My Stay at the New Clark City Athletes’ Village

Last weekend I was at New Clark City to oversee the Pho3nix Kids duathlon and fun run that was held there on Saturday. As part of my duties at every Pho3nix Kids race, I usually stay the night before so I can be at the venue early in the morning. Unlike the two previous Pho3nix Kids races which were held in Fontana, this one was at New Clark City which is 40 minutes away via SCTEX and connector roads. To make my life easier, I was housed at the New Clark City Athletes’ Village which is right beside the Athletics Stadium where the race would be held.

While the Athletes’ Village is most famous for housing the 2019 Southeast Asian Games athletes (as well as becoming a quarantine facility in 2020 and 2021), people can book stays there if they intend to train in New Clark City, or attend a race.

I couldn’t find a guide for what to expect at the New Clark City Athletes’ Village, so I kind of came there unprepared. So here’s what I learned so that you can have a more comfortable stay in case you ever do need to bunk down there for a night or two.

Watch my vlog below or scroll down for some important reminders.

The New Clark City Athletes’ Village is meant to be quarters for athletes who are either training or racing in New Clark City. As such, the facilities are a bit more spartan than you might be used to from a hotel — because it isn’t a hotel.

Only booked guests can go up to the rooms.

You can’t receive guests in your room. There’s a small common area at reception where you can meet them, or you can take your guests to the mess hall.

You have to buy or bring your own toiletries.

A kit with shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and toilet paper may be purchased at reception for Php 150. Luckily for me, I already bring my own stuff so I didn’t have to shell out for this.

You have to rent or bring your own towel.

What I didn’t bring was my own towel, so I rented one from reception for Php 100. It’s nice and moderately thick, although could be too small for larger guests.

Each room can house a maximum of three guests.

There is one regular bed and another bed with a pullout. The two beds have one pillow and one fleece blanket apiece, and the third pillow is stocked inside the wardrobe along with another fleece blanket.

You can’t eat or prepare food and drink in the room.

This one was the biggest surprise to me because I’m very used to hotel rooms with at least an electric kettle so I can prepare a hot cup of coffee or instant porridge in the morning. Unfortunately you can only take water up to your room (if you remembered to buy/bring any supplies to New Clark City).

If you want to eat anything, you’ll need to take it down to the mess hall. During the SEA Games, there were concessionaires at the mess hall providing food, but these days the mess hall stands empty. (Water dispensers at the mess hall also aren’t plugged in.)

The Athletes’ Village has a swimming pool, basketball court, and gym.

The swimming pool, basketball court (which you can also convert into a badminton or volleyball court), and gym are pretty new and well-maintained, although you might need to request the airconditioning be turned on in the gym.

New Clark City has one restaurant and no convenience stores.

N’awlins is the sole restaurant that operates in New Clark City for now, and it’s only open in the afternoons until the evenings. So it’s good for dinner, but if you need an early meal to prepare for your race, you’re out of luck unless you brought your own food and plan to eat it in the mess hall or your car.

Also, the closest convenience stores and gas stations are either in Camp O’Donnell outside New Clark City, or in Capas municipality proper.

The New Clark City Athletes’ Village is convenient if you don’t want to make that early drive to get to the race venue, but you’ll need to bring your own creature comforts especially if you’re staying a bit longer.