Situated in a quiet spot in Tagaytay, Anya Resort is a haven for peace and quiet, just about an hour and a half away from bustling Manila. One Wednesday, I checked into the resort a little before lunchtime and got myself ready for an overnight stay filled with rest and relaxation. First on the agenda was a quick health check at the Niyama Wellness Center, where the staff recorded my blood pressure, weight, and BMI. I was given a quick assessment and was also allowed to share my wellness practices and lifestyle, all in order to help me improve them further.

It began with a breeze rolling in from the ridge—the kind that carries not just the crisp mountain air of Tagaytay, but also the quiet promise of something special.

Two notable chefs, Anya Resort’s executive chef Chris Leaning and El Born’s chef David Amoros, collaborate for one evening of elevated Catalan cuisine

MANILA, Philippines – The most recent Anya Wine Dinner series at Anya Resort Tagaytay’s Samira restaurant presented a unique opportunity to enjoy a delicious collaboration by two Spanish restaurants accredited by Spain’s Certificado de Calidad.

The 2025 Anya Wine Dinner Series presented an extraordinary Four Hands Dinner, featuring Anya Resort’s executive chef Chris Leaning and El Born’s chef David Amoros. The event took place on 24 April at Samira by Chele Gonzalez in Anya Resort, Tagaytay, bringing together two acclaimed chefs for a night of culinary excellence. The dinner marked the first-ever collaboration between two Spanish restaurants accredited by the Spanish Government through the prestigious Certificado de Calidad.

Anya Resort’s Wine Dinner Series features GM Mikel Arriet’s selections from the Ribera del Duero region

Spain, as a wine region, can sometimes be overshadowed by its European neighbors, Italy and France. But in Anya Resort’s Wine Dinner Series, the Spanish Ribera del Duero wine region became the highlight with personal selections by general manager Mikel Arriet.

Anya Resort Tagaytay always promises rest, relaxation, and exceptional food—but this particular weekend stood out, thanks to the second installment of the Anya Wine Dinner Series: a remarkable four-hands collaboration between Anya Executive Chef Chris Leaning and El Born’s Chef David Amoros. Between indulgent bites and fine wines, there was also time to savor the resort’s amenities, including its tranquil Niyama Wellness Center.

What is it about Anya Resort Tagaytay that keeps drawing guests to visit? One of the only two accredited Filipino properties by the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the wellness resort helmed by President and CEO Santiago Elizalde has not only won global awards but also a deeply loyal clientele with its tropical Filipino charm and top-notch hospitality.

Anya Resort Tagaytay hosts the second installment of its Wine Dinner Series on April 24, 2025, at its signature restaurant, Samira by Chele Gonzalez. With limited seats available, early reservations are highly recommended to secure your spot.

Last February, Anya Resort Tagaytay launched the first edition of its highly anticipated Wine Dinner Series—an evening that transported guests to the heart of Spain through an inspired culinary journey.

Women are extraordinary. The same as a species, yet unique as individuals. Women are powerful, resilient and ever-evolving.

Some days, I feel like Dr. Jekyll — chill and in control. Other days, I wake up as Mr. Hyde, hijacked by emotions I don’t understand.

That’s why, on the afternoon of 14 March, I found myself hanging on to every word of Marilen Gonzalez-Elizalde’s talk on female hormones at the luxurious Anya Resort Tagaytay. Her lecture, “Mindful Conversations with Marilen,” was part of the resort’s Women’s Month celebration.

Far from taking it easy, the 81-year-old is still actively creating, and this exhibit gives visitors a peek into his artistry and creativity.

Ramon Orlina is 81 years old, but the way he’s still actively creating and sharing his art to the world, there’s no question he’s still at the top of his game. Known for his glass sculptures, the artist remains as dedicated to his craft as he was when he first started nearly five decades ago.

In his latest effort, legendary glass sculptor Ramon Orlina brings his celebrated pieces outside the four walls of Museo Orlina, enabling collectors and casual followers alike to enjoy the master’s works.

On display at Anya Resort Tagaytay until May 15, Visions in Glass is a vibrant collection of Orlina’s masterpieces, each one strategically displayed at the hotel’s main lobby (aka the Living Room), where they enjoy ample amounts of natural light that reveal their unique dimensions.

Anya, a luxury resort in cool Tagaytay, distinguishes itself with bespoke guest experiences that go beyond its heated pool and wellness center. The resort’s wellness packages offer a curated experience, featuring customized aromatherapy in guest rooms tailored to individual needs, nutritious personalized menus, one-on-one Aquafit classes, and other customized requests.

