Villa Elma Nature Park, A Nature Park and B&B in Quezon

Recently opened to the public, Villa Elma Nature Park is a privately owned resort by Justice Magdangal Elma. Built in 1992 initially as a private vacation home of the Elma family, some of his guests were former Presidents Cory Aquino and Joseph Estrada. This mountain resort has a total area of 50-hectares, according to the staff, but only 4-hectares of the land is accessible to the public while the remaining is for future development.

After decades, Villa Elma was opened to the public offering bed and breakfast as well as a wonderful retreat with a majestic view of Mt. Banahaw. Upon entering the resort, you will be welcome by numerous sculptures created by Rey Contreras and Eduardo Castillo. Kids will also enjoy the place as they have a playground surrounded by cartoon figures and a mini Jurassic park.

They also have a cafe and a common dining hall with several tables for you to dine at. You may also opt to bring your own food as the main center is far from the resort and the only place to buy food is at their cafe. Since we arrived early and wasn’t able to bring our own food, we ordered rice meals at Elsa Cafe for lunch. After exploring the whole place, we then decided to go to the public market to buy some pasalubong (because we will leave early the next day) and food for dinner. Also, expect a lot of chickens/roosters roaming around. Judge Elma loves roosters. In fact, they have lots of it in the lot behind the tree house.

 

To express his religious beliefs, they have impressive religious sculptures nestled in the foothills of Mt. Banahaw. Perfect place to meditate on the Lenten season as they also have stations of the cross. It is not advisable to be visited by PWD or elderly though as you have to walk down from the resort down to the ground through the stairs which are very steep. Upon reaching the foothill of Mt. Banahaw, you will be welcome by a stream of clear and cold waters (batis). And yes, it’s safe for swimming. It’s like a natural pool. But, it’s really cold, go swimming if the cold doesn’t bother you.

Upon reaching the religious sculptures and batis, there’s a path and stairs that will lead you to the other side of the resort. There you’ll find the Mt. Banahaw View Deck. But then again, expect a long walk and steep trails. You better wear comfy rubber shoes and bring water for hydration, if you want to explore the resort. There are also cottages around the area but not all of it is well-maintained. Expect to do a long walk if you want to explore the whole place. And since it’s located in the mountain, the weather is mostly rainy and pathways are slippery when wet so be extra careful. Don’t forget to bring a jacket as well.

As of today, they have 5 rooms ready to accommodate you – the Log Cabin, Memorabilia, Tree House, Master’s Room, and Twin House. If you want an eco-experience, you may opt to go glamping and enjoy the fresh cold breeze, plus, it is great for big groups. During our visit, we stayed at the Tree House. Trivia: former President Erap stayed in this room when he visited Villa Elma. The room is basically good for two persons but can accommodate up to 8 persons (you can request for extra beddings).

What I love about this room is that it’s near the Elsa Cafe and the common dining hall, plus it has a bathtub! But there’s no television, not even WiFi and it’s okay because it will give you the time to truly relax and disconnect everything. The outdoor part of the room is very spacious and perfect for family or barkada bonding. It is air-conditioned by the way. All room rates are inclusive of breakfast. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to have breakfast as we have to leave very early because one of us needs to go to work.

Overall, it was a great experience. If you’re looking for a place to disconnect and have a quick R&R, Villa Elma is the perfect place for you. It’s a place you’ll never forget. You may visit Villa Elma for day tour and overnight accommodation. Visiting the nature park will be a great help to provide a budget in maintaining the whole place and for future developments as well. For more details about Villa Elma, visit villaelma.com.ph or follow them on Facebook.