The Shire of Sagada

The staff were accommodating and ready to help, though the steep stairs and roads to the villa make the property not very PWD-friendly. I came in with low expectations but was pleasantly surprised by the lovely room, a fancy charcuterie board, and chocolates for the kids. The food was excellent too.

I visited on Valentines day for lunch and to see the place. The setting is great, but the service and food aren't. I hope management gives the staff the right training and improves the food quality to match the price.

Once you get past the Lord of the Rings theme, this hotel is actually very good. I had a comfortable stay, with comfy beds, good linens and pillows, plush towels, and Nespresso in the room.

The villa was pristine and cozy, a high-end little sanctuary that felt like it belonged in a storybook. It's rare to find a facility kept this well so far off the beaten path, with both the architecture and the mountain views feeling untouched. Up at 1,500 meters, the air is cooler and thinner, and there's a stillness you don't get in the lowlands. Watching mist roll across the peaks made the isolation feel absolute, like an escape from the world, not just the city. The 12-hour drive from Manila is a long climb into the clouds, but that distance becomes a buffer from the noise of civilization. Once there, all that's left is mountain quiet. Time slows down and the rest of the world feels far away. It was a total reset for the soul, and every kilometer felt worth it.