The Travel Mart! || The Scrambled Geek

Read more of my adventure here~

A Perfect Weekend Getaway: Hill Creek Gardens, Tagaytay

Hill Creek Gardens

Tagaytay has always been my family’s favorite vacation spot because of its climate and its distance from Manila. Given that, I have been used with the beautiful scenery that the place offers so it is not anymore exciting for me when my mom tells us that we are going to Tagaytay. But last weekend I have been able to see and experience something more in our favorite vacation spot because we have checked-in at one of the best places in the area to unwind and relax, Hill Creek Gardens Tagaytay.

Hill Creek Gardens is strategically located at the boundary of Tagaytay City and the town of Alfonso, Cavite. Before, it is just a private family land with a vast coffee farm but now it had became a popular venue for weddings because of its exclusive and luxurious setting. Hill Creek Gardens has a mix of countryside and modern vibes, which makes it unique from other destinations.

Upon entering, we were already greeted by the lush gardens of Hill Creek! A long bridge is also visible from the gate, which, according to my mom, is the original one that the family has been using way before the land has been opened to the public.

As mentioned, the Hill Creek Gardens is a famous wedding venue so I was not surprised that a bridal car is parked in front of the hotel. Being a sucker for cute cars sometimes, I immediately asked my mom to take a picture of me together with the mini cooper.

Most of the furnishings of Hill Creek Gardens were made by Nest Furniture Design headed by Mr. Anton Barretto and I am proud to say that my mom was part of his team because it is evident that these furnishings added more luxury and elegance to the hotel. Hill Creek Gardens has an array of rooms to choose from but our family decided to have one of the spacious premiere rooms offered. The premiere room has offered us an excellent view of the pool, two queen sized beds, a 42-inch flat screen TV with cable, a minibar, a tea/coffee making space, an iPhone Dock, a hot and cold rain shower, and a complete set of bathroom amenities.  

The Premium Room

The view from our room

My little brother and I are huge fans of pools and beaches so even if the climate in Tagaytay is slightly lower than that of Manila’s, we still hit the pool immediately after checking in. Luckily, the sun was shining brightly while we were swimming so we have been able to enjoy our dip in the pool.

After dipping in the pool, we tried some of the meals offered by Hill Creek’s restaurant, namely: Caesar salad with bacon bits and anchovies, Chop suey, Buffalo wings, Sinigang, and Carbonara. Mind you, the service is as excellent as the food!

               

It was about twilight when we decided to leave Hill Creek and go to Sky Ranch, which is just a ten-minute drive away. Sky Ranch is one of the places that offer an excellent view of the Taal Lake plus it also offers a lot of different rides and activities for kids and kids at heart.

Sunset at the Sky Ranch

We were given complimentary breakfast vouchers to be consumed on the second day of our stay, so we did. My dad, mom and elder brother ordered the Filipino-style breakfast with brewed coffee straight from Hill Creek’s coffee farm; while my little brother and I decided to have the American-style breakfast with cold milk. For dessert we were all given fresh pineapple slices with cream, maple and chocolate syrup as its sauce. Unfortunately, I was unable to take pictures of our breakfast because I was so famished and forgot my iPad in our room.

After breakfast, my elder brother, dad and I decided to explore the vast area of Hill Creek Gardens. We have discovered several places like the greenhouse near the pool and the coffee plantation near the greenhouse. Also, the Hill Creek Gardens has facilities for relaxation like the Jacuzzi, Sauna bath, and Salon.

After our walk, I can really say that the Hill Creek Gardens is truly one of the best places to exchange vows with your significant other because of the different events places that the place offers, some of those are The Pavilion, The Courtyard, The Anahaw, the Chapel and the Garden.

     

We might have stayed at the Hill Creek Gardens for just a short while but it was relaxing and fun nonetheless. I encourage all of you to stay at this place once you decide to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. I guarantee you that every single dime that you will spend here would be worth it!

For more information:

EchoTourism || First ACLE Ever~

Courtesy of Angela Rivera, member of UP EcoTour

Last week added up to my list of stressful hell weeks, due to the intensity of the Economics exam (if you are reading this and you are one of the poor unfortunate souls who took the exam, can I get an Amen???? ). Luckily, the day of the exam fell on ACLE (Alternative Classroom Learning Experience) day. It's kind of like a day filled with random events around the UP Diliman Campus, and most of these events center around learning something that is somehow beyond what subjects or course you are currently taking. I've never tried attending an ACLE before, so I decided to give it a try since I had nothing else better to do. Plus, they were offering free J. Co donuts to the first twenty registrants, so I had to go! 

The speaker for this event was Ivan Henares, who was not just a professor, but also a travel blogger/writer. It was the first time I met him, and I've been dying to know what he's like. So I'm glad that I went and listened to his inspiring lecture. Up till now his words still echo (hahaha, pun not intended) in my head. Basically he was sharing his adventures and experiences and he was also encouraging all of us to try looking beyond our college, By doing this, we have to expand our experiences by also implementing projects that can also benefit other communities that deserve not only recognition, but also other basic needs. His lecture was very fascinating and I learned a lot from him. 

Afterwards, we had a game. It was basically pass the message and our team failed miserably. But I didn't mind because I had a free J.CO donut whilst watching The Lorax! Now that's great way to treat yourself after a very stressful exam... even though the film had some economic-related terms. 

Till the next post~

More from

The Scrambled Geek || 10 Random Anime Cliches

Tama Travels || The Cordillera Menu... 

The Soft-Boiled Lifestyle || Let's Review! Bloom's 7-Piece Brush Set