barangay Banga, Talisay, Batangas, Philippines. See Vicinity map here.
Main Attraction: Taal Lake and Taal Volcano
Developer: Techno-Asia Construction and Development Inc.
Short History: Club Balai Isabel is a resort located in the south of Metro Manila right on the shores of the famous Taal Lake. It was envisioned to be a residential resort community which started as a four hectare private subdivision but is now a nine hectare resort. It hopes to be the leading eco-tourism resort in the country.
Offered Accommodation:
Hotel Rooms – Price range: PHP 5,544.00 – 11,825.00
Villas and Cottages – Price range: PHP 6,325.00 – 18,480.00
Offered Facilities: Function Areas/ Health and Wellness/ Recreation/ Dining/ Chapel
Events: Weddings/ Other Personal Events/ Corporate Events/ Local Vacation/ Outdoor Adventure
Internet Connection: Available free in public areas including reception and restaurant areas and for a fee in rooms and villas
Book Club Balai Isabel in Talisay, Batangas with Traveloka.
Accommodation
Our family stayed at the Orchard Lane in a room which had a regular capacity of 6 people and 2 allowable extra occupants. Room rates at the villas and cottages do not include breakfast but provide cooking as an option. Each extra person is charged P 550 on top of the room rate. Check-in time is 3 pm while check-out time is 12 noon.
Room rates in their hotel and condotels include breakfast since cooking is strictly not allowed. Each extra person is charged P 1,500 on top of the room rate. Check-in time is 2 pm while check-out time is 12 noon.
Hotel and condotel rooms are only for couples and small groups. These are the ones located near the lake. Villas and cottages accommodate larger groups such as our family.
Swimming
The resort has three swimming pools. Although technically four, two of which are connected. One is just in front of the lake while the other two are a little farther off. The pools were the greatest source of enjoyment for the kids and we spent a lot of time in the two connecting pools since it offered a shallow area for kids and a deeper area for swimming adults. The temperatures were also different in the two pools.
Other Activities for Family Bonding at Club Balai Isabel
The resort offers other activities aside from swimming to ensure a more enjoyable stay for the family. It gave us a short tour of its entirety. There is a basketball court and volleyball court, billiard and dart facilities, and water sports facilities. There are also volcano tour packages.
My Say
The greatest attraction of Club Balai Isabel to me is the overall styling of all their structures including the villas, cottages, hotel, chapel, and the others that drew inspiration from the old times. The use of stone, colored stained glass, iron grills, and wood lent an artistic touch that is often seen in ancestral homes. Although I do admit that old and old-styled structures hold a strong attraction to me, I draw the line in old resort facilities. Sadly, the playground equipment as well as the billiard and dart facilities were in a dilapidated state.
The water heater in our bathroom was also not working. I believe a little more effort in housekeeping will go a long way especially in ensuring that a clean ref and oven is ready for use. After all, guests really wouldn’t like to be bothered with cleaning tasks since this is supposed to be a vacation. Every bathroom or restroom of any respectable establishment has installed bidets and I did not see any in our bathroom. These are smaller details that should not be ignored if the aim is to be a premier vacation destination.
The good thing about all the things I mentioned is that these can easily be remedied. These are relatively minor things that can be solved by purchasing new equipment and adopting stricter cleaning and maintenance check of every room before being offered to guests. We were not able to sample their food as we bought ours from outside. Other than these, Club Balai Isabel is actually a good place for family bonding. If you know me well enough, anywhere is good enough when I’m with my family, especially in a place that offers comfort and beautiful surroundings.
FashionTravels
will put this in my lists of places to stay in if we want that main attractions to be visited in the future! sounds a very good vacation!
Teresa Martinez
It was, I hope you have a good experience too when you go there.
Anna
Looks like a relaxing vacation house for the entire family, definitely a place to go to when im in Batangas.
Teresa Martinez
It actually is, you and your family should try it.
RUTH GARCIA
Hi Ms. Teresa! In behalf of Club Balai Isabel, we are extending our “BIG THANK YOU” for all those wonderful thoughts about us as well as your helpful comments regarding some areas of improvements. We take note of everything and rest assured, that we will take actions on those recommendations. It was such a great review! We carry the honor being a part of your family bonding! And we are equally excited to see all these enthusiastic followers to visit Club Balai isabel too. Once again, Ms. Tere it’s been a pleasure serving you! Hope to meet you next time! Keep writing, you are an inspiration! – Club Balai Isabel’s Sales and Marketing Manager
Teresa Martinez
Hope to be back with my family soon to see the improvements you’ve made. Nice to know you actually read reviews about Club Balai Isabel. Regards.
cheerful
been hearing about this lovely place in Batangas. thanks for sharing more information about it, will keep it in mind next time we visit Manila. must be great place to try after all not too far from Makati.
