Filipino B&B Brings Organic Living to the Next Level
We sometimes spend time talking about off-the-beaten-path locales, and we're positive you can relate to daydreaming about getaways that make it feel like you've actually, well, gone away. Call us crazy, but fighting for pool space with families and tanned singles doesn't scream "vacation" as much as it resembles the hotel version of a mall. For the more ambitious travelers wanting to go off-grid for a short while, the Philippines is a destination that may not immediately come to mind, but that doesn't make it any less worthwhile—the opposite, actually.
We discovered Sonya's Garden, a lush bed and breakfast, when a local led us into Tagaytay, a small city not far from Manila. The website uses descriptions that are too easily thrown around by most island hotels and resorts: "private paradise," "exotic," "idyllic." Yeah, we've heard it all before. Hyperbole or not, Sonya's is still a comfortable, clean, and actually quiet place to spend your holiday; if you've traveled to the traffic and business congested center of Makati City, you know how valuable this is.
If Rachel Ashwell did shabby chic Filipino-style, this would be it: lots of white-on-white (on-white-on-white) bedding, wood and craftsman-type furniture, and strategically placed mosquito nets (face it, you'll need them). While there, you can trek to the nearby Tagaytay Highlands, or spend the day at Sonya's Spa, where aromatherapy sessions and a "Four Hands" massage are some of the standout treatments.
The highlight, though, is the on-site restaurant, which brings the popular localvore concept to the next level. The menu's produce is sourced straight from, you guessed it, the hotel's garden, making the anise-y taste of tarragon tea and peppery bite of the salad's arugula that much more strong and flavorful. Still steaming hot fresh-baked breads accompany your meal, as do edible flowers.
Because this isn't a Hilton or a Kimpton, the booking process is as old-school as you can get in this day of point-and-click reservations. Contact Sonya's directly for more information.
[Photo: Trip Advisor]
0 Comments
Post a CommentReturn to » Filipino B&B Brings Organic Living to the Next Level
Leave a Comment
Not yet a member? Click here to become a member.
Already a member? Log in below:
Comment with your Facebook account.