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Boutique Hotel Bed and Breakfast: Intimacy de luxe
This BnB, the first of its kind in the Philippines, is likewise intimately familiar with luxury. It offers visitors the luxury of choice in a lot of things. It doesn't just offer pillows for a major pillow fight, but it offers an entire "pillow menu" (goose down? microfiber? other materials?). In the Powder Room behind the front desk, it offers clients a wide selection of soaps to choose from (tea tree? mango butter? apricot scrub? melon mint? peppermint? rosemary? lavender?). Same with the choice of shampoo and conditioner (milk and honey? lavender? green apple? coco butter? aloe vera?), lotion (I got exhausted counting, but I counted three), and room scents (there are at least four aromatic options). All these products are from part-owner Happy Ongpauco's Pamper Me line of botanicals and bioessences. Of course, all this comes with other bathroom basics like toothbrush, toothpaste, bathroom slippers, and so on. There are seven rooms, which are not numbered but instead named after emotions in ascending order of intensity as you go from the ground floor to the second. Each room is unique, promising a one-of-a-kind setting. The "i escape," "i surrender," "i love," and "i dream" room are on the ground level, and the "i desire," "i dare," and i lust" are on the upper level. The "i escape" room is ground-level with no view, "i surrender" and "i love" are ground-level with patio. The "i dream," "i desire," and "i dare" rooms are second-level with private terrace, and "i lust" is an upper-level presidential suite with private terrace and a separate bathtub. The "boutique of emotions" concept by owners Melon Santiago, Allana Montelibano, and Ongpauco is inspired by the rise of boutique hotels in the major cities of the world. The BnB opened only on October 28, 2007, so the newness of the place is still evident. At the steps leading to the door, couples seeking deeper connection or reconnection are welcomed by a parade of potted plants that may look unprepossessing at first but, upon closer inspection, are an assortment of exotic spices: pink pepper tree, Pakistan cardamom, greater galangal, lesser galangal, curry tree, Indian cinnamon, lemon bay rum, kaffir lime, daun salam (Indian bay), lime mint, thyme, bay, Chinese chives, Indonesian cinnamon, penny royal, stevia, Greek oregano, rosemary, tarragon, grapefruit mint, pandan, lemongrass. This exuberance is, of course, meant to presage what is to come: the spice of dizzying choices that make life more fun and exciting. A lot of things here are king-sized and spotless it's a shame to leave the slightest splotch or stain. Jay Pabalan's architectural concept is a pleasant mix of subtle influences. The blinding whiteness is Greek-Mediterranean, made even more intense by sparkling chandeliers and reflecting mirrors. This contrasts sharply with the choice of brown hue, called wenge, based on the distinctive shade and grain of a dark tropical timber. The minimalistic lines and angles are reminiscent of Zen. The overall design by Chat Fores is modern and eclectic but without clutter. There are muted but noticeable Filipino touches, as in Budji Layug love seats and faux rattan chairs in the al fresco portion of the dining area. The fabrics chosen, all of fine quality, are in matching earth tones. We stayed in the "i love" and "i dream" rooms. The "i love" room is dominated by a king-size bed with a dark frame and sheer drapery. The room has a patio with the same pale-dark contrast. It has a screen door and a glass panel that looks out to a fabulous view of the mountains, and if you stand up, even the world's smallest volcano, the Taal Volcano. This may worry the couple who are concerned about privacy, but not to worry because there are drapes to do the job of keeping private matters private. This room is indulgent and prods the couple to explore themselves creatively. We inspected the rest of the rooms, and what we've seen was no less jaw-dropping. The gleaming white bathtub by the window in the presidential suite is easily on my "lust list." The "i dream" room – an all-white room – is reputed to have the nicest view because of its location. The Boutique Hotel Bed 'n Breakfast owners sure know that luxury comes with pampering. You are greeted with a personalized letter, a bowl of fresh fruits, and two glasses of water for a love pact. All room rates include a specially prepared (all-day) breakfast-for-two served in bed. The fare is preselected and preordered by guests. There is a complimentary