Teresa Martinez
Batangas really has much to offer in this kind of leisure activity with the family and Club Balai Isabel is one of them. We hope to try the other places in the future.
Lainy
WOW! What a sight to behold especially the solo photograph of you! I have been to Batangas only once to see the beautiful Taal volcano but never got the chance to be housed in of these Clubs. I might as well try this in the future for a few days stay with my family.
I am sure your family had their doses of fun for this summer.
Teresa Martinez
I have been to Batangas several times but this is my first time in Club Balai Isabel. I am glad my family was with me.
Ephraim
Hello! This is indeed a great place for family bonding. Great facilities too.. Nice post! 🙂
Teresa Martinez
We had a good time. We hope to have more experiences like this as we try to find the best places to go to for family bonding.
lovemebear
I’ve been wanting to have a family getaway at Club Balai Isabel but as always planning is interrupted , I don’t know why, probably by next year or later this year we can push through with it. Thanks for sharing the details to enjoy the place, though some can be found or read on their website or other deal shopping websites, I prefer more of knowing about it by bloggers, since bloggers posting real opinion and facts found in one place.
Teresa Martinez
I hope that when your plans do push through, you and your family will have a wonderful time as well.
papaleng
Great place to hold family reunion, the question lang is, is the resort’s rate affordable ba?
Teresa Martinez
Good thing you asked this question as I initially forgot to include the rates. Admittedly, it isn’t cheap thus customers have every reason to expect a place that measures up.
Rcel
Ahhh…. what a nice getaway to end the summer! That is a must-visit resort! Knowing that it is in Batangas, I can already imagine the great times you have had!
Teresa Martinez
Ah yes, the memories go straight to my treasure bank.
JessicaWCassidy (@wifetoalineman)
Yay! for the last break of summer with the family 🙂 The views are beautiful Ms. Tere 🙂 I love the beach as always as we do not have that in NY just the lake 🙂
Teresa Martinez
This beautiful place is also near the lake. Although we had to content ourselves with the pools for swimming, we had fun just the same.
FashionTravels
nice reading this post! my husband would love to go around batangas and tagaytay too and hunt for some future house to stay in for vacation. i live like 40mins away from this place so its not that bad. love all the photos!
Teresa Martinez
Would love to hear about your stay in this place in the future.
Chubskulit Rose
Looks like a luxurious resort and what a wonderful place to be spent holiday with family!
Teresa Martinez
If management can only attend to some details that need improvement,this place would be perfect for family get-togethers.
mimhijean16
going somewhere to relax is the best esp when you are with your loving family. The place is so nice and I’m sure you really had fun.
Teresa Martinez
Time spent with family is good enough as it is but is made more special in the right environment.
Verns
OH, I heard and seen many of my cousins photos from here, I was lusting to visit this place with my family too but circumstance didn’t allow, seeing your post made me want to fly to Batangas now. Lovely place.
Teresa Martinez
I’m sure you will have your chance to visit this place soon.
Swexie
ang ganda! i haven’t been to the beaches of Batangas but now I where to go in case mapadpad na naman ako jan.
Teresa Martinez
Actually Club Balai Isabel does not offer a beach for swimming and the lake fronting it is off limits for swimming. The view is still great however especially from the pool nearest to the lake.
Franc Ramon
I like the infinity pool setup they have and that its a great place that can be enjoyed by a large group.
Teresa Martinez
Oh yes, the pool fronting the lake seems to extend to the natural waters.
Honey
I have never been to Club Balai Isabel but I heard so many good things about it. Love to visit this place. The last time I was in Batangas was when I was still a toddler. Lived there for 2 years only.
Teresa Martinez
You should find time to visit.
Sumi Go | The Purple Doll
The place looks so nice! I’ll definitely keep Club Balai Isabel in mind should we plan for an outing some time soon. Bookmarking your great review 🙂 Thanks!
Teresa Martinez
It is nice, the laid-back kind of nice actually.
joyfelizardo
We’ve been planning to come here for a long time. Now I am more giddy of coming here, thanks to the good review!
Teresa Martinez
I’ll be looking forward to reading your own review about Club Balai Isabel.