A welcoming family rendezvous in Tagaytay

MANILA, Philippines - The scorching summer heat, beating heavily on the metropolis, has prompted city dwellers to take refuge in the cooler climate of the highlands. With well-paved roads, a scenic route and a welcoming balmy breeze to boot, Tagaytay is one of the more accessible leisure spots in the country. Dotted with inns and boutique hotels, it is no wonder that the sprawling landscape is home to a growing number of businesses specializing in hospitality management. In a quiet curve along the national road, however, sits an unassuming garden speckled with quaint homes — villas, to be exact — that invite travelers to take a second look.

Taking its cue from the happy color yellow and the abundance of swaying palms in Tagaytay, Yellow Coco beckons the metropolitan crowd to relax, unwind and commune with nature. Sitting on 1,600 square meters of lush property, a grand villa, two loft-type villas and two studio-type villas provide the essentials of the home in a totally different setting.

“Yellow Coco in Tagaytay was initially meant for our family and friends as a quick weekend getaway,” says Yoly Mortel, the better half of the husband-and-wife owners. She recalls the family buying lots in the province; husband Rey planting various trees, shrubs, and flowering plants as hobby; and the two eventually putting up villas, one after another.

“Each villa was put up with the family in mind,” she muses. Created around the concept of fun, comfort and safety, a traveling herd of family and friends will definitely enjoy the spacious garden, pockets of lush green, flowering blooms, with every nook and cranny picture-ready.

Each villa is likewise well-appointed, from the basics of clean, snuggle-worthy linens and fluffy pillows that offer relaxing sleep to LCD televisions, DVD players with a wide assortment of movie titles that guests can borrow from, tastefully decorated lounge areas and bathrooms that provide hot and cold water. Glass panels from each of the houses serve a dual purpose: letting the sun in, making the homes inviting, and for the weekender, offering glimpses of tree fronds, shrubs and flowers while in bed.

“We made sure that whatever we placed in Yellow Coco, be it plants or the furniture, was what we liked as a family.” In the first place, Yolanda adds, the place, before it opened to the public in 2005, was where they spent a lot of time together. Spur-of-the-moment reunions for the Mortels held in Yellow Coco were nothing new.

Kids and kids-at-heart can run around the garden, play ball or Frisbee in the cool, crisp air; those who prefer more quiet forms of leisure can take refuge in a pocket garden where the bustle of cars passing is hushed by the swaying bamboos. For the urban crowd that needs to be connected 24/7, however, free Wi-Fi is available throughout the place. At night, guests can laze on blankets and stare at constellations; far from the haze of the city and within the hilly terrain of the province, the clear Tagaytay sky is perfect for stargazing.

Unlike hotels and inns that offer limited living space, the villas at Yellow Coco are spacious. The grand villa can comfortably house a family or barkada of 12, while the remaining villas, named after trees abundant in the area like Apitong, Kamuning and Almaciga, offer living and bed spaces good for four to eight people.

Interconnected by green pathways, the whole area can also be rented out for bigger family gatherings. “We have had families booking the place for reunions, birthdays, anniversaries, even intimate weddings,” shares Mortel. “The spacious garden is always a plus for families and friends who stay here.”

Mortel says that they have always envisioned Yellow Coco as a “cozy and relaxing place in Tagaytay.”

For bookings, call Jona at 831-0169, 0922-837-6248 or visit www.yellowcoco.com.ph for more details.