halfwhiteboy

Magnificent view of the Taal Volcano and Lake from The Lake Hotel Tagaytay. So it's Valentine's Day yet again this weekend and you still have no plans. How about spending the night in Tagaytay with your special someone? The cold weather there, especially at this time of year, makes it perfect for a quick romantic getaway. Here are a few ideas on where to stay, all from personal experience. Hopefully they're not fully booked yet, though. But at any rate, you can always celebrate post-Valentine's. Or on any other day for that matter. 1. The Theodore Hotel A 10-room bed and breakfast with nice interiors and a lot of character, The Theodore Hotel is perfect for couples who just want some quiet downtime together. Although they only serve all-day breakfast items, it's quite near a few restaurants. They do have a spa, too. Rooms are on the pricey side of things, however.

It's been quite some time now since we've last checked in at the lovely Sonya's Garden Bed and Breakfast in Tagaytay. In as much as My Bibe and I enjoyed it so much the last time, I'm happy to say that our experience this time around proved to be as delightful as before, if not better, mainly because we got to bring along the cats ( see post here ). That's Sonya herself tending to her garden back in 2010. Standing right next to her is her lovely dog "Aldo." Here's a personal rundown of the place: Reservation/Check-in Reservation is done via phone or email, and a deposit is required. Unfortunately, Sonya's Garden does not have an online payment facility, so a visit to the specified bank (they'll give you instructions) is necessary to confirm your booking. My Bibe outside our room, which was on the second floor. Checking in was no problem. The inconvenience, though, lay in the fact that after walking downhill through their garde...

The extreme lack of pet-friendly hotels here in the Philippines can be quite frustrating for pet owners like me who would just love to bring our furry friends along but obviously cannot. Time and again when going on a vacation or even someplace not that far away, we always have to leave them behind. Last weekend was different, however. As I was booking a room at Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay last week, I chanced upon the FAQs section of their website and noted -- with much delight -- that they allowed pets (which I didn't know about before)! It was a no-brainer; we had to bring the cats. Our cats rarely go out, and with me and My Bibe being the only two persons they regularly see, they're not used to seeing a lot of people. When at times we bring them out the door at night, they cautiously explore their surroundings but scamper away at the slightest disturbance on the street. Yes, we do need to bring them out more often. And so last Saturday we packed an overnight bag, br...