So when Nina invited Upper, Cla and I for an overnight stay in this Bali-inspired sanctuary resort in Batangas, we immediately set the date. The place is called Cintai by Corito's Garden. Cintai (pronounced “chin-tai”) is an Indonesian word which means 'love'.
Just by seeing the gates, I knew it is love. This looks like a perfect place to unwind, relax and meditate.
the famous Balinese split gate at Cintai, Corito's Garden
okay, that's Upper making lotssss of phone calls!
Candi Bentar, commonly known as the split gate, is an arch shaped term for 2 similar buildings which reflects symmetry.
the Dancing Ladies statue welcomed us
a little Bali in Batangas
pretty and very detailed split gate
I've seen almost every establishment, temple, and home in Bali with these split gates. They look very nice, no? Anyway, since we arrived very much ahead of the check in time, our group decided to chill in the pool area. Lucky us, there were no other guests but us. It looked like we rented the whole place! =)
Well, privacy has price. As always, affordable resorts always get overcrowded. That's the advantage of paying a little more, you get to have your own piece of place.
a preview of the main pool at Cintai
a private resort for our group ^_^
that's Nina and Upper and the Hindu god at the back
and Cla tried out the cute umbrella
a Hindu guardian by the pool
The place was really awesome in terms of the details. It looked and felt very much Balinese! I specially liked the Balinese sculptured wall murals.
these sculptured wall murals were a feast in my eyes
Ganesha, the Hindu Lord of Success
and a lot more gods and deities in the wall mural
It didn't end there. Even the restrooms are constructed in detail. Jaw-dropping. This place is actually a lot better than the hotel where I stayed in Bali.
the Balinese inspired restroom
..and there are 4 of these in Cintai. all restrooms are equally amazing.
the awesome restroom wall, and this is not just a painting
cant help but ask Upper to take a photo of me in-front of this beautiful restroom door
The whole resort is very well conceptualized and constructed. Even the littlest thing is Bali-inspired. Cintai is really love. ♥
a 40-ft sculptured wall mural in the pavilion hall
Okay, so much for the awesome sculptures and the pool. Before lunch time, the staff allowed us to check in. The overnight rate in Cintai by Corito's is steep but thanks to the Deal Grocer coupon, Nina got this for a discounted price. Thanks teh for the advanced birthday gift.
more details along the way to our villa
The Terrace Villa is a 60 sq-m room for 4 persons. It has 2 queen-sized beds, extremely spacious bathroom, and own veranda outside.
our very own Balinese inspired villa
The Terrace Villa costs P11,000 - and this is already the cheapest room in Cintai by Corito's Garden. This includes your breakfast of choice and a personal butler service.
the glass doors of the villa
a 60-sqm room
the mattresses and pillows are fresh and extremely comfortable
that's the bathroom at the right
the very spacious bathroom
with toiletries and scented candles
personal fridge and a long wooden seat by the window
Anyway, Cintai also offers a day tour for only P1,650. This already includes lunch and snacks, as well as access to all open pictorial sites, swimming pools, playground, shower rooms. Not bad at all!
Speaking of lunch, this is one of the areas where guests can have lunch.
lunch by the garden
According to some reviews, the food at Cintai is not good. Surprisingly, the food was good and really cheap! We ordered Adobo (P300) and Pinakbet (P150). Each dish is already good for 4, seriously! The rice bowl is good for 10 persons. Haha!
big servings at Cintai
We all loved the food! We even liked the home brewed iced tea. And I like to take home that centerpiece umbrella . ^_^ Kidding aside, our meal was good and very affordable.
After lunch, it's swimming and more exploration time once again!
that's Upper in the pool
show your curves!
While the girls were sabik sa pool, I was more sabik matulog. The bed was really comfy so I overslept. I woke up some minutes before it got dark. Tsk tsk.
my favorite seaweed, cadburies, and a pale pilsen for snack
Anyway, the dinner set menu was really a delight. For just 1,000, we got 4 Asian dishes, home brewed iced tea, and the so-good dessert.
asian dinner feast for 4
all these for less than a thousand pesos
Again, the serving was really generous and they all tasted good. We had leftovers because the set meal was actually good for 6-8 persons. Anyway, the jewel dessert was everyone's favorite.
the Dancing Ladies statue by night
Since the reception area was the only place with wi-fi access, we spent time here for a while. To our surprise, the employees didn't leave until we were back in our villa. They assisted us with all our needs, within the day and until night time. The service was really good.
one fabulous door at Cintai
going asian - Mie Goreng for breakfast
credits to Cla for the calligraphy skills
Thank you 'The Nina Fuentes' for this treat. ^_^
Dimsum buffet tayo next time, yes?
Cintai by Corito's Garden
Sitio Pandayan, Malabanan Balete, Batangas
Mobile: +63917.833.1508 / +63917.833.1728
Email: coritosgarden@gmail.com
