This is my second time staying at The Farm. I stayed in Palmera about 5 years ago and got a massage, this time I tried the Sulu Terrace since I'm traveling solo with my dog.
I chose this place because it's the most big dog-friendly and safest option near Manila. I loved that there's a goodie bag with treats, a bowl, pee pad, and poop bags for my baby. Staff were also friendly to my dog and I appreciate that. There are certain areas where they're not allowed and that's understandable. But I hope there's more outdoor dining options where pets are allowed, especially for breakfast, so far there's only one table outside for that. The quality of the fruits and vegetables were excellent but the breakfast buffet was extremely average, from what I remember the a la carte menu 5 years ago was so much better. I was hoping to try amazing breakfast dishes but the buffet choices didn't match my expectations for a luxury resort.
I understand that COVID safety is a high priority but the mandatory antigen test on-site was a bit much at P2,500. If safety was really the priority it would be nice if there's an option for guests to provide their own test results, whether antigen or PCR 24-48 hours before check-in. Instead of requiring all guests to pay that much for just a rapid test.
As for the room, Sulu Terrace was okay...This is my second time staying at The Farm. I stayed in Palmera about 5 years ago and got a massage, this time I tried the Sulu Terrace since I'm traveling solo with my dog.
I chose this place because it's the most big dog-friendly and safest option near Manila. I loved that there's a goodie bag with treats, a bowl, pee pad, and poop bags for my baby. Staff were also friendly to my dog and I appreciate that. There are certain areas where they're not allowed and that's understandable. But I hope there's more outdoor dining options where pets are allowed, especially for breakfast, so far there's only one table outside for that. The quality of the fruits and vegetables were excellent but the breakfast buffet was extremely average, from what I remember the a la carte menu 5 years ago was so much better. I was hoping to try amazing breakfast dishes but the buffet choices didn't match my expectations for a luxury resort.
I understand that COVID safety is a high priority but the mandatory antigen test on-site was a bit much at P2,500. If safety was really the priority it would be nice if there's an option for guests to provide their own test results, whether antigen or PCR 24-48 hours before check-in. Instead of requiring all guests to pay that much for just a rapid test.
As for the room, Sulu Terrace was okay when traveling solo with a pet. It meets the bare minimum. I like that the bathroom toiletries were not heavily scented and are coconut-oil based but the soap is too drying and like it's made of pure coconut oil. I make my own soap and pure coconut oil soap is highly cleansing so that's what I use for dishwashing and laundry only. The water in the pitcher had a weird taste and was undrinkable. I felt dehydrated during my stay.
I get that The Farm is in a natural setting but I find lizard poop on my bed every once in a while. Also mayflies tend to enter the room even with screens closed and I would find bugs on my bed too. The bedding was so comfortable but I couldn't sleep properly because I was worried lizard poop would fall on my face while sleeping! I woke up in the middle of the night next to lizard poop and mayflies. Sleep quality could've been amazing if it were not for the lizard poop everywhere and crawling bugs. I understand you can't stop lizards from pooping but an additional element to prevent it from falling on the bed would make a world of a difference in the quality of sleep! I just woke up tired and groggy. The bed in the open air area of the terrace was so dirty too. Would've been nice to just chill there but it was so gross like there's a blood stain or something (Sulu 9).
Booking a class was so convenient with the app. Did a yoga class and the instructor was okay with my dog joining even after he became too playful for a short bit, so that was nice. Their style of restorative yoga just wasn't for me but my dog loved it. To each their own!
It's not the management's fault but I find it so disappointing that some pet owners let their dogs go unleashed. A small dog ran towards my big dog and aggressively barked at him. This triggered my dog's defense mechanism and became aggressive. My dog is 10x the small dog's size and can kill it in an instant. The other pet owner was so lax and carefree that he didn't even act quickly or think there was a problem. Good thing the guards helped deescalate the situation. PLEASE TO PREVENT INJURIES, PLEASE BE MORE STRICT ABOUT THE LEASH RULE IN COMMON AREAS EVEN WITH SMALL "FRIENDLY" DOGS.
The driver I hired wanted to use the toilet while waiting for me while I was checking out but she said she wasn't allowed. I don't know if that's true but if it were, that would be very disappointing and inhumane. Unlike other male drivers, my female driver can't just pee in a bush or a corner. Maybe it would be nice to put up a separate restroom for drivers of any gender so they can use the toilet with dignity.
Overall I liked the pet-friendliness, the landscapes, calming views and gardens, nice walking trails of the large property, attentive staff, the security, and the relatively quiet location (although karaoke from I don't know where can still be heard). Everything else feels slightly overpriced for the quality. So based on my most recent experience, I'm rating The Farm at San Benito as average.More
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