Our Weekend Family Getaway via HomeAway

Tagaytay is a known place for Manilenos who are seeking for a quick escape from the busy city. Aside from the cool breeze and family-oriented spots you'll experience there, Tagaytay has become a food haven over the past years. Having said that, it's no wonder why the town has a lot of hotels and condos standing and being constructed around it due to its popularity to locals and foreign tourists.

I wanted to treat my family with an out of town trip and Tagaytay would be the best option for a weekend getaway. Now, the next thing would be, where will be staying? A five-star hotel would costs me a lot and merely out of my league. I simply don't want to put all my cash on accommodation for our trip. However, I maybe on a tight budget but I would still like my family to experience a fancy abode. It's really hard to find a place that is affordable and packed with amenities... luckily, I discovered HomeAway which has given me a discount with our booking.

The Rental Space

With HomeAway, I was able to find a place that is just right on my budget without compensating the quality of the place. Click the [link] to see the actual place I booked at HomeAway.

One of the room

Our family stayed at Cityland Tagaytay Prime Residences. It is a two-bedroom condominium with a retro inspired interiors. The room can accommodate a maximum of 6 which is ideal for a big family. Both rooms are fully air-conditioned. The master's bedroom has its own bathroom and shower room. Aside from that, it also has a walking closet which is amazing!

Master's Bedroom

Way to the walking closet/2nd bath and shower room

My nephew and niece really love the place. It is still spacious even we reached the max number of its occupants (which is 6). They were able to run and play around which is just nice to watch. The adults also had a nice time cooking and sitting while watching tv and surfing the net. Yes! This place has its own network connection which is a plus for tech-savvy guests.

Amenities

Some of the amenities are already mentioned above -- rooms that are fully airconditioned, has its own shower and bath rooms, a walking closet and has its own internet connection. But aside from that, it has another bathroom and shower room, LED television installed with cable, and a kitchen with basic cooking tools and appliances.

The living room

If you want to cook your meals... just go with it

The kitchen is installed with exhaust

Other than the room amenities, Cityland also has its playground and pool which is open and free of use for all its guests. There's also a convenient store which is open 24 hours just right in front of the building.

Location

Cityland Tagaytay Prime Residences isn't hard to locate. It is a well known place in Tagaytay and plotted to mobile applications such as Waze and Google Maps.

Another factor why we booked this place is because it is located in the center of the town so guaranteed that you're accessible to almost all of the popular sites in tagaytay -- Picnic Grove, Our Lady of Manaoag Church, People's Park in the Sky, Sky Ranch and such.

Experience

Overall, me and my family had a great weekend vacation and it was indeed relaxing. The place we stayed at relieved our stress we acquired from work. I'm so glad that I got to discover HomeAway. Booking was easy and specially, safe. Surely, this is not the last time that I will booked a place through HomeAway.

HomeAway Ph website: http://www.homeaway.com.ph
Hotel we booked: http://www.homeaway.com.ph/vacation-rentals/philippines/calabarzon/tagaytay/tm-Bq7Ij1yDyf6

Accommodation in Gigantes Island: Rosewood Place Resort

If you have read my blog post about our island hopping tour at Islas de Gigantes (also called as Gigantes Islands) then you're probably wondering where did we stayed during our tour. Well, the title says it all. Our group stayed at Rosewood Place Resort found at Gigantes North.

Note: If you are looking for a grand resort with generator, hot and cold shower, or cable-installed television on your room then I would say that this is not the resort for you.

I would describe Rosewood Place as a plain and simple resort. Our stay here will gaves me peace of mind and somehow feels like living to basics again. I added the term "somehow" because although the rooms are air-conditioned and has faucet with unlimited water supply, Rosewood Place has limited access in terms of mobile and internet signals. There is no television on rooms. And lastly, it does not have generator which means there is no electricity from 6am to 6pm (which is implemented in the entire island).

Wait! Please don't be discourage because of the simple things I mentioned above. The resort may not have the luxury of signal but it is located in the beach front. You're there to relax so maximize it and let go of your gadgets. It may not have electricity during day time but who cares? Go out there and explore Gigantes! And instead of contemplating on your room because it has no television, why not take it as an opportunity to bond with your travel buddies? But above all, Rosewood Place serves GREAT FOOD and my friends can attest to that!

The Rooms

I find the rooms at Rosewood Place Resort affordable. Their non air-conditioned room ranges from 600 Pesos (good for 2 pax) to 1,750 Pesos (good for 7 pax). As for the air-conditioned rooms they have 1500 Pesos room which can accommodate 4 persons and 2,500 Pesos room for 7 persons.

