Dona Jovita Garden Resort Review - Hot Spring Therapy for Special Kids Near Manila

Being based in the province of Laguna, I am so fortunate to have quite easy access to hot springs, particularly in Calamba.

What seems to be just a relaxing bath is actually a form of therapy, not just for our ausome kids, but to us parents as well.

One resort that we really like is Dona Jovita Garden Resort.

Covered by Trees

Being a garden resort, the ambiance of the whole place is really relaxing.

The surroundings including most of the pool areas are covered by big old trees. This makes it extra special for me because usually, I get a terrible headache from exposure to the midday sun. But since most of the area is covered, I could enjoy the swimming time with my kid. Just for this reason, we will absolutely come back to this place over and over again.

What may be a downside to some people (not me, of course) is since it is surrounded by greeneries, you would usually see leaves, twigs, some insects floating in the waters. But personally, I think this is very much expected and acceptable considering the overall ambiance that the garden resort provides.

They have more than 5 pools in the resort which makes it less crowded especially if you go on a weekday.

My son enjoys the kiddie pool including the 3 ft pool that welcomes the guests in the entrance area.

And because this is a hot spring resort, Dona Jovita is almost perfect for us.

Benefits of Soaking in Hot Spring

Based on the articles that I read, here are some of the health benefits in soaking in hot springs which I believe are very beneficial to special kids (and people in general):

• Increases blood flow and circulation

• Increases metabolism

• Increases absorption of essential minerals.

• Help treat chronic digestive diseases, constipation, diabetes, gout, and liver complaints

• Improves sleep quality

• Soothes muscle pain

A Haven for Cute Dogs and Cats

The resort also serves as a sanctuary for a handful of dogs and cats.

I am a pet lover myself, and I really like to see their cute fat cats that are usually found sleeping in their cottages. Their dogs are obviously well-taken care off, too.

While their pets seem to be friendly and accustomed to people, we didn't attempt to hold them for safety reasons. :)

The Accommodation

The first time that we went here, we decided to stay for a night. And sorry to say, I think this is the part where they can still improve a lot.

I think they should have better interiors, a more cozy design. I think it will be more convenient for us if there are cabinets or wall hangers to place our things.

There’s a TV but you can’t watch anything. :) We also hope their wifi signal is more stable.

The image above was our room. It seems relaxing but unfortunately, there are lots of things they need to fix on that.

The other downside of this one is that there’s a group of men who stayed in the adjacent room where we stayed. Unfortunately, they were drinking beer on the veranda which makes it inconvenient for us to have a good sleep because of the noise. I just wish they have a strict regulation regarding this. Well, making sure that I include this note in this review because I know that a comfortable surrounding is very important to our ausome kids.

Final Notes from the Spectrum Mommy

The resort also has a restaurant that offers reasonably priced food. They can deliver it to your room if you prefer.

But since my kid would not eat food that was cooked by other people, it’s a relief for us that fast food stores like Jollibee are allowed to deliver food in the resort.

In case you really plan to stay for a night, if you have a bigger budget, I suggest that you try their more expensive hotel room just to make sure that you will have more convenience. Maybe it’s a lot better than what we had. :)

Now, we go here just to take a morning swim. Since we don’t rent their bench or cottage, for P120 per head, we are allowed to stay for three (3) hours which is perfectly fine for us.

Overall, I still recommend this place from all public resorts in Calamba. It’s very relaxing here that both kids and adults can enjoy it.

What other places in Calamba have you visited? Share your experience below.

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If you're the parent of a child with autism, exploration can be one of the best forms of therapy you can offer them — and yourself.

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