These was a time when my brother and I would go to Rizal every weekend to go for a climb or hike. There’s really a lot to do and see in Rizal, like the Masungi Georeserve, Daranak Falls, Daraitan, and much more! Apart from the activity-filled adventure spots, there are also more serene and laid-back places littered around the province which gives visitors ample space and time to just chill and relax – aside from R&R, they’re also perfect venues for team building programs, family outings, events, celebrations, and whatnot.

My brothers would usually always opt for Laguna venues for team building activities, but if you have the option to hold one in Rizal – the Lily Vacation Farm House in Jala Jala Rizal is a fantastic pick. I was invited by Jeepsetters PH to attend the ‘Bloggers’ Night’ at Lily Vacation Farm house and let me tell you – I can definitely attest to the fact that this venue is a great place for promoting camaraderie and hosting memorable team building sessions, aside from the fact that it’s a terrific vacation house in general.

Lily’s Vacation Farm House

Lily’s is a vacation house in the lakeside town of JalaJala, named after the mother-in-law of the owner who decided to use their humble farmhouse, renovate it and turn it public for everyone to enjoy and have a wonderful getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Décor/Ambiance

One of the must-haves when booking a venue is making sure that it gives off calm and relaxing vibes, which Lily Vacation Farm definitely does! This fact is noticeable even when you first step right into the grounds. Aside from the wide grassy fields, sturdy towering acacia trees, and chirping of the birds, visitors will be greeted by a pure, unobstructed view of the Laguna De Bay past the fields – no mountains or hills to block the view. Just the serene waters with tall mountains (Mount Makiling and Mount Banahaw) off in the distance, definitely a great sight to behold particularly during the sunrise and sunsets.

The fenced-in grasslands are very vast and spacious, perfect for a long walk, jog through the grounds, or maybe an exhilarating ATV ride! Since the resort also happens to be a farmhouse, expect to see some adorable animals like horses and pot-bellied pigs you can pet and feed with permission from the staff. The design of Lily Vacation Farm House is also very modern and great for taking pictures with friends and family.  Did I mention that they have a swimming pool, so while sitting at the porch, you have a view fo the swimming pool and Laguna de Bay. The porch is very relaxing, there are  lots of chairs and tables where you can just lay and chill ( or grab a drink or two. )

Rooms

Lily Vacation Farmhouse can house a maximum of 25 people at a fixed price. It has 3 spacious bedrooms which are all air-conditioned, equipped with a humidifier and a flat-screen cable television where you can watch your favorite movies and shows. The beds are super comfortable, it’s like they used mattresses straight out of hotels!

The house is fully furnished and decorated with a nice modern flair and it really is no joke when the vacation farm says that it houses 25 pax – the kitchen, living room, and dining room areas are very spacious and great for a gathering with friends, family, co-workers or come what may. It’s homey enough that you can just chat and enjoy each other’s’ company. In addition, cleaning and cooking supplies are all available so you can save on ordering food and just cook your meals from scratch if you so wish. Did I mention there’s absolutely no corkage fee when it comes to bringing the food and drink of your choice?

There are a variety of different appliances ranging from a fridge, stove, coffee maker, hot and cold water dispenser, toaster, kettle, microwave, and miscellaneous utensils. Lily’s is so well-equipped all you’ll really need is some food and drinks, a couple of extra clothes and a towel!

If your group consists of more than 25 pax, the other guests can spend the night at the tents and kubos outside the grounds – they’re big and spacious, perfect for an outdoor glamping experience under the canopy-seeming trees and night sky.

Facilities

• Swimming Pool

  

  

The swimming pool is one of the best lounging locations in the entire resort! There are sprinklers fixed to the pool which you can shower beneath while staring out into the fantastic view of the bay in the distance that makes it seem as if the pool waters just go on and on endlessly.

Things to do:

Rest and relaxation, of course, tends to be the main priority when visiting such a peaceful venue like Lily’s, but for those who want to get some more action and physical activity on need not fret because the vacation farm is full of various activities:

1. Basketball – Have a few rounds of basketball at the vacation house’s half-basketball court

2. ATV – Free use of the farm’s terrain vehicles for a fun-filled ride around the spacious grasslands

3. Horseback riding – Horseback riding is available at any time of the day (except when the lovely animals are sleeping, of course!), just ask for the assistance of the staff. One of the more sociable horses is named Chelsea. You can pet and stroke her carefully but do be careful as sometimes she bites! So when she lets out a gruff noise or shows her teeth, be sure to back away a little bit.

4. Farm animal feeding – Feed some of the farm’s chickens, pigs, and horses – most of them are really quite friendly.

5. Under the tree dining

6. Alfresco dining

7. Outdoor film watching – There’s a projector set up outdoors so you can watch a movie out beneath the skies and the stars, paired with snacks and the company of your friends and loved ones.

8. Camping/glamping with bonfire – even if you won’t be camping outside, guests can still have a bonfire set up by request! Don’t worry about feeling uncomfortable in your tent, it’s spacious and can hold a total of 4-6 persons.

