Tagaytay has always been an exciting destination for two reasons: Cool climate and spectacular view of the world-famous Taal Volcano. Not to mention that it's relatively close to Manila, it provides a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the Philippine capital.
Tagaytay is also fast-becoming one of the country's major tourist destinations. Its cityscape is changing rapidly with construction of new condominiums, shopping malls and boutique hotels. And if there's one accommodation that I would recommend in Tagaytay, it's the Domicillo Design Hotel located along General Emilio Aguinaldo Hi-way just 5-minutes drive from Sky Ranch and Casino Filipino, and 10 to 15 minutes drive from the newly opened Ayala Malls Serin.
HAUTE HOSPITALITY
At least once every year, I go to Tagaytay to marvel at the iconic view of Taal Volcano. It's also the nearest destination to experience a cool climate, around 2 hours drive from Manila. So when I received an invitation to try Domicillo Bed and Breakfast, I didn't think twice.
The famous Rene Alcala of Manila Mirrors, exporter of exquisite mirrors framed in mother of pearl and black lip shells, is the brainchild of Domicillo Design Hotel. He collaborated with fellow designers and exporters Budji Layug and Royal Pineda of the Budji+Royal group to conceptualize the design of this multi-level structure. The result is nothing short of stylish! Alcala describes the property in three words: "organic, modern, and natural."
Domicillo has 8 rooms designed by world-renowned Filipino furniture and home accessories designers: Budji Layug, Milo Naval and Tess Pasola. It's divided into three room types: the Premiere Room (58.50 sqm. with a lower lake view, a veranda and pocket garden), the Superior Room (38.7 sqm. with an upper lake view and a balcony) and the Deluxe Room (27 sqm. with a garden view). I stayed in the Premiere Room.
Behind the bottle of wine is a king size bed designed by Budji Layug. It's the centerpiece of the spacious room filled with designer items.
The comfy bed has a wooden frame and headboard. Behind it is a console table where a box of tissue, a wifi-router and a wonderful lamp shade are located. I love the body of this lamp shade, it's covered by black lip mother of pearl shells.
The room is also equipped with a work station table with a Cobonpue chair, a flat screen cable TV (Cignal), personal refrigerator hidden in a wooden cabinet and filled with various drinks, another lamp shade, coffee-making facility, and telephone system.
Beside the round table is a pocket garden featuring different kinds of plants.
Domicillo's topmost level has a View Deck that offers an unobstructed and panoramic view of the Taal Volcano. This is where you can take pictures and selfies with the magnificent scenery on the background.
RESTAURANTS
Domicillo houses two exciting restaurants--Aozora, a Japanese Cafe + Bistro, and La Finca, a farm-to-table diner.
We had our dinner at Aozora, which means "Blue Sky" in Japanese. Located at the upmost level adjacent to the view deck, this Japanese restaurant boasts of a vibrant ambiance in authentic Japanese style which is rare in Tagaytay. Their gourmet lineup is authentic Japanese as it's being prepared by Chef Seiji Kamijo Kamura from Yokohama.
Even the waiters are wearing Kimono for a more memorable dining experience.
I tried their Rainbow Maki (P320.00) which serves as a sampler of their Makis lineup like Tuna, Salmon, Tamago, Unagi, Shimesaba and Lapu-Lapu. It may not taste as awesome as the ones I tasted in Osaka, Japan, but still, these ensemble is quite good! I also tried their signature Aozora Ramen (P295.00) which is a fusion of Japanese Ramen and Tagaytay's favorite bulalo. It had a tasty broth which complemented the noodles perfectly, with very tender beef chunks and a cut of bone marrow.
After waking up to the beautiful sunrise, a delectable Filipino breakfast welcomed me at La Finca which is located at the main level adjacent to the very sleek reception area. I chose Longsilog (two fried farm-fresh eggs, fried rice, garlicky longganisa and juice). The other varieties are Tapsilog (with beef tapa) and Bangsilog (with fried boneless bangus). They also serve Continental breakfast (French toast with fruit jelly, bacon, juice and/or coffee). La Finca's specialties are Soft Shell Crab Salad, La Finca Salad (with fiddle fern or paco leaves), Pita and Kofta, Bagnet Binagoongan, Chicken Snitzel and Spinach Ravioli all being prepared by Chef Hanz Mojares.La Finca is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 7am to 9pm. They are also open for corporate functions and private events for up to 60 people in ints indoor and outdoor spaces.
