A holiday high at the Summit

Traveling over the holidays can be notoriously busy, expensive and stressful, but the news isn’t all that bad. There are deals to be found, provided you shop carefully and plan ahead.

While Westerners dream of a sunny and warm Christmas, we, Filipinos, love to bundle up in a place where the air is nippy and everything is Christmasy and chirpy. And we need not go far.

A 45-minute drive from Makati, Summit Ridge Tagaytay is where urban dwellers hie off to avoid toxic city pollution, the aggravation of daily living and the dizzying holiday frenzy.

All rooms offer the luxury of space, with a balcony that provides a fantastic view of Taal Lake. Each room is equipped with Wi-Fi routers that provide free Internet connection. Additional amenities such as living, dining and kitchen areas with a complete set of dinnerware, built-in kitchen counter, microwave and kitchen implements are available in the two-bedroom suites.

And since Summit Ridge is conveniently located near Mahogany market, you can whip up a feast for the whole family using fresh local produce right in the comfort of your (hotel) room.

Summit Ridge Tagaytay officially welcomed the holiday season with the lighting of the Christmas tree at the hotel lobby. Guests are encouraged to write their Christmas wishes on a piece of paper and hang it as trimming. A little girl asked Santa for a pony.

“For us at the Summit, Christmas is, indeed, a time for reflection and thanksgiving,” enthused hotel manager Pops del Rosario. “Summit Ridge also caters to the spiritual needs of our guests.”

During our stay at the hotel, anticipated Mass was held at the Oak room for a moment of prayer and gratitude. Summit Ridge Tagaytay is just a short drive away from popular wedding churches — Caleruega, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Chapel on the Hill (Don Bosco Batulao), Madre de Dios Chapel and San Antonio de Padua Church — where the whole family can hear Mass or observe the traditional Simbang Gabi.

Good food for the body and soul

While providing nourishment for the soul, Summit Ridge Tagaytay has a lot to offer in terms of food for the body with the opening of its newest food outlet — Sisterfields, the newest concept restaurant by The Cravings Group — which is now gearing up to become the next go-to dining destination.

Featuring a bountiful selection of farm-to-table fares where locally sourced ingredients shine at their best, Sisterfields’ unique identity springs from the culinary passion and environment advocacy of The Cravings Group (TCG) president and founder Susana “Annie” P. Guerrero, who was recently honored with a mdeal by the prestigious Antonin Careme Society for her visionary leadership, commitment and continuing legacy to create significant impacts on the society through world-class culinary education and ethical business practices. Together with her daughter, TCG CEO Marinela “Badjie” G. Trinidad, they came up with Sisterfields to highlight what they call sustainable cuisine.

“There are a lot of produce in Tagaytay and around the Taal area. We have the perfect farm-to-table, family restaurant for the atmosphere of this vacation hotspot,” Badjie noted.

Well, there can be no better location for Sisterfields than at Summit Ridge Tagaytay.

“Through the years, TCG’s partnership with Robinsons Land Corporation’s Summit Ridge Tagaytay has been very fruitful. We complement each other’s strengths,” added Badjie.

Sisterfields anchors its concept on three important tenets: farm-to-fork (organic selection of fruits and veggies from Tagaytay); pasture-to-plate (from Batangas beef to Tagaytay tawilis); and crop-to-cup (featuring ethically produced Di Bella coffee from Australia). The restaurant also boasts its own herb garden, from where the chefs get their daily supply.

Chefs from the Philippines’ top culinary school, the Center for Culinary Arts, Manila, take turns in Sisterfields’ kitchen who are inspired by the menu conceptualized and created by New York-based personal chef Noel dela Rama.

Chef Noel earned his Culinary Arts degree at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America and holds a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts from The French Culinary Institute in SoHo, New York. Currently, he is a visiting chef-instructor at CCA, Manila.

A staunch farm-to-table advocate, Noel brings his signature cooking style to fore through his thoughtfully-composed menu for Sisterfields.

We had the privilege of sampling chef Noel’s delectable holiday dishes, which were recreated by CCA chefs Alexander Marco Arao, Marius Banatao and Jay Recio, who are among the pioneer team of Sisterfields trained by chef Noel.

For starters, we enjoyed the mango, kamias, pako and jicama salad with bagoong Balayan vinaigrette. The medley of fresh greens and fruits is colorful and delicious. The bagoong Balayan vinaigrette gives the dish the right amount of salt and acidity.

The maliputo fillet with Manila clams and chorizo en paillote oozes with freshness. The fish fillet, clams and diced chorizo are wrapped in parchement paper (to seal in the flavor), then baked until the clams open up.

A visit to Tagaytay is never complete without a steaming bowl of Batangas bulalo, and so Noel included it on Sisterfields’ holiday menu.

Sisterfields at Summit Ridge Tagaytay offers a festive buffet dinner on Dec. 24 and breakfast on Dec. 25. Various activities are also lined up for the whole family.

Take your kids to an indoor movie screening with free access to the Popcorn Station and Holiday Dessert Bar, or bring them outdoors for some stargazing with a cup of hot cocoa and s’mores. Better yet, sign them up for Santa’s workshop where they can socialize and make new friends, while acting as Santa’s elves. Those who are booked in the hotel on Christmas Eve automatically get a 50 percent discount for a Dec. 23 reservation.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with a toast at the post-dinner cocktails amid the fireworks display.

And since the holidays are a time for sharing, Summit Ridge Tagaytay gives you the opportunity to give back as your patronage can help provide further aid to Caritas Manila for that ultimate holiday high.

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Summit Ridge Tagaytay is the first property under the Summit Hotels and Resorts (SHR) collection. The two other properties are Summit Hotel Magnolia and Summit Circle Cebu. SHR is owned and oeprated by Robinsons Land Corporation.

To know more about Summit Ridge Tagaytay’s holiday packages, call 240-6888 or visit www.summithotels.ph.