When in Tagaytay: Nostalgic in Taal Vista Hotel

Tagaytay. When was your first visit? I remember mine. It was way back in the early 80s. Along with a bunch of Mapua architecture class students on a field trip to check out an example of a gabled-roof structure — the 1939-built Taal Vista Lodge standing along a ridge. At it’s backyard was a breathtaking scene of the town’s most notable figures, the Taal Lake and the Taal Vista Volcano. 

Standing on the same spot more than four decades after, I can’t help but relive the first moment I saw the structure, the lake and the volcano. It was as breathtaking today as it was on the day I first caught sight of it. 

At 85 years old, Taal Vista Hotel has weathered conflict and volcanic tantrums, gone through improvements, hosted dignitaries, Generation X, Y, Z, Baby Boomers to today’s Millennials, its popularity transcends age. Perhaps the postcard-perfect view of the Taal Lake and Volcano is captured, as number one on the list. Add to it, the palate pleasers of the hotel’s food list that grows in following through the years. But never forget the power of nostalgia. Good memories will create loyalty. 

Taal Vista is evolving with the times and expanding. Today, it’s a premier MICE destination in Tagaytay where delegates mingle with families on holiday under the gable roof of the original inn. 

Staycations were unheard of back in the days but Taal Vista may have been host to many of them, most especially the addition of the Mountain Wing in 2004. Detached from the main building, surrounded with greenery, and a new pool, its seclusion from the busier zone was a charm, an element many guests still adore to this day.

Although the Mountain Wing has become a favorite among loyalists because of the privacy it extends, and its easy access to leisure amenities, the Lake Wing Room, added in 2008, is truly a delight. I was lucky to stay in one of the rooms that frames in its picture window a breathtaking panorama of the iconic peak, lake and ridge from dusk till dawn. The room’s balcony, which also overlooks the “celebrated backyard,” makes for an ideal hangout place for a good breakfast or cocktails at sunset. Tempting as it may be to just stay within the comforts of the room, the pleasant weather makes outdoor activities an inviting one— a leisurely walk around the hotel grounds or perhaps a quick dip at the pool? Enjoy high tea or the Halo-Halo at the terrace, then come dinner time, have a grilled feast along the ridge at ALTA. As the day ends the breeze gets cooler and the icons get draped in the warm glow of sunset.

How about winding down by the fireplace at the Lobby Lounge where ebony and ivory keys weave the sweetest tunes. Before calling it a day, head to Rain, The Spa for a relaxing massage, it’s a first class ticket in slumberland. 

Undeniably, today’s Tagaytay has become a food destination as well. In this foodies’ paradise, Executive Chef Jayme Natividad makes sure to please the regular and newcomers' palates within his zone, rubbing out their itch to stray far from his kitchen. He cooks a mean Bulalo and makes sure the Tawilis is on the menu when in season. But he also whips up delectable dishes unique to Taal Vista at Veranda, where the menu’s Heirloom Section lists well-loved traditional Filipino dishes. At the specialty restaurant, Taza Fresh Table, is where international cuisine is prepared with ingredients as organic as possible.

Don’t you think it’s time to relive your own fond memories of Taal Vista soon? The place may have undergone changes, but the feeling will remain the same.