He wanted it to be cozy, earth-owned, eclectic and at the same time have a vintage Filipino ambience. Out of his natural artistic skills and resourcefulness, Boots made use of papier mache figures called taka, which are famous in Laguna, as decor on tabletops and all around the compound. He and his friends also bought an old house in Quezon and dismantled it piece by piece, and use the antique items — doors, windows, wooden beams, and old flat irons — to give character to the bedroom in Casa San Pablo. Also in the rooms are Boots’ painting collection from different artists, his toy car collection, and “junk art” pieces. Aside from trying to make the guests feel at home, they also want to give them a unique experience at Casa San Pablo, Laguna. It’s a place that’s just full of creativity.

Looking around Casa San Pablo’s sprawling green lawns, one couldn’t help but admire the pine trees that looked like they came straight from Baguio. The wide-open spaces are great for picnics or just laying a mat at night and stargazing. They also have hiking and trekking activities at Mt. Banahaw and a tour to Sampaloc Lake arranged. A meeting hall for company team building or brainstorming sessions is also available for rent. And at the end of the compound, within walking distance from Casa San Pablo, is San Roque Church, which could be perfect for weddings. Boots also organizes acoustic concerts here from time to time. As for he food, it is served buffet style at the dining hall. We’re talking traditional, delicious home-cooked meals here, and would you believe that Boots is the one who cooks them?

But what is much better at Casa San Pablo in Laguna are the hammocks. Once you lie there, you won’t even notice yourself falling sleep until someone wakes you up. The peace and fresh air in the green surroundings, the wonderful art, and the warm welcome of the people in Casa San Pablo makes it one of the best places to see in Laguna, Philippines.

Casa San Pablo is located at Gomez Compound, Barangay San Roque, San Pablo City, Laguna.

Get a good sweat and heat up your body for the rainy days. Regularly sweating by going to a sauna will cleanse and release the toxins in your body. The wormwood sauna in Lasema Spa contains an essence oil known to emit calcium, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic. This helps prevent and cure skin allergies, is good for stomach problems, and prevents flu and ashthma.

The Chungito sauna, on the other hand, has energy mineral mud that relaxes, and has a mild coffee taste, flowery scent, and transfers energy to the body. The precious stones and rocks used here are also said to have healing powers. The Hinoki room, popularized by the old Japanese dynasty for bathing, uses an antifungual plant that strengthens natural immunity and aids in curing skin diseases.

Inside Lasema Spa you will also find a snack bar, heated floors, wide screen TVs, and an internet cafe. The Jacuzzis here have different variants — green tea, ginseng, and other regular Jacuzzi bath. Green tea may help prevent cancer, suppresses aging, prevents hair loss, tooth decay, food poisoning, and reduces cholesterol levels. Ginseng uplifts, and may also help prevent and cure cancer.

Indulge yourself with Lasema Spa’s massage that truly relax your mind and body, and body scrubs that slough off dead skin and restore vitality. As you enter that massage room, you’ll be greeted with delightful scents, soft music , and warm smiles. The Swedish massage (Php 600) uses a light touch but the long and circular strokes also stimulate blood and oxygen flow throughout the body.

Lasema Spa also offers reflexology foot massage (Php 400), which involves putting pressure on certain areas of the feet with the use of the thumb. The massage lounge has a calm and relaxing ambience where you get an hour’s worth of having your feet gently and soothingly massaged.

Lasema Spa is located inside the Makati Golf Club at 7232 Malugay St. Brgy Bel Air, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

The Boutique, Tagaytay is a two-storey hotel that aims to pamper their guests through creative service. The staff prepares an all-day breakfast menu to be served in bed for two. A selection of body treats from the homemade Pamper Me line to the pillow menu that includes goose down and microfiber pillows are made available for your comfort. King-size beds with soft feather covers and white percale in 300 thread count linens are all set up for a sound sleep. Wi-fi internet access, wall-mounted LCD TVs, iPod-ready speakers and docks, and movies from the DVD library are all ready to be used for your delight.

Not to mention the exhilarating view of Taal Volcano, the fresh and cool weather of Tagaytay, the peaceful environment of the city, and heartwarming smiles and helping hands of the keepers — all these help to make your stay in The Boutique a truly unforgettable one.

What makes The Boutique unique are the seven cozy rooms which all have interesting names. I Lust is the presidential suite with a private terrace and separate bath. I Dare, I Desire, and I Dream are located at the second floor and all have their own terraces. On the ground, are I Love, I Surrender, and I Escape with the first two having their own patios.

Aside from the all-day-breakfast-in-bed service, you will also enjoy the dining at The Boutique’s The Original Hawaiian Bar-B-Que Tagaytay. Get started with mouthwatering appetizers like Island Style Shrimp in Coconut (crispy shrimp in fresh coconut shreds, served with The Boutique’s own pink guava sauce), Garlic Mussels in a Bamboo Trunk (marinated fresh mussels grilled in a bamboo trunk and served on a sizzling plate), and Taal’s Own (spicy, deep-fried tawilis).

