halfwhiteboy

Just one of the many pretty spaces at Charito by Bag of Beans. Bag of Beans restaurants are aplenty in Tagaytay, and opening another one may feel a tad too much already. But no, as their fifth one offers something different--at least in terms of design. Named after its owner, Charito by Bag of Beans attempts to "level up" its already templated formula by going a little upscale. Had the chance to try this two year-old resto, and here's a rundown of our experience.

Welcome to Anya Tagaytay Resort! When you're a property brandishing your inclusion in the exclusive  Small Luxury Hotels of the World , which of course you should be proud of, you better live up to your own hype. Anya Resort Tagaytay is one of only three such properties from the Philippines that have been accepted into the brand, which entails approval by SLH's board of directors and an annual visit from its team of mystery inspectors "to ensure consistently high standards of quality." We tried Anya Resort Tagaytay for two nights and came in with fairly high expectations. Here's a rundown of our experience.

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.

Stylish ceiling at newly opened La Finca. A little over a month ago, and while on a strategic planning session with colleagues in Tagaytay, we tried out a new restaurant called La Finca  for dinner. It's one of two restaurants at the very fab  Domicillo Tagaytay bed and breakfast , both of which weren't open yet when Kwittiegirl and I stayed there in January this year. I wouldn't call this a proper restaurant review because I had not taken any photos of the food. Well, except for dessert after the thought came to mind. I didn't bother checking the prices either because we were a big group and I wasn't the one ordering. I just ate. A lot. But anyway.

A magnificent view of the Taal Volcano and Lake from Domicillo's view deck. What a great vantage point to just soak in that tirelessly gorgeous view of the Taal Volcano and Lake, don't you think? It's but a sampling of what you're getting from Tagaytay's newest bed and breakfast called Domicillo Tagaytay . It's still in its soft opening phase, however, having opened its doors to guests only last December 23. The other weekend Kwittiegirl and I gave it a try (while rocking an outfit with my new Albertus Swanepoel for Bench hat ). Reservation and checkin With no online booking facility, reservations are made via phone (though I'm not sure if they intend to have one once they've fully opened). And as customary with many B&Bs in Tagaytay, your reservation is confirmed after a 50% deposit to their bank account. The balance is settled upon checkin.

The threat of rain that never came as everyone was huddled inside one of around 3 or 4 "tents" at Gratchi's. My colleagues and I enjoyed a fun-filled Friday last week as we all trooped to Gratchi's Getaway in Tagaytay for a cascade and team building session. Technically it's in Silang, Cavite but as with a lot of other establishments, it chose to adopt the more recognizable Tagaytay as its location. Set along a rolling and hilly terrain with wide open spaces, Gratchi's specifically caters to groups and companies looking for a venue for their team building activities. So what do they have here? Let's take a look.

Fantastic view of the Taal Lake at The Lake Hotel. Another last-minute decision to spend the weekend in Tagaytay and we ended up at The Lake Hotel Tagaytay . It was our first time here and so here's a rundown of our experience. Booking and check-in The hotel has its own online booking facility though I made mine through Hotels.com since all the rooms allocated on their website were already taken. At least it's nice to know you can book online since there are still places in Tagaytay--bed and breakfasts especially--that don't have such a facility, which would require you to make a bank deposit.

A row of gazebos for outdoor treatments at Nurture Wellness Village. A couple of weeks ago we tried out Nurture Wellness Village in Tagaytay. I've read so many good things about this spa so my expectations were naturally high. We stayed at a different place and only booked a massage at Nurture, so I couldn't say anything about their accommodation. Overall ambiance Nurture Wellness Village sits on a mostly downhill terrain. After entering the gate, guests are greeted at an open-air pavilion with tea. Trees are aplenty but the property is not entirely shaded, so there are several nice open spaces of grass. The gardens are well-maintained and nestled among them are open-air gazebos where guests wait before being ushered to their massage rooms. I suppose this is also where foot treatments are done.

Just one of the beautiful lilies at Moon Garden, its petals ruffled by the wind. It was a return to one of our nice, quiet spots in Tagaytay two weekends ago, especially after all the humidity and chaos of Enchanted Kingdom where I got myself a funny hoodie . Although we've only been here once before--just last year actually--we loved Moon Garden, and I'm glad to see that practically nothing has changed since our first visit. Even the room rate was still at Php 2,990! Reading through my year-old review of Moon Garden , I think it's safe to say that everything I wrote there still stands. The room's the same, the service is the same, everything.

There's definitely no shortage of hotels and B&Bs in Tagaytay, so it's always nice to try a new one each time. A few weeks ago we gave The Theodore Hotel a try. Oh no, the metal horse is sucking out my brains! Beware of this creature at the lobby! Never mind the "hotel" attached to the name because it is not. The Theodore is a 10-room bed and breakfast right along the main Tagaytay-Calamba Road. If you're coming from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, it's after the Tagaytay Rotunda. One characteristic of this B&B, though, is that I find their rooms pretty expensive. Now if it's worth it, read on.

