Earlier this month, the company which I am working for had celebrated our 2016 Christmas party at the Chateau Blanc. I had even posted the challenging parts of this celebration and of which I myself consider as one of the most challenged Christmas a party I had ever attended in my entire life. One which I thought would not be anymore possible but gladly it took place. But one thing that I am glad about it being a realization was because I was the one who had recommended the resort and it got selected just like last year where my suggestion was also picked among the options.

There some other options given at that time and I thought my suggestion might not be selected because it was already 11th hour of preparation. But since the rest if the options are either fully booked or too far from the city, Chateau Blanc was chosen.

So it is just right that I should create a separate blog for the resort itself. The previous blog was more about the experience of the overall party. While this time around, I will be sharing as to my impressions and depressions? Perhaps but no, I should say some things that may be important information the rest of the Cebuanos who might also stumble upon this blog while looking for places to stay for their either team building or parties like what we had.

I am pointing out the things I love about the resort and what needs improvement perhaps.

►Things I Like/Love About Chateau Blanc◄

▲Artistic

I don't personally know the owner of the resort but I bet he/she is an art enthusiast. How can I say that? Well because each and every corner of the house has paintings! These paintings' theme were mostly that of the cards. There were Kings, Spades and Queen designs. There were also other kinds of paintings such as the images of Saints and some other human paintings. I also noticed there were abstract ones which have enlightened the mood of the interior design of the house.

That time when we reached the venue, it was raining and it took awhile for us to reach the location but the travel stress was not really a hindrance for me to appreciate the beauty of these arts available.

What's really surprising was that the canvas used here are not really the usual canvasses, mostly were just woods. Look like those were extra pieces of woods used during the construction of the house and turned into something interesting with paints brushed on it. I have to feel the canvas and realized these are indeed real wood!

Up in the second floor, the lobby was full of framed paintings, I have to take a lot of photos of it so I can evaluate who or what those images available. The stairs itself also has its own set of paintings and I salute the painter for the beauty he/she had created. If it was the owner, I would definitely love to meet him/her in person and congratulate for the work done perfectly.

Look at the number of paintings, framed ones here!

Oh! I forgot to inform you the comfort rooms and powder rooms are not free of the paintings, they also have their own art planted on the walls, kind of reminded me of the Shell Station Comfort Rooms in Minglanilla Cebu and Tagbilaran Bohol too.

 

▲Neat and Clean

View of the living room before our stuffs were placed in, it was really neat!

While it was raining and the roads were muddy outside, I had the feeling that the location might be muddy and could be unclean too! However, I was wrong, like totally wrong because it was very neat. It looks clean from the cemented roads going up to the hill where the resort was located up to the rooms!

You'll never see any spot of dirt or garbage around the area except at the grilling part since there were charcoals all around the grilling table but everything was well maintained I should say. What really greeted me was the huge living room and the giant pillow which was lying on the floor which made me think it might be used for sleeping or maybe the caretakers forgot to take it to the chair or to the room. But since we were the first batch to arrive, it seems this is indeed intended to be a couch like thingy on the floor and I definitely find it cute and cozy!

Nice tiles, cool lounges!

Then I went to the second floor where five rooms were located plus a veranda which gives a view of the city at the back and the swimming pool at the front with a backdrop of the Cebu mountains! Well, I was not anymore surprised when I saw the rooms clean and neat as well. But wait until the next bullet of points as to why this is a lovely resort. Continue reading below.

▲Lovely Rooms

As I was saying earlier, the rooms were really clean and neatly arranged but what's really cute about their rooms are the mosquito nets! Yes, you read it right - mosquito nets.

These cuddly things which most of us might have already thrown away because of how technology had somehow replaced the use of it but the resort instead kept this old fashioned way of staying away from mosquito and other insects really fascinated me. Well, I was not alone with the fascination as my colleagues too were really delighted to see the items.

It seems most of us are indeed not anymore using it but seeing it brings back memories from childhood and memories with my brothers and family. Our youngest has this habit of not being able to sleep without feeling the mosquito net in his feet. There were funny moments when we were still kids which was caused by the missing mosquito nets, he'd be crying if there's no mosquito net since he can't sleep. It seemed like his sleepiness would depend on the presence of the mosquito net between his two feet, he'll be scratching his feet against it and that brings him to sleep. So that's why he'd definitely be crying if there's no mosquito net.

However, he had grown over the mosquito net now and can sleep without it. But that's basically the main thing that reminds me of whenever I see mosquito nets and the resort reminded me about it, this I find nostalgic.

