Thursday, October 25, 2012

Vieux Chalet Restaurant and St. Moritz Inn, a Swiss getaway

I was treated by my wife Roshie last weekend for an overnight stay in Antipolo, half an hour drive from Metro Manila. The place was quite difficult to find at night as the place is very dark but when we saw this sign after asking some locals for directions that states "Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant" and the other side spelling out "St. Moritz Cottage", we knew we were at the right place. Picture below was taken the morning after.
 
Vieux Chalet is a restaurant serving Swiss cuisine and St. Moritz Swiss Inn is their in-house accommodation for those looking for a quick getaway from the city. Below is how the entrance to the place looks like in the morning. Unfortunately, no parking inside but you can park at the street just outside. The inclination is a bit steep though and you would have to make sure you got good breaks and have something to block your wheels from rolling off. The place owned by the Hassig family was opened for business in 1984.
 
We arrived dinner time at the restaurant and was gladly assisted by their manager, Rico Doy, who has been very friendly and accommodating to both of us throughout our stay. The place is cozy, specially at night when the breeze outside can be chilling. The restaurant has its homey, comfortable feel and very welcoming to diners.
 
 
decors, displays and setup inside the restaurant
 
The place has a nice overlooking view of Metro Manila skyline at night. If possible, request for a table by the window, specially the one at the middle as some view may have been obstructed by the growing plants and trees in the area.
 
our table setup
 
My wife had informed them that it is my birthday beforehand so a table with a greeting sign was waiting for us at the restaurant.
 
menu
 
We were availing a package so food was already part of it, and there were a few choices at hand. These are the food items we had and shared that night, upon the recommendation of Rico.
 
garden fresh mixed vegetable salad
 
Italian farmer's soup, made of pumpkin and tomato with bacon
 
pork fillet mignon in onion-cream sauce
 
fish fillet in white wine sauce
 
Swiss chocolate cake a la mode, with a happy birthday greeting
 
me and Roshie
 
The inn was just a short walk downhill from the restaurant. There were only 3 rooms available for guests and we were given the Olivier Room. Each room is designed and decorated differently.
 
 
inside the Olivier room
 
TV with satellite cable service and DVD player
 
 
We also had a chance to use their Jacuzzi and sauna facilities that night. As it was cold outside, the water got cold easily but the bubble jet was very relaxing and we stayed for an hour or so before hitting the bed.
 
door on the left leads to the shower room and door on the right is for sauna steam bath
 
When we got back in the room, the staff did a bit of turndown service and left a pitcher of water for us, together with a can of drink I ordered earlier.
 
The next morning, we woke up before 9:30AM, just in time for our breakfast, which we preordered the night before. We ordered Swiss brunch, which we were told could fit for 2 persons and they had set and served the meal by the poolside.
 
 The pool was inviting but it was cold that day so we never had a chance to use it.
 
our table setup
 
fresh ripe mangoes
 
bread
 
The Swiss brunch, comprised of ham, bacon, sausage, cheese, jam, etc. and was just enough to be shared for two (or for one person who is very very hungry).
 
After breakfast we just chilled out at the vicinity and explored the place before we checked out that day.
 
stairs leading to the restaurant
 
long table setup at the restaurant
 
It was a nice experience amidst a garden of nature, not to mention that it is just minutes away from the city. Too bad the time we had there was short. The place is also good for family get-togethers so we may be back soon for a little something.

4 comments:

Elizabeth said...

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Unknown said...

thank you for this post. but i’m looking for a blog where budget is included. ✌🏼😁

Haylie said...

Wow this is quite informative, you went down to the size, quality and their service. This would render a lot of people's future judgement on the place. I hope more on this sort of posts.

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Unknown said...

Greetings Jasper. You innovated an extreme passionate zone surely for the foodies and travel hunters. I also feel super homey into such green shaped and eco-friendly environment. Much more pleased to learn about Vieux Chalet Restaurant and their delicious and inviting services. I was indeed amazed swimming through your thrilling and mind-blowing experience. I really felt better after the end of the whole read. The night view particularly flashing lighting under the open sky made me with crazy feelings. Moreover, the interior decoration and recipe offerings snatch my deep attention. Love your experience in the amidst of the garden of the nature. By the way, does the restaurant have their own online food ordering system?