Whispers of history at Taal Vista Hotel

During my grade school years, our elementary version of the Philippine history subject graphically filled my young mind with various landmarks and icons — the man-made wonder of the Banaue Rice Terraces, the perfect cone of Mayon Volcano, the tiniest sinarapan fish in Lake Buhi, the cascading waters of Pagsanjan Falls, and the magical Chocolate Hills. And of course, Cebu’s very own famed Magellan’s Cross, which I would see whenever I went on a pilgrimage to the image of the Santo Niño.

But among all these and more, the description which stood out to no end — perhaps due to how amusing it sounded to the child me — Taal Volcano, a volcano within a lake within a volcano! Try to beat that!

That tagline, if we may call it such, truly fascinated me so much that, before I knew it, my father whisked us off on a trip to see it for ourselves. Our destination? What was then called the Taal Vista Lodge, which boasted of the best spot to witness the spectacular view. To this day, I must confess, I often catch myself calling it by its old name, only for friends to remind me that it has since been upgraded, renovated, refurbished, and rebooted to be rightfully known as the Taal Vista Hotel of today.

Every visit to this premier property is an educational and emotional experience, a sentiment I grasped even more vividly during A Walk Through Time, the hotel’s guided historical tour, which began during its 85th anniversary.

The highlight of this tour is the History Wall, located at the Lake Wing Corridor. This exhibit intricately lays out the past — the natural, economic, cultural, and even political background — of the Taal Volcano, Taal Lake, Tagaytay City itself, and the Taal Vista Hotel.

The entire project’s painstaking research, organization, curation, and implementation was all by Nestor Jardin, a consultant of the SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation.

Here are some of the tidbits we learned:

The narrative of Taal Vista Hotel is deeply tied to the very ground it stands on. During the pre-historic era, it was believed that the Taal Volcano loomed over the landscape, said to have been twice as high as Mount Mayon. Its violent eruptions sculpted what we now call the Tagaytay Ridge, a natural balcony overlooking Taal Lake and its enigmatic volcano.

Fast forward to the 18th century. The 1754 eruption of Taal Volcano altered the region permanently, preventing seawater from entering the lake, thus transforming it into a freshwater body!

The 1896 Philippine Revolution saw Tagaytay become a refuge for Katipunero revolucionarios fleeing Spanish forces, taking shelter in its cool, forested ridges. But in 1911, the volcano erupted once again with such force that the destruction was felt far and wide.

Enter Hammon H. Buck, an American educator-turned-businessman, who fell in love with Tagaytay’s breathtaking scenery. He championed the city as a hill station, attracting the attention and adoration of the Manila elite.

By 1938, his vision was realized when the Manila Hotel Company began construction of Taal Vista Lodge on a six-hectare property along the ridge. The lodge officially opened a year later, becoming the premier retreat for city dwellers seeking respite in the cool Tagaytay air.

But World War II changed everything. The Japanese occupied Taal Vista Lodge, using it as officers’ quarters. It became a strategic point for military operations, leading to battles and air drops by Allied forces. After the war, the Philippine government set out to restore and expand the lodge, culminating in its grand re-opening in 1956, graced by First Lady Luz Magsaysay.

The lodge flourished in the 1950s and 60s, hosting dignitaries and celebrities. President Elpidio Quirino held several cabinet meetings here. Among its distinguished guests were Japan’s Crown Prince Akihito and his wife, Princess Michiko, who later in their lives become Emperor and Empress. The First Ladies, led by Imelda R. Marcos of the Philippines and Lady Bird Johnson of the United States, likewise descended upon the property for a sightseeing tour.

The establishment even caught the eye of a young Henry Sy, Sr., who would soon play a significant role in its future.

However, due to the 1965 eruption, tourism declined, leading to financial difficulties. By the 1980s, the government offered the lodge up for public bidding. In 1998, SM Investments Corporation, under Henry Sy, Sr., acquired the property. Talk about full circle!

Today, under the helm of Elizabeth T. Sy and the SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation, Taal Vista Lodge has been revitalized, modernized, and ultimately reborn as Taal Vista Hotel.

Through the years, the City of Tagaytay has propped itself as a major tourist destination, with Taal Vista Hotel remaining at its heart. The hotel, the second oldest in the country, dubbed as the grand dame of Philippine hospitality, has withstood natural calamities, including the 2020 eruption of Taal Volcano and the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic — all under the wing of general manager Ramon Makilan. And I can confidently claim it will remain as so. After all, despite several eruptions and several revolutions and destructive wars just within its perimeter, it has continued to exist, endure, and expand.

Next time you find yourself in Tagaytay, drop by Taal Vista Hotel. Stand by the ridge and gaze out at the lake and volcano. And if you listen closely, you might just hear the whispers of history carried by the cool mountain breeze.