To further enrich the guest experience and connect visitors with Tagaytay’s culture, Anya has partnered with Museo Orlina. This collaboration brings sculptor Ramon Orlina’s traveling exhibit, “Visions in Glass,” into the resort’s living space.

Orlina, known for his distinctive green prismatic sculptures crafted from locally sourced glass, also incorporates imported materials. Amber, white with varied effects, purple, and pink glass blocks are meticulously cut, ground, and smoothed by Orlina, while an assistant polishes the pieces, creating scintillating patterns of color and light.

Complementing these artistic and personalized wellness offerings, Anya’s award-winning Niyama Wellness Center has launched its “Mindful Conversation” series, featuring expert-led talks on various well-being topics.

Ask wine enthusiasts what makes a wine good and each of them would have a different answer. Most are informed by its tasting notes, while some are about where it comes from. Others, however, put it simply and focus more on the feeling it gives.

Not all wines are the same, after all. There are around 10,000 wine grape varieties in the world, and several of them are put together to produce unique flavor profiles with tastes that vary from one to another.

The wine scene is big, which is what makes it worth exploring. One way to do so is by indulging in a wine dinner. While you’re not able to feel the sun and take a walk in vineyards just like in wine tours, it’s still more than sipping booze—it’s a multisensory experience that lets you know what each bottle has to tell accompanied with good food and good atmosphere.

That’s what we got a preview of at Samira by Chele Gonzalez’s wine dinner series, which is showcasing different wine destinations throughout 2025. The well-orchestrated adventure kicked off with Spain’s Ribera del Duero, which is one of the most renowned wine regions with offerings mostly made from Tempranillo, a red wine grape variety.

The Father of Philippine Glass Sculpture brings his ‘Visions In Glass’ exhibit to Anya Resort Tagaytay until May

MANILA, Philippines — The decision to bring Ramon Orlina’s glass sculptures to Anya Resort Tagaytay wasn’t just spontaneous — it was almost too easy.

This tranquil getaway gives food and wine aficionados another sumptuous reason to visit Tagaytay with the launch of its 2025 Anya Wine Dinner Series.

Refreshed and rejuvenated, thanks to a signature massage at the Niyama Wellness Center in Anya Resort Tagaytay, my friend and I headed to Samira by Chele Gonzalez, to get our first taste of the resort’s newly launched Wine Dinner Series. And while the relaxing memory of those exquisite heated bamboo sticks rolling down my back is not something I will soon forget, it certainly isn’t the only thing unforgettable from this visit to Anya.

More than just a peaceful, sustainability-focused retreat in the heart of Tagaytay, Anya Resort has also become a hub of cultural activities, merging hospitality with the arts. The most recent collaboration born from this ethos is the exhibition Visions in Glass, which features the iridescent glass masterpieces of renowned sculptor Ramon Orlina, as well as his children Anna and Michael.

Anya Resort Tagaytay celebrated fine Spanish cuisine paired with exquisite wines.

Since its opening in 2017, Anya Resort Tagaytay has been a premier destination for those seeking a quiet trip outside the city–and for good reason. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), Anya Resort prides itself on its signature warmth and Filipino hospitality. The resort’s latest offering, Anya Wine Dinner Series, is a testament to that. “Anya Resort Tagaytay and Samira by Chele have an extensive wine cellar, and we thought this would be a great way to showcase different wine regions,” shared Mikel Arriet, the resort’s general manager. The 2025 Anya Wine Dinner Series, a multi-course meal celebrating fine wines from around the world, commenced with “Ribera del Duero” on February 28th at Samira by Chele Gonzalez. The first of four quarterly celebrations planned for the year, “Ribera del Duero” explored wines from the Spanish region—handpicked by sommeliers Pierre and Cyril Adison—paired with meticulously

This year, Anya Resort Tagaytay invites diners on a culinary journey around the world with a curated wine dinner series at Samira by Chele, showcasing the finest wines from iconic regions in Spain, France, and the United States.

What’s better than traveling to Spain for a Friday night dinner? If jetting off isn’t on the agenda, you can still indulge in its flavors—letting the power of gastronomy transport you there. That’s the essence of Anya Resort’s new Anya Wine Dinner Series, a quarterly celebration of cuisine and fine wines from around the world.

If the dinner were a quiet rebellion against the hurried life, it would be a story told in slow deliberate sips.

Because some wines demand attention. Some meals refuse to be rushed. The inaugural installment of this year’s Wine Dinner Series in Tagaytay last Saturday ensured we gave in to both.

The quarterly banquet celebrates the finest wines from around the world — in Anya Resort’s most extensive cellar.

Here, Anya’s Samira by Chele made a case for why wine should be an event and not a mere accompaniment.

