If I will describe this resort in two words: Peaceful Paradise. All the modern comforts that one would expect on a five star hotel come together with it. The villas have complete amenities including your very own pool
The friendly Chinese territory has long been at the forefront in advocating for cycling as not just a cheap means of transport but also as an environment-friendly lifestyle choice.
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.
Last month when I went to Kyoto, Japan, I was fortunate to be accommodated by the beautiful Bijuu Residence, and it changed the way I think about hotels. It’s one of those rare moments that a hotel has been part of the destination experience because of its uniqueness.
Classic and elegant--these are the two words that best describe Nara Hotel in Nara Japan. This 106-year-old hotel has been my home in Japan for 4 days and 3 nights.
Since I've seen the John Lloyd Cruz movie "Dubai" in 2005, I included this exciting destination in my travel bucket list. This year, that dream became a reality.
Considered as the global city and business hub of the middle east, Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates or UAE. It is located at the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, as well as sharing sea borders with Qatar and Iran. Although the city is known for its world famous infrastructures and skyscrapers, Dubai does not derive much of its wealth from oil industries compared to its neighboring cities. The main revenues that drives its economy come from tourism, aviation and financial services.
If there's a country in Asia where you can find the most number of cycling enthusiasts, it's probably Taiwan. The friendly Chinese territory has long been at the forefront in advocating for cycling as not just a cheap means of transport but also as an environment-friendly lifestyle choice.
In Taipei alone, the government allotted 200km of dedicated bike paths. And along that path and in some train stations you will find U-Bike, a bike-share system where you can rent a bicycle for NT$5 for the first 30 minutes, and NT$10 for every succeeding 30 minutes.
Each U-Bike station is like a vending machine for bicycles, you'll need to deposit money by entering bills or coins into a machine and it will issue a card key which you can use to unlock the bicycle of your choice. You don't need to return the bicycle to where you got it, you can return it to any U-Bike station that you'll come across.
U-Bike has been in operation in Taipei since 2009. Last year, YouBike's more than 6,000 two-wheelers were taken on more than 22 million trips by locals and tourists alike making Taiwan the bicycle capital in Asia. To solidify this title, the Taiwanese government is prepping up a bicycle highway across the whole country!
So if you're visiting Taipei soon, get a better sense of the city with your own bicycle tour. Don't be afraid of getting lost because bike paths are connected to train stations, just don't wander outside these paths. Plus you gain tremendous satisfaction in knowing that you'll be able to burn all those calories from eating dim sums, noodles and other Taiwanese cuisines.
Cebu Pacific Air flies a direct service from Manila to Taipei and vice versa. Check out their website for the cheapest Philippines-Taipei flights! Also follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for promo updates.
When I received the invitation to join the Tune Hotels Blogger Fam Trip in Johor Bahru Malaysia I got super excited! I was in Nara Japan that time (March 25) with my blogger friend Morgan Zeanreh and the email that we both received almost kept us awake the whole night. We reminisced the first Tune Hotels Blogger Fam Trip which was held May last year when we were among the three bloggers from the Philippines to join other bloggers from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia for the said event. Last year’s familiarization tour was held in Kuala Lumpur and we spent our first night at Tune Hotels KLIA2, which was newly opened that time, and the succeeding nights at Tune Hotels Downtown Kuala Lumpur.
If the Philippines has Boracay, Thailand has Phuket, another paradise island adorned by tourists from all over the world. Phuket is actually bigger than Boracay. It's located in Southern Thailand and measures 48km in length and and 21 km at its widest. The climate, however, is the same: humid all year with March to May as the hottest and November to February as the "cooler" months.
I've been to Singapore 5 times already and with each trip, Singapore has something new to offer. My first trip was in 2006, my very first out-of-the-country experience. The attractions that I've seen that time were the Merlion, Sentosa Island (by cable car) and the Esplanade. In 2008, I came back and tried the Night Safari and shopped at Chinatown among other things. My third time was in 2010 when I toured Little India, Clark Quay, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, and restaurants in Geylang. 2013 marked my fourth time in the 'Little Dot' when I stayed the longest: 8 days! This is the year I went to Universal Studios Singapore, marveled at the beauty of Marina Bay Sands and rode the Singapore Flyer.
Last May 14, 2015, was my fifth time in Singapore. The trip was only for one day because it's part of the Tune Hotels Danga Bay bloggers fam tour which was mostly held in the Southern Malaysian city of Johor Bahru. We went to Marina Bay Sands that day to watch the finale of "Asia's Got Talent" inside MasterCard theater. After the show, we went back to Malaysia.
The bloggers fam tour in Johor Bahru ended last May 16, Saturday. But I decided to return to Singapore by bus to spend one more day at this amazing country. Can we consider it my sixth time in the Lion City?
So the highlight of my one-day Singapore trip was of course, exploring its newest attraction: the famed Gardens by the Bay.
Winner of the 2014 International Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Botanical Garden, Gardens by the Bay is a huge complex that showcase great landscape architecture. It's adjacent to the Marina Bay Sands and consists of three waterfront gardens: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden.
When you cross the bridge from Marina Bay Sands, a picturesque view will mesmerize you as if you're about to enter Jurassic Park or the world of Avatar. The structures that first caught my attention were the "Supertrees."
These supertrees, which differ in height, are home to enclaves of exotic ferns, vines, orchids and also a vast collection of bromeliads (like pineapples) at the base. It comes alive at night with the Garden Rhapsody, a free light and sound show at 7:45pm and 8:45pm.
Connecting two supertrees is the OCBC Skyway. You can stroll at this hanging bridge, suspended 22 meters above the ground, for S$5. The entrance is at the base of the one of the supertrees. The elevator will take you to the bridge.
I took this picture from the bridge using my iPhone 6:
Took these pictures using the Blux Pro app:
There are two conservatories in the 101-hectares wide Gardens by the Bay: the Flower Dome (on the left) and the Cloud Forest (right):
The Flower Dome features plants found in the Mediterranean and other semi-arid tropical regions like Australia, South America, and South Africa. It also replicates the climate in the said places. The Cloud Forest, on the other hand, replicates the cool moist conditions found in tropical mountain regions in South-East Asia, Middle-and South America. It consists of a number of levels with different themes and features different kinds of orchids, ferns, peacock ferns, clubmosses, bromeliads and anthuriums. The ticket price for each attraction is S$12 for adult and S$ for children and senior citizens.
Cebu Pacific Air flies daily from Manila to Singapore and vice versa, daily from Clark to Singapore and vice versa, four times weekly from Cebu to Singapore and vice versa, and thrice weekly from Davao to Singapore and vice versa. Check out their website for the cheapest Philippines-Singapore flights! Also follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for promo updates.
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.
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?
Beside the round table is a pocket garden featuring different kinds of plants.
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.
RESTAURANTS
Domicillohouses 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 HotelKm. 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
