LE MONET HOTEL: Awesome Baguio Family Staycation!

My weekends in Baguio, always bring back childhood memories.

Baguio’s cool weather, pine trees, and classic activities such as horseback riding and strawberry picking make it our favorite family retreat.

One of our go-to hotels is Le Monet, located inside Camp John Hay, it is one of the high-class hotels in Baguio managed by Artstream Hospitality Management Group, Inc. (AHGMI), so expect notable facilities and service.

Staying here means you don’t need to go all the way to the city. Here you can devour on the best buffet breakfast spread, take a stroll with half a million pine trees as your backdrop, or enjoy horseback riding inside the Camp John Hay property.

Here’s why Le Monet will give you a perfect staycation and family bonding time in Baguio…

LE MONET HOTEL
Le Monet Hotel Camp John Hay, Baguio City
Website: www.lemonethotel.ph
Mobile: +6374 6610202 to 07 / +639175267049
Facebook: @LeMonetHotel
Twitter: @lemonet_hotel
E-mail: rsvn.lemonet@ahmgi.com

The establishment is named after Claude Monet, the great French impressionist painter known for his beautiful landscape paintings.

 

1. THE ROOMS

(Le Monet Deluxe Rooms)
We suggest you stay in the Deluxe Twin (Forest View). The rooms have its own balcony and though it doesn’t have any air conditioning, the Baguio weather makes up with its cold breeze.

 

The queen size beds are huge! You can easily fit a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids) without feeling stuffy.

 

The best part of the room? The view with half a million pine trees towering majestically over a thick blanket of fog. It’s such a heavenly sight to wake up to!

You shouldn’t be worried about the outside noise either, as CJH is very quiet at night.

 

There’s complimentary bottled water, tea, and coffee available. The rest are for sale.

 

The kids loved the self-flushing toilet with the heated seats to keep their buns warm. The bathroom has a decent size, equipped with a hot and cold shower.

 

There’s even a mini television to distract them.

 

Complete shower and bath amenities. (Shampoo, soap, toothbrush, shower cap, lotion, and conditioner)

 

2. “HANDY” Phone

Inside your room, is the most ‘Handy’ phone you’ll need!

This phone is a lifesaver for travelers, you’ll get unlimited international and local calling and internet access on your whole stay, at no extra cost.

Guests can also tailor their itinerary and at the same time receive notifications from the hotel on special discounts and promotions.

Tip: You can even take the phone outside. Watch out for the breakfast and complimentary drink coupons that’ll pop up on the phone.

 

3. COMPLIMENTARY BREAKFAST

One of the highlights of our stay in Le Monet is their sumptuous breakfast! Noted by foodies as having one of the best breakfast buffet spread in town, which has a wide array of scrumptious selections of Filipino and International dishes. You’ll get fresh salad & fruits, in-house baked bread, jams, bacon, longganisa, tapa and even eggs benedict.

 

Breakfast is served in the lobby. You can choose the lobby area with their gorgeous chandelier and park view, or in the Malt Room with the stunning forest view.

 

My favorite spot is usually at the Al Fresco dining on the veranda with a great and refreshing view. But it was raining all weekend, so I’ll settle with this view from the glass window.

 

Their show-stopper in the breakfast spread can be found in their eggs station. Poached eggs, bacon, asparagus, and hollandaise sauce. Le Monet’s eggs benedict was a treat!

 

Vigan longganisa is a traditional sausage famous for its flavorful, garlicky, and tangy taste. A must try!

 

Chicken tocino, tuyo, and pinakbet are Pinoy classics that you can also enjoy. My grandpa especially likes the tocino because of its tender meat.

 

Pancakes & fresh fruits.

 

Their bread section was also a delight. Get freshly baked sourdough and banana bread from Le Monet’s in-house bakery. They also have fruit jams.

 

A choice of three different salads that change every morning.

 

4. FOOD

They also have a good selection on their regular menu items.

 

House Salad (P320)
The Le Monet Salad is very popular in Baguio, it comes with fresh lettuce, candied walnuts, strawberry, parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinegar dressing. I like the mix of sweet and sour flavors.

 

Creamy Pesto with Seafood
Luxurious creamy pesto sauce cooked with fresh seafood and linguine is so hearty and comforting!

