Tagaytay City is popular as a quick escape for Metro Manila dwellers.
It offers the charm and relaxing ambiance of rural living without requiring you to drive for hours and hours. People who live in Metro Manila usually flock in Tagaytay City to have a feel of its cool breeze, to enjoy the view of Taal Lake, and to feast on delicious Tagaytay food (hint: bulalo, tawilis, and more!).
Long weekends and other holidays make Tagaytay City packed with people trying to escape the urban jungle. Since it just a two-hour shy drive, many choose to go here for a quick getaway.
Valentine’s Day is no different. Knowing that it will be packed with people, we booked in advance a place where we could spend the night. Wanting to move away from the usual hotels, we tried booking an accommodation via Airbnb.
For the uninitiated, Airbnb is a platform where homeowners all around the world can list their spaces that people looking for a place to stay can easily rent. Booking, payment, and communication is done online.
We found this rustic hut that offers a phenomenal view of Taal Lake. And with that, we were immediately sold.
We booked one night during the Valentine’s weekend. I believe, the place had several huts to rent out. Around four units if I remember correctly.
Anyway, the one we booked is called Narra Hill Kubo Suite 2. One night rent plus breakfast for two is roughly P7,000. Honestly, it was quite steep but I didn’t want to pass up trying it.
First, let me commend the staff and the owner of Narra Hill. Hands down, they took good care of us during our stay in the private hut. Although the hut didn’t have phones that will let you easily call front desk (I don’t think there is really a front desk like in hotels), they checked on us often to see if we were comfortable. Not having a phone guarantees privacy inside your hut. And I liked that cellular signal is weak, it allowed me to disconnect a bit from my virtual routine.
Arriving at Narra Hill, we just wanted to make the most of our accommodation and not go out anymore, expecting that there are already a lot of people since it was a Valentine’s weekend. We were told by the owner that we can pre-order dinner (for ~P500+ per head), which they prepared at the in-house kitchen. We picked the Hainanese Chicken option.
Dinner was served at the time we told them to serve it. It was served in the balcony of our room complete with soup and dessert. We seated on the floor, which is nice and reminiscent of rural living in the province.
The meal was tasty and filling although I could say that I’ve had better Hainanese before. Still, it wasn’t that bad.
There wasn’t a lot to do after that. There was no TV in the room. Although there was a pool a few steps from our hut, it was really cold and going swimming is not really an option. If only the pool was heated…
So, we just retired early for the night and decided to go around the place in the morning.
What we didn’t know is that the hut that we booked was a two-storey unit. And the day we booked, the top unit was also occupied. Since the hut was made from wooden materials (which means the top unit’s floor is thin), we can hear almost every murmur and step. And sadly in the middle of the night, the people renting the top unit had a fight. So, our sleep was disturbed by their argument.
As expected, we overslept and had not much time to explore the next morning. So, we just had breakfast.
Like dinner, our breakfast was also served in our balcony. We had chicken adobo and longganisa. The way the egg was cooked was a lovely touch. And the fresh fruits are really delicious.
The meal was so hearty and we were really full afterwards. A serving of tea was nice.
Overall, our stay was relaxing, Narra Hill is really zen, except for the noisy neighbors part. The staff were apologetic about it. A tip is to go for the other huts, which may be more private than the one we booked. Or check if the top unit is booked.
If you’re thinking of booking it, here are the pros and cons based on our experience.
Pros:
- ultra-friendly staff and owner
- picturesque and relaxing view
- good food, especially the breakfast
- swimming pool
- lets you disconnect
Cons:
- hut that we rented had two units, which brings possibility of having a noisy neighbor
- not much to do, it’s really only for relaxing
- a bit pricey
If you’re on a tight budget or someone who is looking for an active night life, then it’s best that you look elsewhere. If you just want to chill, take a break from your usual busy lifestyle, want to relax, and have an amazing view to pair it with, then go ahead and give this private hut in Tagaytay a try!
Disclosure: We paid for our stay. I wrote this post based on my own experience, opinions, and biases.
What’s your go-to escape outside but still near Metro Manila?
