Su Casa, Nuestra Casa (Vallejo)!

Opened since about the time the City of Baguio was chartered in 1909, Casa Vallejo has been a part of local Baguio history. From being a hotel, to a restaurant, to a place where one can learn ballet, this building has seen a lot of renovations and face lifts. The most recent reinvention is what people have been raving about. Welcome to the new Casa Vallejo!

Dubbed as one of the top 10 oldest establishments in the City of Pines, CV has been resurrected into Baguio's latest boutique hotel. With 24 tastefully arranged rooms, a spa, a fine dining restaurant, an indie film cinema and it's own bookstore, it's quite sad that it's only now that TMW has written anything about this gem. 

the frontdesk

Casa Vallejo Boutique Hotel: Being right in the middle of things, the hotel at Session Road is right across SM Baguio and downtown central is just a walk away (including the Baguio Cathedral).

Rates are quite reasonable  with rooms starting at around PHP 2000/night. For more info, here's a link on their room rates and their contact information. Oh, and if you're worried about street parking, they've got a huge parking lot out back.

my date for the evening :)

Northhaven Spa: Known for their special brand of indigenous massages, Northhaven Spa is the place to get a strawberry organic scrub, the "Dagdagay" or indigenous head massage and so much more. Visit their website for more info.

great books for the kids, specially those that  cover local Philippine tales
Dad, you oughta visit this place!

Mt Cloud Bookshop: My love story with books and bookshops has been around for as long as I could remember. The fresh, crisp scent of a new book always reminds of my childhood, mostly spent browsing for great finds with my father in 2nd hand book stores and book shops. Time spent at Mt. Cloud filled me with a whimsy of sorts. We were even there for it's opening.

a book about the Ukay ukay...hmmm...interesting

Owned by author/artists Padma and Feliz Perez , Mt Cloud has managed to bring back a warmer, more personal feel to book shopping. Browse through their shelves and display tables. There's a little for everyone in this tiny, wood paneled shop. My first purchase from this bookshop, seriously, was a beautifully illustrated book about Aswangs (mythical Philippine Vampires). Poetry readings and other fun activities are also held at this place.  I also love the fact that they don't use plastic bags to wrap your purchases. Last time I bought a book, they wrapped it in brown paper and twine. Check out their website for details.

beautiful photos and art work guide you to Mt Cloud

Cinematheque Baguio: Indie film lovers and movie buffs rejoice! A newly opened theater has been set up for everyone's enlightenment and aesthetic cravings. Be it a Vilma Santos classic or a Kidlat Tahimik original, they've got quite an impressive screening sched. It's right beside Mt. Cloud. For movie schedules and other info, check out their Facebook page.

Cinematheque's entrance

a look at Hillstation from the hotel's lobby

sinful delights! try Death by Chocolate
and their Vanilla Cinnamon ice cream
(tastes like apple pie!)

Hillstation: Fine dining at it's best! Hillstation offers sumptuous dishes for the most discriminating palates. Included in the 2011/2012 edition of The Miele Guide (the indispensable guide to Asia's best restaurants), the Hillstation's understated elegance creates a balance between the complexities in flavor of the food that they serve. The herbs, spices and textures of the dishes simply demand to be applauded! Don't be the last to find out just how good their food is. Visit their website to browse their food and beverage list. They also have function rooms that can cater to a group of 30 to a crowd of 100. 

sunflower honey

guava jam by the restaurant's food goddess, Mitos

salsa bravia

Pinoy caviar

tinapa or tuyo in olive oil
(metal note: must pick up a bottle of each)

export quality Benguet Coffee

For those who want to bring home a bit of their Hillstation experience, check out their gourmet in a bottle offerings as well as some art pieces from both Philippine artists and indigenous talents. 

Yes, they also sell pot...

the kind you display :)

click to view pricelist in a separate window

All in all a perfect place to go out on a date, hang out with the whole family or share a slice of cake with a friend, Hillstation's a-ok in our book.

great meal, great company, great city

So if you're coming up to Baguio for whatever reason, or you're a resident who has yet to check out the place, take time out to visit Casa Vallejo.

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours.