I actually didn’t expect I’d have a luxurious stay here, but thanks Subic Bay Yacht Club and What To Eat PH for inviting me to a restful and tasty weekend! Subic Bay Yacht Club is one of those vacay places I never imagined I’d stay at because they used to accept only their guest members (who are more fortunate than us, by the way), but hey, they just opened their gates to the public and I’m super thankful I got to experience not only the comfy stay but their little yet grand feast they call The Taste of the North, but that’s a story for later, so in let’s talk first about the hotel and what I really loved about it.
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Subic Bay is well known as a natural harbor usually enjoyed by recreation and bay adventures such as yacht sailing. Not everyone are aware Subic Bay Yacht Club is open to the public as we think the same is members-exclusive spot until now. Well, just a few years back, SBYC opened its doors to anyone who wishes to have a luxurious getaway and experience its beauty, members or not.
SBYC is located at Subic (obviously), Zambales which is known as one of the former US military facilities outside of the US mainland a.k.a. Subic Bay Naval Base. Also, Subic is known as a docking station of luxurious yachts and hang out to yacht owners from different parts of the world.
August 2020 update: Due to the ongoing outbreak of COVID19, Subic Bay Yacht Club is temporarily closing its doors from all guests for now, to keep us safe and comply with ECQ/GCQ guidelines. For more timely updates, visit their Facebook page, Subic Bay Yacht Club Inc..
About Subic Bay Yacht Club
Located north west of Manila, the Club is set with Zambales Mountain range on the eastern part and the tranquil Subic Bay that opens to the South China Sea on the west. Subic Bay Yacht Club safely sits along Rizal Highway inside Subic Bay Freeport. They offer not only a place to stay, but also yacht and boat rental, and yacht cruise packages. They also boast their home restaurant, Cambusa Bistro, which hosts the Taste of the North Feast as I mentioned earlier.
Established in 1997, SBYC is well-known for its top-of-the-line berths and facilities that allow for a secure and environmentally friendly sailing. The club has around 300 berths that can accommodate 25-ft to 178-ft long watercraft.
Sources: Trip Advisor and Primer.com
>> Booking: Check availability and prices at their website: subicbayyachtclub.ph. Or you can check hotel comparisons and special rates on Agoda.
>> Address: Rizal Highway cor. Burgos Street, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Philippines
>> Contact details:
(047) 252 5211 | (02) 8844 5777
Front Office | 0917-626-8149
Membership | 0917-621-8516
Sales and Marketing | 0917-554-6411
marketing@subicbayyachtclub.ph
◘ Beautiful location. It’s located along Subic Bay so how else would you expect the beauty it offers? Except during the rainy season when the waters look a little bit darker, the bay looks very stunning while it features the colors of the sky at any time.
◘ Elegant hotel. I personally felt I was a sailor stay inside a Titanic-like hotel. From the big and pretty staircase, to the narrow halls, it really seemed like I was inside a huge ship.
◘ Fabulous staff. To be honest we were there as partners to feature Taste of the North, but as we observed how the staff treated other guests, and note it’s open to members and non-members, they treat everyone as is they’re all very important guests and I say that’s very important when you do hospitality.
◘ Luxurious ambiance. Since SBYC is known with its premium offers, expect a classy ambiance. I mean, again, obvs.
Pre-travel Guide
How to get there?
According to subicsailing.com, there are three ways to get to Subic Bay. They also have guides on driving safely around Subic. Click here >>
Note: The following section is in toggle format. Just click on each item to view the details.
Motorists coming from North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Bound for Subic are advised to take Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) which will end at the Tipo Exit. Once you have entered Subic Bay Freeport Drive all the way to Rizal Highway where you will see the Subic Bay Yacht Club.
Ride a Victory Liner Bus going to Olongapo City or Ayala Harbor Point Mall.
The nearest international airport from Subic Bay Freeport Zone is the Clark International Airport which is less than an hour’s drive by car. Point-to-point buses are available in Manila NAIA Terminal 3 going to Clark Airport and From Clark Airport going to Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
What activities to enjoy?
- Rent a boat. I mean, can you imaging yourself sailing a fine, nice boat?
- Or upgrade your ride and sail a yacht. Oh hey there, sailor!
- Go on a cruise or tour with your loved ones. Others do parties while in the ride, because why not?
