Nena’s Sanctuary, a nine-hectare development inside Sta. Elena Golf and Country Estate, initially opens to the public with Lakehall, an events place in the midst of nature. A hotel and spa, as well as a café and themed retail area are in the planning stages.
By Alex Y. Vergara
There’s one more good reason to drive down south these days, as Sta. Elena Golf and Country Estate in Sta. Rosa, Laguna recently unveiled Lakehall, an events place, within Nena’s Sanctuary. The first in a series of developments in this section of the sprawling gated community, Lakehall promises to be an ideal “stage,” as Christian Tantoco, one of Donnie Tantoco’s children, puts it, for weddings, debuts, anniversaries, milestone birthdays, corporate and even pop-up events.
“Nena’s Sanctuary, at its heart and soul, is a tribute to my parents [Rico and Nena] and a wellspring of what will hopefully be opportunities for our children where they can grow, express their creativity and pursue their dreams,” says Donnie, chairman of Lakehall.
The entire project reflects Rico and Nena Tantoco’s values, whether personal or business-related, which Donnie describes as “counter-cultural.” At the heart of it is a deep respect for the environment and humanity, as seen in the way they put their employees first and allow them to grow with the company.
The entire development consisting of nine hectares of verdant space has become one huge family affair for Rico and Nena’s branch of the family, which includes, of course, Donnie, his wife Crickette Tantoco, president of Lakehall, and their children Nicole, Camille and Christian. Also onboard are Rico and Nena’s two other children, Katrina and Bea Tantoco, and Nicole’s husband architect Miko de los Reyes.
Rico sought Donnie’s expertise in retail sometime in 2020 in initially developing three hectares of the nine-hectare land dedicated to Nena’s Sanctuary. The main vision is to diversify and enlarge the community beyond the 800-member golf course and 60 residents of the country estate.
“When he called me, I kind of have an idea of what I wanted to do,” Donnie shares with PeopleAsia. “I wanted to build something like HortPark in Singapore.”
He envisions it not just as a park, but also as a habitat for wild life, including indigenous and migratory birds. They sought the services of a design team, and out of this collaboration the family decided to initially build an events center.
To make it more attractive for people from nearby communities such as Nuvali and even those coming from, say, Makati to visit, plans are afoot to build a café, hotel and spa, and a low-impact “themed retail” area inspired by Abbot Kinney in Los Angeles, says Donnie.
For its opening salvo, Lakehall is hosting a series of curated pop-up stores selling all sorts of items, from artisanal food products like baked goodies, bottled granolas and never-before-seen brands of chocolate bars, power bars and packed chips to sustainably produced clothes, home items and beauty products. The ongoing event runs until June 30.
But the beauty behind Lakehall, adds Donnie, the eldest child of Rico and Nena, goes beyond its cozy, walnut-finished interiors, as the entire air-conditioned venue opens out to the great outdoors, which, thanks to a series of huge picture windows, features a man-made lake, amphitheater, golf course and wooded area.
Designed by the same British firm behind London’s Selfridges, the hall can be further divided into three smaller themed rooms, namely the Iris, the Dahlia and the Peony.
Minimalist in its approach, design flourishes are limited to such areas as sections of the venue’s walls and a series of huge double doors etched with laser-cut outlines of flowers that double as locators. Thus, doors leading to the Iris Room, for instance, are adorned with the outline of irises. The same design flourishes, albeit using dahlias and peonies, are evident in the Dahlia and Peony Rooms, respectively.
Donnie Tantoco, Alex Vergara, Marga Tupaz, Ginggay Joven-dela Merced, Yvette Fernandez, Raul Manzano, Mawi Fojas, Crickette Tantoco, Nena Tantoco, and Camille Tantoco Ng
Nena Tantoco with children Donnie, Bea and Gippy
Drama on the walnut-finished wooden ceiling is confined to a series of lighting fixtures made of powder-coated steel in subdued gold and shaped like palm leaves, which are paired with a series of lit orbs.
And what’s an events venue without a prep room for the bride and her female entourage? According to a press material, Lakehall’s two bridal suites—Gardenia and Orchid—are each equipped with their own bedroom, lounge and private bathroom.
It can also be booked for overnight stays, which come with free breakfast. The Gardenia Suite is located at the Peony Room, while the Orchid Suite is housed within the Iris Room. Both suites can also function as touch-up or change area during the program.
Meanwhile, Lakehall’s courtyard is an ideal space to host cocktails before the main event. On clear, rainless mornings and evenings, it can also double as the perfect venue for semi-outdoor activities like picnics, “glamping” or glamorous camping and star-gazing.
Those who plan to hold big parties, be they weddings, milestone birthdays, or anniversaries, can invite as many as 500 guests since Lakehall’s garden doubles an a huge outdoor lounge. Its terrace, which can accommodate up to 40 people, offers guests refreshing views of the lake and wooded areas beyond.
“My dad also hired an experienced pro from Los Baños to take care of the ecology and make sure there’s balance between flowers and plants,” says Donnie. Since Lakehall and the other attractions that will soon rise at Nena’s Sanctuary are bound to attract people, they also chose to build within Sta. Elena’s periphery.
But Rico’s desire of enlarging the community beyond the estate’s golfers and residents has been addressed. Because of its location and the way it is planned, Nena’s Sanctuary is bound to be a preferred destination for guests from within and outside Sta. Elena in the foreseeable future.