Non Air-condition room for 4 pax 

Air Conditioned rooms for 4 pax

We were 9 in the group and wanted to stayed in one room so we asked if we could all stay on their 7 pax air-conditioned room and just add extra beds. They agreed to our request and charged us 3,000 Pesos per night. Although we were 9 and occupying their 7-pax room, I still find it big as if it can still hold up to 11 persons. We didn't have a problem with the ventilation and air conditioning.

Typical room vibe at Rosewood Place Resort

They can also provide electric fan for air condition rooms 

Simple yet clean bathroom

** Note: Room rates vary depending on the season

Amenities 

Well there's nothing much I can say under this section. Like what I stated above, the resort is simple. It has an average comfort rooms, a small dining place where the only television in this resort is located, and a couple of nipa huts where you can hangout with your travel buddies. But the thing you'll love the most about the resort is, it is a beach front hotel. Meaning, you have an unlimited access to the beach to enjoy it.

It is just a few roll away from the beach! 

Staying here

And oh! Before I forgot, you can also rent a videoke machine. Just take note that you can only use it until 10pm. Remember, you're not the only guest in the resort and they might be resting by that time.

Others 

Rosewood offers a lot in terms of packages that can ease up your trip to Gigantes Islands. We got our island hopping tour to them at the price of 7,500 Pesos which includes: 2-way transfer on Estancia Port to Gigantes North (where the resort is located) plus 1-day island hopping tour. Incase we decided to only avail their island hopping tour it would have only costs us 2,500 Pesos. The tour packages I mentioned here are for 15 pax and below. They have tour packages up to 30 pax.

You can also arrange your meals at Rosewood Place. Food here are ordered and priced by kilos. During our visit, all seafood dishes are at 250 Pesos per kilo while meats are at 350 Pesos per kilo. The said price includes cooking fee. They will also suggest what they can do to your order. But if you have something else on your mind, you can request it to them but bare in mind that they might not be able to do it due to limited access on ingredients.

These are just some of the food we had during our stay at Rosewood Place Resort: Steamed crab, buttered scallops, grilled fish (yellow fin), adobong pusit, tinolang manok and grilled liempo. And we really had a blast every time we finished our meals!

Verdict

I really had a nice stay at Rosewood Place Resort. It was relaxing and and I felt the province-vibe I am looking for every time I travel to a place like this. Facilities are something that can be worked on but its not of a big deal (for me). Specially when 70-80% of our time is, we're out exploring its neighbouring islands. They also offer low-cost accommodations and tours which are perfect for groups who are budget conscious.

We also don't have any problem with the staff of the resort as well as with the tour guides they provided. Socializing with them was never an issue. Everyone was friendly, honest and warm. Lastly, we felt secured the whole time we were there -- from the time they fetched us at Estancia Port until they accompanied us back to the port. And again, they serve great food!

Photo Op with Nanay :)

For inquiries and reservations, you may contact Rosewood Place Resort at: 0907 955 1099 and 0910 710 1595

Breakdown of Expenses:
Estancia port to North Gigantes (two-way) and Island Hopping - 7,500 Pesos (good for 9 pax)
Food - **.**
Accommodation - 3,000 Pesos (good for 9 pax)
Videoke - 150 Peos per hour
Environmental fee at Estancia Port - 5 Pesos per pax
Environmental fee at Gigantes North 150 Pesos per pax

Sibadan Fish Cage of Port Lamon, Hinatuan - Surigao del Sur

After a long drive from Butuan City to Hinatuan and by that I mean 4 hours straight drive, my friend, Byron, and I were searching for an accommodation/hotel to settle for an overnight stay. During that time, we have 2 factors that we need to consider in a hotel we're looking for. What are they? First, it should be affordable and cheap. We were only two in this Surigao del Sur trip and having a fancy hotel was too costly for backpackers like us. Second, it should be near the Enchanted River. In our itinerary, we planned to spend the next day at Enchanted River. Therefore, we need an accommodation that is near the place to save time in terms of travelling. So what we did were to ask the locals of Hinatuan for some advice. We told them the 2 factors I stated above and they recommended us to try out Sibadan Fish Cage.

Sibadan Fish Cage is a popular side trip in Hinatuan. Simply because it is near the Enchanted River. It is reputed as a floating restaurant in Port Lamon Bay that serves fresh seafood dishes to their customers but what we didn't know is that they also offer lodging rooms. As we heard that from the locals, we finally decided to go to Sibadan Fish Cage and spent the first night of our Surigao del Sur visit there.