facial cold stone massage (first come, first-served) good for two persons, and the aforementioned pillow menu and Pamper Me line bath selections. The bed has soft-feather cover and white percale in 300tc lines. There are also the following electronic amenities: free wi-fi wireless Internet access, wall-mounted Samsung flat-screen LCD TV, and i-Pod-ready speakers/docks. DVDs may be borrowed from their DVD library, board games from their entertainment library, and glossy magazine from their magazine stockpile. The front desk may be rung for free popcorn while watching. A nightcap of hot chocolate with marshmallows and churros is served upon bedtime. I decided to avail of the free massage by booking in advance. My tired body surrendered to the ministrations of Dorothy, my assigned in-house masseuse. The skin-to-skin contact between two total strangers seemed odd, but it didn't feel wrong. There's no ice-breaker needed. The gently-paced kneading and bending is all that's necessary. The BnB also knows that luxury means good food. The restaurant that serves the boutique hotel occupants is called The Original Hawaiian Bar-B-Q Grill, chef Happy Ongpauco's creation. It is the only reputable Hawaiian restaurant in town, correct me if I'm wrong. Expect here a relatively nouvelle cuisine with a volcanic explosion of such terms as lahaina, kahlua, kona, aloha, luau, etc. (I noticed one tawilis (local fish catch) dish, though.) Their breakfast in bed comes as a humongous package that matches the outsized bed – fit for a king and queen. Each little item is a joy to try. For lunch, we requested their bestseller, The Original Hawaiian Baby Back on Grill (a Boracay getaway staple, said Don), which is "roasted in homemade sweet and tangy sauce served island-style" (read: with a sizeable pineapple wedge). The soft, chewy tasty rib muscles slid tenderly off the bone and indeed had a "habit-forming flavor." We had on the side an old-fashioned Island-Style Coleslaw Salad. Then we ordered Fisherman's Catch, which is "fish, squid, shrimp, and mussels coated in special batter and fried to a golden crisp." Mango Crumble is a winning dessert of "fresh mangoes topped with vanilla ice cream and choco syrup then sprinkled with graham crumbs." Their pineapple juice, as expected, comes Tagaytay-fresh. No major disappointment to report. The music is dominated by the 'baby-making sounds' of Michael Bublé, Frank Sinatra covers, Earth, Wind, and Fire, and the like. On one left of the outdoor café, a forest of staghorn ferns and other curious ornamental pteridyphytes bedeck a wall of lichen-overrun logs. For dinner, we had some tasty beef stew, a creamy shrimp concoction, and San Miguel Pale Pilsen. We were so soused in beef protein and alcohol we almost imagined theoretical love affairs. Front desk girl Anna intimated to me that she once worked in the original Boracay branch of the Hawaiian Grill, and she used to wear a grass skirt and dance the Tahitian, to the amusement of beach bums. The Hawaiian Grill, by the way, has another branch at the Mall of Asia (Esplanade) – but minus the boutique hotel associated with it. The BnB's peak seasons are Christmas, February/Valentine's Day, and Holy Week. Expectedly, the major regular clientele come from the AB market, particularly weekending couples and families. "Families?" I said querulously. ("Yes," came the reply. "Just a couple of kid brothers anyway, mostly. The parents, of course, stay in a room of their own.") Some customers are balikbayans and a few foreigners. A number of social luminaries frequent the place, but manager Mylene Bautista-Bizzotto's and the staff's lips are worse than Maurice Arcache's: too hush-hush, if not hermetically sealed. Currently, this boutique hotel's concepts, the staff claim, have spawned a lot of copycats. "But we rather take that as a compliment," Mylene enthused. And, yes, the boutique hotel has plans for expansion. The entire place has been booked twice, Mylene further revealed. We also offer special packages like the Romantic Package in case one party wants to surprise a partner with an extra effort care of the BnB staff. This package offers additional touches, including petals in the hallway, candles, balloons, flowers, fruits, the works. Lately, my newly married cousin Rey in the States has been looking for a romantic place to stay if and when he and his wife decide to go on a honeymoon in the Philippines. I sure won't hesitate recommending this boutique hotel, if only for the novelty of concept and its imaginative execution. |
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