Semestral Break at Hotel Dominique in Tagaytay

Tagaytay is One Valenzuela's nearest go-to place if she wants to unwind and relax (though this time she had to bring her notebook to submit a paper and a project due on the weekend. Haha!). Together with hubby and Little One Valenzuela, they went to Tagaytay to have a bit of family bonding before the second semester brings in much taxing work.

Front of Hotel Dominique

With a discount voucher via Cashcashpinoy (Hooray for one year validity!), she reserved an overnight stay in a Superior Room. Since Little One Valenzuela is quite a big girl now, she wants to have her own bed and so they got a room with two beds. By the way, One Valenzuela has already spent a night at this hotel together with her co-employees in what they call "Casitas".

Without further ado, here are some shots she took of the hotel:

Nice!

Though it is pretty cold now, many still swim in the pool.

One Valenzuela loves walking around the hotel which is like a little European village. Halloween is in the air because the funny witch and ghost decorations are still everywhere. Little One Valenzuela did a lot of kawaii posts with them!

Room 101: the room where we stayed

The room is just a short walk away from the pool which is a plus for water babies like them. It is quite small yet enough for a family of three. It has a refrigerator, a cabinet, and a safety deposit box. As always, One Valenzuela loves the big shampoo and liquid bath soap dispensers in the comfort room.

Photo op with the curtains closed.

Let the sunshine in!

What's on the desk

Gym facility

Awww, memories! Miss those fun days.

Kawaii posts of Little One Valenzuela

More photos

The plated complimentary breakfast is really satisfying after a good night of sleep. Hubby ordered the Pahimis breakfast (Php210), One Valenzuela had their American breakfast (Php220; converted bread to plain rice), and Little One Valenzuela had Eggs and Bread (Php61) with mango juice. 

Hubby's Pahimis breakfast

Little One Valenzuela's breakfast: too excited to swim and not to eat!

Though the WiFi connection can only be accessed at the hotel's restaurant, it definitely provides a strong and continuous signal. One Valenzuela was able to upload a 20MB file, her comic project, in a breeze.

The hotel is located along Aguinaldo Highway. You can also drop by known spots for eating and buying interesting finds like what One Valenzuela did. She went to Pink Sisters, Ilog Maria and Gourmet Cafe. You can reach Pink Sisters from the hotel through a quick walk. Ride a jeepney with the "Silang" signage for Ilog Maria and Gourmet Cafe. 

To sum it up, One Valenzuela's family really had a good time at the hotel. Aja, for the second semester!

You may also want to read about One Valenzuela's side trips to: Tootsie's, Ilog Maria, Gourmet Cafe, and Pink Sisters (Articles to be posted soon!). You can find her old post on Tagaytay here or try the search box at the top and right sides of the page.

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How to Reach Hotel Dominique from Valenzuela City:

Do not be afraid to travel to Tagaytay without your own vehicle. It's easy, Valenzuelanos!

From Brgy. Malinta, take a jeepney to Monumento (Php10.00) and ride the train bound to Gil Puyat (Php20.00; LRT opens at 5 a.m.).

LRT Gil Puyat Station

Go down the said station and you will find the DLTB Bus Terminal. When One Valenzuela called DLTB, the operator told her that she will have to ride a bus bound to Nasugbu, Batangas. It will pass by Tagaytay via Emilio Aguinaldo Highway (Php83.00; First trip as early as 4 a.m.). One Valenzuela told the conductor that they will be going down at Hotel Dominique. A very popular landmark near the hotel is Pink Sisters, which is just a quick stroll away.