The equation: 3 Persons + 1 motorcycle + baggage + rough road + 12KM = a worth it ride

How to get there?
From Bancasi Airport, ride a jeepney going to Langihan Premium Terminal. As you arrive at the terminal, look for the bus with a signboard of Mangagoy. Travel time is about 4 to 5 hours which costs 210 pesos. There are also vans available there that offer cheaper transfer. We avail the van instead of taking a bus and bargain its price with the van conductor. At the end, it only costs us 180 pesos going to Hinatuan. Just give your driver a heads up that you are going to Enchanted River. You will be dropped at the crossing going to Enchanted River where you will be renting a habal-habal (a motorcycle). It is the only public transportation going to Enchanted River so don't be picky. Habal-Habal rental costs 200 pesos/motorcycle. It is a 12km bumpy ride so be prepared and just enjoy the view going there. It is also a perfect time to ask question from your Habal-habal driver the must visit places in Hinatuan. From our talked with our driver, he told us that we can have island hopping at Port Lamon Bay. So we have an addition to our itinerary the next day. From Enchanted River, ride a pump boat going to Sibadan Fish Cage. The fare is 160 pesos per hour/boat.

Sibadan Fish Cage of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur

The location of Sibadan Fish Cage is in the middle of Port Lamon Bay so expect poor signal during your stay. Going back... As we land at Sibadan, we were approached by a smiling attendant. We ask for lodging and she gave us a tour and show us their rooms. Their rooms are really cheap. We got a room that is good for two for only 300 pesos. Though it is a fan room without a personal comfort room, we still find it fair enough on the money we spent and it's spacious for two people. By the way, there is a 5 Php entrance fee for non-lodging visitors.

Docking area of Sibadan Fish Cage

After putting our things in the room, it's time to check the place and have some chill time. We found Sibadan Fish Cage a plain and a simple place. It is a resort made of kawayan and woods in the middle of the bay. Fresh air and away from city noise. Perfect place for relaxation. Just imagine during a night stay here.

More rooms...

At the center of Sibadan lies a large pond/aquarium. The only amenities of this place that I could think of are fishing and snorkeling. Customers may do fishing and snorkeling to get their freshly sea creature cooked by the staff of Sibadan. Price of the catch will be determined by weighing in all the catch of a certain customer. After the weigh in, the attendant will suggest you what kind of dish they can do with your catch. You may also ask them if you have something in mind. Cook charge is 30 Php per dish. Cheap isin't it? Alternative to fishing and snorkeling is buying seafood straight from them. Sibadan sells wide variety of seafood. Just pick and tell them what kind of dish do you want to do with it. Us, we just brought 1 kilo of "Kasag" (small crabs) for ONLY 50 pesos and 1/4 kilo of Dano fish for 120 pesos. We requested to make a sweet and spicy Kasag and "sinabawan" for the fish. There's also a sari-sari store in Sibadan which sells canned goods, mineral water, alcoholic beverages, etc...

Other visitors of Sibadan that day. Fishing time!

Our dinner. Yum!

The only con that I found on Sibadan was there bathing water. I believe it is also a beach water so your soap, shampoo, facial wash will not bubble as you take a bath. Hahahaha. Overall, our stay at Sibadan has been a great experience. Lodging in the middle of the bay is an experience I didn't imagine on this trip.

Breakdown of Expenses:
Bus (Butuan Terminal - Hinatuan, Enchanted River) - 180.00 PhP
Habal Habal (Crossing - Enchanted River) - 200.00 PhP / 2 = 100.00 PhP per pax
Pump Boat (Enchanted River - Sibadan Fish Cage) - 160.00 PhP per hour / 2 = 80.00 PhP per pax
Fan Room (good for 2) - 300.00 PhP / 2 = 150.00 PhP per pax
Kasag (crab) - 50.00 Php (1 kilo) /2 = 25.00 Php per pax
Mang Tomas Sauce = 45 PhP (1 bottle) / 2 = 22.50 PhP per pax
Dano (a fish name) - 120.00 Php (1/4 kilo) / 2 = 60.00 PhP per pax
Cooking charge - 30.00 PhP (for kasag and fish) / 2 = 15.00 PhP per pax
Service Charge - 48.00 PhP / 2 = 24.00 PhP per pax
Mineral water - 30.00 PhP (1 liter) x 2  = 60.00 PhP / 2 = 30.00 PhP per pax
Nescafe Coffee & Nestea Iced tea - 15.00 PhP each
Rice - 10.00 PhP
Hard boiled egg - 15.00 PhP