 

Short Rib Kaldereta (P425)
Tender US short rib with creamy cheese and tomato sauce was a hit with the kids. It was the first dish that was completely devoured.

 

Beef Kare-Kare (P425)
What I like about their kare-kare is that their version has regular chunks of meat and not just ox-tail.

 

Almond Crusted Salmon (P450)
We also loved the perfectly cooked salmon with onion and apple chutney.

 

Strawberry Shortcake  (Slice P120 / Whole P850)
For dessert! Don’t forget to order their strawberry shortcake! I loved their cake which had a sweet-sour strawberry goodness and a light, fluffy texture.

 

The cake reminds me of Vizco’s version, which is a good thing, so I don’t need to drive all the way to get a bite. The kids and adults alike really loved it!

 

You can also get the cake and other goodies such as their banana bread in the Le Monet bakery.

 

5. FACILITIES

The heated pool was pretty cold since the solar panels didn’t get enough juice because of the rainy weather.

 

There’s a small indoor gym with a fantastic forest view.

 

The hotel includes a panoramic view of the pine trees and a pocket garden.

 

6. ACTIVITIES (CAMP JOHN HAY GROUNDS)

CJH’s is filled with tourist spots including the butterfly sanctuary, eco-trail, horseback riding trails, and picnic areas that are easily accessible.

When staying inside CJH bringing workout clothes and good shoes are a must! The compound is an outdoor paradise filled with activities that’ll sweat you out. Popular among runners and cyclist is the Yellow Trail, a scenic trail perfect for beginners.

 

Feeling adventurous? You can also appreciate sheer nature by taking on the eco-trail. The scenic track is filled with orange-colored dirt, pine trees with surfaces that vary from flat to hilly. It’s an easy trek for those who are used to this kind of activities. You can find the entrance near the Butterfly Sanctuary.

 

And of course, the activity that kids has been begging us to do since day one of our rainy staycation in Baguio. Horseback riding!

 

Staying in Le Monet means, you don’t need to go out of CJH to enjoy horseback riding in Mines View Park since the horseback riding area is conveniently just next to the hotel.

For the kids, I strongly suggest they take a guide with them. While my dad and uncle were experts and rode on their own. (P400-horse, P400- guide)

 

7. HISTORICAL TOUR (CAMP JOHN HAY GROUNDS)
(admission is at P60 for adults and P30 for students and senior citizens).

Cemetery of Negativism is not a “real” cemetery, it’s an entertaining graveyard where you’re supposed to bury all your negative thoughts and boost your positive thinking.

It was a unique experience reading the epitaphs and guessing what they meant.

The compound also includes the Bell Amphitheater and Bell House, named after General J. Franklin Bell, who developed Camp John Hay into a military recreation area.

The Bell House used to be the official vacation residence of the Commanding General of the Philippines.

Today, it has been transformed into a museum that represents American colonial architecture.

At first, I was a skeptic about this tour, but as you can see, the kids really loved it! Thanks, to the hotel’s manager Charmaine De Guzman for recommending us this tour.

 

Reasons why we love Le Monet:
-I love Le Monet’s room, the spacious bed, cool breeze, and gorgeous view was a winner to me!
-The strategic location, inside the Camp John Hay compound. The activities and restaurants are just walking distance from the hotel.
-Delicious and wide breakfast buffet spread. The regular menu items are also good!
-Nature! The fresh air was a wonderful change from Manila.
-You can relax and enjoy a peaceful staycation inside the compound.

If a weekend is all you’ve got, drive up to Baguio and enjoy a memorable staycation in the Summer Capital of the Philippines. I admit Baguio is more congested today, but you won’t feel that way when you stay inside CJH, plus I can’t resist the cool climate that’s almost all year-round!

LE MONET HOTEL
Le Monet Hotel Camp John Hay, Baguio City
Website: www.lemonethotel.ph
Mobile: +6374 6610202 to 07 / +639175267049
Facebook: @LeMonetHotel
Twitter: @lemonet_hotel
E-mail: rsvn.lemonet@ahmgi.com

 

Live an Awesome Life,

ABI of Team Our Awesome Planet

Disclosure:  We were media guests of Le Monet.  I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.