Al Fresco Resort
About the resort
Al Fresco is a 3-star resort located in Batangas, specifically in the middle of the Matabungkay Strip. Being an old family owned resort, it has managed to resist the corporate modernisation that has effected so many other places. The staff were friendly, helpful and managed to keep a good balance of service and privacy.
Al Fresco keep their resort extremely clean and cosy. It’s would be impossible to miss all the little touches which make this resort feel so warm, from the cute signs over the bed rooms to the lounge chairs on the terrace.
Rates
During the peak season, rooms start at a very reasonable price of P2,000 for smaller rooms intended for couples and go up to P3,500 for a large family room. Prices drop outside of the peak season to P1,600 and P2,800 respectively. On top of these room rates you have a compulsory P500 per person consumable fee which you can use towards your food and drink.
Amenities
The resort has its own parking lot within its grounds.
Overview of the resort
All rooms have air conditioning, a shower with hot water and cable TV.
On the ground floor are two cabanas which were in perfect condition and had clean cushioning. During the time I visited, there was no charge for the use of a cabana, it was on a first come first served basis.
There’s also a comfy hammock which is a real treat to relax in during the hot sun or to gaze at the stars come night time.
If you want to have lunch outside in the open then you can make use of the shaded tables.
Alternatively, if there’s a large group of you such as a corporate party then there’s a large outdoor hut.
On the second floor of the resort you’ll find a large dining area, a lounge and bar.
One of the great features of the Al Fresco resort that you might not find at others on the strip is their veranda. This is the perfect place to eat dinner while looking out over the moon lit sea.
The beach
Being located on the Matabungkay strip, all resorts share the same length of beach. To access the beach you enter through a gate, this is nice because it is locked at night to ensure the wandering traveler can’t just walk into the resort. The beach is unfortunately a bit of a let down, there’s a large amount of trash at the edges of each resort wall and it was even noticeable when swimming within the water.
With regards to the water itself, it had a good range of smaller and larger waves which makes it great if you have an inflatable – provided you don’t mind the odd bit of trash washing up against you.
Attention to detail
It was the attention of detail that really make this resort special. From the cute toilet roll holder in the bathroom to the flowers brought out during meals.
Conclusion
The total bill for the room, lunch, dinner, drinks throughout the day and breakfast was P3140 (P2000 for the room and P1140 for everything else).
Overall I really enjoyed staying at Al Fresco. There’s no question that the beach could be improved with regular cleaning but with regards to the resort grounds itself, they were perfect