We once again found ourselves in Tagaytay about a fortnight ago and were wondering where to have dinner. We consulted TripAdvisor and found Discovery Country Suites'  Restaurant Verbena (Cafe Verbena in the site) high atop the site's ranking. So we decided on giving it a try. The restaurant interiors. (Photo from Restaurant Verbena's Facebook page ) Interiors and ambiance The place wasn't too big, just about right in size, and I liked the warm and cozy country ambiance accentuated with high ceilings and lots of wood and stone. We sat at the terrace section where we could feel more of the cool Tagaytay breeze. The food With appetizers that start at Php 395 and main courses that can go as high as Php 1,200 and Php 2,200 (plus 10% service charge), Restaurant Verbena is no cheap place to dine. That said, we expected much from the food. Maybe too much.

We recently tried One Tagaytay Place for a brief overnight stay. We didn't want to spend much and got a good deal from Asia Travel. Because Php 5,000 for a one-bedroom suite doesn't sound bad, we got it despite some of the negative reviews I've read. Reservation and check-in We booked via Asia Travel so I can't say much about the hotel's reservation experience other than that they have an online booking facility. Check-in, on the other hand, proceeded without a hitch while we sipped on our welcome drinks. I was, however, slightly miffed when they wouldn't give me an extra key card. There were three of us together who may not all be going out of the room at the same time, which was why an extra key was needed. They just said they can't and that any staff could help me get in if the need be anyway. Really? The hotel lobby. The ceiling is very low that I can touch that overhead lamp over there.

Over the weekend, we tried Moon Garden for a quick overnight stay in Tagaytay. We had a little trouble finding it, though, because apparently, it's now called Lily's Pond . I don't know the reason for the name change but I didn't bother asking. Me enjoying a quiet moment by the lily pond. Wait, so that's why it's called Lily's pond! Moon Garden, or Lily's Pond, is a bed and breakfast tucked away not far from the main Tagaytay-Calamba Road. Here's a rundown of our experience: Reservation and check-in As with most Tagaytay accommodations, full payment via bank deposit is required to confirm booking, which was just done via phone. It was quick and straightforward, with no added touches or spiels. I really don't have a problem with that except that there was no mention of the change in name. It's like they expect you to know the place already. We were looking for a Moon Garden sign throughout the whole stretch of the SVD Road a...

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...

Bringing pets to Tagaytay sounded like a really nice idea, so after finding a pet-friendly bed and breakfast where we could all stay together, we did bring along the cats to Tagaytay over the weekend. Apparently, however, the cats weren't too happy with the experience. They talked to me and demanded that I post this account of theirs on their behalf or else they'll release incriminating photos of me that they secretly took while I was in the shower, the toilet, and when I was asleep, among other instances. I can't believe they blackmailed me! So here I am, left with no choice but to publish "their side of the story." *************** Kwittie Boy: Hello, my name is Kwittie Boy. I am the fluffy, white cat that my pathetic human slave sometimes refers to as his "stuffed toy." Frankly, it's embarrassing. My human slaves named me as such, thinking that adding a "w" within the word "kitty" was cute. And I don't know why they sp...

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...

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.

We stayed yet again at Hotel Kimberly Tagaytay for the third time in about a year. To me it's a fairly good place to stay - that is if you don't mind the location as it's relatively far from the "main Tagaytay" (basically that long stretch of road surrounding Taal Lake). Once you reach the forking road at the Petron station right after The Cliff House, you turn right, then take another right further down the road going to Alfonso, Cavite. The hotel facade. Right across it is the spacious parking lot. Hotel Kimberly sits on a considerably vast expanse of land, probably one of the reasons it was able to afford guests with a lot of space, parking lot included. Heck, it was even able to afford a mini-rotunda! The front desk. The lobby was bright and airy. I love the high ceilings and the tall windows, especially as you lounge with the cool Tagaytay breeze brushing your skin. The hotel lobby. Nice tall ceilings. But how are the rooms?

I've never tried Bag of Beans in Tagaytay until yesterday. Either I'm in the mood for something else or I simply forget about it whenever I'm there. Well, My Bibe, her dad and I finally gave it a try before heading home. They had a buffet going on but we weren't that hungry so we went a la carte. We entered through the bakeshop and the smell of freshly baked bread instantly greeted us. A sucker for breads and baked goodies, I was pleased. Very pleased. My Bibe and I both went for their all-day breakfast options. She chose pancakes with sausages and bacon while I ordered bread with bacon and eggs. Her dad opted for some pork chops. The place was nice, typical Tagaytay feel with all the wood and foliage around. While waiting, we picked up some bread at their shop. The smell, after all, was pretty inviting. But our food was taking extremely long despite repeated follow-ups. Finally our drinks came. I was a tad underwhelmed with their coffee. Since I wasn't fa...