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I
recently found out that you don’t need to be
in Memphis to be in Graceland, where the “King”
Elvis Presley calls his sanctuary.
Just
a two-hour trip from Manila will take you to Quezon
Province’s version, and a first of its kind
in the province. The Graceland Estates and Country
Club, located on the foothills of Mt. Banahaw, is
truly a little bit of paradise. For the first time
ever, the province now has a true high-quality resort
of international standards.
There
are two ways to Graceland in Tayabas, Quezon. The
more popular and thus more jammed route is via the
South Luzon Expressway down the Maharlika Highway
leading to Lucena. The other, more scenic route is
through the so-called “backdoor” of Laguna,
passing the towns of Paete, Lumban, Pagsanjan, down
to Lucban before getting to Tayabas. We took the Expressway
and as expected, the traffic jam was heavy no matter
what time of the day so it was a virtual crawl all
the way to Graceland.
A
few hours after arriving, we were treated to a sumptuous
lunch at the Camp site/picnic area. It was a big grassy
field, with trees to hide under when the sun blazes
too much for comfort. There are tents pitched on the
field too, for the adventurous visitors who want to
stay overnight and brave the elements. Behind the
picnic grounds is a ranch, where the riding horses
are kept. Across the field is a huge lagoon, for boat-riding,
jet-skiing, or fishing. A few tons of tilapia, catfish,
and milkfish are kept well in stock so visitors are
practically assured of a catch.
No
heartbreaks in this hotel
After
lunch, we were billeted in one of the apartments.
Each unit has a view of the lagoon and the pitch and
putt golf range, no heartbreaks in this hotel! Inside,
there is a kitchen as well, so guests can cook their
own food if they don't fancy ordering room service.
There is a Memphis Garden Café and Grille though,
which serve traditional Filipino and American cuisine.
There
are two irregularly shaped swimming pools within the
complex. Both are "pools within a pool" where the
shallow kiddie pool is inside the perimeter of the
deeper part, separated by a submerged wall. A small,
curving slide will entertain the children. Those who
don't fancy a dip in the water can stay dry riding
the boat on the lagoon. An island in the middle serves
as a dock for the boats and as a reception area for
weddings, debuts, and other occasions. There is also
a children's playground to make sure there's plenty
to keep the kids entertained. Gun aficionados can
try the indoor shooting range while the golf course
is still under construction. A basketball court and
a tennis court are also available.
All
shook up?
With
enough money, anybody can be a member of this exclusive
resort. The current rate is P325,000 (roughly $7,065
at P46:$1) for spot cash payers while it’s
PHP 400,000 (around $8700) for a 3-year installment.
The rooms cost P2,500 for non-members and P2,000
for members. The pools are also open to the public
but they only get to use the facilities around and
within the swimming pool complex. The entrance fee
for swimmers is P200 each. The campsite is also
available for non-members and they can sleep in
the tents again for a fee of P200 per person. Recently,
the entire entourage of the Bb. Pilipinas 2007 candidates
visited Graceland.
Going
to Graceland is easy, with or without your own car.
From Quezon City, there are plenty of buses bound
for Lucena City. Arrangements can be made for the
resort’s shuttle on where the guests wanted
to be picked up, but a popular choice is the Grand
Terminal in Lucena. So if you’re all shook
up from the hustle and bustle of city life, scoot
over to Graceland, take off your blue suede shoes
and it’s guaranteed that you can’t help
but fall in love with the place.
For
inquiries and reservations, contact Icon Development
Corporation, 4th Floor IDC Centre, Kalayaan Avenue
corner Zapote Street, Makati City, Philippines.
Tel (+632) 897.3665, 896.9113, 899.0979. Telefax
(+632) 896.8615. Or visit their website at
www.gracelandph.com. ?
Graceland
Estates and Country Club Quezon Avenue,
National Highway, Barangay Camaysa, Between the
towns of Tayabas and Lucban, Quezon
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