Al Fresco Resort is an excellent choice for travelers visiting Lian, offering a romantic environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.
Guest rooms offer air conditioning.
When you’re feeling hungry, be sure to check out Coral Beach Club Restaurant, which is a pub that is popular with locals and out-of-towners alike.
Me and hubby booked an overnight stay at Al Fresco and we actually were accomodated by the owner (probably related to the owner, we're not sure) who took in our calls over the mobile phone. Their rate for off-peak was 1,600php for the XL non-standard Single bed and we were told that it is compulsary to have our meals there which costs 750/person so that's an additional 1500 for us. We agreed and we were told that there were a couple of inquiries as well so it's going to be first come, first served basis. We hurried to get there as early as we can, thinking that other people are coming that day. When we arrived, there was nobody who checked in along with us or after us. We think it's just a sales talk thing.
ROOM - We were offered the XL non-standard single bed. Apparently when we got there we dunno who to speak to before checking in so we just asked the first person we saw. He was polite but he wasn't (or should I say) nobody was told that we have booked for a room over the phone and that we are to arrive that day. So we went in and the room was a disappointment. It was clean but the smell of the room smelt like damp walls and floors. And the bed was already made up. You can guess it wasn't used for a very long time because it's off-peak season and there aren't much guests coming in to stay. There was only one towel provided so we had to ask for another one. No complimentary toiletries like tissue roll and not even a small soap. Good thing I always bring my own soap and toiletries when checking in anywhere whether a hotel or resort. If you look in the toilet, you can tell it is really old because of the shower head not being cleaned and so is the bidet. This is why they never show pics (on their website) of their toilet and the whole room in larger view. The a/c is okay although we are still puzzled why the a/c is on the wall by the side of the sliding door nowhere near the bed and is completely blocked by the toilet/bathroom. The room is small. Just a tv on a stand, a native small table where you can put your bag on and there was also a side table where the lamp shade was. The lounge area was fine although we noticed a lot of the chairs and sofas have stains on them and to think their chair covers are white!
BEACH - The beach was nice. The sand isn't really white. I'd call it light brown. The water is clear. Only comment is that people seem to think that they can just throw their rubbish in the water thinking it'll disintegrate or something. The town should really sort this out so as to preserve the beauty of the beach. There were lamp posts and were turned on during night time. There were also a few "life guard posts" but we were wondering where the life guards are supposed to be as we didn't see any at all. Lots of people trying to make money. People selling shirts, rice cakes, offering their boats, rafts, jet skis, etc. It kinda puts you off when they come and cut you off while you're trying to enjoy the place.
RESORT's food - I'd say 3/5. Not brilliant but not a failure either. We arrived at 9:30 so we are already late for breakfast. So we ordered some snacks after unpacking our stuff. Food presentation was 4/5 - really well plated. Food quality 3/5 because it wasn't that consistent. I ordered for a jumbo hotdog sandwich which came in a burger bun not in a hotdog bun. And the grilled squid was really chewy. Kudos to the cheeseburger and the gambas which was really delicious. Price for a beer (SMB pale pilsen) 95php. We suggest you take a stroll along the beach and find a decent sari-sari store and buy from there, much cheaper. Serving size was decent, not too skimpy nor too much. The fried pork chop and grilled belly pork both had a small portion of sauteed veggies. When were checking out, they just calculated the total of what we consumed and added it to the price of the room rather than just having the 750 per head as there isn't much of a choice on their menu. I think that was pretty reasonable. Only thing I want to point out is why you have to have your meals there. It's like you don't have a choice. Mini-bar is really mini. It's like the family's personal bar. Not much choice but hubby always opt for SMB so no problem.
STAFF - Friendly and polite. We believe they are related to the owners as what they have indicated on their website. They actually ask you what time you'd like your meals to be served and you can choose ahead of time what you want to have for your breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus you can opt not to eat in the dining hall. We had our dinner served in the lounge area where there are comfy chairs and a table.
Recommend to friends and family? Hmmn... not really. We actually met some other resort owners who aren't that strict on their hotel rules about bringing food and cooking there. We plan to come back to Lian but not to Al Fresco anymore.
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Date of stay: October 2011
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â try to ask if you can choose your room (advisable for off peak season only) because the XL...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have been here 3 times already and the resort was great, not the beach though. but if your looking for a relaxing place that you could spend a romantic moment with your loved one this is the perfect place. the staff's are really hospitable they will always greet you with a smile, we always comeback for their yummy calamares and sinigang na hipon. you should try their cooking and it's really great! rooms are very clean and you can feel the privacy within the resort. hunting for a nice picture of the sunrise and sunset would be hard though due to the numerous balsa's floating at the beach.
