Story & photos by Bernard L. Supetran
IN recent memory, the province of Sorsogon has been synonymous to the sought-after butanding or whale shark, the world’s biggest fish and “gentle giant” of the sea. Its sighting in the late 1990s in Donsol town brought the spotlight in this once sleepy part of the Bicol region.
But despite the tourism boom, visitors would still elect to return to nearby Legazpi City to spend the night. This scenario would be altered with the entry of a boutique that would offer a cozy and comfy sleep after an exciting water adventure.
For almost a decade now, Siama Hotel has been playing the role of a game changer which has helped Sorsogon become a consummate nature getaway. Tucked in a 10-hectare coconut plantation in a barangay in the provincial capital Sorsogon City, the 30-room property boasts of minimalist but beautifully designed creation of noted interior artist Milo Naval. The 4-hectare luxury lodging takes pride in its designer furnishings and elegant homey ambiance in a tropical setting.
Guests are welcomed in an expansive lobby punctuated with hardwood furniture—dining tables, butakas, love seats and ottomans, which lend it a contemporary Filipino spirit. The entire facility exudes decorative quality with its industrial rough cement finish and slotted walls.
For authentic resort living, Naval extensively used the endemic luktog tree for slats for the façade and common areas. He said that the resort maintains its countryside feel which incorporate all creature comforts, and the rooms were designed as plain shells for ease of movement and keeping a fresh look.
Three clusters surround a scenic swimming pool lined with giant ferns and coconut trees, with each building sporting a different room configuration, but all with a hotel-grade bed. A rattan hammock hangs above the pool where guests can laze under the sun and tree canopy.
On the kitchen front, Siama Hotel is a culinary escape with its all-time Filipino favorites, signature spicy Bicol dishes, pizza, pasta, local desserts and short orders. A peninsular province, Sorsogon abounds in an assortment of seafood which the resort can serve with the flair of a star-rated resort. A must-taste is baluko curry, an oversized tasty seashell which is abundant in its waters, and whose empty shell is widely used as a decoration or design accent by the resort.
Siama Surf
Last year, Naval extended his design creativity in the nearby town of Gubat, the province’s surfing mecca situated on the Pacific seaboard, with the opening of Siama Surf. Guests can extend their staycation here for some surfing 101 action, fly a kite or explore the natural wonders in the vicinity.
Situated at the famed Buenavista Beach, it started as an open-air pavilion for surfers and later evolved into a trendy seven-room beach house, four of which are in the main edifice and have an enviable balcony with a view of the pool and the ocean.
Closer to the sleepy powdery shores are two wooden aircon cabins for people who love gazing or listening to the ripples of the sea. The resort also has several cabanas with cushions which provide shelter to surfers as they wait for more exciting waves to come about.
Visitors can also sink their teeth into timitim, a vernacular version of the cassava cake made up of grated cassava, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla and pili nuts, and which can only be found in Gubat.
Side trips
With its strategic location, Siama Hotel is an ideal staging point for a sortie around Sorsogon. Just a few minutes away is Bacon District, a former municipality which has become the beach colony of Sorsogon City. Beach bums can bask in Pagol Beach or Paguriran Island, an atoll which has a clear lagoon as natural pool. At low tide, beachgoers can walk on its powdery white sandbar and wade into the chest-deep lagoon.
On the opposite direction is the postcard-pretty Greco-Roman themed Provincial Capitol Complex with its spick-and-span tree-lined plaza, Spanish cannons, and a bandstand gazebo reminiscent of the simple public recreation in the olden days.
Guests can also travel as far as Bulusan Volcano Natural Park, a haven of biodiversity in Bulusan town which was once the top tourism icon of Sorsogon. Its most photographed portion is the 16-hectare lake which is dubbed as “Switzerland of the Orient” due to its resemblance to Alpine mountain lakes and suitability for kayaking.
For a seamless sortie with nature, leisure and adventure, Siama Hotel offers custom-made tours, and shuttle service to and from Legazpi City Airport.
Image credits: Bernard L. Supetran