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Tags: Bed and Breakfasts / Philippines Hotels / → All Tags

Filipino B&B Brings Organic Living to the Next Level

Where: Barangay Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite, Philippines

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.

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Tags: Shangri-La Hotels / Philippines Hotels / Hotel Openings / → All Tags

Shangri-La Goes Far Flung With Boracay Island Resort

Where: Boracay Island, Philippines

While we think that the W Maldives' removed atoll location and private boat are pretty sweet when it comes to remote escapes, apparently resorts continue to push the boundaries of accessibility.

This is the case with the newest addition to the Shangri-La hotel family, the Shangri-La Boracay in the Philippines. To reach the 219-room, 36-villa exotic wonderland with 3,800 feet of secluded beach, guests must first fly into Manila, then take a hopper flight 45 minutes south to Caticlan airport, from where another 30 minutes of land and sea transfers launch. Once you hit the sand, however, the Boracay enclave sets out to envelop you in 5-star luxury with one of the Philippines' largest free-form swimming pools, activity pavilions, and the peace of a surrounding nature preserve.

You may be removed from civilization, but get this: the in-room broadband internet is free! It better be too, as we looked into room rates for April and they're looking to start around 20,580 Philippine pesos, but don't let all those digits fool you; that's $428.58 USD. At least you'll still be able to check your bank account balance online and do currency conversions on Google.

[Photo: Shangri-La Boracay]