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Date of stay: September 2012Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Al Fresco Beach Resort is a special place - perfect for a simple beach holiday and when you don't want to be surrounded by a lot of people.
My husband and I only had a few days break and wanted something close to Batangas City. It was really hard to find a place so we ended up looking at Matabungkay Beach, which is at least 1 and a half hours away. After some searching I found several options on the web and seriously, I chose Al Fresco because they picked up the phone! I couldn't get through to any of the other places at first.
Since we booked just the day before we arrived, we were lucky to get a room. When we got there we were a bit surprised to see how tiny the room was! But I believe the other rooms, especially the family ones are much larger and spacious. The furniture is basic but not old, and we loved the cabanas/gazebos and the deck, especially in the evenings.
We enjoyed the breakfasts there. And although they have a small inhouse menu they said they would prepare anything if asked. It really is a family-run business, the family might even be there from Manila. The property used to be their family beach house, but now they've opened it up for guests too. The staff are great and can advise on the best prices for boat trips etc, so be sure to ask them first before asking other locals.
The beach is steps away and the sea great to swim in. Even on Sunday it was not busy or crowded.
The downsides to Al Fresco: I wouldn't say it's a "resort" - it is more a beach guest house (only about 8 rooms?). There isn't a swimming pool.
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Date of stay: February 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have been here just once, and we will never come back. It so annoying you know, we saw a lot of pictures at their site, and it so beautiful that's why we were convinced to come but when we arrived we're so sad because it's not beautiful as we saw at their site:( and last but not least the staff is not. Never again in this beach. This was 2011
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Date of stay: May 2016
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Really enjoyed our stay at Al Fresco! Rooms weren't as big as I imagined, but the general atmosphere outside made up for it. I really love lazing back in their hammocks and cabanas. Our kids enjoyed every bit of our stay. Place seemed secure and staff were super friendly. I'll definitely be back w/ my friends. Keep up the good work :)
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Date of stay: April 2009
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SERVICE - It was great. The staff were very accommodating. They were always smiling. Ate Ruby take good care of the guests. I just have one complaint though, they don't seem to know how to change the faulty light bulb inside our room.
ROOM - We stayed at the Superior Room. It's small but we're okay with it. The room is clean. One problem is that they lack toiletries. We were only given one roll of toilet paper and that's it. No shampoo, soap or whatever. The AC works fine. The bathroom is clean and small, but the hot and cold shower is faulty. The water becomes too hot for some unknown reason.
FOOD - We availed of the set meals and I must say that I'm not impressed. I did not like them. The only food that tasted good is their tocino. They have a bar but we didn't try any of their drinks.
BEACH - Matabungkay beach disappointed me. There were a lot of rafts scattered along the beach and they really ruined the view. And the people renting the rafts tend to throw their trash in the water. There were also too many vendors. The sand in Matabungkay is fine and the color varies from white to gray. The beach slopes gradually which makes it safe for children. I think the beach would look a lot nicer if the rafts were removed.
The resort has this old-fashioned charm that I really liked. It's very cozy in there. The resort looks nice but I really hated the beach. I'd choose Calatagan and Laiya any day. I don't think I'll go back to Matabungkay.
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Date of stay: March 2010
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
it is place where you can relax and unwind, a romantic beach resort in batangas. all people are polite and accommodating. I went there with my partner and I'am so happy that I did the right choice of spending the night with her in alfresco. I'll get back there when I'll propose to get married with may girl. Thanks Alfresco!
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Date of stay: February 2010
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Been there last year with my girlfriend celebrated our 2 years of love, and we are very satisfied with their accommodation. The place is so cozy and romantic. Very peaceful and quiet. A recommended place for a lovers. The food was also great! especially the Sinigang, so yummy! Staffs were accommodating and kind, room was clean and relaxing, everything is great except for the beach. But overall, vacation with Alfresco is surely memorable and definitely will go back there again very soon!
April 28, 2011
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Date of stay: April 2012
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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"try to ask if you can choose your room (advisable for off peak season only) because the XL nonstandard room is a bit small for a couple.
if you fancy a snack, just go out and have a stroll along the beach. There are quite a few sari-sari stores that sell cheaper food - booze, soda, crisps/chips etc."
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