Accommodation near Taal Volcano

Best place I have ever stayed. The staff met us at the gate as we entered and met our needs until we left. First class service, staff, food and room!!!!

Good

This is my second time staying here, but I'm sad to say that the rooms I got this time were a little dated and smelled like mold (both of them). I booked two rooms, and the other room had a working aircon, but unable to turn off or adjust settings. I even bought new batteries for the remote. SMCO representative was nice and helpful, but I felt weird leaving the room keys in a locker with NO LOCK. what if someone stole the keys and cleared out the room? Will I be responsible for that? Representative assured me it's safe. She even told me about the paid parking, which was ₱350 a day. That was perfect and convenient! I wasn't aware about that on my first trip and parking was pretty far. Location was good, with a few restaurants and a small mall within walking distance, but I suggest renting a car or taking a Grab if traveling with elderly. Mornings were the best with many people to join in your morning walk. Ambiance and cooler temperatures were awesome! You also feel a sense of safety throughout most of the property. In spite of the mold in the rooms and the fact that it felt dated, I will still give it another chance and hope my next stay here will be better. Location and the big, open park to walk in is what I enjoy they most. I would still recommend this place to anyone looking for an inexpensive and enjoyable experience.

What we liked about Balkonahe were: 1. The size of the home was good for our group of 4. 2. The view from the home and the terrace. 3. It is gated so our vehicle was secure at night. 4. Purified drinking water was provided. 5. The pool was clean and well-maintained. 6. The friendly cat and dog. 7. The caretaker, Jane Digo, was helpful. What we did not like about Balkonahe: 1. The house is not well-maintained. Some areas need repair/maintenance. 2. The house is not clean. It was dusty and dirty in many places like the shelves, fixtures, inside cabinets, doors, windows, etc. 3. It needs pest control service because it has a lot of various insects. 4. Water for flushing or taking a shower was not guaranteed. There were two nights when we did not have water at around 4 a.m. to flush the toilet and wash our hands. 5. The air conditioners are only available in each bedroom but we had to pay 100 pesos per hour for the air conditioner in the living room. 6. All of its potted plants and plants inside the home have browning leaves and need regular watering and fertilizing. 7. We were given only one bath towel each for our 5-night stay so we were using our towels both for drying after swimming and taking a shower. 8. There were dispensers for shampoo and body wash in the two showers but they were empty. 9. There was no key to lock and unlock the house and once the sliding doors got accidentally locked and the caretaker's husband had to use a knife to open the sliding doors.

Great community on the water. All staff we encountered were friendly and helpful, and there was security in parking areas. The room and patio was clean. The patio door was a little hard to shut but we got it. The ac worked great and there's hot water! We only stayed one night but I'd love to come back and stay for at least 3. The restaurant near our room served a nice breakfast and the view of Taal Lake was beautiful.