Tagaytay has always been our favorite quick and convenient getaway because it’s very close to Manila and there are endless things to do. I’ve always wanted to try Taal Vista Hotel because of its spectacular Taal Volcano view but only got the chance during our recent vacation in PH. I can honestly say that it’s totally worth squeezing in our super tight schedule.

Not only does Taal Vista boasts its prime Tagaytay location but it’s also steep in history. The hotel opened in October 1939, back then it was named as Taal Vista Lodge, which was designed by Andres Luna de San Pedro who happened to be Juan Luna’s son. It definitely stood the test of time having been witnessed our country’s significant events right before World War II started.

Breakfast

I don’t normally feature breakfast first in hotel blogs but can I just say that I’m too excited to rave about this because I think Taal Vista Hotel has the best breakfast buffet in the Philippines. It’s basically a balance of quality and quantity because there is a wide selection of food while maintaining it’s excellent taste. To my surprise, they serve authentic taho and my favorite champorado and I couldn’t be happier.

While having breakfast, we were lucky to catch Tudor the Bear and the kids had so much fun interacting with the hotel’s well-loved mascot who stayed quite a while to make sure everyone was entertained and had enough photo op.

Taza Fresh Table

Taal Vista Hotel has its famed restaurant, Taza, which in Arabic means fresh. It had definitely lived to its name for serving delicious food from natural ingredients and fresh produce. We’re glad we didn’t have to leave the hotel to celebrate my husband’s birthday.

We ordered grilled turmeric chicken, truffle mushroom flat bread, prawns and squid ink pasta and Caesar salad — these were great, but that one dish which became everyone’s favourite is the tomahawk pork chop (photo above) with caramelized onions and bananas, salsa verde and pork jus. I highly recommend this locally sourced dish.

For the dessert, we tried the molten chocolate cake (with Alfonso table and Pato queso de bola ice cream). It was soooo good, I would give it a 10/10 for not being too sweet yet having the perfect combination of chocolate and cheese ice cream. We’d definitely come back to Taza for this.

Best View of Taal

Can one ever get tired of seeing the beauty of Taal? Luckily, Taal Vista effortlessly has a perfect view of it. You’ll get this scenic sight just in front of Taza and enjoy the breezy winds while having the best Instagram worthy angle of the famed stratovolcano.

Room Rates

We booked Superior King room directly at the hotel’s website for P7,200 which includes breakfast for 2 adults (it was peak season back then but rates can go as low as 6,750 especially towards end of the year) and were eventually upgraded to classic and stylish Deluxe King room.

Sky Ranch

If you ask me, Taal Vista’s ultimate advantages would be its sumptuous breakfast and close proximity to Sky Ranch. Right after dinner, we walked straight there to enjoy some rides and games (entrance can be bought at the hotel as well, while tickets for rides games can be purchased separately at Sky Ranch). I love that it’s a stone throw away from the hotel, which means you get to skip the dreadful Tagaytay traffic.

My honest hotel verdict: Taal Vista Hotel is not just worth trying but absolutely worth coming back. It’s a shame I had to wait this long to try Taal Vista because it’s perfect venue for a fuss-free family trip. Looking back, I was always hesitant to book this hotel thinking it’s relatively pricey, but now that I think about it, the quality and quantity of breakfast served, amazing view, amenities and prime location definitely justifies it all.