Shepherd's Ridge Mountain Resort

The cabins, villas, and glamping domes are all set among greenery in the cool mountain air. Shepherd’s Ridge has a rustic feel with modern comforts, and works well for weekend trips, families, or a quiet retreat. The rolling hills and forest views are lovely, with calm mornings and nights suited to stargazing or sitting by a bonfire. There are plenty of ways to spend the day too, including zip-lining, ATV rides, trekking, and swimming. Meals are hearty and fit the homey atmosphere, and service is generally warm and accommodating. The highland setting makes for a peaceful nature break close to the city, though the road up can be rough for smaller cars. It's naturally rustic, so it may not suit anyone expecting luxury. A nice balance of relaxation and adventure.

I’m giving this place 3 stars, even after what happened. It’s refreshing and tucked away from the main road and populated townships, with lots of fruit trees, plants, and cooking herbs. I believe they use their own produce and poultry in much of the restaurant food, which is great. The food was okay, but the drinks were phenomenal. The restaurant staff were the friendliest and most approachable of the hundred or so staff there. The bartender kuya, whose name I forgot, was lovely and made sure our food and drinks came on time. The front desk staff, Kim and Mai, were great too. The ending was deeply disappointing. During checkout, they questioned us about a burnt pillow in our living space and accused us of burning it with a cigarette, though it looked like a charcoal burn. My husband had found it behind the tiki house on our first day while spraying ants, and used it on a lounge chair because one side was still usable. He told me to tell the front desk, but I didn't because I suspected they'd blame us. The cleaning staff member Alan, I believe, made up a story that we burned it and stole another pillow from another tiki house to replace it. We had only spent two days and two nights there, bringing business and potentially more through my network and connections. The manager, Vince, couldn't deal with the pillow issue without calling the police. Three officers came and immediately said we should try to settle it, since their presence was unnecessary. I was still accused of smoking in the room, though I don't smoke and had even cleaned up to make things easier for housekeeping, as I usually do. Alan untied a garbage bag full of cigarette butts and used it as evidence for the claims and a $3,000 fine. We had kept my husband's butts together in that bag for disposal because I told him not to litter. Staff, including security guards, had told him he could smoke near the disposal areas, away from the tiki house and any posted no-smoking areas. Then we were told smoking wasn't allowed anywhere on the property. What was the point of all the customer service training during our stay if they needed police to handle a pillow issue? I’m still deciding whether to press charges for defamation, harassment, and invasion of privacy. Hearsay isn't proof. I wish I hadn't booked the tiki house, which had no AC, though that's on me. It was also infested with ants; luckily, we had ant spray and used it throughout the area. The paths to the other accommodations were steep and slippery, and could hurt someone. They need repaving or maintenance to remove the algae. They should also make sure the accommodations are ant-free and add more fresh choices to the menu, like salad and perhaps toast for breakfast. It’s a shame such a beautiful place could go downhill because staff can't handle their own issues. If you visit, try not to get aggravated, because they may call the police over a small problem 😝

We stayed in the Tiki House, a fan room with an attached bathroom. It was cool enough at night to sleep comfortably. Breakfast and coffee were included, and the chicken and waffles were especially good. The restaurant food was delicious, though a little pricey. The property was quiet and beautiful, with birds and roosters waking us up. The clean pool, with a great view, goes down to 7ft and didn't have a strong chlorine smell. It wasn't crowded while we were there, so it felt almost like we had the place to ourselves. Staff were friendly and accommodating, especially at the front desk. We also had fun playing billiards and going ziplining.

Shepherd's Ridge Mountain Resort is a nice place with lots to see and do. There are playgrounds, a climbing wall, an archer park, rides, and good service.