Sonya's Garden

What a peaceful and beautiful retreat! The grounds are gorgeously filled with plants and flowers, along with birds enjoying them. We stayed in the Dill cottage, one of the few with air conditioning (because we were newly arrived from the US, and not sure how the temps and humidity might affect our sleep). This is at the edge of the property with fantastic views of the surrounding forest and very nicely private. The room and bathroom are very spacious and everything was spotlessly clean. The staff were uniformly friendly and gracious. Breakfast (a nice buffet with Filipino dishes as well as eggs and omelets) and either lunch or dinner are included in the room charge. The lunch buffet is very expansive and delicious. The breads are all freshly made at the on site panadaria. Staff here were fantastic with being friendly and very helpful with any request. I'm picky about my coffee, so I mad my own in the room with provided kettle and coffee/tea service. The only downside is the distance from Tagatay, and the need to hire/schedule a pricey ride. (I did not understand the geography of the area.)

The food is good, but the service is terrible. Around 10:30 a.m., we asked the cashier if there would be a new stock of Hispanic bread, and she told us they will only restock by 12 p.m. While I was still at the counter, another customer came in and asked for the same bread, and suddenly the cashier said they had it and went immediately to the kitchen to get it. When I pointed out that she had just said it wouldn’t be restocked until 12 p.m., she stayed silent. It was very disappointing and honestly felt like we were treated differently compared to the other customer.

Villas were superb. We got the Jasmine and another one next to it, both having two rooms and baths each, and were air-conditioned. They had a mini-fridge, WiFi, but no TV. There was also a sitting area at the entry way, sort of a mini living room. We did the acupuncture and massage, both of which were pain-relieving, relaxing and worth the drive from Makati. The next day, we had lunch, ordering from their a la carte menu because the buffet was 100% vegetarian. Don't get me wrong, their salads and soups were top-notch, just not filling enough. I'd say their callos was better than any I've had in Manila. Reminds me of Madrid. Sorry Alba, your callos is 2nd best now in my book. Lastly, service was A+. All the staff were helpful, friendly and pleasant. Will definitely return.

I had my lunch yesterday. It was my first time after a decade of dining. It's just like coming back home after a long absence. If you are health conscious, Sonya is the place to be. Kudos.to Roy, and Iye, the table servers, whom I gave some test of committed. They have performed their job excellently.n

Have only tried the buffet and theirs is probably the best one I have tried. Service is top notch and the food is almost perfect. Spent an entire afternoon and would have loved to stay longer if I wasn't so full. Definitely coming back.

If you’re looking for a place to recharge, reflect, or simply enjoy the simple joys of nature, Sonya’s Garden is a must-visit. It’s a haven that captures the essence of peace and tranquility.

My family went here for early dinner (Holiday) Over all, It’s 4/5. The staff are very hospitable and welcoming. The food is great, especially the salad! Super fresh freshly picked from their garden. The only restaurant )i’ve been)that serves fresh flowers and organic tea. The glasses also have cute fresh flowers attached to it. My most fave dish is their tapa! As for the price, 1.4K+ is a bit pricey for its worth. Mas sulit if overnight na lang. Will be definitely back, but not so soon.

Great experience, the cottage was comfy clean and the foods are fresh, extremely satisfied with the massage with a tea afterwards!

Beautiful restaurant hidden in Tagaytay (secret nga eh!) and the food is a mix of fresh florals and vegetables, fruit, with lutong bahay favorites and new classics. The herb roasted chicken is definitely my biggest recommendation here, as it's so delicious and smells amazing. Their binagoongan rice is also excellent, and goes well with your meals. Our party was mixed with both a la carte and their prix fixe classic menu that already had set courses, which ended up confusing our table a little bit (how to tell your lola they can't eat my bread...) so I recommend sticking to one type for all if possible. The servers kept it under control though and were friendly, had good rapport with our family, and kept everything refilled. We came on a weekday lunch and it was empty, and felt like we had the entire venue for a private lunch - highly recommend if you're able to come during the week!

Absolutely love this place!! It's a Bed & Breakfast, a bakery, a restaurant, an event hall, a secret garden... Definitely a place with great ambiance and you'll leave feeling great knowing you ate organic and healthy!! I love that they even serve Kangen Water!! There isn't a whole lot to the menu, but it is more than enough! I will be returning and bringing more guests to Sonya's! It's a great break from all the fattening and heavy foods offered everywhere! It's a bit of a drive to get to, but So Worth it!! THANK YOU SONYA!!! You made this California girl's 1st trip to Tagaytay a yummy one!

