Façade of Azalea Residences Baguio, just across Teachers' Camp — Façade of Azalea Residences Baguio, just across Teachers’ Camp. Photos by Pocholo Concepcion

Everybody can feel so at home in Baguio that the thought of actually living there crosses the mind.

But it has rarely happened, even if a few friends have done so—finding work, getting married and starting a family in the City of Pines, enjoying year-round cool weather, and eating fresh vegetables and strawberries famously grown in the mountain resort.

The rest of the envious lot make do with three-day to week-long vacations during summer and whenever there’s a chance, including Christmas and other holidays.

But in between long walks at the usual tourist spots, having breakfast at Casa Vallejo’s Hill Station Restaurant or at Café By the Ruins, and drinking beer on Session Road at night, what we secretly long for is to spend a day or two in a Baguio residence and partake of a home-cooked meal.

That’s exactly what Azalea Residences, a new hotel on Leonard Wood Road, across Teachers’ Camp, encourages its guests to do—complete the Baguio getaway experience by cooking right inside their rooms.

Induction stove

All guest rooms are furnished with kitchen, dining and living area facilities. The kitchen has an induction stove.

On a recent visit, still sleepless after working all night in the Inquirer newsroom, our groggy eyes brightened up at the sight of a basketful of strawberries, grapes and bananas in the room, welcoming us to Azalea.

Our deluxe room had a balcony with a view of the mountains and pine trees. It was spacious enough to accommodate a queen-size bed, a sofa bed good for two more persons, a small dining table and the kitchen.

But since our knowledge of cooking is limited to boiling eggs, we had to pass up the opportunity to prepare our own food—which the other media members got to do in their own rooms, with Azalea’s in-house cooks assisting them.

There was actually a cooking contest sponsored by Azalea management; the media was divided into three teams, each team provided with a budget to to buy the ingredients at the Baguio Public Market.

Surely they had fun cooking because everyone was proudly beaming when all the entries were presented at Azalea’s Tradisyon restaurant and coffee shop.

Food and beverage director David Griffiths and chef Arnold Ocampo serve as judges in the contest.

Azalea’s food and beverage director (F&B), chef David Griffiths, and one of the hotel’s chefs, Arnold Ocampo, served as judges.

The winning entry, Manok na Nangitlog sa Baguio, consisted of broiled native chicken with boiled eggs, fresh lettuce and strawberries.

Other entries were Strawberry Garden Pasta; Coco Azalea or vegetable and seafood salad with coconut milk; and Sweeter the First Time Around or strawberries baked like a cheesecake.

The chicken dish was tasty and deserved to win, though the rest had their own impressive qualities.

Domestic tourism

poch-travel baguio3 — Chicken dish, the winning entry of a cooking contest among media members.

Cooking one’s food while staying in Azalea is not only cheaper than eating out; it’s also good for bonding with the family.

It’s all part of the hotel’s objective to promote domestic tourism, according to Azalea general manager Elisa Escobar, who made a major decision to relocate with her family to Baguio so she can fully concentrate on her job and not miss on her duties as wife and mother as well.

She says Azalea “offers the style and comfort of a deluxe serviced apartment ideal for a family vacation, leisure getaway or business travel.”

Since Baguio gets packed during summer and holidays, Escobar suggests that guests take advantage of the off-peak season between June to October, when Azalea likewise offers special discounted rates.

poch-travel baguio5 — A view of the mountains and pine trees from the balcony of Azalea’s deluxe rooms.

When the itch to explore the outdoors become unbearable, the hotel also offers a tour of Baguio, including BenCab’s Tam-awan Village and Museum. During our stay, we had the chance to enter the exclusive Baguio Country Club and buy its popular raisin bread, courtesy of Azalea.

But nightlife in Baguio seems boring these days; the bar we used to frequent on Session Road has closed down, while the rest are also closed by midnight.

That gave us more time watching cable TV and listening to music while drinking beer inside our room.

There’s another Azalea in Boracay set to open early next year, but that’s another story.

Azalea Residences Baguio, 7 Leonard Wood Loop, Baguio City; tel. (074) 4248716; azalea.com.ph, azalearesidencesbaguio.com