Date Day 2: Las Ventanas, Tagaytay Review

Hi everyone! I'm back. Yey~ Today I'll be sharing another date day posts which is actually a very late review of a place we visited at Tagaytay. ^^

October 23, 2013
A Place of Serenity: Las Ventanas, Tagaytay

So, last October 23 we had a short vacation at a very quiet and relaxing place called Las Ventanas in Tagaytay. We stayed there for just 2 days and 1 night using the voucher I bought from Ensogo. Tagaytay is just a few hours away from Manila where you'll get to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Our stay at Las Ventanas was so peaceful that it almost hurt when we left.

How to get here: we boarded a DLTB bus at Buendia and alighted at Olivares Terminal in Tagaytay, fare is Php83.00. From Olivares terminal, we took a jeep going to the city market, fare is only P11.00 I guess, I forgot exactly how much.

Getting off at the city market, Las Ventanas we'll be on the other side of the road where a smaller street is located. We walked down that steep rocky path until we saw a red gate. You'll pass by a pineapple farm before you get there. I think the farm makes the place look so probinsya-like. You'll even hear the loud moo's of cows near the area. Btw, I'm so fascinated about how loud a cow's moo can be, every time I hear them I'm like "what the hell was that?? o_o" lol

nice scenery huh!

baby pineapples! ^^

Upon seeing the gate, we knocked for the guard to open the doors. He then asked for our voucher and booking confirmation letter (which will be sent by Las Ventanas via email once you booked a date).

Let me tell you a very quick story first! haha please bear with me. The first day I saw this deal on Ensogo I was really tempted to buy it right away but I still hesitated because at that time, my voucher for Hotel Dominique was not yet used and I didn't wanna risk buying another voucher only to have it expire because our busy scheds won't let us use it. However, Ensogo had a 'Payday Sale' which gives a 10% off on all deals! I couldn't resist the big savings so I ended up buying it anyway. The impulsive buyer in me striked again. *laughs* So, from Php1800 down to Php1620 for a 2D1N stay, with free dinner and breakfast plus one hour massage for two! The thing that really convinced me to buy this however was the thought of treating my bf to a quick and yet relaxing getaway just because. :3

Spacious parking lot

 So, lets go back to the review! haha. I am sooooo loving the greeneries! Their parking lot is actually large enough to fit maybe almost 10 cars so if you're bringing a car you don't need to worry if there's little space for parking.

By the way, we left Manila by 12noon and arrived here just in time for the check-in which was exactly 3PM. After presenting the voucher and the confirmation letter, we were guided to their restaurant which also serves as a reception area as well because it was where the check-in process was done. The check-in was easy, you just have to fill out a customer form and one of the staff will give some introductions about their rules, the dinner time (7:00 PM to 9:00PM), breakfast time (7:00 AM to 9:00 AM) and massage time (4:00 PM to 10:00 PM). After we filled out the forms, the guy, whose name I completely forgot now (sorry 'guy'~ haha), told us the menu for dinner that night which were Chicken Adobo, Sinigang na Baka and Fried Tawilis. He also asked for our breakfast the next day so that they could prepare it even before we'll actually break our fast the next morning, the choices were the usual '-silog' menu: Hotsilog, Longsilog and Tapsilog. Lastly, he asked us our preferred time for the massage. I wanted to have it done before having dinner so we decided to have a massage by 5PM, at least we still have an hour to rest and prep up.

Bean-shaped pool :3 too bad we don't have swimming attires! boohoo

After all that ado, we were guided to our room! Yey!  I love the landscaping in this place, I felt close to nature. Walking along the pathway leading to the rooms, we also passed by the bean-shaped pool which is perfect for a mid noon swim especially because it has no heater. There are a total of 9 rooms at Las Ventanas which were divided by into 3 'Bahays', Bahay na Nipa, Bahay na Bato and Bahay na Tisa. Bahay na Tisa has a canopy over the bed but I read that the toilets were located outside the room so we didn't chose that.  Bahay na Bato has a rocking chair in its front porch, but no canopy! I really wanted to have a conopied bed! *laughs* So that left us with Bahay na Nipa. It was one of the rooms with a canopied bed (Do I have an obsession with canopies now? haha) and there was also an indoor shower and toilet so we chose to book that room.

