Veranda Natural Resort

This is a pretty awesome place. We have already decided that Julie, Bora and Vchen will get married this year and come here for their honeymoons. Hunsaders have been here in the summer for three years now and have gotten acquainted with the owner and his family. They are Chinese and have invested a lot of time and effort into this project and are quite proud of it.

As I said, the driveway to the resort is unpaved, muddy and steep. The resort itself is built on the side of a mountain that is covered with jungle – trees of all kinds, vines, undergrowth, birds and animals, giant centipedes, giant snails – these are the things I’ve seen.

The “natural” part of the resort name is evident throughout the establishment. All the construction is wood, stucco and stone and done beautifully and skillfully. At any point you find yourself, you can’t really see any other part of the resort. The plantings and rock walls hide all views except of the ocean and islands in the distance. Being on the mountainside gives the layout a distinctly vertical dimension. All the stairs and pathways are of rock and tile of several styles. The furniture is mostly from large wood slabs, root structures, and trunks of trees. Trish said one year a large tree had just fallen near the pool and they were already cutting it up to make something of it. Many of the large rock slabs have sedimentary lines in them just like tree rings. All the lighting is hidden under sea shells embedded in the rock. In the rooms the complimentary toiletries are in tiny stoneware vases and are made of natural products. There are signs encouraging conservation of energy. Here is a tour of the beautiful accommodations…

I appreciated the coffee and tea service in the room – the cups were big enough to hold more than two sips and there were small spoons to stir. A complimentary plate of fruit was delivered to our room the first afternoon. There was a hair dryer in the bathroom, and not only shampoo but also conditioner available. The doors were heavy, solid wood about 2 inches thick and moved quietly on their hinges (loved this!). The room had a lot of built in table and shelf space which made it so easy to find a place for suitcases and computers. The staff was always watching to see what guests needed. There was no bad food. Julie and I both had a massage package which was about two hours long and very nice. Honestly, there were so many beautiful places to hang out here that it was hard to decide where to go, and we didn’t get to all of them (so we will have to go back!).

I have to stop. I have way too many pictures of this gorgeous place. It has mystery, secrecy, natural beauty and you should go there!