9. Tire swinging – Lots of tires are seen dangling from the strong acacia trees, channel your inner child and go for a couple minutes just swinging your cares and troubles away.

10. Volleyball

11. Frisbee

12. Football

13. Karaoke singing using a flat-screen TV and boom mic stand

14. Swing

15. Obstacle Course

16. Outdoor games – There is a huge space available for outdoor games!

17. Swim

18. Photoshoot – The grounds are very instagrammable, so if you love taking photoshoots you’ll have a fantastic time with the backdrop of the picturesque farm. You can even have themed parties like we did – a Bohemian night with neon rave dancing underneath the stars and open air.

How to get there

1. Car:

Via Private transportation, you can take the R-5 and drive through the Pililla – Jala-Jala – Pakil Rd for a total of 2-3 hours at the earliest, without stops and traffic.

2. By Van Shaw to Tanay and then Tanay to Jala Jala

Another option, if you want to take public transportation, is to take an FX or Van from Starmall EDSA Shaw, EDSA Central Crossing, or Cubao.

• Ride an FX going to Tanay
• At the Tanay PUV terminal, ride a jeep with “Bongbong/JalaJala” plastered on the side and ask the driver to drop you off at Lily’s Vacation Farmhouse.

Note: If you’re headed to the venue late you might struggle when commuting. Some of the bloggers who had arrived late had to hire a van – it cost them P1400 from Shaw to Tanay which seated 16-18 persons maximum, but can hold 12-14 comfortable with luggage.

Also, if you’re riding a jeep from Tanay to the resort, sometimes it’s best to just rent a jeep since many drivers won’t want to go to Lily’s as they don’t have any passengers going back to Tanay. You can rent a private jeep for as low as 800.

How to Book

To book a stay at the fantastic Lily Vacation House, simply follow the steps listed below:

• Contact them via their email at lily.vacationhouse@gmail.com
• You can also shoot them a private message via their Facebook page at https://web.facebook.com/LilyVacationFarmHouse. Their office hours are from 9AM to 8PM so message during those times for the best chance of getting a within-the-day response.
• Afterwards, the staff will send you Google Maps directions to the vacation house and upon arrival you will provide booking confirmation as well as a valid I.D.
• Check-in starts at 2 PM.

You can also book via Airbnb

• Search up the Lily Vacation Farm House
• Agree with the terms and conditions
• Check out and pay using your credit or debit card

Inclusions

• Exclusive overnight stay
• 25 person farmhouse capacity (additional charge for extra pax)
• Fully equipped kitchen with no corkage fee
• Glamping experience
• Hydro Color Pool use
• Basketball court
• Grilling area
• Complimentary snacks and drinks
• Use of ATV
• Farm activities
• Karaoke
• Outdoor movie night
• Animal feeding
• Horseback riding

Of course, we all ended up having a blast on our bohemian-themed bloggers night! But when we got there we first started out by filling up our tummies with some merienda from Panccitto’s who served us various Filipino pancit favorites such as pancit malabon, pancit canton, pancit bihon guisado and pancit canton bihon topped with delicious eggs, fresh shrimp, and calamansi for seasoning – it was like a pancit buffet! Definitely a delicious precursor to the grand event.

As for our dessert following the pancit feast, we had some homemade pastillas from Sweet Li’l Soles and some dark chocolate and carrot cupcakes from Chocolat Deep Dark Chocolate Cakes. All three of the caterers are locally grown Filipino brands, so it was great having a taste of some of the creations of the country’s talented caterers and bakers. Here are some more of the event sponsors who made the night as exciting and enjoyable as it could possibly be!

Our main dinner consisted of a delicious meal curated by Vernisse Grill Catering Services, the official partner of Lily Vacation Farmhouse when it comes to catering.

Drinks

After all, what is a party without the alcohol?

Genry Vodka for the drinks

Facebook Page: Genry Vodka

Set up

For the lovely bohemian set-up, lights, ambience and souvenirs, we had the Rave Party One to thank.

Rave Party One for the lights and sound

Facebook Page: Rave Party One

Contact No.: 0919 253 0903

Souvenir Mug

We were able to receive an adorable souvenir mug to remind us of our fantastic overnight stay at Lily’s Vacation Farm House.

One Stop Print Shop for the souvenir mug

Facebook Page: One Stop Print Shop

Contact No.: 0966 726 1167

Some of the other prizes received were reusable bamboo and metal straws from Anything Eco which are very useful for me, personally, so I was thankful to have them! They also sell other environmentally-friendly and biodegradable items which are perfect for travellers who need a lot of reusables with them while they’re on the go.

The event finally began at 7PM, and we started off by introducing one another and talking about our backgrounds while we settled into our temporary bohemian getaway. There were lovely pastel pink tents as well as pillows and tables set up on the grass so we could all sit and talk comfortably. It was really fun getting to know all the different bloggers! We also played a lot of games that night like Pinoy Henyo, Charades, Speak Out, and some exciting drinking games. We stayed out till late and had a fantastic time at the techno-color party theme we had going on into the night. And, of course, we were able to wholly prove ourselves that the Lily Vacation Farm House is in fact a wonderful venue for team building, events, parties and gatherings.