Perched atop a ridge overlooking the picturesque landscape of Taal Lake and Volcano, the cool-weathered city of Tagaytay in Cavite province is one of the quintessential getaways from Metro Manila. It’s only a two-hour drive away from the capital.
If you’re looking for a spacious vacation home to rent over a weekend — or longer — for family or a group of friends, I highly recommend Villa Nueva B&B, a two-bedroom vacation home tucked away in a quiet residential area of Barangay Mag-Asawang Ilat, Tagaytay City, where seminaries, retreat houses, events places and other vacation homes are situated. The property is pet-friendly, so you can bring your dogs and cats along with you. Marked by small fountain, the villa has a grassy front lawn with fruit trees and flowering plants, where kids and pets can play.
Built in 2007, the contemporary Filipino home furnished with antique parts and furniture sourced from the owner’s century-old ancestral house in Pasay City that was torn down 10 years ago. Among the salvaged hardwood pieces – which are lovingly labeled for curious guests – are the staircase, writing desks, cabinets, and bathroom fixtures.
Amenities
The vacation home has two air-conditioned bedrooms: a master bedroom with en suite toilet and shower good for two persons on the ground floor near the kitchen, and a larger upper-floor bedroom, also with en suite toilet and shower, with three double beds that can accommodate up to six more people. Towels and toiletries are provided.
The villa has free WiFi, however, the connection wasn’t strong during our stay. The router is located on the second-floor living area next to the internet TV, which streams Netflix. Next to the upper-floor sala is a lounge area, overlooking the first-floor dining area, with board games to keep guests entertained.
Room Rates
The entire two-bedroom house is rented out for as low as ₱7,509 on AirBnB with a maximum occupancy of eight persons. This rate, however, isn’t inclusive of breakfast.
Dining Options
The villa has a roomy kitchen where guests can cook their own meals. Among the kitchen appliances available are a refrigerator, gas stove, microwave, and air fryer. The accommodation’s hosts, Roch and Mark, can also prepare meals upon prior arrangement, or purchase groceries for you when they’re out on errands. A sari-sari store just across the street supplies basic goods like canned goods, eggs and uncooked rice. Another option is to have your food of choice delivered to the villa via Food Panda or GrabFood.
If you wish to dine out, there’s a cluster of hidden restaurants like Kuchero, Simple Place, and Aozora at the southern end of SVD Road, across Starbucks. You can take tricycle here (5 minutes, ₱50), or walk from your accommodation for 20 minutes.
How to Get There
By public transportation from Metro Manila, take a bus to Tagaytay City and alight along Emilio Aguinaldo highway across the corner of SVD Road (Landmark: Amira’s Buko Tart Haus), where there’s a tricycle terminal.
Using Google Maps or Waze to navigate, take a tricycle (₱50) to Villa Nueva B&B, passing by SVD Road then turning left into the access road with the Mag-asawang Ilat welcome arch.
