Oliva’s Resort and Villas: Cozy Staycation in Pampanga
You guys know how I love staycations and this time we stayed at Oliva’s Resort and Villas, which is one of the best private resorts in Pampanga. One thing that you should know is that this resort is located beside rice fields, with a view of Mount Arayat — making it perfect for those looking for a more secluded stay. It’s about a half an hour ride away from the capital of Angeles City.
The resort offers different types of accommodations, including the popular “The Cabin” and their newly opened Executive Villas.
Our stay at Oliva’s Resort and Villas
My boyfriend Hali and I drove for over 2 hours from Manila to reach Oliva’s Resort and Villas in Mexico, Pampanga.
Our check-in was a breeze. Even though we were only carrying lightweight bags, the staff still helped bringing our bags to our room. We noticed that this is a standard service to all their guests. Also, the airconditioning in our room was already turned on when we arrived, which was a huge relief from the summer heat.
We opted to stay in an Executive Villa, which is a cozy villa with its own plunge pool. The reason we chose this is that I haven’t tried staying somewhere with a (semi)indoor plunge pool yet! And it looks so nice in photos.
Our room has 2 queen-sized beds and a smart TV. It has a door that leads to the dining and kitchen area, the plunge pool, and the bathroom which has its own hot and cold shower. We were also given complimentary toiletries, which is an unexpected and welcome gesture for a private accommodation.
And of course the highlight — the semi-indoor plunge pool!
There are no nearby restaurants here, so you can bring your own food for cooking or, in our case, we got our food from the resort’s meal service. We particularly enjoyed the pancit bihon, chicken cordon bleu, and beef mechado. Their breakfast plates were also very generous — each plate could feed 2 people! In general, it was nice enjoying meals beside the cozy pool.
As this is a staycation, we spent most of our time indoors to enjoy the villa’s amenities. It was a busy day when we were there because the weekend also happened to be Mother’s Day. The guests at the villa next to ours was singing videoke, but the good thing about our room is that it has good soundproof so the sound was minimized that we could ignore it entirely.
We spent most of our overnight stay eating, taking a dip in the pool, and taking advantage of the free, fast WIFI to watch a movie together.
The pool’s temperature was just right. I was expecting it to be cold, but it was almost lukewarm and it was easy to get used to it. The past days had been raining and it was also cloudy then so it was challenging to get good light, but the next morning offered beautiful sun rays.
Aside from the villa, Oliva’s Resort and Villas also has shared facilities including a swimming pool, billiards table, and outdoor spaces where you can sit down and hang out. There are also viewing decks in the pond where you can see The Cabin and its glass swimming pool.
Overall, we had a good stay at Oliva’s Resort and Villas. We liked the amenities, the service, and the food. We particularly liked that the staff was prompt and responsive and we felt really taken cared of during our stay. 🙂
Aside from couple staycations, this resort is also ideal for group or family gatherings as well as special celebrations.
A good tip that I can give you is to book on weekdays if you can. The Executive Villa where we stayed at is immediately beside other villas and cottages, so even with its location it may feel crowded especially on busy days.
About Oliva’s Resort and Villas
Oliva’s Resort and Villas is located in Mexico, Pampanga. It is about 2.5 hours drive away from Manila and about 30-40 minutes from Angeles City.
It offers different accommodations, including:
- The Cabin – good up to 12 people
- Family Villa – good up to 12 people
- Executive Villa – good for 2-4 people
- Mini Cabin – good for 2-4 people
The Cabin and Family Villa each has their own private pool. The Mini Cabins share the glass pool. The Executive Villas each has a private plunge pool.
Important things to know:
- Check-in time is 2PM, check-out is 12 noon the next day.
- You can bring your own food: no corkage fee for food or drinks. You can also order from their all-day breakfast menu. Party trays are available for groups, as long as you inform the resort 3 days in advance.
- Bring your own towel and toiletries.
- This resort is pet-friendly! You can bring your pets as long as they are trained. There is a limit to how many pets you can bring depending on your chosen accommodation. Check with the resort for more details.
For inquiries and booking, you can reach Oliva’s Resort and Villas via Facebook.
Disclaimer: Our stay was provided for free. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own.
Have you been to Oliva’s Resort and Villas in Pampanga? If you have questions or comments, let us know in the comment section below!
What to read next:
Heading to Pampanga? Don’t forget to check out these articles:
Looking for a place to stay in Pampanga? These may help you:
- Nauvoo Farm Resort
- The Lake Farm
- Reca Resorts: Bali-Inspired Resort in Pampanga
- Oliva’s Resort and Villas
- Best Resorts in Pampanga
- [Top Picks] 15 Private Resorts in Pampanga
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Katherine Cortes is a long-time backpacker and a freelance writer/editor. She likes beaches, snorkeling trips, and relaxing staycations (preferably with bath tubs!).
