MANILA, Philippines - Homestay Café is more of a home than a transient house: no front desk, oversized key cards, extension penalties, or a standard check in and check out time. It invites you to stay, stay longer, and return when you have the opportunity. Guests arrive as polite strangers and part ways as friends.
“It’s all about meeting people. Other cultures are interesting. It’s also my way of overcoming my shyness. As you age, you get lonely sometimes,” shares inn owner Linda Padilla.
The unassuming two-story inn usually attracts balikbayans, foreign exchange students, interns, and foreigners on vacation.
For a day or two, guests nod politely to each other in the dinning room but begin having shared meals prepared by the Homestay staff the next day. At the end of their stay, they will have exchanged phone numbers and addresses.
“Sometimes they call back to refer friends or they themselves visit again,” Linda says. “But what really makes me happy is when they write on the guest book that they had fun during their stay here.”
Homestay Café was an accidental business. Sometime in 2007, Linda and husband Robert acquired the property tucked away in a small private subdivision in Quezon City, fixed it up nice and cozy, and soon, relatives from the provinces began staying over.
“So we thought, why not turn it into an inn?” Linda says.
A stranger to the hospitality business, Linda and Robert first relied on their small network of family and friend to refer guests. Eventually, they started advertising on social networking sites as well as free advertisement sites like sulit.com.ph and ayosdito.ph .
Now, most of their guests find out about the inn online.
Homestay is only big enough to comfortably accommodate at least 10 guests per month. It has three rooms that can be rented solo or for sharing, and another room that fits four bed spacers.
But what it lacks in space it makes up for in warmth. The living space on the ground floor has a coffee bar and a piano that guests are encouraged to play. On Sunday afternoons, some guests would abandon afternoon plans to curl up on the big cerulean sofas with their choice of books, which are everywhere.
“I love books and magazines. I originally wanted to open a books and coffee business,” Linda says. “But then, we’ve always wanted to open a hotel, a boutique type, so we are now trying this, and we are still trying out new things now.”
One of Homestay Café’s charm is its homey but polished look. Linda loved the modern country look, which she picked up from magazines as well as the restaurants and wine cellars she visited with Robert.
“I first wanted a Mediterranean design, with vines crawling on the walls. But when it was not working out, I just took inspiration from magazines,” Padilla shares. “But I kept the Mediterranean motif of brown and blue, an idea that I liked in the restaurants and wine cellars we visited. I just followed my sense of style. Enjoy naman ako mag-decorate.”
Linda has always loved houses because it gives her a sense of belongingness and increased creativity.
“Maybe it’s because I came from a broken family. To me, a house signifies family and togetherness,” she says. “I also love to design and create. When you have a house, you have a greater sense of belongingness. And I love being in a good environment. I makes me more creative.”
Linda takes pride in having a freehand in putting the inn together. Her husband, she says, is more practical and budget conscious.
“My husband kasi is walang pakialam (My husband is not that involved in the creative process),” she laughs. “Maybe it’s because he has a lawyer’s mind. He’s not that much into art. He loves to read crime novels and watch crime movies.”
Aside from board, Homestay also hosts seminars, book launches, small exhibits, and simple gatherings which are to be booked at least a week in advance.
While maintaining a bucolic atmosphere, Homestay also has the conveniences of a modern home such as a high-speed Wi-Fi connection and an emergency power source. It is also conveniently located near shopping malls, schools, and transport terminals.
To Linda, the inn is more of a passion than a venture.
“In business what I learned was you don’t think too much about money. You just do your best and the reward will come. In business you sometimes lose money,” Linda says.
Opening the inn has also taught her to value her relationship with her clients.
“When you talk to people, you have to be sincere. Even if you lose money, you get to keep the relationship,” she says. “Having a business humbles you. Para kang pulis kapag sa pamilya, you have authority, pero sa business, you have to be flexible.
Homestay Café is located at 13 Juan cor Ricardo St., Hayaville Subd., Project 6, Quezon City with telephone number 9292254. You may also visit homestaycafe.multiply.com.