Venue-hunting in Tagaytay (Part 3)

I went to Tagaytay again last weekend for my last batch of oculars. This time, our stops were Gourmet's Cafe, Balay Indang, Hacienda Isabella and Sonya's Garden.

We got to Gourmet's cafe at 11:30am and Maricris was there to answer our inquiries. Their garden was very simple, but looked pretty good in the pictures when it was all set up. I was a bit surprised though with the prices of their menus, because it was almost equivalent to having a hotel reception! I mean, their set meals start at P1500++, so try to imagine how much their buffet costs. Of course, I understand that they have really good food....But I guess, I'll have to settle with just having lunch or dinner with Danz there someday. I just have to say that Maricris was really easy to talk to...she even offered to give us some lettuce from their garden!

We had a quick lunch then proceeded to Balay Indang. Getting there was pretty easy, but it was still a good 15 minute drive from the main highway before we arrived. Although I was told that the place is 2 hectares, I was still surprised at how big it was. There was ample parking space, a big sprawling garden, a guest houst with three rooms, quaint little cottages, a swimming pool, a pavillion and the house of the owner. I really liked the feel of the whole place. Though the garden was huge, I could still feel a sense of intimacy with the place, if you know what I mean. So I am definitely keeping my eye on this.

We then headed to Hacienda Isabella. Even though we had a map on how to get there, we still had to stop twice to ask for directions. It was also our fault I suppose, because there was a huge "Hacienda Isabella" sign that we didn't see. But when we got there, it was all worth it because I loved the place.....it had a big garden (which could fit over 500 pax) and the house was beautiful. The rooms had this rustic feel to them, and the furniture were all very tasteful. But at P1300 per head, it was still way over our budget. It also seemed to lack the kind of intimacy I wanted, which I just couldn't quite explain. If I had the money (and if the place were easier to find), this would definitely have been my first choice.

Our final stop was at Sonya's Bed and Breakfast. I had never been here even though this has long been a popular stop in Tagaytay. I was really surprised because I didn't expect to see so many people there (although it was understandable because there was a birthday party that day). I asked if the number of people there was normal, and I was told that had I been there two hours earlier, there would have been even more people. We waited for at least 30 minutes before speaking to Gerlie, because there was another couple who was fixing the details of their wedding (and the mother of the bride was there - and you know how mothers can be, hehe). I checked out the Greenhouse while waiting and also bought some pandesal and chocolate cupcakes from the panederia. The garden was probably the nicest one I had been to in Tagaytay. Of course, there's always a "but"...and that is, their menu. Personally, salad and pasta is not a problem for me, but I don't want my guests to go hungry! They do however, allow you to bring outside food at a fee of P1000 per dish.

I was pretty satisfied with our trip, and I went home with my shortlist of venues: Balay Indang, Nurture Spa and Sonya's Garden (but this was later on crossed off the list by my fiance, who refuses to eat salad and pasta for our wedding). So now its time to decide....will it be Balay Indang or Nurture Spa?