A townhouse out of town
The name of this country club was inspired by the Memphis home of Elvis Presley. Its location is at the foot of the Mt. Banahaw, just on the outskirts of the town of Tayabas in Quezon province. Yet with the Spanish-Mediterranean-style buildings that dominate the skyline of this serene place, Graceland Estates and Country Club could just well be mistaken for a suburban neighborhood in southern California.
Graceland’s developer Ronnie Soliman is an ardent fan of the late Elvis Presley yet the place bears no resemblance to the star’s estate in the state of Tennessee. As Soliman notes, the look of the club was indeed inspired by a residential neighborhood located in California. The structures in Graceland include a country clubhouse, a cluster of townhouse villas, two elegant two-story buildings that house the guest suites, an activity center where concerts are held, and a couple of high-rise apartelles.
These buildings are located in a particular area of the 22 hectare property, a short walking distance away from the sports facilities of the club. Yet even within these premises, the buildings don’t stand too close to each other. The open space covers a greater percentage of the total area of the club.
One of the highlights of Graceland is the townhouse villas located on the far end of the property. The villas, which face the open fields and two swimming pools, also adhere to the Spanish-Mediterranean theme of the club. These were built to accommodate club members with families who want to spend a few nights at Graceland.
Furthermore, the villas feel as if they’ve been designed to be a genuine residence, and not just for temporary lodgings. Each unit can actually serve as a complete home for a family. There is an airy living and dining area and a kitchenette on the ground floor, and two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second. The units don’t feel cramped as the living room is very spacious. There is a large picture window and a small terrace in the rear that looks out to the several mahogany trees that camouflage the border of the club. Both the view from the terrace and the general atmosphere these “residences” impart are at once tranquil and exhilarating. It’s tranquil because of the abundance of greenery that can be seen from the picture window of the living room. The view itself promises to invigorate the resident, and encourage him to enjoy the clean and cool mountain air and experience the club’s many features and amenities.
Graceland’s main attraction is the man-made lagoon, where members can go jet skiing or just row a boat and go fishing. A jogging trail was built around the lake but you can rent a bike and use the same trail. The club also has the facilities for team-building. In fact, just near the lake are open grounds reserved for camping. This makes Graceland’s selection of residences one of the most eclectic there is. But whether one chooses to stay in a townhouse villa or a tent, he is assured of experiencing nature and the great outdoors in a well-developed and well- secured environment.
As with the rest of the structures in Graceland, the townhouse villas were designed and engineered by a group of young and brilliant architects from Mapua. Each unit looks very elegant and it makes us wish they could also build a few of these in Metro Manila. - Article courtesy of Manila Bulletin
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