- Relax in your comfy and classy room, watch a movie and wait for the sunset.
- Go for a fun swim.
- Go food tripping in the Cambusa Bistro. I guarantee they serve super yummy meals!
Our Subic Bay Yacht Club Experience
We came on a rainy day so I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the pool or just touring around the area. But despite wanting to just lie down and chill, we also liked walking in the rain and take wonderful pictures.
My favorite part of the club (aside from our room and the balcony) was the pool side where I can write on my laptop while enjoying the view of this side of the bay. What made it even more perfect was I can actually order myself a cup of hot coffee and just relax and do my job there.
We were a group of five and SBYC was sooo generous to check us in to two beautiful and cozy rooms. Both are really spacious we could really fit in one room with extra mattresses. Our first room was a nice corner suite where we loved hanging out in and talk about our day. There is a sofa bed as well in the living/welcome area so someone in the group can chill there. It also has a mini kitchen which is very convenient for a small family getaway. The other room is a classy executive room with twin beds where Aina and I stayed. Both rooms have their own pretty comfort rooms and Jacuzzi tub.
View more photos on my VSCO Journal - Taste of the North, Subic Bay Yacht Club
Rooms
Each guest will be served a welcome drink when you check in as well as farewell drink upon check out. They can also enjoy a complimentary breakfast for a night of stay. Rooms are equipped with keycard system and your stuff could be protected by a safety deposit box. There also is a minibar and coffee and tea set up. Wifi connection is good, in case you’re wondering. We were able to work within the vicinity and network signals are also great.
Note: The following section is in tab format. Just click the headers on the left to view photos we got from Subic Bay Yacht Club‘s website.
Facilities
◘ Pool. Situated on 2,500sqm space are 5 large swimming pool sections: Waterslides, Children’s pool, Lap pool, Pool bar, and the Main pool. Swimmers and sunbathers may enjoy the good view of the harbor and edge covered with a white sandy beach.
◘ Gym. There is a gym are where you can practice your body strength and stamina, while the spa was on the works to serve the guests.
◘ Boathouse. The boathouse, as far as I can remember is exclusive for members only. OMG correct me if I’m wrong. Here they can conduct meetings, rent a larger function room, or just hang out with their co-members.
◘ Basketball, Tennis Courts, and Beach Volleyball are also present for the sporty guests.
◘ Children’s Playground is there as well for the kids to enjoy.
Dining: Taste of the North
We arrived later than expected, but thankfully, we still had few hours to enjoy the Mongolian Lunch Buffet in the Cambusa Bistro. It’s technically served as a make-your-own Mongolian dish where we can choose from variants of veggies, meat, and sauces. I like mine hot and spicy, so I just followed the recipe for the same but tweaked to a little bit more spicy and I super loooooved it. One of the things I really, really loved about SBYC.
In the same restaurant, Taste of the North happened the next day. It;s a food fest hosted by Subic Bay Yacht Club highlighting our favorite dishes from the Northern region. All thanks to Chef Topher Dumo, who definitely made the feast super tasty and worth it!
My favortie, of course, is the famous Ilocos empanada which most of the guests really loved as well I had to wait for minutes for the refill. Kudos to Chef and team for not letting us wait longer for the favorites!
The dishes were arranged in stations sitting around the Cambusa Bistro so it’s perfectly convenient to all guests to roam around and choose their picks. The first station were varieties of appetizers, the second features variants of soup and Pinoy fried rice. The next one of course offers the main dish and different kinds of North faves such as daing, kare kare, pinakbet, calderata, bagnet and more.
In one corner are the desserts were unique ice cream flavors are served. Fruits and sweet delicacies were also there to satisfy our cravings for more sweets.
Wrap-up
i’m honestly not sure I will get the chance to be invited again as part of the media next time, but if I hear about the same feast again, I sure will go with my family as regular guests! Not only the hotel and the club, I also loooooved the food Chef Topher and his team worked really hard for. I mean, just imaging how much effort they gave to serve huge number of guests for an afternoon feast without ruining the quality of Northern cuisine! Salute to all Chef who really do their best to make our tummies and hearts soooo full!
Have you experienced Subic Bay Yacht Club yet? What do you think about their hotel concept? Are you also looking forward to more Taste of the North? Let me know your thoughts and leave a comment below!
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