Note as well that the mosquito net was also of good quality, the eyelets were fine and the way it was hanged was cool too! I did feel really secured inside the net.

▲Perfect Ambiance

The next morning, I was awakened by sound of my colleagues talking and just being in awe while watching the sun rise and the view of the city. I then realized that I missed the sunrise. Blame it for sleeping very late at two in the morning! I had set my phone to alarm at five in the morning but I guess I had turned it off without me really knowing.

I had to get up on my bed and run towards the balcony where they were situated. I was in my sleepy state at that time but I can't let this pass by because the location is not somewhere I have access all the time. Unfortunately, I couldn't really get a great photo of it but I as able to click a few good enough ones.

Then I just put my camera down and watch the sun move from the horizon part going up to the skies until it hits my skin. The feeling of seeing the sun was indeed a joy because the rain has finally stopped and that this gives hope for the muddy roads to get dry and we won't have problems going down to the city.

The Infinity pool of Chateau Blanc, it was cold in the evening and early morning!

 

Aside from the great sun rise view, we also have a mountainous part at the other side of the Chateau Blanc resort where it showcases the wondrous mountain creation and the skies. Oh this view was not at all visible when we arrived due to the rain and the fog too!

►What You Should Know When Coming to Chateau Blanc◄

The night was rainy but got the chance to take a photo of Cebu City from afar.

▼Challenging Roads

If not because of the rain, although not cemented or not made of asphalt at least, the roads should be good and we shouldn't have any issues with it but because it rained that day and the night before, the roads were indeed challenged and muds were the result. The first batch of car which took us there was owned by my colleague's father who also drove us towards the Chateau Blanc Resort. Unfortunately, the last three kilometers gave us a total headache and a heart pumping, adrenaline rush experience.

The locals have to pull the Isuzu car from the muddy part to the rocky are of the road using a rope connected to a backhoe! Well, it took three attempts of manual pushing by the locals who were doing the construction of the road even though it was raining which ended up failing so we sought help from the materials available, first option was a thin rope, it broke just before the driver hit accelerate. The second option was a metal bar and the colleague's father didn't agree on using it as it might collapse and would hit any part of the car. The last one was a very thick rope brought by one of the locals. Finally that worked!

So note that when coming here, if it's rainy or you think the roads will be muddy, just bring a 4x4 car and some thick sturdy ropes. But I hope the government will be able to get the construction done as soon as possible.

 

▼No Towels Provided

This was mentioned on the email communication between the person in charge and our company. This is because of personal hygiene thingy I guess but they really didn't mention the reason, they had just informed us beforehand that they do not provide the towels.

But it was okay since all the other stuffs can be used like kitchen utensils, containers, plates and the rest. As long as the information was passed to us before coming, there will be no issues at all.

The Lanai located just right below the house. Needs to walk a few steps to reach here.

▼No Walk Ins

This is strict and that have been followed by the care takers and the person in charge of the Chateau Resort. There will never be walk ins instead, guests should call for reservation and make sure that the reservation was confirmed by the OIC or officer in charged. The care takers were only there to clean up and welcome the guests and also cook if there's a need to do so.

So, ensure you have arranged a reservation first before coming and get the map going to the location because there's a tendency that you'll get lost towards the route just like what happened to us.

▼Only 15 Heads Capacity

Another important thing to keep in mind is that the resort would only cater 15 maximum number of heads while staying in the resort. They won't allow more than that since the rooms can only accommodate the same number of heads. There were five bedrooms which can accommodate two-three persons since the beds have pull outs too.

This information is also being asked by the OIC during the reservation call and also mentioned on the email too! That basically means the resort can't accommodate huge groups. That made the location just perfect for us since we were only fifteen.

►What Could Be Improved?◄

I couldn't really think of anything to improve on the location. The area was huge, there's a great view, ambiance and artistic part of the resort is there, there's an infinity pool, a Jacuzzi and a clean house with kitchen and grilling place. There's also a mini playground and a lanai to spend an afternoon, it has some swings in it too. My colleagues had spent the entire night drinking there since it was rainy.

I believe the only thing that it needs to improve is the kitchen perhaps. Although there were available materials and kitchen stuff to be used, they were not really enough! We had to use our plastic containers for the food but that was just a minor issue. So far, I didn't have any major issue of the location. Despite the muddy experience, everything was smooth and perfect.

Now watch while Chris swim in the infinity pool:

 

©Jean Beltran-Figues
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