DLTB Bus Terminal

Hotel Dominique also replied to One Valenzuela's Facebook query on how to reach the hotel. Here is their response:

*ALABANG TO HOTEL DOMINIQUE
OPTION 1
A. Bus going to BACLARAN or get off at COASTAL MALL
B. Bus with sign board MENDEZ/NASUGBU/TAGAYTAY
OPTION 2
A. Van (at ATC/SM SOUTH MALL) to DASMA BAYAN
B. Bus withsign board MENDEZ/NASUGBU/TAGAYTAY
OPTION 3
A. Van (at ATC/SM SOUTH MALL) to DASMA (DLSU)
B. Jeep to WALTERMART DASMA
C. From WALTERMART, bus with signboard MENDEZ/NASUGBU/TAGAYTAY
OPTION 4
A. Take a jeep to ZAPOTE KABILA
B. Take a jeep from ZAPOTE to SM BACOOR
C. From SM, take a bus with sign board
MENDEZ/NASUGBU/TAGAYTAY
*BACLARAN TO HOTEL DOMINIQUE
Bus with sign board MENDEZ/NASUGBU/TAGAYTAY
*ORTIGAS, TO HOTEL DOMINIQUE
A. MRT to TAFT AVE.
B. From TAFT, back of CHOWKING there is a bus terminal going to BATANGAS (BALAYAN/NASUGBU) and MENDEZ

Hotel Dominique
Address: Km. 55 Aguinaldo Highway, Brgy. Maitim II East, Tagaytay City, 4120
Contact numbers:
Mobile: (0917)8664140 and (0998)9749404
Landline: (02) 5844641, (02) 5298173 and 5298182

Like Hotel Dominique on Facebook or visit their site here.

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Thank you for reading this post!
Where to go, where to go?
Saan pa kaya dadalhin si One Valenzuela ng kanyang mga paa?
Kindly post a comment or suggestion below. 

Part 2: One Valenzuela goes to Nasugbu, Batangas and Tagaytay

One Valenzuela rode a tricycle again to reach the bend where the Nasugbu-Tagaytay jeepney stopped. She went inside the 7-Eleven store to buy a donut and asked the cashier where she can find jeepneys bound to Tagaytay. He said that One Valenzuela should take another jeepney (i.e. Lian signage) and go down Bayot (One Valenzuela does not know if she got the right spelling) which is near a Metrobank branch.

The directions given by the cashier were correct and One Valenzuela's travel to Bag of Beans is much faster. By 12nn, she is already at the restaurant. 

Bag of Beans is near Mendez crossing. 

Bag of Beans Menu. Food range is Php 200-300++ while coffee and drinks play around
Php 100++

Bag of Beans buffet area. Their buffet is at Php 400++

Bag of Beans open area for customers. You can really feel the cold breeze here.

One Valenzuela is not fond of buffets that much these days so she opted to eat Blue Marlin with Garlic Rice (Php 350.00). She also ordered Iced Coffee Mocha (Php 115.00) to wake her up. Oh, and an apple pie (Php 120.00 single serve) for take out because she love apple pies. 

By the way, Bag of Beans is very popular for their Philippine civet coffee or what they call Coffee Alamid. It also goes by the name Kopi Luwak which is a general term for coffee beans excreted by civets, which are cat-like nocturnal mammals.

The paper bag over at the left is apple pie. 

Children's Joy Foundation made a great performance

Their comfort room is just pretty that One Valenzuela have to take a photo.
The curtain at the middle separates the male and female area.

The food was great. After paying her bill, One Valenzuela went to the store to look for some bread and bags of coffee.

Goodbye Taal! Til we meet again. (Got home by 5 p.m.)

Transportation:

      Including the transportation costs from Malinta, Valenzuela to Nasugbu, Batangas: Php 225.00
      Tricycle ride from the beach back to jeepney terminal: Php 20.00
      Jeepney ride to Bayot, Nasugbu, Batangas: Php 8.00

      Jeepney ride from Bayot, Nasugbu, Batangas to Bag of Beans: Php 45.00
      Jeepney ride from Bag of Beans to Tagaytay Rotunda: Php 10.00
      Tricycle ride from Tagaytay Rotunda to Palengke: Php 10.00 (with other commuters)
      Jeepney ride from Palengke to Balibago: Php 40.00
      Bus ride (JAC liner) from Balibago to Cubao / Kamias: Php 69.00
      Bus ride from Kamias to Malinta, Valenzuela City (non air-conditioned bus): Php 20.00

Food: 

      Bag of Beans: Php 631.50 (Take note that there are many fast food chains in Tagaytay where you can eat especially if your working on a shoestring budget (a.k.a. tipid mode))

Total: Php 1078.50

Part 1: One Valenzuela goes to Nasugbu, Batangas and Tagaytay

December 24, 2012- The day before, One Valenzuela asked hubby if she can have some "Me Time" and he nods for his approval. She was surfing the web about Laguna for some hot spring dipping but then she eventually decided to visit Tagaytay once more. 

