Stone 8 Resort - Nueva Ecija

Located in the municipality of Gabaldon in Nueva Ecija, Stone 8 Resort is one of the most popular cold spring resorts in the municipality. 

Stone 8 Resort

Stone 8 Resort History

Stone 8 Resort started out several years ago when its owner Nestor Geronimo decided to come back to his hometown and invest his time, money, and energy to help boost his town's tourism. Since then, the resort has been frequented not only by the people of Gabaldon but also even those that come from Metro Manila.

Stone 8 Resort - Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija

One of the many slides in the public area

The slide in the private area

I spy a dinosaur...

Witness the final moments of these kids

Regarding the name of the resort, Stone 8 Resort got its name from "Kapitan" Nestor who was once a barangay captain of Barangay 88 Zone 8 Caloocan City. As for the "stone" part of its name, it came from... well, the place is very "stony". Meaning, there are plenty of rocks in the place.

The spring flowing gives out a relaxing sound

Expect dozens of visitors

The crowd as seen from the slide

The place looks deserted in the afternoons

Quiet afternoons at Stone 8 Resort

Jump off point for Mt. Sawi

Visitors would surely enjoy taking a dip in the resort's cold water springs. It is also perfect for family or barkada getaways. Not only that, but the resort also serves as a jump-off point for those planning to hike Mt. Sawi.

My daughter seems to be enjoying it

I got to visit Stone 8 Resort during our family getaway last May 12, 2018. The resort reminded me of Bato Springs in San Pablo, Laguna but what I like about this resort is the nature that surrounds it. It is far from the town proper and is surrounded by picturesque mountains and fields.

 

Waiting for the band to play

Team Nicerio and family visits Stone 8 Resort

However, based on my personal experience in the resort, there are several things that the management should do to improve Stone 8 Resort and these are the following:

1. Focus on cleanliness - the resort's marketability is its connection with nature, but all those empty plastic bottles, chip wrappers, and even diapers scattered around the resort are counterproductive. 
2. Always inform the customers ahead of time - there were two instances where the management failed on this one. First, they did not inform us ahead of time that several of their dishes were already out of stock. We were waiting for an hour for some of our orders to be served but only found out that some dishes were already out of stock after finishing our meal. Second, was the grounded heater in one of their rooms. Although they informed my family about it when they gave the keys, there were no signage or warning signs to remind those who were not present. I was not there when they informed my family as I was busy parking the car and unloading things. It was several hours later after swimming in the cold spring pool that I decided to go into the room and take a shower. No one warned me about it as everybody was busy enjoying the place (and probably they thought I knew). Lo and behold, I got the shock of my life after plugging the heater and touching the metallic faucet. Thank goodness, I was a bit dry before I did that if not I won't be here warning you all. 
3. Improve sewage system - although the water here is continuously flowing, it was very visible from the room that I was staying in that wastewater from our sink (and probably the toilet drain) falls directly at the back of our room creating a mini bubbly pond. The problem here is that it produces a terrible stench that you'd surely smell if you're staying outside your room. 

Overall, despite some issues, Stone 8 Resort remains a must-visit resort in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. 

Stone 8 Resort Rates:

The resort offers day tours and overnight packages. For those planning to avail of the day tour, there is a P45 entrance fee per person. Children under 2 years old and those people celebrating their birthdays are free. Aside from the entrance fee, those who availed of the day tour can rent tables which range from 300 to 650 pesos or cottages which costs 500 to 2300 pesos. 

You'd see the different rates here...

For those staying overnight, you will still be charged the entrance fee. You may also choose to rent rooms which range from 2200 to 3650 or whole buildings which range from 10000 to 15000 pesos. The best part of this is, you get to have an exclusive pool away from the general public. 

Why visit stay in Stone 8 Resort?

Stone 8 Resort offers plenty of swimming pool options so you won't be sharing one pool with hundreds of people. The rate is also reasonable. However, keep in mind that the summer season brings in hundreds of visitors from the province and even from Metro Manila. For those who plan to hike Mt. Sawi, Stone 8 Resort is one of the best jump-off points in the area.

Getting to Stone 8 Resort:

From Sampaloc, Manila ride a bus going to the Cabanatuan City Central Transport Terminal. From there, you may choose to ride a van (which is faster) or a jeepney (which is cheaper) going to Gabaldon. Tell the driver to drop you off at Stone 8 Resort. Most of them know this place. Once you board down, you would have to walk several meters to reach the resort gate. 

Travel time from Manila to Cabanatuan: 4-5 hours

Travel time from Cabanatuan to Gabaldon: 1 - 1/2 hours

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