Bahay na Tisa

Bahay na Bato

Bahay na Nipa

The room didn't disappoint me. The furnishings looks antique and unique. The pillows and the large bed were clean and fluffy. I also loved the fleece blanket because it was really soft and cuddly. A cuddly blanket? Awesome. *laughs* And of course let's not forget the reason why we booked this room, the canopy! The canopy, aside from adding a romantic touch to the room, was also really useful because the mosquitoes here are humongous. Larger than those usually found in the metro. J said it was because the ecosystem of Tagaytay is better that's why the mosquitoes are healthier. HAHA! ok hunny, I believe you. :*

By the way, there's no television or radio inside the room. Las Ventanas promotes utter relaxation so they purposefully left those out. You can borrow books from their resto to if you're really looking for some entertainment. I borrowed a book about Beagles just in case I got bored, which was very unlikely because I never get bored when I'm with J. We talk about anything and when there's nothing left to talk about, we just comfortably cuddle in companionable silence. ^^

So, enough of the cheesiness, moving on... the power outlets are located at the back of the bed which actually bothered me a lot because the canopy and the pillows were nudging the cord of the lamps that were plugged in the outlet. I imagined the canopy catching fire and burning us to death. Too gruesome! :((

very cute (but not functioning) fountain at the center of the room area

One thing that I didn't like is that there were no provided basic toiletries. I didn't bother to bring my own things because I was expecting these things to be included in the room. The only thing provided however were 2 towels and 1 small soap. There were no toothpaste, toothbrush and shampoo unlike the other places we stayed at which provides all these basic stuff. Good thing Las Ventanas also sell toiletries so we ended up buying the other things we need from them.

The toilet and shower were at separate areas and the ceilings were open. I'm not really used to this kind of set-up because I'm still worried that bf might smell the unsmellable smell if I do my thing. HAHA! Not that there's anything to be ashamed of, but yeah, I hope you get what I'm saying here. lol! The heater wasn't properly heating the water but we forgot to mention it to any of the staff so we ended up having extremely cold showers! Because of that challenging and teeth-chattering bath, I can now truly say that I have experienced the cold climate of Tagaytay. *laughs*

After a few minutes of rest and freshening up, one lady came up and knocked on our door to tell us that it was time for our massage.

How was the massage? It was fine. I have a few things that I'd like to point out, first is their massage bed which was so uncomfortable. I would've preferred it if there were faceholes or even just the round-shaped towels so I can have something to rest my face on. I didn't know where to put my head *laughs* because lying completely face-down is painful to my non-existent nose while lying with my head facing to the side is still uncomfortable. The massage area was a bit warm too, I was sweating a bit while having the massage. Other than that, I have no other qualms. Well, who am I really to complain when I got us all of these services for just Php1,620 right? The massage was fine, I chose to have the pressure a bit harder that usual. I dropped in and out of sleep and everytime I opened my eyes, I can see J and beyond him, through the windows, I can see the sunlight slowly fading into sunset. :)

BTW, have you heard of bleeding after a massage? I don't know if it's related to the massage, but I actually bled a few minutes after it was done, I was so surprised why there was so much blood when it isn't even my time of the month. No blood clots, just that kind of blood with thin consistency. Sorry of I'm sharing something as gross as this, I was just really worried and i'm still confused why that happened. The bleeding stopped after about 2 hours but still, it left us feeling anxious. :(

Pathway to the dining area. I almost expected fairies to appear at any moment :D

The massage was finished by 6PM and after that we proceeded to the restaurant where classical music played in the background. We planned to just while away our time here and wait for dinner time but the waiter took our orders even before 7PM. It was our first time to have a candle-lit dinner and I find it so romantic and memorable even if it's just one cute tea candle. *laughs* At first I thought we'll be choosing among Chicken Adobo, Sinigang na Baka or Fried Tawilis so I was delightfully surprised when the waiter served all of them! Ohhh yey so many food! ^o^