I've lived in Tagaytay from 2011-2013 and haven't really visited Sonya's Garden. So today, hubby and I decided to check out for ourselves what all the hype is about. First off, don't judge the way it looks. It may look provincial and understated but I was bowled over by the salad (see photo), i mean it is among the best salads I have tasted. The squid in olive oil was also superb. Another must try is the fried lumpia which is far better than those served in Manila. We also had sinigang na salmon, among other things, which was good but with nothing remarkable to rave about. For refreshments, try the pineapple cucumber which i think is good for detox. To cap it all off, better try the taragon tea which would wash away the taste of fish from your palate. You also eat with the illusion of waterfalls on the screen walls which amps up the relaxing ambiance. Definitely a must try.

Came for a late massage with a big group. We called maybe an hour before and were able to get everyone an appointment. The walk to the massage spa was filled with beautiful greenery and places for a photo op. Once we got to the room, there was a nice front desk lady who helped us pick what kind of massage was for us. My massage was amaaaazing. I think it was a Swedish and shiatsu combo. And after we got some delicious tea. :)

Pros: Great Laidback venue Lots of places to take photos Relaxing Cons: Food is just okay quite pricey Mirienda buffet is not worth the money

The first time I came here was in 2006! Boy has this place developed over time, and for the better! I loved my first experience here when we ate lunch here. All of the ingredients were fresh and organic. My Filipino family didn't know what to do without rice. This time we skipped out on the restaurant and just did everything else. I took my family here for spa treatments. I treated each of my family to the lilac package: body scrub, facial, head treatment and full body massage. It was super relaxing and amazing! I enjoyed myself and my mom said "everything was wonderful". All of my family members were extremely grateful for this experience. My masseuse was wonderful! Probably one of the best massages I've had in a long time! I paid over 17,000 pesos for 6 people's treatments that were over 2 hours. Afterwards, we walked through the beautiful gardens, bought organic/natural foods from the country store. I bought some organic and natural food and snacks to bring back to the US as gifts. I am excited to try the coco honey spread, sweet corn chips, and the random teas they sold. I wish they sold the dalandan tea they serve at the spa! One of the tastiest teas I've ever had! They should really start selling the products they use at their spa. That Argan oil treatment on the hair and the rose moisturizer they use during the massage were awesome! I would have picked some up if they were for sale. Before we left, we also picked up some fresh bread from the bakery. The Spanish bread and the pan de coco are delicious! Each one of us had 1 of each! I just love this entire place! I'm all about the natural and organic living. I love what this place represents and everything they offer here. It's beautiful, relaxing, and it's good for the body and soul (except the bread - that's full of flour and sugar). Nevertheless everything was good! This is always a good place and a good idea. It's a perfect place to go when you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

After all the hype, we decided to visit Sonia's Garden on a weekday. First off, it was pretty much completely empty so I don't know if the weekend warrior experiences that other people had were a huge difference to what we experienced on this trip. Wasn't wow'ed at all... with the food. Ambiance is bananas, gorgeous grounds and outdoor seating, although it was rather warm that day and I wasn't digging it all that much. They didn't have the fans on. This place certainly has something to offer up in the way of it's beauty. The food however, was a bit of a different story. Average, to just a touch below in my opinion. First, we were expecting some type of breakfast buffet, however, that is not offered during the weekdays. So, instead they bring everything out, like everything on the buffet menu, they bring you a plate of it. The champorado was interestingly good, the tomato jam was a nice surprise on the toast. Everything else was kinda blah, the adobo was hella dried out and nothing else honestly stood out as, this is really good even. Service was actually above par, servers came by to check on us which was a pleasant change from the norm of seclusion from other places. Maybe we will try to come back on a weekend and see what's up! Stay Hungry My Friends!

What an amazing place! Came here for lunch on a Day Trip from Manila. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. I love the melon juice and pasta the best. The grounds were tranquil and beautiful. I will definitely come back here for another meal and maybe even a couple nights stay!

Maybe one of the best organic restaurant you can find in the area... Love their Tomato in olive oil, calamansi juice, freshly baked bread and their shiitake mushroom.. For P680 a person, it is worth the the trip.. Oh and it's a buffet :) so eat good food all you want..

This review is for the spa. Really wanted to get a massage while I was on vacation & Sonya's spa was recommended to me by a local. The grounds itself is gorgeous. Bright flowers, beautiful gardens and friendly dogs can be found throughout the property. I was very excited to have a relaxing massage and work out the kinks in my back. I decided to go with the 1 hour Sonya's signature massage and added the rice hot compress to help loosen my muscles. The massage area is very clean but as soon as I walked in, I saw problems right away. The website describes your massage as being in a "private massage room" but its not what I would call a private room. Its more like a huge open space divided into 12 stalls by rice paper walls and an open ceiling. As a result you can hear everything. Every cough, footstep, door opening/closing, conversation, throat clearing, EVERYTHING. At one point I even heard a man randomly opening doors and apologizing. When you are naked under a thin sheet the last thing you want is some random stranger opening the door on you. Privacy please!! There was no way for me to relax because it was SO noisy. On top of that, although my masseuse didn't ask me what I wanted out of my massage, I still told her what areas I wanted to focus on and I told her I wanted very firm pressure. She didn't focus on my problem areas. I could tell she was going through the motions of the routine she normally does. She even massaged my stomach- which I HATE and she didn't even ask if I wanted to skip it before doing it. And after telling her twice that she could be a little firmer and not getting it; I knew this massage was a disaster. I was just waiting for this circus to end so I could get out of there. When I was finally over I got dressed and left. I was suppose to have lunch somewhere on the property but the terrible massage left me so irritated I just wanted to leave the property. In short- if you are looking for a relaxing massage- skip this place.

