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Is it just me or are vacation house rentals so popular these days? I get it though. We want to go on vacation while having all the comforts of home. This is especially true for moms like me, who want all the necessities within reach while on vacation, not to mention a much bigger space for our toddler to roam safely. Small, basic studio-type hotel rooms just won’t do anymore. We don’t want to pack our whole house for vacations; we want to stay where everything is there.

And so my family booked a post-Mother’s Day stay at Tahana Farm Villas, the new vacation home rental of Nurture Wellness Village and Nurture Farmacy proprietors Cathy and Mike Turvill. The private villas are meant for couples or a small family of three or four. Each comes with a complete kitchen and all amenities of a home you’d rent on, say, Airbnb. Each villa also has private access to a 14m pool with a pool deck and loungers.

We wanted to avoid the Mother’s Day crowd on the actual day, so we decided to schedule a relaxing staycation for the family after Mother’s Day weekend. Just in case you’re looking for a place to do an early or post-Mother’s Day celebration, or just want to enjoy the cool Tagaytay and Amadeo air while avoiding the crowds flocking to the popular summer destination, Tahana is a best new secret hideaway we’ve found. I thought I’d share it with you ahead of our visit since we’re on the last month of summer (although El Niño is said to last until August, which means the warm and dry weather will persist until then). Watch for my detailed review of our stay, coming soon after!

What’s special about Tahana

The word tahana is derived from the Tagalog phrase “tahan na,” meaning “to soothe.” For instance, moms would use these words to soothe upset children, letting them know that all is well. With this in mind, Tahana hosts Cathy and Mike offer Tahana as a “haven—a place where you can escape the pressures of urban life in a safe and secure countryside oasis, but at the same time be connected to the essentials of modern life and take enjoyable steps to healthy living.”

Tahana offers “ecotherapy,” also known as green therapy or nature therapy, which is supported by scientific studies that show that “just being amidst nature relieves stress and improves mental health.” In Tahana, vegetable plots are just a block away at the Biyaya Farm, where you can pick and pay for fresh herbs and vegetables for your meals. You can enjoy walks in the picturesque countryside. You can also get a refreshing workout in the pool or simply lounge and relax. You may also chill at the garden gazebo.

What you need to know before your visit

Check-in is at 3PM. If you will be arriving prior to the check-in time, you may leave your belongings with the team while you explore the area.

Parking space is available within the compound. Provide your plate number prior to check in so the guard is informed. There is one dedicated car park space per villa. If you are bringing additional cars to the property, there’s a charge of P150 per vehicle for overnight parking.

Tahana is a pet-friendly property. You can bring your pets as long as they are fully vaccinated and weigh 10kg or less. You are also required to bring your own pet pads and clean up after your pets during your stay.

There’s free wifi and a Smart TV. You may log in to your Netflix and other streaming accounts, just remember to log out.

You may cook but naked flames are not allowed in the house. If you wish to cook during your stay, there’s an induction stove available in the kitchen, as well as kitchen utensils, pots, pans, cutlery, plates, and glassware, all stocked in the kitchen cabinets. Cleaning materials are likewise provided.

You may get your food delivered from the comfort of Tahana. For your convenience, you may set your pin at “Hotel & Spa Essentials.” The food will be delivered straight to your doorstep, just indicate which villa you are located in.

Hot water is available in the upstairs bathroom.

A first-aid kit is available in each house.

The swimming pool is open from 8AM to 7PM. However, no lifeguard is stationed there.

There’s a garden gazebo available for in-house guests, with an option to reserve the whole gazebo for exclusive use of a bigger group. You may also rent the entire Tahana property for intimate events.

Loud parties or noise are not allowed in Tahana. Serene, intimate gatherings are encouraged instead. In compliance with the Provincial Ordinance No. 342-2022 of Cavite, any loud singing/karaoke or the like is limited to only until 10PM.

Tahana is strictly a no-smoking property.

About Tahana’s location

The Tahana Farm Villas are located in the historic town of Amadeo, Cavite, just at the boundary of Tagaytay City. Amadeo prides itself as the Coffee Capital of the Philippines, with its bountiful harvests of a wide variety of coffee beans: Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, and Barako, grown in its abundant fields of coffee trees, making it the perfect place to visit for coffee-lovers like me. The farm villas of Tahana are named after the coffee beans grown in Amadeo.

It’s close enough to local attractions and popular restaurants in Tagaytay, as well as to malls, grocery stores, hospitals, and pharmacies, for whatever you should need. Shopping areas near Tahana include Walter Mart inside Serin Ayala Malls or Robinsons Supermarket at the Summit Ridge complex along Aguinaldo Highway. There’s also a Santi’s Delicatessen along Aguinaldo Highway. For retail therapy, you can check out the outlets at Acienda, Greenfields Outflets in Santa Rosa, and Bookchigo for book lovers.

In case of emergencies, it would ease your mind to know it’s close to local pharmacies Generika Pharmacy and Mercury Drug, hospitals Tagaytay Hospital & Medical Center and The Medical City South Luzon, the Amadeo Fire Department, Tagaytay Police Station, and even veterinary services at Galpa Veterinary Clinic. Check their welcome book for contact information.

Places of worship abound in the area if you want to hear mass, like SVD Church, Lourdes Church, and Pink Sisters Convent.

Things to see and do in Amadeo and Tagaytay

Enjoy wellness and aesthetic services next door. Just a stone’s throw away from Tahana, Nurture Wellness Village offers a full range of professional spa and wellness treatments using therapeutic aromatherapy oils blended by Tahana’s owner, Dr. Mike Turvill. For professional aesthetic services, you can visit the SansAge Advanced Clinic inside Nurture Wellness Village. Owned by Dr. Michelle Riveram, a renowned plastic surgeon, SansAge also has clinics in Greenbelt and Baguio Country Club.

Pick and buy fresh vegetables at Nurture Farmacy. Located just up the road across Tahana, Nurture Farmacy lets you pick and pay from an assortment of fresh vegetables for your salads like kale, lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, etc. A wide selection of herbs are available for your fresh teas, too. Nurture Farmacy also offers interactive and interesting learning activities, like a farm tour by traditional healing expert Nanay Lina through a Phytotherapy Garden, where you learn about plants and their benefits for your body; demonstrations on coffee roasting and tea preparation; and more.

Go on a food trip. Within Tahana’s immediate vicinity is Farmers Table, a restaurant with a relaxed countryside ambiance that offers Filipino and international farm-to-table cuisine. Other good dining options nearby are Amadeo Artisan Cafe, Don Limone Napa Grill, Aozora (Japanese cuisine), Neul Bolm Korean Restaurant, Buon Giorno Caffe & The Bistro (Italian comfort food), and Balay Dako, one of our favorites for Filipino dining overlooking Taal Lake.

Sightseeing. Tahana is close to Tagaytay’s many tourist attractions, especially Taal Volcano, which you can view from afar from one of the many viewing spots along the highway or cafes overlooking the lake. You can also hike and enjoy horseback riding. There’s also the popular Sky Ranch, which offers rides and attractions for all ages, like the Sky Eye Ferris Wheel, Super Viking, and Sky Cruiser. There are also plenty of dining options within the destination.

To make reservations at Tahana, you may contact 0917-6878873 or 02-87109786, email info@nurture.com.ph, or send a private message to their Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Photos courtesy of Tahana. Watch for my own photos in my upcoming review of the property.

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