CAVITE | Estancia Tagaytay, A Christmas-y Mediterranean Affair

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Estancia Tagaytay Santorini Cluster

The sun had escaped down the horizon as we boarded a jeepney bound for Picnic Grove Tagaytay. We snuggled tightly as it sped past the city rotunda, the chilly evening air wafting through the open windows, and zipped through the dark highway. We were off to our gang’s Christmas party of sorts. We were headed to Estancia Tagaytay.

Estancia Tagaytay Lobby
WHITE AND BLUES AT THE RESORT’S LOBBY

Located on the scenic Tagaytay ridge, the hotel follows the slope of the land. From the receiving area, we took an elevator, one level down, to Estancia’s main lobby. The Mediterranean theme is immediately evident, white walls and columns with subtle blue highlights (quite reminiscent of our Thunderbird La Union stay).

We then went further down through a maze of hallways, through a garden path, past a lighted swimming pool, and onto a golf cart that slowly putt-putted to our homes for the night.

► CHECK OUT: TAGAYTAY TRAVEL GUIDE

Estancia Tagaytay Santorini Cluster
ESTANCIA RESORT’S SANTORINI CLUSTER
Estancia Tagaytay Native Huts Cluster
PART OF THE CASITA HUT CLUSTERS FACING TAAL LAKE

Estancia Tagaytay is huge. The resort is actually subdivided into three main areas (as far as I can tell). The main building where the lobby and restaurant are located, the rustic casitas facing the Taal Lake view, and the Santorini-inspired cluster which also faces the lake. The Greek cluster looks to be the newest and best of the three.

Estancia Tagaytay Santorini Cluster Room
OUR ROOM FOR THE NIGHT

A single Santorini structure typically houses two rooms, one on each floor, and both are good for two persons. We were booked on the upper floor on a double-bed room. As expected, everything is set in Mediterranean themes, whitewashed walls broken by blue fabrics and wooden trims.

CHECK DISCOUNTED ROOM RATES & AVAILABILITY

Estancia Tagaytay Santorini Cluster Toilet
CLEAN AND SIMPLE TOILET AND BATH—IT HAS A BIDET!
Estancia Tagaytay Santorini Cluster Balcony
THE BEST PLACE FOR MORNING COFFE

Although the furnishing seems a tad dated, the room is spacious and well-maintained.

It has an en suite toilet and bath with hot water, cable television (not flat-screen though), air-conditioning—which we almost didn’t use since it was quite cold in Tagaytay at the time, a mini-bar with coffee and tea-making facilities (you’d have to purchase your instant coffer or tea though, which I find quite weird), and a balcony with a majestic view of the Taal Volcano.

Cebu's Original Lechon Belly
CEBU’S ORIGINAL LECHON BELLY FOR THE WIN!
Cookies from M Cafe
COOKIES AND SWEETS FROM RAINTREE RESTAURANTS
Matador, Tanduay, Red Horse
ALCOHOL!

Converging on Lakwatserong Tsinelas’ room, which was more than large enough for the eight of us, we brought in a huge slab of Cebu’s Original Lechon Belly, some sweets we picked up from Kabila Restaurant, and bottles of Red Horse, Gran Matador, and Tanduay. We were here to really rock the house and party until the wee hours of the morning.

BOOK A DISCOUNTED TAAL VOLCANO TOUR FROM MANILA

 


Surprisingly, the next day found us quite early. With no real call-time, we caught each other trying to beat each one to a sunrise. Talk about competitive, lol. We then raced to Estancia’s in-house restaurant, not just for our complimentary breakfast, but also to upload our IG’s, haha. Internet and cellular connection is a bit weak on the Santorini cluster, unfortunately.

Estancia Tagaytay Restaurant
BREAKFAST PLACE AND RESTAURANT
Estancia Tagaytay Breakfast
MY TAPSILOG

Estancia Tagaytay doesn’t serve buffet breakfast for guests, but they do serve a mean set of meals. They have Big Breakfast (basically, their silogs), Grilled French Toast sets, Pancakes, 3-Egg Omellets, and Oatmeal & Porridges [CHECK FULL MENU].

Estancia Tagaytay Breakfast Biyasilog
BIYASILOG

We all asked for variations of their silogs and it didn’t disappoint. I had tapsilog, which has really good and tender meat, but I wished I ordered their biyasilog instead which is served with crispy fried biya—a freshwater goby fish found only in Taal Lake.

Estancia Tagaytay Swimming Pool
THE POOL, WHICH WE DIDN’T GET TO DIP IN
Estancia Tagaytay Grounds
THE VIEW OPENS TO TAAL LAKE BEYOND

The next few hours found us roaming around the grounds of Estancia, the gang doing their best to have a selfie at each and every corner of the resort and failing miserably; the resort is really quite huge. We thought of dipping on the pool, but the weather was really just too chilly.

Estancia Tagaytay TeamRH
MOVIE TIME!

And so we did the next best thing. We all went over to Elal’s room with all the left-over lechon and alcohol, turned on the TV and tuned in to PBO where we caught a run of Four Sisters and a Wedding. I’m really not a fan of contemporary Filipino Cinema, but it was quite fun watching it with TeamRH in a single room with all the side-comments, unstoppable sobbing and all, haha.

Estancia Tagaytay Taal Sunset
SUNSET AT ESTANCIA TAGAYTAY

By the end of the film, I called the guys out to the balcony—the sky has transformed into soft pastels. We watched, took photos and watched some more, both in awed silence and gleeful giggles. The scene was breathtaking; indeed, the perfect way to end the team’s year of travels and staycations.

But enough of the melodramas, it’s time for Tagaytay’s famous bulalo!

~ BIG THANKS TO ESTANCIA TAGAYTAY FOR HOSTING OUR CHRISTMAS PARTY


Estancia Resort Hotel Tagaytay ► ROOM RATES
Address: Zone II Brgy. San Jose, Tagaytay City
Contact Number: (046) 4131133 to 35 | (046) 4131331 | (0939) 237-9813 | (0915) 134-9426
Email: inquire@estanciatagaytay.com.ph
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GPS Coordinates: 14.124468, 120.970052



• BOOK A TAGAYTAY DAY TOUR FROM MANILA •
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