I don’t usually go out of town because I don’t like spending money on trips. I’ve also found vacations stressful because of all the packing. But as I’m getting older, my views on travel are shifting. The tita-ness is taking over. One trip I enjoyed recently (January 2023) was my stay at Anya Resort Tagaytay. Stays are expensive, but luckily, it was AXA Philippines’ retreat venue, so I didn’t have to pay. This isn’t a review. It’s more of a primer for when you’re thinking about staycationing here.
Driving to the resort is pretty easy. The roads are actual roads. We rode a full-sized bus to Tagaytay (the public transport kind you find on EDSA), and that bus fit neatly into Anya’s parking lot. They also have PWD parking and a designated smoking area.
We walked from the parking lot to the driveway at the front of the lobby, where a staff member hit a gong to announce our arrival.
The lobby is called the Living Room. One look at the pictures explains the name. As they always say, “Welcome home!” There’s a ramp on the side for wheelchair access too.
Check-in is at 2 p.m., and they can store your luggage if you arrive early. Checkout is at noon. Their website says your room key card will automatically deactivate, so if you need more time, best to inform them in advance.
You’ll be golf-carted to your room. Your luggage will already be there. If you explored the grounds earlier, as our group did, you can just walk to your villa. Everything is within walking distance, and I recommend traveling on foot to take in the scenery. In January, it’s cool, breezy, and sunny but still pleasant.
I stayed in a Junior King Suite. It had an en suite patio, which I believe is the case for all the rooms. You’ll have room Wi-Fi, and Anya provides an internet connection throughout the resort as well. There’s a twin option for the Junior Suite, and your beds will get magically turned down by angels in the evening. Don’t expect mints, though.
The remote controls are sanitized, and they provide slippers so your feet don’t get cold. There’s a welcome drink in your mini fridge and a pod coffee machine with hot chocolate and tea options too. They provide drinking water and glasses, and you can call for refills.
In the bathroom, your rain shower head is beside the bathtub, not in it, so multiple people can bathe simultaneously as long as you don’t mind seeing each other naked. The toilet is enclosed at the other end of the room so another person can do their business undisturbed. But even though these two parts are separated by double basins and a vanity table stocked with your usual hotel toiletries, everything is in full view of each other. I’m not sure if the glass separators are frosted. I was by myself so it wasn’t a concern, but visible nakedness is probably in the cards, and that could get awkward in a family check-in situation.
Good news, though. One of their organic refills (can’t remember if it was the shampoo or the body wash) smells like mint, and it is just HEAVENLY. And since you splurged on this hotel stay anyway, you’ll want to bring a bath bomb or two. Or use the hotel’s liquid stuff, that’s fine. Go for the minty one. I seriously, wholeheartedly recommend it. The room also comes with towels and bathrobes.
If you get hungry, you have several options. Check their website for restaurant operating hours. Samira Restaurant is fine dining and opens in the evenings. We didn’t eat there, but if you intend to, be aware of their dress code.
Opposite Samira, you have the Amra Deli Bar, which served as the activity lounge for our two-day me-time retreat. You can choose between indoor and outdoor seating. The inside has a wall of quirky decor. If you prefer dining alfresco, you’re afforded privacy by the fence of greenery between you and the arrival area.
The food we had was ordered for the event, so this is what you might expect to be served at conferences or weddings at Anya. At brunch, the salmon sinigang ingredients were conveniently chopped into tiny pieces, and the in-house buko pie was a crowd-pleaser.
Anila Poolside restobar is where they serve the breakfast buffet. Don’t forget to down a mug or two of hot dark chocolate. It’s the perfect consistency and creaminess and it tastes DIVINE. That alone is worth the price of admission. If you’re vegan, most of the food we ate during our time there had animals, so please check ahead if you have dietary requirements.
Anya’s staircase is a feature in itself. It leads downstairs to Anila, the heated swimming pool, and Tala Garden. The garden can be booked as a wedding venue. We did morning yoga there during our stay. The hotel also has a lineup of weekend activities you can pay to participate in, but cornhole and soft archery are free.
The staircase leads upstairs to the library and the conference rooms. You have to reserve the library if you want to use it, then place the books you read in the basket provided so it can be sanitized for the next user. They have storybooks for kids as well.
Their big and small conference rooms make great venues for your personal and corporate events. And there are restrooms on the same floor, so you don’t have to go far for your comfort needs.
If nature is your thing, you’re in the right place. You can’t look anywhere without your view being obstructed by plants, and I mean that in a good way.
From their gazebo, you have a front-row seat to a view of the Tagaytay landscape. If you turn around, there’s a water feature and more villas.
Nearby is Anya’s herb garden or what I dubbed the secret garden. It’s secluded there but smells strongly of natural fertilizer, if you know what I mean. Make sure you close the door properly as you enter and leave.
The resort, already beautiful during the day, is more majestic at night.
If you want an immersive sensory experience, walk up the driveway when it’s dark out. The wind, the bamboo, and the dramatic lighting will wow you. Just watch out for vehicles.
The gym at Anya is stocked with healthy snacks (green apples and oatmeal bars when we were there). Of course, they have gym equipment, drinking water, a restroom, and some books too.
Niyama Spa is right next door. If you have money to burn, you can go for a massage or a body scrub. One of these oils smells like the heavenly minty cleansing liquid in your bathroom.
The Anya Elite Club Lounge is located in another section of the resort. To qualify to be an Elite member, you have to book x number of stays within a given period. If you want the Anya experience for less, you can visit their Exclusive Offers page for the Day Break Getaway and Niyama Indulgence, Your Wellness Day at Anya options under the Day Tour and Wellness tabs, respectively.
Anya is relaxing, comfortable, and quiet. It’s fresh air, greenery, and gorgeousness. The hotel staff are helpful and always greet you when they pass. If you want to treat yourself and commune with nature, this is a fantastic place to do it.
Anya Resort Tagaytay
Address: Buenavista Hills Road, Barangay Mag-Asawang Ilat, Tagaytay City, Philippines
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