Stress. It’s something almost every regular employee in the world feels every once in awhile. Heck, in fact, it’s something everyone feels possibly everyday!

Or so that’s how I felt the day before I took the trip to Pico De Loro Beach and Country Club last August. Tired from the stress of writing more than 30 articles every week and backlogged from my last trip to Kota Kinabalu, I was more than just stressed. I had run out of brain juice and I no longer emanated any words for any more articles.

This was why when Eric of Byahilo and Melo of Out of Town Blog and Anika Punzalan of Hamilo Coast invited me over with Darwin of Tracking Treasure to the luxurious resort for a weekend getaway, I was more than happy to oblige.

Cool, serene and absolutely charming – are the first adjectives that I could think of when we arrived at the Hamilo Coast at around 2pm on a Saturday. There wasn’t a lot of people at the resort yet, and it was nice to appreciate everything fresh without the buzz of people around.

After the 2 hour drive to Batangas, we exited the car and explored the main hotel of Hamilo Coast – the Pico Sands Hotel. Built tall, and luxurious with simple, but elegant designs, Pico Sands had a sophisticated look, even right from the outside with its huge glass doors and mat that stated Pico Sands.

Inside, there were designs of huge paintings, elegant bird of paradise flowers and artistic chandeliers. The main lounge also peeked straight into the man-made lake, high rise condominiums and pools.

Once we were checked in, we headed upstairs to the 3rd floor to our rooms.

The room was very clean, very charming. The double beds were soft and comfy, and at my state of mind, I had every hype to jump in and sleep the whole day.

But of course, when you have a ton of activities to explore, you simply don’t sleep just yet!

The room had a vertical light bulb hanging between the beds. There was an LED television, a table for working and mirrors and the room overlooked the roadside of the coast. It was definitely a very convenient room for business travelers. The room comes with complimentary coffee, tea and heater.

The bathroom was very clean and it came with all the toiletries you’d need – even  toothbrush and toothpaste and a shower cap! I think this was the first hotel I’d seen who provided such toiletries as well.

Very impressive.

We also had Wi-Fi in our rooms.

Throughout our visit, we were able to eat at both the Pico De Loro Beach Club and the Pico Restaurant.

Here’s a selection of food we were able to eat:

Trust me, when they have this much delicious food, you just don’t hesitate to eat.

And when we ate at the Pico De Loro Beach Club that overlooked their beautiful coastline, it was romantic – the only word I could use to describe the place.

No, it might not be white sand, but the view was definitely just as breathtaking and beautiful.

There was also a pool at the beach club that overlooked the beach and as tempted as I was to jump in – to both the pool and the beach – I was a little too tired at the moment.

On the other hand, the Pico De Loro Country Club, which is just next to Pico Sands also has its own pool. It has a karaoke center, a bowling center, a ballroom, gaming center, a playground for kids and courts for badminton, table tennis and tennis. It also has a dedicated shower area.

We spent the rest of the night drinking some beer and singing karaoke in one of the karaoke booths. Fun! Especially when you’re a little too tired to do anything else.

We called it a night around 11 – 12pm that night. And yes, that’s pretty early, especially for a bunch of travel bloggers like us.

Of course, when you have that soft, soft mattress and comfortable covers waiting for you, you simply don’t refuse! I fell asleep quite fast, with the San Miguel Light working its way to my head and my head sinking pleasantly into the pillows. I must’ve started drooling somewhere when I dreamed of the chocolate  lava cake we had that afternoon.

The next day, we spent the morning lounging by the pool and enjoying the view of the lake between the rising condominiums. It was a pretty tranquil scene from where we sat. I especially loved the design of the pool where a higher layer spills into the lower pool. The higher layered pool also has a set of lounge chairs that are dipped directly into the water, perfect for those who like to sunbathe in the water. The lower layer of the pool overlooks the lake and it makes the perfect backdrop to some sexy shots over the pool. Of course, we took advantage of that. There is also a kiddie pool at the back as well.

Truly this weekend has definitely been a highlight of August, 2012.

Hamilo Coast is comprised of several coves, hectares of land and some of the finest stretches of beach in Nasugbu, Batangas. Pico De Loro, a coastal community comprised of 37.5 hectares is made out of 8 mid-rise condominiums, with an exclusive Beach and Country Club. It also comes with the Pico Sands Hotel. The group makes the ultimate recreational package for anyone who needs a weekend off from the hustles of Manila.

Hamilo Coast is definitely an awesome place to escape for a good weekend. With its complete amenities and facilities, you’ll find absolutely everything you need to bury your stress and come out rejuvenized.

For more information on Hamilo Coast, please visit www.hamilocoast.com