Dinner with candle lights. heeeeeheee ♥

Nilagang Baka and Fried Tawilis! Yum. ~(o_o)~

very delicious adobong manok! :>

We ordered cream of mushroom soup (around Php100) which was already good for 2, we also ordered 2 juices for our drinks. They all taste great and the juice tastes so fresh plus they are served in hefty servings so J and I were really full after that meal. There was even 2 pieces of leftover tawilis so I ordered Tanduay Ice for myself and ate that as my pulutan. lol

A full tummy later, it's time to get a good nights sleep in a room cooled by the Tagaytay breeze. We were the only guests that day so the whole place was really quiet, and even creepy! haha. Every sound of the crickets and birds seem to intensify because of the quietness. I slept like a baby, comfortably cuddled in J's arms. :")

The next day we woke up early for our breakfast. I ordered Longsilog and J ordered Hotsilog. These meals were also quite tasty. For drinks, we were served hot water and 3-in-1 coffee which is no biggie for me at all (i love any type of coffee ~(o_o)~), although some people may expect a much classier breakfast than that. They also gave us survey forms where we can write our evaluation of their services.

Aaaand it was time too leave. If only time could stand still. :(

Overall, we obviously enjoyed this trip, despite some of the not so positive things, I still fervently wish to go back here some time.

I hoped you enjoy reading this lengthy narrative review of Las Ventanas. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment. You can also visit their site at Facebook here.

Till next post reader.
xoxo

Backpacking to Tagaytay: Hotel Dominique Review

Hi there! I'm back, hooray! So today I'll be reviewing the hotel we stayed at while we were in Tagaytay for 2 days and 1 night. :)

Because of the loooong weekend, J (my boyfriend) and I decided to have a quick getaway to Tagaytay last Tuesday (October 15). It's a spur of the moment trip and both of us don't know how to get around Tagaytay because it's actually our first time to go there without a guide. Luckily, we have a voucher I bought from CashCashPinoy for a 2 days and 1 night stay in a Superior Room in Hotel Dominique so we didn't have to worry where to stay for the night :)

I already forgot how much the voucher was because I bought it 2 months ago, but I think it's around 1,500 to 1,800 pesos, that includes 2 days and 1 night stay in their superior room with your choice of twin bed or queen sized bed, free breakfast for two and use of hotel facilities.

Hotel Dominique is not hard to find, it's just along Aguinaldo Highway, in front of Collette's Buko Pie & Pasalubong, and before Olivarez Terminal. It's actually on the wrong side of Tagaytay, the side which has no scenic views of the Taal Volcano.

 Here's what Hotel Dominique looks like:

Front facade of Hotel Dominique

It may not look much when you judge it from it's outer facade, but you'll be surprised how nice it is inside the hotel. There's a homey country feel to it that I really like.

How we got here: We boarded a DLTB bus at Buendia (near the LRT Gil Puyat Station) and asked the conductor to drop us off at Olivarez Terminal in Tagaytay (fare from Buendia to Tagaytay: Php 83.00). You'll pass by Hotel Dominique before getting to Olivarez Terminal, but since we didn't know it's exact location that time, we just asked the conductor to drop us off at Olivarez terminal and from there we walked back to Hotel Dominique.

Travel Time: We left Manila exactly 10AM because that's the trip schedule of the bus and we arrived at Tagaytay by 12PM, we encountered no heavy traffics therefore we can assume that travel time may be around 2 to 3 hours depending on the traffic.

I planned to drop off my heavy bags at the hotel before touring around the place but we arrived here earlier than we expected and we weren't allowed to book earlier than 2 o'clock :( so anyway, to while away the time, we went to People's Park first. You can take a jeep from Olivares Terminal going there, fare is Php 17.00.

