Back at Casa Vallejo (sort of) and dessert at Hill Station

When I was recalling some of my most memorable travel lodgings, I included Casa Vallejo in Baguio because it scared the living shit out of me and my companions when we stayed there more than a decade ago, just before it closed. We never actually saw anything, we just heard creepy sounds and felt the heebie-jeebies all throughout our stay. Well, I finally made it back to Casa Vallejo on a recent trip to Baguio.

The new Casa Vallejo

A friend was providing us free accommodations, so we didn’t book rooms in the newly refurbished boutique hotel. And refurbished it truly was. It had a bright and more polished looking lobby, the hallway was no longer as dim as before, and most importantly, that eerie I-feel-like-somebody-is-watching-me-from-the-end-of-the-creepy-hallway was no longer present. (It helped that at the end of the hallway, where the old ballroom used to be, was now the lobby with a cheery staff behind the counter. And we didn’t stay for the night, so we’re not sure how it ‘feels’ then.)

At the lobby of Casa Vallejo

Downstairs from the lobby was its restaurant, Hill Station. We had heard that they have excellent desserts, so P and I and our friends made our way down the restaurant on a Sunday afternoon, where a few tables were occupied by couples on dates. We each ordered our coffee, tea, desserts and Tex-Mex fries for something greasy and salty. All the desserts were good, especially the Deep Dark Chocolate Cake (moist and bittersweet) and for chocolate lovers, the Death by Chocolate in a cup (super sweet!). The New York Cheesecake was also good and crumbly. It didn’t make us feel like we were just eating an entire package of cream cheese. But I think the most winning dessert was the Strawberry Sorbet, that a friend ordered (but which we all took a spoonful of). It was just so refreshing (and pretty too).

Downstairs at Hill Station restaurant

The prettiest strawberry sorbet

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

New York Cheesecake

It’s another Sunday. Back in Manila. Not in the mood for anything sweet. But there’s ground beef, beans, and sour cream in the fridge. Time to make some chili con carne.

Advertisement