I love this so much and distance makes this place even more special. The original Sonya's garden gives you a feeling of comfort, warmth, and relaxation. Although I've been here multiple times over the past couple of years, there's always that pristine and fresh vibe that I get as early as parking my car in the spacious area in front of the multi-sectioned restaurant and store. As you soon as I see those wooden tables and chairs and breath in the scent of the garden, it always makes me forget that I come there to eat. The food is not really super spectacular. Probably a 4/5 but definitely on the pricey side. They have prix-fixe menu which is, I must say, a good enough deal. Buffet service, unlimited drinks (fresh juice and tea) and commentary bread. Sonya's tops my must-visit-before-you-die Filipino restaurants list.

My family stayed at Sonya's Bed and Breakfast for one night and it came with a sumptuous dinner and a buffet breakfast. The greens were very fresh and the Sonya's Secret Dressing was lovely. Had so much fun customizing my pasta with the different sauces and toppings. I preferred the oil-based sundried tomato sauce because the white cream sauce was just too sweet. Also added some mushrooms, capers, and olives into my pasta. They served a slice of chocolate cake for dessert, and some turon and sweet potatoes. The tarragon tea was a refreshing way to cleanse the palate. And it had some health benefits too!

Lovely lush organic seems like a step from another century The owner has created a com c of restaurant venue cottages organic gardens and river retreat

Very Friendly and accommodating staffs!! Recommend their own home grown salad bar and dressing. Plenty spots for Instagram worthy selfies!! Relaxing place away from stressful traffic for a change.

I remember my first trip to Tagaytay -- someone convinced me that it was all about Taal, and that I should "definitely take the donkey ride to the top." Well, a few hours and a death-defying donkey ride later, my friends and I stood at the top of volcano looking into an ugly brown lagoon. Then on my second trip to Tagaytay, I learned my lesson: It's all about Sonya's Garden. Seriously, take a quick gander of Taal from a distance and screw that damn donkey ride -- and get yourself to Sonya's Garden! I would most definitely urge you to make a reservation, and I'd recommend dining in the greenhouse. YOU'RE EATING IN AN EFFING GREENHOUSE! It's one of the coolest things I've ever done. The greenhouse is gorgeous, and the whole experience is perfect. All the food is fresh and delicious, and it's grown on-site! The standout for me was the salad and the housemade dressing. Still to this day I dream about that salad dressing -- be sure to snag yourself a jar to take home with you. When you're done eating your multi-course meal, take a stroll around the grounds. It's truly a spectacular place.

Looking for a mini getaway for the weekend? A two-night stay at Sonya's Garden would be quite ideal. The place itself is incredibly charming and rustic. It feels as if you were whisked away to an enchanted, secret garden in the country. I stayed here for two nights with my boyfriend some time ago and we had a lovely time. The rooms are quite few so it's best to book in advance. Sonya's is actually known for the organic and vegetarian fare that they serve. When we booked our room, it came along with meals and I must say it was interesting to partake of an all-vegetable diet for a weekend. The place also has a separate house for massages. I suggest to book one of their hilot therapies to get the full Sonya's Garden experience.

If you're a huge nature/garden lover and a flexitarian/vegetarian like me, Sonya's Garden is the perfect weekend getaway chill spot for your lonesome self, friends, loved one or family. I think it would be a perfect spot for a wedding too! I've been there around 3 times already and it's one of my favorite places to visit when I'm in Tagaytay. When I was a kid, I ADORED "The Secret Garden" (both the movie and the book) and I wanted to find a place just like it and for sure I've found it in Sonya's Garden. Until I have my very own greenhouse, gazebo and secret garden in my future home, I'll settle for visiting this garden of Eden. The best part is that it's not a secret! Sonya's Garden is not just a big, gorgeous garden, it's also a restaurant (food so tasty & fresh! with Filipino flavors), bed & breakfast, plant store, greenhouse (you can ask the gardener's questions - they said they supply flowers to Elizabeth Taylor's perfume brand!) and furniture store. You could definitely spend the whole day (or 2) there having an adventure and feeling like a fairy or wood nymph in the forest. Great for picture taking as well and sometimes you'll see Sonya's cute and chubby black Labrador and other pets going around (you can pet them) and Sonya herself mingling with the visitors. You have to meet her. She's the sweetest lady!

