Jed's Island Resort -- 2.5 Stars (out of 5)

My family and I went on our yearly summer outing yesterday... actually, this is just the second year we're having a summer outing but I'd like to make it a yearly family "tradition" of some sort. For one, it's summertime, the perfect time to go out of town, and second, it's my birthday, the perfectly acceptable excuse to spend. :-)

Like last year, we went swimming on the day of my birthday. Last year it was at Club Manila East (CME) in Taytay, Rizal and this year it was Jed's Island Resort in Calumpit, Bulacan.

We have been seeing posters of Jed's Island Resort all over Novaliches, Quezon City so we were kinda intrigued if the place is really as nice as their posters say it is. I even tried searching for reviews online because I would like to make sure I'll like the place enough to spend good money on it, but there wasn't any review, at least not the kind I was looking for.

What I found is more of a comment to a forum post of someone asking for directions to go to the place and all the commenter said was that the water at Jed's is highly chlorinated and that the forum poster might want to try looking somewhere else to swim in. That's it.

Well, here's the more detailed review with pictures to boot, in case somebody else is looking to read up on Jed's Island Resort before lugging along their whole family for their summer outing.

Customer Service: 3.5 stars

I first called to inquire about their rates because I wanted to reserve a room (air-conditioned, if possible, and with its own restroom). Besides, I had to make sure the snippets of information I got about them from various sites are still accurate because they don't have their own website (actually, they are supposed to have their own site but their domain name registration has expired and most likely their hosting services as well).

I got to talk to Janina, who to her credit, seemed friendly and eager to be of assistance. After confirming the info that I have gathered (i.e., being able to bring our own food and drinks in, having free and ample parking, etc.), I booked a room for a 12-hour daytime stay. It will have a bed good for 2 persons, an air-conditioner and its own private restroom. The cost: P1,500. and I should make at least a 20% deposit to confirm the reservation.

I also asked if we could enter the premises immediately upon our arrival or if we will be made to stand in line with the rest of the resort visitors regardless of our prior reservation and payment. To Jed's Island Resort's credit, Janina said we will not have to queue or stand in any line and will have immediate access to the facilities the moment we arrive.

Entrance to the place, (or to any place I have made prior reservations and payment to) is an issue with me because at Club Manila East we were made to get a number and wait outside along with the great multitude who just thought they would go to CME on the same day we did and who did not pay 2-3 weeks in advance like I did. I mean, what value did I get out of making prior reservations and paying way in advance of our scheduled outing? Nothing!

When we got to Jed's, true enough a throng of people who did not have prior reservations were waiting outside, and it got my husband worried (because he did not know I already inquired about the "privilege" our reservation should entitle us). I immediately asked where the reservations office was and presented my deposit slip (which they asked me to fax at least a day before our schedule). True enough, a room was waiting for us and a staff was instructed to see us through the thick crowd waiting to gain entrance.

Even the sweepers and everyone I got to speak with whether to ask directions or to ask that they empty the trash bin near out room are very polite and helpful.

For that they really deserve 3.5 stars

The Accomodations: 3 stars

This is the room we got:


It did have a bed good for 2 persons, with 2 pillows and a blanket. It also had a small TV, but you can hardly see anything regardless of whatever channel you tune in to, although it had a cable wire going through it. We didn't bother to complain about it because we didn't really go there to watch TV anyway.

The air-conditioning is "pre-programmed" because you can't change any setting as the knobs were taken out. Good thing it served its purpose well, otherwise I really would have complained. According to the news, the temperature that day was a sizzling 36.6 degrees celsius but we didn't really feel it inside the room. :-)

The restroom:


It did provide the "privacy" I wanted even if the door knob was barely holding on to the slot where it is supposed to be. Also, both the drain and the sink was clogged. Maybe that is why there were 2 plungers in there. Arrrggghhh!

Pools: 2 stars

The water of the pool closest to where we were staying was "cloudy" (I wanted to say "murky" but it's really not that dirty-looking, otherwise I would not have allowed my son to swim in it. It's just that I've seen "cleaner" waters at Club Manila East) even if it was just around 9am when my son started swimming.





The pools also didn't have showers stalls (This is another thing CME has that Jed's doesn't) where swimmers could rinse off before jumping into the water... maybe this is why the water seemed "cloudy".

The fishing and boating area:


If I were a fish, I'd have to be dead before you can get me to swim in those waters! :-)

"Resort Feel": 2 stars

To its credit, Jed's Island Resort managed to capture a kid's idea of how a water park should look like. It has larger-than-life statues of super heroes, cartoon characters, even dinosaurs and some zoo animals. It even has a hanging bridge (which adults would hate to fall off of unless they don't mind falling into greenish, stagnant water... eeewwww!), quite a number of water slides, and a "leisure park" where kids can pose for pics or just hang out after swimming.

But if you, the paying adult, are looking for the genuine "resort feel" to the place, I don't think you'll find it here. It is so accessible to the general public that the place becomes the go-to "resort" of the C-D and even E crowd. There was even a slippers-snatcher for crying out loud! What's worse, my mother even saw someone spitting into the pool! Who knows what other excrements have been expelled by the general "public".

And because the place allows (and even sells)beer and liquor, you can expect a few rowdy customers as the day draws to a close.

There were ample signages reminding the customers to maintain cleanliness at all times, but the crowd in general didn't seem to care.

Food is one thing you don't have to worry about,though. There were stalls selling everything from hotdogs to fries to siomai and Zagu. Plus, Jed's has its own souvenir shop cum convenience store where you can get swim wear, floaters, ice cream, soda, chips and even tube ice... and yes, beer and other alcoholic drinks.

If you didn't get an air-conditioned room, you can get a hut like this depending on the number of people in your group:


The giant slide:


The larger-than-life super hero statues:


The Leisure Park:


The Wave Pool:


One of the bigger pools:


The Souvenir Shop cum Convenience Store:


The common shower/comfort room:


Over-all, I'd give Jed's Island Resort 2.5 Stars

If you want a "classier" resort, I'd go for Club Manila East or better yet, Fontana Leisure Park (which is where we're headed to next year, hopefully).