Anya

I set foot on the doorstep of Anya Resort in Tagaytay on a windy day in February. After a short wait in the homey lobby, I was transported to my room in a golf cart. Inside the room was a welcome drink, Anya's famous 'Anisha' beverage, made from pineapple, mint leaves, calamansi, and honey syrup. The room was expansive, a one-bedroom suite perfect for couples, with a terrace that looked out into the wilderness. This room was to be my go-to place to get away from it all–as if being in the resort itself wasn't already a venue that felt that I was far away from the busy streets of Manila.

Lobby waiting area

Anya is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), comprised of 500 hand-picked hotels around the globe—no easy feat, especially when the jurors are anonymous and visit the resort any time without the resort's knowledge. The prize is well-deserved; during my stay, I felt as if I were at home, albeit in a more luxurious setting. Every morning I drank coffee and hot chocolate from the suite's coffee pod machine, and my previously consumed Pringles and beers from the day before were replaced instantly at no extra cost. Days were spent lounging about the hotel or resort library, a treasure trove of books about design, the human mind, far-off locales; or in the swimming pool beside 'Anila' restaurant.

At Anila, I was fed like a queen and tried everything, from Tartufo and egg pizza (a crowd pleaser, according to Anya’s Executive Chef Chris Leaning), to chorizo and shrimp gambas to smoky salmon fettuccine pasta to the club sandwich. All were excellent between hours of resting on the loungers by the pool or doing yoga on the lawn beside it. “My philosophy has not changed much over the years. It has always been to use local ingredients. I don’t use flavor enhancers and modifiers. I let the food speak for itself. All too often I see over-seasoned, overcomplicated food. Keep it simple, keep it tasteful, and do what the guest really wants. Sometimes, we are also here to guide our guests to kick out the stigma that eating out has certain rules. It doesn’t! Sharing food with family or a group of friends is the oldest way to form bonds, friendships, and memories,” said Leaning.

Even more special dining experiences happened after a long and relaxing day of doing nothing in particular; that is, nothing except chilling out. Anya's other restaurant, 'Samira by Chele Gonzalez,' serves delightful dishes. Even if you don't particularly enjoy eating, you'll love the six-course set menu with wine pairing, if only to discover palate pleasers. One night I chose this menu, which began with bites of foie gras and mango waffles, bacalao fritters, jamon iberico takoyaki, and bulalo tacos. The tacos were especially memorable because they tasted exactly like bulalo, manifested in a dry and crunchy format. After the amuse-bouches were the beef tartare with mustard ice cream, followed by a grilled octopus with ali-oli, orange salmon, and delicious black squid risotto. The final and best dish was the grilled US Angus beef tenderloin, served with parmesan mashed potato, truffles, and mushroom jus.

General Manager Mikkel Arriet

It isn't a surprise that Anya has two restaurants with delicious food. Anya's General Manager Mikkel Arriet was a chef himself. "I visited the Philippines for a few months to promote Spanish food with the Spanish Embassy. I became the corporate chef of different companies; we used to manage Pearl Farm and Taal Vista in Tagaytay and then Club Punta Fuego. I was the Executive Chef in Punta Fuego. After a few years as a chef, they offered me to grow my career as Operations Director of Anya, then eventually General Manager." The following evening I tried the fresh coconut ceviche, mushroom and truffle croquetas, and the delectable jamon and squid paella at Samira.

"The three pillars of Anya are the suites, the culinary offerings, and the wellness offerings," said Arriet. To prove his point, my body was rolled with a warm and oily bamboo stick by a massage therapist whose hands could only be described as hardy and robust. This was done at the 'Niyama Spa,' which formally opened late last year. The massage was called the 'Traditional HILOT massage,' and relieved me of all my shoulders and back burdens. Needless to say, with all the food, swimming, and now the massage, I was reduced to an existence of having zero problems in my life.

Carol Laguna, Corporate Director of Wellness and Spa of AHG

According to Carol Laguna, Corporate Director of Wellness and Spa of AHG or Anya Hospitality Group, "The whole journey in Anya is to optimize the guest's wellbeing. For example, we focus on things other than massages. We also offer retreats and workshops. We have wellness, European, and holistic treatments, like crystal blading. We believe in the integrative approach. We also offer diagnostics, colonics, the hyperbaric oxygen tank, an infrared sauna, and IV transfusions. We have all the pillars of wellness. We have a gym, and you have tried our yoga. Last on the list is the Soul Menu, which is part of the nutritional aspect of the integrative approach." Laguna emphasizes that Anya is a "hybrid" resort, where you can enjoy the food and libations as much as the wellness offerings. "You can get spa treatments and drink alcohol in the bar—all in one day."

The delightful grasshopper cocktail served at the Anya Elite Lounge

That's precisely what I did. I had cocktails at the Anya Elite Club Lounge in the evening, open to members from 2 PM onwards. Ingredients to make your own drinks, and sweet and savory snacks were on hand. I was feeling adventurous, so I asked the bartender from Samira, across the hall, to mix me some unique cocktails. He made me his version of the Red Robin, which included Patron, Cointreau, and strawberry syrup. He also made a Grasshopper with melon liquor instead of crème de menthe, and lime juice. Anya also has a wine cellar with more than 100 types of wines from all over the globe. It was the perfect way to start the evening before proceeding to dinner.

Back in the suite, just the amount of full I wasn't about to burst, there was a bubble bath waiting. I almost fell asleep in the warm water but stood up just in time to hop into bed, ready for a long, cozy slumber. "In the suite, mattresses are designed specifically so, just for us. There are so many details of fine design in the resort, including a headboard with a Barong Tagalog design," Arriet had said. By this headboard, I experienced luxurious sleep and found myself the next day awake with a peppy, refreshed energy.

It was time to try the Soul Menu at Anila after a morning of taichi. Anya doesn't offer a vegan menu, which satisfies most resort guests. This is, after all, a place to get pampered and not a place for those looking for a completely alternative lifestyle. I started with pumpkin and corn salad, which was perfectly fresh and delicious. You could tell the ingredients had just been bought; they were crunchy and wholesome-tasting. Next up were spring rolls made of vermicelli noodles and served with a peanut dipping sauce. This was followed by the miso veggie burger made of vegetables on a whole wheat bun with vegan mayonnaise and caramelized onions. That was satisfying enough, but there was still more: Thai basil tofu and a fresh fruit platter.

"After the pandemic, in 2022, it was the best year yet in revenues and number of visitors. It was better than what we expected," said Arriet. We don't wonder why. I had experienced a lifestyle of slowness and quiet indulgence. You rarely noticed the staff, the decor was just right that it didn't overwhelm but soothe, and the buffet breakfasts included a wide array of food that little else is left to the imagination. It was Filipino hospitality at its finest—exactly what Anya aims to give its guests.

"Luxury means so many things. In the case of Anya, it's the luxury of time," said Arriet. For me, the luxury of time meant being in the present, where my problems dissolved, and I simply enjoyed the moment.

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME AT ANYA RESORT

Ensuring one’s well-being has never been this sumptuous, luxurious, and indulgent

The sumptuous octopus and black ink paella at Samira by Chele Gonzalez

The delicious pumpkin and corn salad at Anila restaurant

Club sandwich at Anila restaurant

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