Well, One Valenzuela went on this trip ala  backpacking style with her ever trusty Hawk backpack. She only brought a few stuff such as a shawl, powder and lipstick (iwas haggardness maximum level), cash stash, towel, white shirt and shorts, my phone (if ever reality wants to contact her) and a bottle of water. Travel light and make lots of space for pasalubong! 

So early the next morning, at around 4am, off One Valenzuela went to JAM Terminal near GMA. It was a quick ride since the roads are not yet congested. By 7a.m., she is already at the Tagaytay Rotunda. 

Hello Taal!

Mmmm... Eventually, One Valenzuela observed the traffic flow and found jeepneys going to Nasugbu. Since this is a road trip, she jumped in. She asked the driver if ever there are nearby beaches there. He said "Ahhhh, eh, meron." Well, with that answer One Valenzuela prayed for divine intervention. 

After like dozens of are-we-there-yet questions in her mind, the jeepney reached a bend and all passengers went down. She guessed the travel took almost two hours since the jeepney kept on stopping to take in passengers.

You will find Andoks, Jollibee, and 7-Eleven at this area of Nasugbu, Batangas. The Nasugbu-Tagaytay jeepney route ends here.

Hesitant to ask tricycle drivers, One Valenzuela went to a nearby church to use their comfort room and ask vendors there for some much needed directions. She did not see directions or signs that there are nearby beaches which can be reached by foot.

According to a candle vendor, all One Valenzuela has to do is ride a tricycle near Jollibee. "Walang bayad pag nagawi ka sa beach ha. Pwera nalang kung mago-overnight ka sa resort", she even said (No entrance fee is needed to get to the beach. Unless you are staying there overnight in a resort). Thank God for angels. :)

Parokya ng San Francisco Javier: You will see the church's upper portion as you approach Mang Inasal. One Valenzuela also saw a BSC Bus terminal (Pasay route according to a signage)as she walked towards the church.

After about 10 minutes, One Valenzuela is now at the beach! Hello water, hello sand!

Beach at Brgy. Wawa, Nasugbu, Batangas

There were a few people in the area and One Valenzuela would love to swim since it is quite hot despite the December breeze. But due to time constraints, she just strolled and collected shells by the beach. One Valenzuela also rode a horse for fifty pesos. 

Being a water baby, One Valenzuela hopes that the trash along the beach be collected regularly.  

Ya tigidig! The owner of the horse is very friendly. Thanks for the photo op, Kuya!

Inquisitive One Valenzuela asked the overnight rate of a nearby resort for future reference. Maryland Resort's non-aircon room starts at Php 1,500.00 and their air conditioned rooms are pegged at Php 3,000.00 to 3,500.00. They also have a swimming pool.

Maryland Resort at Brgy. Wawa, Nasugbu, Batangas

Tongue twister: She has sandy shoes with seashells by the seashore.

One Valenzuela got a bit hungry before 11 a.m. Goodbye South China Sea! After brushing off the sand, she went to Bag of Beans (read Part 2: One Valenzuela goes to Nasugbu, Batangas and Tagaytay).

Valenzuelanos, here is a table of One Valenzuela's transportation expenses going to Nasugbu, Batangas via Tagaytay:

       Malinta, Valenzuela City-JAM Bus Terminal: Php 25.00
       JAM Bus terminal to Balibago: Php 67.00
       Balibago-Tagaytay jeepney: Php 40.00
       Tagaytay palengke-Olivarez Plaza jeepney: Php 8.00
       Olivarez-Nasugbu jeepney: Php 65.00
       Tricycle to the beach: Php 20.00 (10/person if you can wait for another commuter)
       Total: Php225.00