As for the specialties, The Boutique Tagaytay boasts of their BBQ platter, a hearty combo of 2 large shrimp and 2 skewers each of pork, chicken, and fish barbeque, pork belly, barbeque mussels, and grilled pineapple and oranges. Another sumptuous meal is the South Pacific Fish BBQ, char-grilled blue marlin marinated in blend of lemon, tarragon, and rosemary. Also check out their Waikiki Honey Mustard Ribs, Sun-Ripened Mango Chicken BBQ, Lualla Ribs, The Island’s Best BBQ Beef Ribs, Lychee Pork BBQ and many others.

Among the island favorites, try the Hawaiian style of Bulalo Steak — marinated in secret Hawaiian spices and roasted overnight. The Boutique hotel has its own version of Hawaii 5-O. This is a whole chicken marinated overnight in an earthen jar and slow-grilled to perfection. Other courses include Simply Chicken Coco, the Chef favorite; Loco Moco, a local island classic where two fried eggs are piled on top of two hamburgers, all smothered in brown gravy; and don’t forget their Kalla’s Roasted Pork Belly and Lakaina’s Famous Beef Stew.

The Boutique Bed and Breakfast is located at 45 Aguinaldi Hi-Way, Silang Crossing East, Tagaytay City 4120.

Expect the flavors of curry, coconut milk, peanuts, and tons of chili! No need to worry about burning your tongue, though. Spiciness of dishes are on a requests-basis.

A delight for curry lovers are the various curry dishes on their menu — red curry, yellow curry, green curry, you name, they have, and they have it good! A word of advice, however. Order plain rice since Malaysian food is very rich and full of different melding flavors. It can overwhelm the palette if you top all these interesting dishes with fried rice. If you like your food hot and spicy, pair it up with a bottomless iced tea.

Chefs at Banana Leaf Curry House are trained in Hong Kong and Malaysia so food is as authentic as you can get for the price you pay. Five hundred bucks is enough for a family of four. If you’re a beginner in Asian cuisine, we suggest the Chicken Satay and the Roti Canai — an original Indial dish cooked like crepes, it is fluffy and flaky, like pancakes and croissants combined. It is dipped in an excellent curry sauce. Follow with the Char-grilled Sate Shortribs Madura and the Hainanese Chicken. Also try Penang Char Kway Teow, made of stiff fried rice noodles with shrimps, bean sprouts, green chives, and egg. This combination may send you boarding the next plane to Malaysia!

Bamboo and rough cement finish are the basic decorating elements of the resto Banana Leaf Curry. Not exactly Indo-Malay in theme, but then, people don’t come for the decor. Service is excellent, attendants are prompt.

Banana Leaf and Curry satisfies the appetites of both cuisine conservatives and culinary daredevils. The food may be different, but it’s good, with enough selection that the kids will love, a perfect intro to more exotic food. They’ll also get a kick out of their food being served on banana leaves instead of plates. and since it’s at the heart of an upscale mall (Greenbelt, Powerplant, The Block, or The Podium), it adds points for accessibility as well.

The moment is tranquil, the sea calm, the sky a beautiful combination of violet and orange. Few people were at the shore and even fewer were in the water. I stared at the horizon, not wanting to blink and miss a second of that rare opportunity. Living and working in the city, watching the sunset was like rediscovering the amazing creation of God, reviewing all His wonders, and experiencing His power in a very big way. Then I realized that sometimes you have to rediscover things in life to know their worth.

Matabungkay Beach Resort and Hotel is the newly renovated famous Matabungkay Beach in the ’80s. Back then, it was the only resort located at the heart of Lian, Batangas. Now if you can pay this place a visit this summer, you’ll never go wrong. Aside from the award-winning beach resort, Matabungkay also takes pride in their accommodations, facilities, and other services.

Boasting of 57 combinations of superior executive rooms, 12 suites, and 16 villas, all are fully air-conditioned with private baths and verandas. For corporate events, weddings, and special functions, this place can hold up to 500 persons at any given time. As for the food, they serve Filipino as well as international cuisine at Cafe Caballero. But if you’re craving for fresh char-grilled seafood and sumptuous salads, you can head directly to Camachile Bar and Grill. For a taste of local as well as international concoctions, Cogon Bar is the place to go.

To complete your summer getaway at Matabungkay Beach Resort and Hotel, visit The Wave music lounge and experience live entertainment every weekend. For sports buffs, scuba diving, kayaking, rafting, fishing, and snorkeling facilities are all available, but if you’re looking for more adventure, special trekking and boat trips can be set up to your liking, too. Team-building activities also have its place here — they offer ropes courses at the Center for Outdoor Recreation and Education (CORE).

Aside from the beautiful beach, Matabungkay also has swimming pools for children and adults. Other amenities include a basketball court, billiard tables, lawn and table tennis courts, a beach volleyball court, an indoor kiddie corner and a giant chessboard. At the end of a tiring but happy day, rejuvenate your spirits with a soothing massage at the Floating Spa and feel beautiful at the Aqua Salon. Most importantly, you can feel secure and looked after with a 24-hour security and a medical clinic. Transportation services are also workable.

But then more, more than the modern amenities made available at this resort, the magic of Matabungkay lies in the warmth of the people, its white sand beaches, and marvelous sunsets.

There are more beaches to explore in Batangas, in the Philippines, and all over the world. Too lazy to check them out one by one? Check out this free tool that allows you to search multiple hotel reservation websites.

Matabungkay Beach Resort and Hotel Location Address:
Brgy. Matabungkay, Lian, Batangas
www.matabungkay.net