Your gracious host in Baguio

MANILA, Philippines - It was the perfect time to be in Baguio City. We thoroughly had fun at the annual Panagbenga Festival and its fabulous flower floats and events, all of which remain crowd-drawers. The occasion also officially welcomed the arrival of Le Monet Hotel into the city’s hospitality scene.

Named after the French impressionist Claude Monet, the 70-room hotel is located at Camp John Hay. “We decided to choose an artist’s name, Claude Monet’s in particular, because his paintings are known for their flowers, something which Baguio has in abundance,” explains Kristine Singson-Meehan, who co-owns Le Monet Hotel with husband Anthony Meehan.

“With that in mind, we are here to offer the best of what Baguio has to offer,” Singson-Meehan declares. “For starters, we can accommodate both leisure and business travelers. Since Baguio is a destination, we also target families out on a weekend vacation.”

Le Monet general manager Dante Cruz adds: “We have 65 cozy deluxe rooms and five suites. Each room is furnished with LCD Internet television, complimentary Wi-Fi connectivity, mini bar, coffee- and tea-making facility, well stocked refrigerator, complete shower and bath amenities — including a heated toilet!”

And what’s a Baguio vacation without its beloved pine trees? The first-class Le Monet Hotel, which is affiliated with World Hotels, provides its guests with a veranda in every room, which opens to a sweeping view of Camp John Hay and the comforting scent of pine trees.

“Camp John Hay is a resort in itself. You look out your window and you see the pine trees and people enjoying horseback-riding. These are the kinds of scenes you come to Baguio for. If you stand on another side of the hotel, you will even see the city lights,” Singson-Meehan says.

She relates that since they were inspired by Claude Monet’s garden paintings, they ventured to recreate and reinterpret those scenes. They recently held a competition for landscape artists, wherein they were challenged to create pocket gardens at the back of Le Monet.

“It is something for visitors to see and enjoy. It is a celebration of art. In the near future, we will showcase more local art,” she says.

Cruz likewise directs our attention to the artworks found at the Le Monet lobby. During our visit, there were paintings by National Artists Federico Alcuaz, Ang Kiukok, and Jose Joya, all from the Singson family collection. The attention-grabbing chandelier, which looks like a shower of silver raindrops, was done by a Korean artist.

“There is a saying that the hotel reflects the personality of the owner. Well, these things that you see very well prove that point,” he says. Indeed, quite a treat for the eyes.

Well, it is not only the sense of sight that is bound to be satisfied at Le Monet Hotel. Its food and beverage outlets Dinelli Gourmet Café, Malt Room, and Steakhouse promise a gastronomic experience one will not soon forget. As what Singson-Meehan and Cruz promise, it is all about the best of Baguio.

Manning and leading the food fort are corporate chef Robby Goco and executive chef Jayme Natividad. Together with their team, they offer stuff that guests come to Baguio for.

“We have everything fresh at Le Monet Hotel. Nothing is canned,” Goco declares. “The last thing you want to do in Baguio is to open a can.”

Goco relates that each item on the menu is made from scratch, from the sauces to the iced teas. “Our pancakes are made from buttermilk. It does not come from a box. The Filipino favorite tapa is made by Chef Jayme. We want to make sure you are nurtured here properly.”

Seated, from left: Executive Chef Jayme Natividad and GM Dante Cruz. Standing, from left: COO Anthony Meehan, F&B consultant Robby Goco, president Kristine Meehan, marketing and events consultant Donny Elvina, and business development director Sasa Montinola.

“Our iced tea is all natural. It is made from fresh herbs, newly picked, blended, and iced,” chimes in Natividad. “Here we make our own sausages, bacon, and tapa. We do not use preservatives.”

Goco remarks that Baguio is rich in the freshest produce. “We are showcasing what freshness is all about. Nothing is store-bought. When we say an item is smoked, it is really smoked. Even our paté is not a byproduct. It is the real deal.”

The duo is also rightfully proud of their breakfast fare at Dinelli Gourmet Café. Yes, they do have every right to be. After all, it is not every day that one gets to sink his teeth into a breakfast that includes buttermilk fried chicken, biscuits, and gravy. Definitely not found anywhere else.

“Pinoy cuisine is very important to us as well,” Goco says. “We make sure you will look forward to waking up and loving your breakfast. We offer lots of fresh strawberries — the last thing you would want to see is preserved strawberries. Even our jams, dressings, gravlax, and coffee are made here.”

Next stop for the team? Afternoon tea, complete with the muffins. Meanwhile, Goco and Natividad are excited about the Steakhouse, guaranteeing that the experience will be well worth the trip to the summer capital.

“Our steaks are big. The straightforward menu carries a lot of choices and an extensive selection of wines,” says Goco.

He recommends guests to try out their burger. The patty, made from Black Angus, is from three different cuts: sirloin, brisket, and top round. Do not expect grocery-bought cheese coming with the burger, which uses their very own camote bread.

“Our burger is freshly made. We are purists,” he smiles. “Chef Jayme brings rustic, traditional items on the menu, but with a modern take. We are here because we want to cook in Baguio. Look at our pantry: the only things packed are the olive oil, white wine vinegar, capers. Everything else is fresh. We have the whole nine yards.”

Guests can call it a day at the Malt Room, where club sounds, bar chows, choice wines, craft beers, and fun company rule. This is how one should roll in the City of Pines.

If one prefers to reward himself or herself in a more subdued atmosphere, there is the hotel’s Vida Verde Spa which offers a wide variety of massages and treatments. Try the Warm Bamboo treatment, as well as the seashell exfoliants. It also has botox, radio frequency for face and body, mesotherapy, weight loss management, chemical face and body peel, among others.

“We have a physician to ensure that the spa delivers safe and effective procedures and results,” adds Singson-Meehan.

Proving that, truly, it is the gracious host in Baguio, Le Monet Hotel is taking the art of gracious living outdoors via Le Picnique. As what its name proclaims, it is a unique picnic experience done the Le Monet way.

She informs us that the hotel will oversee each aspect of the picnic arrangements. Every step of the way, the hotel will help select the menu and the picnic spot. Special requests are most definitely welcome.

“We will even provide a live musician should the guests ask for one. There will be a personal chef on site, too, if they like. He can also double as security at the picnic site, so that no one will crash the gathering,” she says.

Cruz mentions that the picnic can be held at breakfast, lunch, early afternoon, even early evening. “We will give guests what they want to eat, hear, and experience. Camp John Hay is the perfect site to hold a picnic, and we are here to make that perfect picnic happen. We will help arrange pony rides and nature trails.”

Le Monet Hotel’s location is an advantage, as it is near a world-class 18-hole championship golf course and driving range, convention center, butterfly sanctuary, tourist spots, and the well-liked Filling Station, a restaurant row.

These give more and better reasons to make a return trip to Baguio real quick. All things considered, guests can look forward to the fact that the city’s gracious host Le Monet Hotel provides the best that the summer capital has to offer.

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Le Monet Hotel is located at Ordonio Drive, Camp John Hay, Loakan Road, Baguio City. Call the Manila office at +632.376-5059 or fax +632.372-0414; or the Baguio office at +074.661-0201 or fax +074.661-0208. E-mail at sales@lemonhotel.ph or log on to www.lemonethotel.ph. “Like” the “Le Monet Hotel at Camp John Hay” on Facebook.