Every time I take a trip to Tagaytay nowadays I end up venturing a little bit more to Alfonso, Cavite to visit Sonya's Garden. This little garden of paradise in the middle of nowhere is chock full of different activities - part massage spa, part bed and breakfast, part restaurant, part events place - all united under a focus on healthy, clean living. The restaurant is what I visit the most. It's comfort food in the most figurative sense, mainly because they rarely, if ever, change their menu. You know what to expect here: a luscious salad of newly picked greens (straight from Sonya's Garden's own farm), fresh fruits, lima beans and their signature creamy salad dressing; pasta served with two different sauces (chicken cream and tomato), salmon belly, coffee and tea. A truly healthy meal at an affordable price. My advice? Take a drive to Sonya's Garden with your granola-loving health buff girlfriend and have a date here. You guys will love it.

For a very long time, Sonya's Garden was synonymous to romance. It was the default recommendation for dates, anniversaries, Valentine's, and even proposals. As long as romance is in your mind, Sonya's Garden was it. Nowadays however, I don't hear too much about them as opposed to years ago where everyone kelt harping on and on about how it was the bees knees. Has the mythical garden receded back to obscurity? I think it's because the whole Sonya's Garden experience doesn't really lend to repetition. Their buffet of garden salad, freshly baked bread, and two kinds of pasta is deceptively filling, but there's really nothing special about it. The whole ambience of the place however, will fill you completely with awe. Take a couple of photos and selfies, then it's a wrap. Sonya's GardeN is something you have to visit at least once but after that, there's really no point in coming back. Unless you're wooing someone new.

WE have been to this place 2x. I especially like the Dalandan juice and the freshly made bread and pastas. Very light but filling. Reasonable price as well. I just hope they renovate.

A great place communing with nature. Love the different shrubs, flowers, trees surrounding the place. Rented a country style 2 floor house for about $1k a night. Free filipino breakfast and dinner made of fresh veggies from the garden. I really love their dalandan juice freshly made! You can hear the raindrops, the roosters crowing at the break of dawn- a usual sound you hear to wake up . Saw some firelies at night... we had a private garden tour and they showed us the organic veggies and flowers they plant for use in their menu. The owner was so friendly and hospitable making sure that we were settled well. They have a market alley with different stores for souvenirs, apothecary, and a big restaurant and spa. Heard they plan to open hair salon too.

My very first restaurant to visit in the Philippines and I was not disappointed. After a full day of trekking with friends, we need a place to cool down and to get a nice meal and we found this place. Oh my gosh the food was out of this world delicious. I loved the salad and could have just had that for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The location is unreal and the next time I am in the Philippines, I plan to stay at the bed and breakfast for a week or more. One of the best places I have ever gone too.

I was told that this place looked different 10 years ago. It was quiet then, only a few people would come and it was mostly couples looking for a romantic evening out of the city. My sister would often mention this place to me before, saying that Sonya's was where you can get the healthiest and cleanest food (yeas before organic became trendy) in town. I often wondered about this place- the gardens, the white benches with canopies you often see in photos and most of all Sonya, who is she? Then, finally I go to know her. While Sonya's Garden is still a garden today, they've dedicated a portion of it for receptions. They also placed a spa and a few boutique stores that sell little trinkets -tea cups, handmade organizers, organic soaps, lamps. They place may have changed dramatically, but I'd still say that you can still feel Sonya's presence everywhere. The canopies are as pretty as they are in photos and the flowers still growing all over the place. I just wish Sonya would add more gardens but that's just me.

If you want a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila, I suggest you go on a trip to Tagaytay City where you can unwind in some of the most relaxing places in the country. One of which is Sonya's Garden. Sonya's Garden is more than just a restaurant as it is most known for, it's also a Bed & Breakfast place, a spa, and much more. If you're going here on a day trip, you can start off your visit with a hearty brunch from the main restaurant. A buffet style feast, they have fresh salad that is grown from their own backyard, freshly baked bread, pasta with different sauces like sun dried tomato, chicken and cream with mango (which sounds weird but it works!) dessert like glazed sweet potato (my favourite!) and chocolate cake, and bottomless freshly squeezed dalandan juice. You may also opt to order additional roast chicken but it requires you to order it in advance unless you're willing to wait. After your meal, you might want to walk it off by taking a stroll around the area before proceeding to the spa which I highly recommend you do because that was the highlight of our day. The spa is just something else. You feel like you're one with nature, and feeling the zen while your masseuse takes away your stress is really hard to achieve in the metro. After your massage, you are served a hot cup of dalandan tea that's so refreshingly unique as I've never tried hot dalandan tea before! Overall, we really enjoyed our short trip to Sonya's Garden, I highly recommend it!