A timeless Christmas

Oh, to laze in a sweet, suite life in a room with a view at Pico de Loro, a very touristy seaside, mountainside idyll in Nasugbu, Batangas, limited to some who choose to take a moment to catch their breath during this routinely crowded season.

SM Prime’s Hamilo Coast recently lit up its tree, one that rekindled so much nostalgia among guests about many Christmases past.

“So, what do you want to receive this Christmas?” a woman asked.

The answer was straight from the hip and out of the question:

“Freia.”

Early on, I had it all figured out: I would quit my job to write a book a kiss shy before retirement age. I would trade my anemic urban address, my ‘54 convertible and my would-be amiable neurotic legal wife for a life lived in a faraway land: a place on a secluded shore, my own hunk of sky, a moonlit, campfire-lit conversation with a total stranger who, wolfing down on morsels of crackling in the torchlight, I think, would agree if I tell her that, all my life, I had been squared away on the wrong side of the planet.

That’s how I yearn to live my life toward the end. The only question is: “Where?” A beachfront dogtrot house reachable only by helicopter? A cabin on a tree that gently falls into the sea? A sailboat cot forever bobbing on the horizon? A seaside thatch hut with a handsome stone fireplace?

Truth is I just want a room with a view tranquil enough for one to hear branches breaking and the slosh of not-so-distant waves.

It’s how I imagine retiring, one day, to Freia at Pico de Loro, Hamilo Coast’s sea-side, mountainside residential condo that doesn’t impose itself on nature, and where simplicity is the whole point of living.

Offering premium seaside living to its discerning clientele, Freia will have 223 superior condominium units that include spacious two-bedroom flats and three-bedroom penthouses.

Ranging in size from 67- to 392-square meters, these resort-type condo residences are designed with sustainable green living in mind, while exuding a contemporary tropical vibe enhanced by its masterfully designed architecture by Broadway Malvan and GE & Partners.

Common areas of the condominium, such as the lobby, are designed by Budji-Royal with cutting-edge local and international design concepts and high-quality fixtures giving residents a total luxury beach resort experience.

Freia’s residents will have exclusive access to its upscale, resort-style amenities, among which is an outdoor pool, lounge deck, function rooms and lush pocket gardens.

Unit ownership at Freia also comes with membership at the Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club, giving homeowners a chance to enjoy a variety of recreational and sports facilities in Hamilo Coast.

What more could anyone — or any family — ask for?

Beach resort living can now become an everyday lifestyle option, with Hamilo Coast’s careful integration of residential, resort, leisure, commercial and institutional land uses.

Potential homeowners may, thus, consider Freia as a luxury retirement home and not just a weekend getaway.

It is a gift — to yourself and your family — that will keep on giving.