PUTTING Nasugbu, Batangas, on the map as one of the most sought-after sailing meccas in the country and even in Asia, Landco Pacific Corp. continued to co-present the prestigious 21st Club Punta Fuego Regatta.

The two-day Club Punta Fuego Regatta is one of the country’s longest-running yachting competitions and a top sports tourism event in Southern Luzon.

Organized by the Philippine Inter-Island Sailing Foundation (Phinsaf) and Club Punta Fuego, Landco Pacific’s pioneering and premier seaside developments along the coastline of Nasugbu, Batangas, Terrazas de Punta Fuego and Peninsula de Punta Fuego were the exclusive and upscale enclaves that served as witnesses to the sailing event.

The return to Anya was a pause in the work week. Marilen Gonzalez-Elizalde was conducting a two-day Crossroads to Wellness session at the luxury resort in Tagaytay. The prospect of relaxing in cooler climes, indulging in fine gastronomy and yielding to the skilled therapists at the Niyama spa were incentives for an immediate sign-up.

However, activities and appointments leading up to the two-day event threatened to encroach on the anticipated respite. It was only the morning when I settled into the backseat of the car that the resolve to take a break won over the stress of never-ending things to get done.

The imaginative series of culinary collections culminated in a remarkable gustatory adventure through the collaboration of two famed chefs, Chele Gonzalez and Mike Calo.
Anya Resort Tagaytay hosted the final run of the Samira Culinary Collection. The event was conceptualized by Gallery by Chele’s Chef Chele Gonzalez in collaboration with Chef Miko Calo.

Beautiful Butuan, which is the capital of Agusan Del Norte, is known as the Timber City of the South. It is strategically placed as a center for commerce, industry, and administration in the Caraga region, with a well-connected road network that makes it a key point of access to other major cities in Northern Mindanao. There is also a significant development for tourism, with Butuan’s attractions that include natural wonders and remembrances from the city’s historic past as a center for thriving maritime trade.

Anya Hospitality Group (AHG), known for luxury destinations like Anya Resort Tagaytay, Club Punta Fuego and Terrazas de Punta Fuego, is expanding its portfolio with two new properties this year.

Elizalde-led AHG is venturing north of Manila with Brio de Agoho. Its newest jewel in Zambales promises to be the first high-end resort and hotel in Central Luzon. Nestled along the coastline of Baranggay Uacon in Candelaria, Zambales on a sprawling 1.12 hectare property, this hidden gem beckons to those seeking an escape from the fast-paced city life.

Gone are the days of day spas — a quick rubdown in Manila, and then back to the maw of stress and toxicity. Niyama Wellness Center at Anya Resort Tagaytay, run by spa director Carol Laguna, is all about transporting yourself to a holistic wellness experience that can change your life.

We traveled to Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Spain and back again via a dinner by chefs Chele Gonzalez and Rhea Rizzo—the latest team-up in Anya Resort Tagaytay’s Samira Culinary Collection series, where guest chefs are invited to collaborate with the chef behind Samira by Chele.

Chef Rhea Rizzo is known for her bespoke private dining restaurant Mrs. Saldo’s in nearby Silang, Cavite, her family’s personal farm/country estate that she converted into a culinary destination, complete with artisanal bakery and cooking school.

MANILA, Philippines — Anya Resort Tagaytay’s flagship restaurant, Samira by Chele Gonzalez, continues its series of culinary collections. For January, it teamed up with Chef Josh Boutwood of Ember to create a seven-course menu designed to tickle the palates of the resort’s discriminating guests.

Our gastronomic voyage began with white and red Sangria and the deliciously concocted Salt Margarita by sommelier Chico Silva.

Collaborative dinners present an opportunity for chefs to learn from each other, bringing in their signature dishes or techniques and broadening their culinary horizon in the process.

But it takes more than skill and innovation for a four-hands dinner to be truly memorable. It requires humility and moving out of one’s comfort zone – both for the host chef and the guest chef.

The Department of Tourism believes that the Philippines has the potential to attract visitors looking for health and wellness facilities and services, thus the inclusion of health and wellness tourism in its National Tourism Development Plan for 2023-2028.

Niyama Wellness by AHG seeks to support this initiative by the DOT by offering full-service spa and wellness management and consultancy to developers, owners and operators of leading hotels, resorts, and spa projects nationwide.

The Anya Hospitality Group (AHG), a member of the Roxas family-controlled Roxaco Land Corp., is promoting a spa and wellness management consultancy service to property developers, hotel and resorts owners and the spa stand alone business called Niyama Wellness, it is the first local spa consultancy company in the Philippines that offers management services to spa and wellness owners. Right now, the local consultants in the country are working on an individual basis. This makes Niyama a cut above the rest as it can offer a more comprehensive plan for the interested parties.

