It was my mom's birthday. And we are all scrambling what to get for her.
My dad suddenly became generous and asked me to book a hotel where my mom can simply relax and just recharge. IT WAS SO HARD whereas my dad is a senior citizen and most hotels just don't accept 'oldies'. At first, my dad wanted me to book a hotel located in front of the Manila Bay area because he wanted to see the trending "White Sands" of Manila Bay. I scoured all the hotels in that area on Google Maps. I called all of them and either they are still not operational or operating as a 'Quarantine Hotel'. (Update: This happened in the last week of September. Rules and regulations have changed since then so check with the hotels prior to your travel.)
I then scoured hotels in Pampanga and on to Laguna. They are either fully-booked, needing so many requirements, or too expensive. Tagaytay was my last option but I'm really putting it off since it was so close to my hometown and I was hoping for a more further location.
But I was really out of option. So, I finally settled for Tagaytay. Most of the hotels on the ridge overlooking Taal Lake and Taal Volcano are fully-booked on our dates. But there is only one hotel that really checked off everything in our checklist and that is Villa Ibarra.
It is located on the ridge that overlooks the MILLION DOLLAR VIEW, the picturesque landscape that put Tagaytay on the tourist map. Though Tagaytay is only 1 hour away from Metro Manila, it always feels like a whole new world every time you visit due to more greenery and a much cooler climate.
Villa Ibarra is an 8-bedroom boutique hotel that boasts of spiraling staircases, chandeliers, and a grand piano. It exudes coziness and intimacy, especially in the service of the staff.
Their rooms, named Cute, Wonderful, Serene, Amazing, Awesome, XOXO, Romantic, Divine, features a plush bed, wooden floors and furniture. Choice rooms (Amazing, Awesome, XOXO, Romantic, and Divine) feature sweeping views of Taal Lake and Volcano. All the rooms are equipped with the following amenities:
Air-conditioning
Wi-Fi Internet access
Flat-panel cable TV
Mini refrigerator
Heated shower
Bathrobe, hairdryer, set of toiletries
Alarm clock
Complimentary bottled water
24-hour full power standby generator
Electronic door locks
We booked their XOXO room which is their Attic Room with Veranda. Which is why we have our own balcony that overlooks Taal Volcano where we can hang out, eat dinners, and fly my drone! It was plain amazing!
In order to reach our room, we have to climb a spiral staircase that is very steep and narrow! Definitely not for the faint-heartedness!
Their restaurant, named Bistro, features traditional Filipino-Spanish cuisine like kalderetang kambing, mixed seafood brochette, beef sate, kare-kare, baby back ribs, paella, and lechon kawali that should not be missed. We ate once in their dining room but opted to have room service after that to reduce contamination.
I booked our room from Agoda and it includes free breakfast for two.
We have no problem with parking since the hotel provides free parking. This hotel also offers meeting and banquet facilities and their front desk is open 24-hours.
But there's one thing that really made me fall fully in love with Villa Ibarra. And it's their grand piano. As fas as my travel goes, I haven't encountered a hotel that lets guests play with their grand piano whenever they want to. Villa Ibarra was my first and I have a grand time playing with it everyday we were there.
Villa Ibarra is located at 130, Gen Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Barangay Maharlika East, Tagaytay City.
You can book directly on their website but I booked mine in Agoda because it's much cheaper. Scour the internet and compare the prices. Prices fluctuate depending on your dates and holidays.
Contact them:
+63-46-483-0770
+63-46-483-0759
+63-916-260-0911
Viber: +63-998-532-0911
Or email them in:
Rooms: reservations@villaibarra.com
You can watch this amazing hotel in my latest vlog: MY FIRST EVER ROOM TOUR for 2020!!