The southern side of Taal — closer than the rim, quieter than the strip.

Most people who've seen Taal have seen it from the Tagaytay rim. The view is famous and it's easy to understand why. But the rim is ten kilometres of hotels and viewpoints and tour buses, and the lake itself feels far away.

Highlights sits on the southern side, in Mataas na Kahoy, on the hills above Lipa. From here, the lake is closer. The cone is clearer. And on most weekday mornings — even most weekend mornings — there is no one else here.

We didn't set out to build the biggest resort on the lake. We set out to build the one with the best view, and to keep it small enough that the view stays the loudest thing in the room.

The resort has three suites and a family room — sixteen guests at full capacity, twenty-five for daytime gatherings. The pool is infinity-edge, facing the cone. There's a fully-equipped kitchen, a lounge with a sound system, indoor and outdoor dining areas, and parking for the cars that bring the whole family up from Manila.

We're a Filipino family, and we run the place like a Filipino family does — with a hand on the kettle and a name remembered. If you bring kids, we'll have a juice ready. If you bring a celebration, we'll help find the cake. We'd love for you to come up.