Government released recently the revised implementing rules of the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) and as expected, opinions were mixed.

Under the revised rules, the President has the authority to accept or reject appointees to the board, including the president and executive director, as well as independent directors of the Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC) as recommended by the advisory body.

The previous version of the IRR supposedly limited the choices of the President on who he can appoint to the MIC board to those shortlisted by the advisory body.

Anya Hos­pit­al­ity Group (AHG) has expan­ded its port­fo­lio of man­aged prop­er­ties, with two new des­tin­a­tions set to cap­tiv­ate tour­ists and offer the ulti­mate get­away exper­i­ence that high­lights the nat­ural attrac­tions of the Phil­ip­pines.

AHG has taken on a con­sultancy role for the pre-launch of Reside Siar­gao and Brio de Agoho in Can­delaria, Zam­bales, and will be expand­ing its role to include hos­pit­al­ity man­age­ment along with rev­enue man­age­ment and dis­tri­bu­tion ser­vices for both prop­er­ties once oper­a­tional by 2024.

Anya Resort Tagaytay, a relaxed, elegant, and premier resort hotel under the management of Anya Hospitality Group (AHG) and a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded as the Philippines’ Leading Boutique Resort in this year’s World Travel Awards.

This award is a testament to the brand’s exceptional service, outstanding facilities, and commitment to delivering a heartwarming guest experience.

“We are truly honored to be recognized as the country’s leading boutique resort, especially that the Philippines houses the best resort properties that are on par with international brands,” says Mikel Arriet, hotel general manager. Adding that, “This award is a reflection of the hard work, passion, and dedication of our entire organization to go above and beyond to ensure that our guests have memorable and extraordinary experiences with us.”

Sometimes, in the middle of the week, when I’m stressed out even when I’m working from home, I head off to Anya Resort in Tagaytay.

It’s about an hour away from Makati, heading south on a weekday, and it takes me about the same amount of time I spend in traffic nowadays, heading north to Ortigas on a work day.

From the time I drive through the gates and onto the reception, I’m greeted with warm smiles and happy faces. Welcome home, they say. Welcome home.

Here are some reasons why I love Anya, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World:

This general manager believes that creating exceptional guest experiences begins with nurturing his team.

In the heart of the scenic and serene city of Tagaytay, nestled amidst the lush greenery, pineapple farms, and a brief ride away from majestic Taal Lake and Volcano, lies the exquisite Anya Resort. 

Known for its unparalleled luxury and impeccable hospitality, Anya Resort has become a preferred destination for discerning travelers seeking a tranquil and indulgent retreat. 

EXPANDING HORIZON IN 2023

Committed to continuously elevating the Filipino hospitality industry in 2023, Anya Hospitality Group’s(AHG) strategic innovations, expansion, and new offerings await guest and loyal patrons.

At Anya Resort, chefs Chris Leaning and Chele Gonzalez prepare progressive sets featuring hand-picked dishes from Samira’s menu

Beware: Anya Resort Tagaytay is a trap.

Once inside, they’ll make it hard for you to even consider leaving the premises. And the problem is, it’s so easy to take the bait—from the lush green compound and inviting adult-sized heated pool to the state-of-the-art spa treatments and beds that come with pillows of your choice.

The food is no different. Chefs Chris Leaning and Chele Gonzalez have hand-picked dishes from the menu at Samira, the resort’s in-house Spanish restaurant, and composed a progressive set that will save you the hassle of choosing from the challenging lineup. In other words, they’ve done the work for you and all you have to do is sit back, relax, and, well, eat.

Anya Hospitality Group describes 2023 as an “exciting year” for both hospitality and luxury property development, as international borders open safely and travel becomes accessible to local and international tourists.

As the world opens up after a long hiatus, there is a global demand for wellness tourism as a way to promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle. The Philippines is being positioned as one of the major destinations as it combines the beauty of nature along with traditional therapeutic treatments and the innate warm hospitality of Filipinos.

As travel restrictions relax and borders have reopened, tourists are looking to revisit old favorites while seeking out new experiences that can help them unwind and decompress from the stress caused by the pandemic.

Anya Hos­pit­al­ity Group recently added Niyama Well­ness Spa and Well­ness Man­age­ment Con­sultancy to its port­fo­lio in response to mar­ket demand. AHG man­ages top hotels and resorts includ­ing Anya Resort Tagaytay, Club Punta Fuego, Amara Residences, Terrazas de Punta Fuego, Brio de Agoho and the four Go Hotels.