BLOGGER'S THOUGHTSDomicillo Design Hotel's main selling point is the spectacular view of the iconic Taal Lake that it offers in all its 8 rooms. The position of the hotel along the ridge has a perfect vantage point of the world-famous volcano, it will leave you mesmerized to say the least. Aside from the view, it has something that other bed and breakfast hotels in Tagaytay don't have: it's a designers haven. Imagine a hotel filled with furnitures and sculptures of world-renowned Filipino designers like Budji Layug, Royal Pineda, Tes Pasola, Milo Naval, Kenneth Cobonpue, Maricris Brias, Ann Pamintuan, and Eric Paras. It's like a furniture and art exhibit within the premises.Everything you expect in a five-star hotel room is provided by Domicillo: power showers, clean and comfortable bed with four pillows, flat screen cable TV, telephone, hair dryer, bathrobes, mini-bar, complete toiletries, aircon, 3 sets of towels of different sizes, strong wifi signal, etc. The hotel also offers complimentary massage which guests can avail inside their rooms until 10:00 in the evening. I have nothing bad to say about the staff, they are very accommodating and helpful. They go out of their way to make you feel at home.However, some guest may find the room rates--which start at PhP 9,000.00 (net) per night--pricey compared with other bed and breakfast hotels in the area. But for all the things I mentioned above, it's definitely worth it. Domicillo Design Hotel Km. 58 General Emilio Aguinaldo Highway
Maharlika East, Tagaytay City Telephone: +63 46 413-3552 Mobile: +63 922 884-1532 Facebook: www.facebook.com/DomicilloTagaytay Instagram: www.instagram.com/DomicilloTagatay
Tagaytay is also fast-becoming one of the country's major tourist destinations. Its cityscape is changing rapidly with construction of new condominiums, shopping malls and boutique hotels. And if there's one accommodation that I would recommend in Tagaytay, it's the Domicillo Design Hotel located along General Emilio Aguinaldo Hi-way just 5-minutes drive from Sky Ranch and Casino Filipino, and 10 to 15 minutes drive from the newly opened Ayala Malls Serin.
HAUTE HOSPITALITY
At least once every year, I go to Tagaytay to marvel at the iconic view of Taal Volcano. It's also the nearest destination to experience a cool climate, around 2 hours drive from Manila. So when I received an invitation to try Domicillo Bed and Breakfast, I didn't think twice.
The famous Rene Alcala of Manila Mirrors, exporter of exquisite mirrors framed in mother of pearl and black lip shells, is the brainchild of Domicillo Design Hotel. He collaborated with fellow designers and exporters Budji Layug and Royal Pineda of the Budji+Royal group to conceptualize the design of this multi-level structure. The result is nothing short of stylish! Alcala describes the property in three words: "organic, modern, and natural."
Domicillo has 8 rooms designed by world-renowned Filipino furniture and home accessories designers: Budji Layug, Milo Naval and Tess Pasola. It's divided into three room types: the Premiere Room (58.50 sqm. with a lower lake view, a veranda and pocket garden), the Superior Room (38.7 sqm. with an upper lake view and a balcony) and the Deluxe Room (27 sqm. with a garden view). I stayed in the Premiere Room.
Behind the bottle of wine is a king size bed designed by Budji Layug. It's the centerpiece of the spacious room filled with designer items.
The comfy bed has a wooden frame and headboard. Behind it is a console table where a box of tissue, a wifi-router and a wonderful lamp shade are located. I love the body of this lamp shade, it's covered by black lip mother of pearl shells.
On the wall, there's a painting by RM de Leon.
The room is also equipped with a work station table with a Cobonpue chair, a flat screen cable TV (Cignal), personal refrigerator hidden in a wooden cabinet and filled with various drinks, another lamp shade, coffee-making facility, and telephone system.
When you unveil the curtain, this is the view the will greet you: a postcard pretty Taal Volcano that looks like a giant painting if seen from the inside of your room. The vantage point of this view is perfect, it feels like your room was made exactly to observe this beauty.
Your own front porch has two chairs and a coffee table perfect for watching the sunrise in the morning while drinking your coffee and reading the newspaper which the hotel provides daily.
Since not all rooms are created equal, here's the set of chairs and coffee table at the veranda of the other Premiere Room.
The room also boasts of a spacious bathroom with generous supply of organic toiletries (Lavender soap, shampoo and lotion and citrus conditioner), clean towels and bathrobes.
The presence of black lip mother of pearl shells surrounding the tap and covering the tray and the prominence of glass and wood inside the bathroom makes everything cohesive to the overall theme.
On the other side you will find the power shower (rain type) in a half-open enclosure and a toilet bowl with bidet.
