REVIEW | T House Tagaytay: Nice place but not so nice rooms

I previously mentioned that My Bibe and I spent a weekend at the T House in Tagaytay recently. I really didn't have any major complains but I can't hand out high praises either. Here's the full review of this bed and breakfast...

The reception area and front desk.

Welcome and checkin
We were warmly greeted at the reception, which was a good way to start. Another good thing was that it smelled so good in there. I somehow understand what T House was trying to achieve here. The place resembled a mini apartment complex perched on a slope and shaded by trees everywhere. Painted in white and brown, the buildings, with their modern architecture, looked good on the outside.

Our room
I said the place looked good on the outside. Inside, though, it wasn't as impressive. I know the room was small (and I expected it to be) but I can't help but fault the design team for an inefficient use of space. It was even bordering on silly because while there was nary enough space between the wall and the bed on two ends, there was this useless space behind the TV. They could have used it to add even just a little more room to the bathroom. We had a similarly small room at the Butterfly on Prat in Hong Kong but their design team had planned the layout much better. It was a perfect example of how limited space can be maximized to great effect.

Although I understand the uneven wall finishing was maybe meant to achieve a rustic effect, I found the construction a bit shoddy. Here's a view of the room from four different angles:

The view upon entering the room.

Notice the wasted space here?

We made use of that outward-protruding space with a plant to place some of our things. There aren't many places to rest your stuff on here.

This was another thing I've read about from reviews, that there was no closet to hang your clothes. Save for a tiny bedside table and these built-in shelves, there was literally nowhere to place your bags but on this chair. And oh, on that space with a plant I mentioned.

The same uneven wall finishing extended to the bathroom, as there were no tiles. And with visible soap stains and scum, it was quite icky. The bath had a rain shower head but I guess it was intended for dwarves because my head was so close to touching it already when I stood under it (and I'm really not that tall). It was also impossible to wash your face or brush your teeth without hitting your arm or elbow somewhere with this amount of space here:

Dining
On with other things, the restaurant actually looked good. The waiters were very polite and attentive, a huge plus for me when dining.

The food, however, was so-so. I don't have any photos of what we had for dinner (just some pasta and an overly sweet round chocolate cake) but here's what we had for breakfast along with a few notes on them:

The sausage was a huge disappointment. Unless you love the taste of vinegar (and nothing else), don't order this. The hash browns were perfectly fried, though.

Ah, bread. I always love bread. Here, they're served with a rosemary and parsley butter and some pineapple jam.

Doesn't the obviously artificial strawberry syrup scare you at all? It should because the pancakes were bad. And I mean really bad. They tasted like water. And the bacon on top? Totally lacked that yummy bacon flavor.

In spite of the disappointing food, their coffee was really good. Over at dinner and again at breakfast, I had two cups every time.

Surroundings and facilities
Outside, it can be very relaxing -- fresh air and all. There are lots of shade and some cabanas for lounging. Be advised, though, that in such a setting mosquitoes abound, especially late in the afternoon and at night. But still, the surroundings are quite nice.

These are nice but I didn't feel like lounging around because the pillows felt damp.

Aside from a function hall for weddings and other functions, T House also has a spa with both indoor and outdoor areas. We had a massage in the indoor section and the cool Tagaytay breeze blowing through the vents was just nice. Unfortunately, some guests can be annoyingly noisy that I really wanted to shout at them. I just wished the staff could give them some stern warning, maybe even escort them out of the premises and be fed to the mosquitoes.

The spa's outdoor area.

T House does weddings, too, and I suppose this is where they hold such functions. I like the airy feel to the hall. And those drapes look nice to me.

The verdict
My experience at the T House wasn't really bad at all but it wasn't splendid either. I wouldn't mind staying here again but this wouldn't be my first choice. Maybe if there weren't any other rooms left in Tagaytay, then I'd stay here. But I'd be happy to just drop by and have some coffee anytime.

[Update 03.22.2014]
I haven't been back to T House but I learned they already have a swimming pool, a small one but which looks promising from photos I've seen.

thouse-tagaytay.com