Into the Wild: A Luxurious Escape at Safari Hotel and Villas, Philippines
Up close and personal with the wildlife.
After six long years, I was finally able to revisit the Philippines. I want to say that coming back felt like a dream, but the truth is it felt more like a punch of hot, humid air. I am not proud to say I had acclimatized to the temperature in the North-western hemisphere so that every second outside of an air-conditioned room in the country felt like the entrance to hell. I thought planning outdoor activities such as going on zoos and safaris in Vigan City (especially during the summer) was a huge mistake. Thank goodness staying at the Safari Hotels and Villas offered us the reprieve and relaxation we needed from the heat in between outings.
RESERVATION
As per usual, making a reservation 3-6 months in advance is highly-recommended! We booked the Giraffe Villa for three days and two nights in May 2025.
The Giraffe Villa. Image courtesy of Safari Hotels and Villas.
Reserving the villa proved to be a challenge initially. First, I went to what I thought was the official website for the accommodation. The guidelines for reservation state that "reservations require payment in advance by a valid credit card or bank transfer." which I have no problems with. However, there was actually no way to pay online. There were instructions on how to pay via bank transfer as well as the account details where the payment should be sent to. I was unsure, and I preferred to pay online, so I decided to send them an e-mail. After about 1-2 business days, I have not received a response. I then sent a message via Facebook Messenger to their official Facebook page.
I was pleased that the staff behind Safari Hotel and Villas' Facebook Messenger responded quickly (within the day) regarding my queries. They said, at the time of my booking, their website is still under maintenance and not yet fully functional, and if I wanted to book a room then the best avenue will be via information exchange through Facebook Messenger, getting a quote via the same channel, doing a bank transfer, and taking a photo of the transfer slip and sending it back to them. This is a method that reminded me of how we used to book rooms in the early 2000's. It was a challenge then and still remained so.
Safari Hotel and Villas required us to pay a 50% deposit to confirm the booking; the remaining balance will need to be settled at check-in in reception. The cost for staying in the Giraffe Villa for six people for three days and two nights was Php34, 920.00 (GBP 456.30).
CHECKING-IN
The entrance to the reception. By the way, I am going to get elephant statues like these for my garden, too!
A gorilla and a Chinese dragon guard the reception.
Checking in was a breeze. We met the wonderful staff and were offered complimentary refreshing cucumber lemonade. We paid the remaining balance, and certain useful information were explained:
1. The hotel's restaurant is not yet fully functional, so the only items in the menu were the breakfast offerings: bagnetsilog, bangusilog, longsilog, tocilog, hotsilog, and pancakes with bacon (the latter was not available when we visited). These are usually available all day.
2. The wi-fi is free, but the connection is a bit dodgy throughout the resort, and the only place where you can get a strong signal is in the reception/ restaurant.
3. You can get free shuttle services to and from various hotspots in Vigan, such as the Hidden Garden, Baluarte Zoo, etcetera. You have to book this via reception, and you can also either arrange for your return shuttle at a pre-determined arrangement or give the hotel a ring when you are ready to be picked up. The shuttle service is an open-air electric jeepney. It starts early and stops operations at 10:00PM.
4. Certain staff are acquainted with local businesses mass-producing and distributing well-loved pasalubong items such as Vigan bagnet and Ilocos longganisa. They will offer you a tour of these factories where you can buy them cheaper than the standard market price. Do take advantage of this offer; my mom thought the prices were a good bargain.
5. Hotel guests are also entitled to a complimentary safari tour within the hotel grounds. You have to arrange this with reception. This is a wonderful opportunity to observe the hotel's resident deer, ostriches, and other wildlife up close. The hotel will also provide the food for the animals. The giraffes were not available during our stay which was such a shame because everyone looked forward to meeting and feeding them.
Lilong and Lilang Restaurant.
6. The Hidden Garden and its restaurant Lilong and Lilang usually close at around 6:00PM. However, hotel guests can access both after hours and have dinner there (the kitchen takes last orders at 9:30PM).
Hallway leading to the restaurant.
GIRAFFE VILLA
The Giraffe Villa was enormous! My depth-space perception is not very good, but I'll say that it could easily be 12 square metres tops, not including the patio and pool. It had a master's bedroom and a smaller-sized one. The master's bedroom came with its own shower, toilet, and king-sized bed. A cloth canopy lined the ceiling, which gave off African hut vibes. There was a huge sitting room, a mini kitchenette with mini-bar, and another toilet and shower. The toilets were very smart indeed, equipped with automatic bidets, seat heating functions, etcetera which made us hallucinate that we were suddenly transported to Japan. We were seven people in the group (six adults and one child), so I added an extra mattress which they set up in the sitting room.
The front porch. Peek-a-boo, little deer!
The master's bedroom. Image courtesy of Safari Hotels and Villas.
Giraffe Villa's second bedroom. Image courtesy of Safari Hotels and Villas.
The Villa's sitting area. Adjacent to it was the kitchenette with microwave, sink, tea and coffee-making facilities, and mini-fridge. Image courtesy of Safari Hotels and Villas.
We all loved how strong and reliable the air conditioner was inside the villa, too. The only downside is probably really the dodgy wi-fi connection. Oh, and the never-ending stream of black ants in the patio. But that can't be helped with; after all, we humans are the intruders in their space.
Another thing that I really liked about the Giraffe Villa is that it had its own watchtower where you can have a bird's eye view of the entire hotel grounds. It's a perfect place to enjoy the fresh air and hide from the kids. However, the stairs are a bit steep and the climb is arduous.
Steps leading to Giraffe Villas' watchtower. Image courtesy of Safari Hotels and Villas.
What a lovely view!
Lovely thatched roofs!
Feels like you're in a Sub-Saharan paradise!
The undisputed highlight was the villa’s private infinity pool. The kids couldn’t believe their luck when deer casually strolled over to graze right beside us as they swam-- close enough to touch-- with the resident cat dropping by as if to officially welcome us. The pool faced slightly west, so the sunsets views were incomparable.
We had a few spare bananas which we bought from a nearby wet market, which the kids and my partner fed to a curious young buck. Bananas are typically safe for deer to eat as long as they are offered in moderation. Even the resident feline who we playfully called "the supervisor" stayed for long periods of time, played with the kids, and enjoyed cuddles and treats from everyone.
AROUND THE RESORT
Early morning, around 7-8 AM, is the best time to stick your nose out of the air-conditioned villa and take a stroll as the sun is more forgiving and there are fewer people out and about.
Simple landscaping.
A path through some other villas leading to the main pool.
The Elephant Villa-- a slightly smaller villa for a couple.
The resort's communal pool with a (closed) swim-up bar.
A closed aviary filled with tropical birds and parakeets.
A covered space providing a welcome respite from the sun.
The open-air electric jeepney taking hotel guests through a complimentary safari tour.
This ostrich probably had a run-in with a romantic rival-- and lost more than just its mate.
Deer waiting to be fed with wholegrain biscuits provided to guests by the hotel.
Overall, the entire family had a lot of fun especially the younger ones (and my British partner, whose country's deer are not as friendly as the ones he met in this resort). The Philippine sun was unrelenting, but the Safari Hotel and Villas had effectively delivered what it had promised-- fun, rest, and relaxation. The staff were very friendly and helpful, too. The entire family was happy, and I started to truly feel like I am home.
0 comments:
Post a Comment