I took this picture while we were at People's Park or Palace in the Sky:

I don't know what this place is, I just took a photo because the buildings really look cute hehe :P

I realized one thing: it's hard to go on a trip without a tripod or without someone who likes to take pictures! haha we were not able to take decent pictures of us together because we were too shy to ask strangers to take pics of us lol

What we think of People's Park:
 Well, we think it lacks the upkeep that it needs. :( It's sad to see a tourist destination which looks like it has been neglected ever since it was built and this place really looks like that. You can't help but think that it only has a few years left before it turns to a haunted mansion, or in this case, haunted palace. :\

Anyway after feeling sorry for the neglected structure called Palace in the Sky, we went to Picnic Grove (just a jeep away), here you can ride horses or go on a picnic (hence the name) with your family or your friends. You can also try the zip line or just simply enjoy the scenery of the Taal Lake. But meh, we didn't do any of that! we just sat there and stared at the Lake because I was tired from all the walking. Haha killjoy much :|

View from Picnic Grove

The time passed by quickly and before we knew it, it was already 6 o'clock and all I wanted to do was to rest! My gosh, Picnic Grove has so many stairs that I felt like half the fats in my body burned the 2 hours that I was there. :\

We ate dinner first before going back to Hotel Dominique, I wanted to try the famous Bulalo of Tagaytay but it is expensive! haha I guess I'll just try that next time when I have P1,000 budget for dinner.

Moving on, the check in process was easy, we were asked to present our voucher and an ID, the receptionist also made me sign something I didn't mind to read and asked for a security deposit fee of Php 500 which is of course refundable upon check out. Then one of the hotel's staff led us to our room which is located in a small building (of about 4 storeys, I guess? I'm not sure) inside Hotel Dominique.

The Room: the room was enough for two persons but I find it spacious enough. The furnishings are nice and simple, the room is not that big but it's clean and it also smells fresh and and it doesn't look cheap which is a plus factor for me! It also has a veranda which I really liked! If you like to see pictures of it, you can message Hotel Dominique on Facebook and they'll send it to you.

The toilet and shower room is okay too, it's not spacious but again it's clean and that's all that matters to me. haha! They'll provide you the basic toiletries: shampoo, body wash, toothpaste and toothbrush for two persons, soap and two towels. They have a heater too, and for a place as cold as Tagaytay, a water heater is a must!

We requested for a room that has a queen-sized bed, it also has a A/C, small TV and coffee making facilities, I wish I knew this sooner so I could've brought 3-in-1 coffee mix with me :( I love coffee any time of the day. The bed was comfy and the sheets and pillows were fluffy and clean. These are some of the important things I look for in a room, I couldn't care less if there's no TV in a room, as long as the sheets and pillows are clean and fluffy, I'm good. :D

I guess the walls are not completely sound proof, I can here doors slamming somewhere near our room but it's not such a big deal for me. I slept comfortably cuddled with J :3

Here's the view from our veranda:

6:00 in the morning! oooohhhh love the fog! :)

around 9 AM

The houses you see in the picture are one of the many Casitas of Hotel Dominique. They also have cabanas and suites which are located in the same building where the superior rooms are. The place looks like a mini village and has an abundance of greens! I totally love it. It feels welcoming :)

Hotel Dominique also has a small pool perfect for a mid-noon swim:

To start our day, J and I ordered American Breakfast. Actually we have 3 choices, but J told me to pick the most expensive one haha so we both chose the American breakfast over the other two.

BACON = LOVE

You can also choose between hot coffee, hot choco or tea for your drink

<3

We broke our fast 9:30 in the morning even though we woke up as early as 5:30 (we were a bit busy... *ehem* hihi). After eating, we just relaxed and got ready for the travel back to Manila.

Overall, our first Tagaytay trip was fun and worth it. We didn't do much of the sight seeing but that's ok because we'll be back here at Tagaytay on October 23 (we'll be at Las Ventanas naman *excited*).

For a spur-of-the-moment trip, this is surely one of our happiest travels ever.

If you're interested in Hotel Dominique, see their website here.

Thanks for reading!
xoxo