AESTHETIC STAYCATION SUITE THAT WE BOOKED IN BAGUIO CITY

The Living Area

We were invited by our friend to go to Happy Ripples in Pangasinan for one night during a holiday, so we gladly accepted the invitation and went. The whole day and night were enjoyable, but I felt like the vacation was too short since it was only for one day. As we prepared for our check-out, I decided to invite my husband to go straight to Baguio. He looked at me in surprise and asked if we would have a place to stay since it was last minute and peak season. Determined to leave, I searched online for accommodations. Luckily, I had the Airbnb App, a booking platform where you can book hotels, homestays, and the like. I scrolled through, but all the hotels I checked were fully booked, so I decided to try looking for condo units for a staycation.

The Building's Facade

Until I saw a condo unit for staycation at Bristle Ridge Baguio. Bristle-Ridge is a three-building, medium-rise condominium community built atop a ridge in the City of Pines.

The total price of our booking

So, I contacted the Airbnb host of the property and booked it. Based on my recollection, we paid only 3k plus, including parking, for one night. It was cheaper compared to staying in a hotel. Once we had sorted out our booking, we headed to Baguio to avoid arriving late at night.

Upon our arrival in Baguio, I followed the directions to Bristle Ridge. When we got there, the guard asked for our room number and allotted parking slot. After verifying our information, they allowed us entry into the building. There was no lobby, so you go straight to your unit once the guard completes the verification process.

The building where the unit is located

The parking slot assigned to us is located in the same building as our condo unit, while the unit itself is on the Upper Ground Level of the building. It is only one floor up from the parking slot, so you won't need to take the elevator if you're in a hurry.

Wider shot of the living area

Upon entering, we found the unit already open, clean, and pleasantly fragrant. My husband and I were pleased with our chosen unit, as its design is also very aesthetic.

The unit is well-equipped with toiletries, towels, dishwashing and cleaning materials, kitchenware including an oven, induction cooker, refrigerator, kettle, coffee maker and rice cooker. For entertainment, there is a smart TV with Netflix and YouTube, although local channels are not available. The living area is spacious enough for 2-3 people and has a comfortable couch.

 

In the bedroom, there is a queen-size bed with a thick mattress, ensuring a restful sleep.

The Balcony

The bedroom has access to the balcony although the view from the balcony is not very impressive because the unit is only on the upper ground level, but the balcony is spacious and you can eat, bond, and hang out here because of the cool weather. We used this balcony the next morning to prepare and have breakfast.

Since the kitchenware here is complete, I can say that we saved on food expenses because we were able to cook breakfast and didn't need to go to a restaurant just to eat. At the same time, I felt a stronger bond with my husband here because there's more quality time when you prepare food together compared to just sitting in a restaurant and waiting for your order.

Given our experience here, we came back after a few months. It's a shame though that whenever I book, it's always last minute and during peak season, so we only get one night for our booking.

Since then, we have compared staying in hotels and staycation condos. The ambiance of a hotel is still different, especially if you check in at a nice hotel. However, if you are traveling for work with a limited budget or if you are a budget-conscious traveler, a staycation condo unit is the best option for you.

If you are looking for staycation units, there are booking platforms like Agoda and Airbnb where you can choose and book hotels or condos. With these booking platforms, you can be assured that your bookings are secure, and you can also avoid scammers on social media.

It's already the BER months, so if you are planning a vacation, I suggest that you book your hotels or staycation units now.