Outside my room is another set of round table and chairs with some scented candles and travel magazines to read. Have I already mentioned that these designer chairs are gorgeous?
The stairs going to the upper level where the Superior Rooms and Deluxe Rooms are located add a natural feel to the overall theme.
I was able to check the other rooms and this one has a bed with a headboard made of newspapers, would you believe? The bathroom divider is covered with the signature shells that I mentioned earlier.
These ceramic stools are eye-catching.
And how can you miss this proudly Philippine-made mirror which you can now find in various boutiques abroad.
The Deluxe Room has a garden view and these:
Everything is surrounded by greens.
Domicillo was supposed to have 9 rooms but Mr. Alcala decided to make one of them a common room for the guests. I see it as an exhibit of different designer furniture and paintings.
In one of the corridors, you will find Budji Layug's console table and wheel sculpture.
Domicillo's topmost level has a View Deck that offers an unobstructed and panoramic view of the Taal Volcano. This is where you can take pictures and selfies with the magnificent scenery on the background.
Domicillo houses two exciting restaurants--Aozora, a Japanese Cafe + Bistro, and La Finca, a farm-to-table diner.
We had our dinner at Aozora, which means "Blue Sky" in Japanese. Located at the upmost level adjacent to the view deck, this Japanese restaurant boasts of a vibrant ambiance in authentic Japanese style which is rare in Tagaytay. Their gourmet lineup is authentic Japanese as it's being prepared by Chef Seiji Kamijo Kamura from Yokohama.
I tried their Rainbow Maki (P320.00) which serves as a sampler of their Makis lineup like Tuna, Salmon, Tamago, Unagi, Shimesaba and Lapu-Lapu. It may not taste as awesome as the ones I tasted in Osaka, Japan, but still, these ensemble is quite good! I also tried their signature Aozora Ramen (P295.00) which is a fusion of Japanese Ramen and Tagaytay's favorite bulalo. It had a tasty broth which complemented the noodles perfectly, with very tender beef chunks and a cut of bone marrow.
Aozora Japanese Cafe + Bistro is open daily from 8:00am to 10:00pm.
After waking up to the beautiful sunrise, a delectable Filipino breakfast welcomed me at La Finca which is located at the main level adjacent to the very sleek reception area. I chose Longsilog (two fried farm-fresh eggs, fried rice, garlicky longganisa and juice). The other varieties are Tapsilog (with beef tapa) and Bangsilog (with fried boneless bangus). They also serve Continental breakfast (French toast with fruit jelly, bacon, juice and/or coffee). La Finca's specialties are Soft Shell Crab Salad, La Finca Salad (with fiddle fern or paco leaves), Pita and Kofta, Bagnet Binagoongan, Chicken Snitzel and Spinach Ravioli all being prepared by Chef Hanz Mojares.La Finca is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 7am to 9pm. They are also open for corporate functions and private events for up to 60 people in ints indoor and outdoor spaces.
BLOGGER'S THOUGHTSDomicillo Design Hotel's main selling point is the spectacular view of the iconic Taal Lake that it offers in all its 8 rooms. The position of the hotel along the ridge has a perfect vantage point of the world-famous volcano, it will leave you mesmerized to say the least. Aside from the view, it has something that other bed and breakfast hotels in Tagaytay don't have: it's a designers haven. Imagine a hotel filled with furnitures and sculptures of world-renowned Filipino designers like Budji Layug, Royal Pineda, Tes Pasola, Milo Naval, Kenneth Cobonpue, Maricris Brias, Ann Pamintuan, and Eric Paras. It's like a furniture and art exhibit within the premises.Everything you expect in a five-star hotel room is provided by Domicillo: power showers, clean and comfortable bed with four pillows, flat screen cable TV, telephone, hair dryer, bathrobes, mini-bar, complete toiletries, aircon, 3 sets of towels of different sizes, strong wifi signal, etc. The hotel also offers complimentary massage which guests can avail inside their rooms until 10:00 in the evening. I have nothing bad to say about the staff, they are very accommodating and helpful. They go out of their way to make you feel at home.However, some guest may find the room rates--which start at PhP 9,000.00 (net) per night--pricey compared with other bed and breakfast hotels in the area. But for all the things I mentioned above, it's definitely worth it. Domicillo Design Hotel Km. 58 General Emilio Aguinaldo Highway
Maharlika East, Tagaytay City Telephone: +63 46 413-3552 Mobile: +63 922 884-1532 Facebook: www.facebook.com/DomicilloTagaytay Instagram: www.instagram.com/DomicilloTagatay
