TRAVEL | It's always summer in Pansol

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Mr Bear seems to be enjoying the pool. Oh yes, that's me donning that bear head we made for Halloween last year. Last month our team decided to have a little get-together before summer ended -- and the bears tagged along. Because Laiya in Batangas seemed too far, we settled for Pansol in Laguna. We decided it was the next best thing considering the Friday rush hour traffic and all.

Pansol is that area in nearby Laguna where private pools for rent are just everywhere, many of which are adjacent to each other. These gated properties can be booked for anywhere from 8 to 24 hours. The facilities vary but there always seems to be a kitchen and a videoke machine. None of these places are designed for relaxation as noise is expected and tolerated no matter how horrendous the voice blaring from the videoke machine nearby.

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Mr Bear feeling like a don.

Nathan's Private Pool
We booked Nathan's Private Pool, which had a small pool that was just right for our small group of ten. The difference from its adjacent resorts/private pools was stark. Whereas the others looked dark and old, this one was all bright with lights and looked really nice and new.

Nathan's had a really tall gate and fence, which afforded guests a better degree of privacy. Its garage comfortably fit our two cars but I believe it can squeeze in two more. There was a two-storey building that housed four rooms on one side, and another one-level structure opposite it. Under this roof was another guest room, the caretakers's quarters, and a small hall that harbored a pool table, the omnipresent videoke machine, and the kitchen and dining area. There were also two grillers by the gate for some barbecue time.

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Lots of space to move around here. This is a slice of the view opposite most of the rooms.

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The common area where people play pool, sing, cook, and eat.

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The kitchen was adequately equipped with a fridge, a two-burner stove, a rice cooker, and a microwave oven. There was also a pan, I think. We brought along our own pot and pan, though.

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Tables for dining.

The rooms
The rooms were nice and clean, all of which are airconditioned. Because we arrived first, I got first dibs at this room that I had all to myself. It's got a single bed and its own bathroom and toilet. The other three rooms each had two double-deck bunker beds and one bed at the center. Don't expect much from the mattress and pillows since this ain't no hotel. But I loved the blanket they provided; it was so soft and nice to the touch.

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It pays to drive fast. I had this room all to myself.

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My own bathroom.

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This is what the other rooms look like.

The pool
Like I said, the pool was small, and quite shallow, too. The deepest part would have to be only 4 feet, if I'm not mistaken. The water's heated, which makes for a good late-night dip when everyone's already drunk. There's also a really shallow part where two sun beds are propped, and next to it is a jacuzzi, but there's an extra charge if you want it turned on.

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The small pool.

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Mr Bear contemplating on a swim.

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Mr Bear in the jacuzzi. Sadly, he didn't want to pay extra to have it turned on.

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Mr Bear has had enough...

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...And decided to join in for some games.

It's a nice place actually and one that I recommend if you're planning on an overnighter in this area. Regardless of the weather, you can always enjoy your summer moments in Pansol. It was also quite funny when the owner called up my colleague (who took care of arrangements) to ask if there was anything wrong because we left earlier than our designated time. Nice gesture, which only means they care about their guests's experience.

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Bookings are done through phone, after which a contract is executed to lay down the terms and conditions. Payment is made via bank deposit and then a copy of the contract is emailed to confirm your booking. As for directions, they provide a map. Be forewarned, though, of the heavy traffic towards the Calamba exit along SLEX all the way through the heart of the town, especially on Friday afternoons and evenings.

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Souvenir shot for the team.

For more info and how to get in touch with Nathan's Private pool, you can check out the following:

facebook.com/pages/Nathans-Private-Pool/380514145379273
nathansprivatepool.sulit.com.ph

(Thanks to Kris Sanguansin for some of the photos.)

Comments

  1. very nice!!!:)

    www.borsadimarypoppins.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey mr bear this is really cool.
    Miss Margaret Cruzemark
    http://margaretcruzemark.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. very nice... i think this resort is included on www.calambaresorts.com.ph.

    ReplyDelete

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