I have always loved the cold climate, and Tagaytay has always been a go-to destination for that, especially for someone who lives in the capital city and the North of Luzon. People used to say I would be thrilled to wander around the laid-back South because it is everything the capital is not: cool, clean, gorgeous and oxygenated.

The Tagaytay area is also known as a type of foodie haven. Although the nature of the town dramatically changes during the weekends when the Manila hordes arrive and traffic jams appear, it has a crisp and cool climate all year ‘round with balmy winds and foggy mists.

We checked into Taal Vista Hotel, an English-Tudor mansion style hotel that was built in 1937. It is filled with rich history shared by many generations. Countless hotel guests and visitors have taken their photographs with the Tudor façade as a backdrop, a stylish icon where the past meets the present.

We stayed in the Deluxe Queen Room Lake Wing, which has an expansive view of the eponymous lake and volcano. I don’t think any other hotel has as good and as direct of a view as Taal Vista Hotel does. The rooms feature modern sophistication, rich in both modern comforts and the classic ambiance that reflects the essence of the city’s cool and crisp air and verdant surrounding. When you visit, choose any lake view wing room and wake up each morning to the spectacular view of Taal Volcano, glistening calmly just outside your window.

On a clear day, the Taal Lake and Volcano are truly marvels to behold. It is actually an island located in the middle of a body of fresh water, the Taal Lake. People say that the Taal Lake is the crater of a giant prehistoric volcano. At the center of this island is the main crater now occupied by the quiet, green acidic lake. The Taal Volcano is active; its savage eruption in 1911 reportedly claimed hundreds of lives－such a catastrophic history!

In the morning, we had breakfast at TAZĀ Fresh Table, the restaurant offers international cuisine with quality ingredients meticulously sourced from local suppliers. You can expect garden-fresh herbs and vegetables, slow-cooked smoked meats, handmade pasta, and made-from-scratch sauces. Below is a rundown of the mouth-watering and healthy, organic dishes we devoured. Everything was really fresh. The grits were perfect.

An indulgent breakfast classic, Eggs Benedict, as a starter. The base consists of a crunchy seed toast; the poached eggs are unerringly professional; and the hollandaise is a little more richly ‘egg yolky’ than usual.

The eternal breakfast winner – French Toast.

Omelettes are a real boon.

Their Salad Nicoise is a salad composed of tomatoes, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, and anchovies, dressed with a vinaigrette. It may be served on a plate, platter, or in a bowl, with or without a bed of lettuce.

The ever-intriguing Southern Fried Chicken Served with Waffles. If you’ve ever tried the unlikely pairing of chicken and waffles, you will understand the appeal of this dish. It’s a delectable union of sweet and salty, soft and crunchy, maple and… chicken? Who would have thought chicken and waffles could be a dynamic culinary duo?

Steak and Eggs – a gluttonous breakfast classic indeed! When you combine steak and eggs, you don’t really need anything else. The egg yolk already serves as the perfect sauce, and a well-seasoned steak is a thing of utter beauty.

Taal Vista Hotel is precious. Meandering along a ridge above the gaping maw of Taal Volcano, Tagaytay serves up a views that will repeatedly force you out of your car to gawk, thus making the hotel a premier destination for relaxation, business or pleasure.

Taal Vista Hotel

Tagaytay – Nasugbu Hwy, Tagaytay, Cavite

(046) 413 1000

https://www.facebook.com/taalvistahotel