Beguiling Baguio

Baguio beguiles you the minute you smell, not just see, it — the pine-scented nippy air that greets you the moment you pass underneath the canopy of pines on its zigzag roads. Not that all of Baguio is pine-tree-lined and fresh — but the scent of Baguio that lingers on in your mind days, years and decades after your visit is that unforgettable scent of pines.

Far from the madding crowd, all over Baguio, is always a sanctuary of pine trees and rolling red earth carpeted by acorns. These places may be getting more scarce, but they are there.

And the Baguio chill (averaging 19 degrees the whole year round) makes you want to snuggle when indoors and kiss the wind when  outdoors, reveling in the nature’s sweet breath.

There will always be good memories associated with Baguio — carefree childhood, family trips, nostalgia at a bygone era when the streets of Baguio looked like some streets of San Francisco (minus the Bay). Nowadays, with all the new structures along Session Road, you just might miss the ‘40s landmark, the Star Café.

An addition to Baguio now, a wellspring for those just collecting memories of Baguio visits, is The Manor Hotel and the Forest Lodge in Camp John Hay. Another welcome addition is the cluster of new restaurants in the former US camp — from Starbucks to Volante Pizza. The opening up of John Hay is good for Pinoys — it used to be that only those with connections to US and Filipino military officials were able to enter John Hay and eat apple pie and ice cream at Mile-Hi. Now, all Filipinos are welcome to enter it.

At 5,000 feet above sea level, The Manor at Camp John Hay is like a  log mansion transported from the Alps. Nestled within 246 hectares of Baguio’s most beautiful prime land, the four-story hotel was designed to blend seamlessly with the towering pine trees. Facing a range of pine-covered mountains and a deep valley, the Manor is actually like an amphitheater where you can view nature’s glory 24 hours a day.

The Manor is distinguished not just by its wood-accented façade but also by its cozy interiors, which evoke images of bright spring mornings and warm cozy nights.

“After coming from the outdoors, The Manor would be the place to relax, where you can enjoy art, where you can have an afternoon concert with our orchestra. It’s not an ‘action’ place; it’s a place where you can relax your mind, body and soul,” says Heinrich Maulbecker, managing director of The Manor.

Maulbecker points out correctly that The Manor is a microcosm of the best of Baguio — at least the Baguio of the youth of today’s mid-lifers, movers and shakers.

“What comes to your mind when you talk about Baguio — pines, fresh air, no pollution? This is all incorporated here within John Hay; thank God, it’s still here,” says Maulbecker.

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The Manor also beguiles because of its good food. Near the lobby of the hotel is Le Chef, run by celebrity chef Billy King, and renowned for its wide range of local and international dishes and fine wines. The menu showcases items with Baguio’s produce — crisp greens and luscious fruits.

“It’s an amazing restaurant because this restaurant, as you can see, has one personality at 5:30 in the morning; it has another personality at lunch time. It has another personality in the afternoon, and then dinner time, you put the table cloths and the candles and it has another personality,” points out Billy King.  “There is no restaurant in the Philippines that has this. It’s the same restaurant, three different personalities, three times of the day and people enjoy.”

A resident of Baguio for 12 years now, King finds his creativity always rebooted in Baguio. “I can walk to a table in the restaurant and chat with a guest, and then I can create a dish and go back to the kitchen and cook it in a matter of 10 minutes without tasting it and know the result. Perfect. It’s here. It’s inside here,” he points to his heart. “Being here is like working with a new canvas every day.” 

Beside the restaurant is Le Chef Delicatessen, where the soothing aroma of freshly baked breads and pastries lace the air. 

At night, guests can unwind and chill at The Piano Bar, a cozy lounge where one can melt in good music and good company!

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Just beside The Manor is The Forest Lodge, which has the same great views as The Manor. It has a trendy café at the lobby called The Twist; the Music Lounge, a cozy corner that provides live music to complement the relaxing ambience at the Lobby by The Fireplace and a veranda overlooking a wide expanse of fairway greens and pine trees.

Its rooms and suites are comfortable and cozy, with great view of the pines and forests beyond.

You can walk from the garden of The Forest Lodge to The Manor or avail yourself of the regular shuttle service.

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Outside John Hay, Baguio still beguiles. The week our PeopleAsia team went there was right after the Panagbenga festival, and so floats made from exotic blooms still dotted most roads. Session Road was converted into one big flea market.

Instead of going to the Baguio market, we went to the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad Valley, about 15 minutes away from downtown. At the farm, we beheld strawberry fields that seemed to stretch forever. The fields were green, not red, because the berries were nestled under the leaves. A kilo of big luscious strawberries cost about P100. Fresh greens and vegetables were also sold near the strawberry fields. Four kilos of broccoli at P100 and a big bundle of Romaine lettuce enough  to make salad for 12 people, P50!

Aside from the usual must-visits in Baguio (Mansion House, The Wright Park, Burnham Park, the Baguio Cathedral, the Good Shepherd Convent, Mines View Park), visit BenCab Museum, a repository of priceless contemporary art set up by National Artist Ben Cabrera, about 25 minutes away from the city.

But the best part about Baguio is that you can go around the city or just stay put in your room or by your favorite table in a veranda overlooking the mountains and find your own piece of pine-scented heaven on earth. (You may e-mail me at [email protected].)