airbnb staycation – Jellybeans in the City

Calling all holiday goers! Summer is finally here – and so are the beach umbrellas, halo-halo and samalamig vendors popping up everywhere, and barkada group chats pinging every now and then for that highly anticipated beachside getaway.

As Filipinos throng the roads and airports with much enthusiasm this summer, data from Airbnb revealed that group travel has been on the rise with group travel spiking by almost 180 percent year-on-year last year.*

This summer, the global travel platform has seen almost 400 percent growth in guest searches for Philippines stays. The quiet town of Santa Maria in Bulacan ranks the #1 domestic destination with the highest number of guest searches on Airbnb this summer, with other popular destinations including Malay, Baguio City, and Cebu City.**

If you’ve yet to make plans for the upcoming long weekend or the rest of summer, Airbnb has rounded up a list of unique, group-friendly Airbnb Stays in the hottest destinations under Php10,000 – making the spend no more than Php2,500 per person if you’re a barkada of four!

Discover the charm of Bulacan’s idyllic town

Key Visual_Four-Bedroom Home in Santa Maria

Home to the world’s largest indoor arena where several international artists have performed recently, this quaint town just an hour away from the metro is rich in history and culture. Travelers can visit Santa Maria’s beautiful churches and try its famous full back fat chicharon. This town also offers many cozy villas ideal for groups, such as the Bali-inspired Asteria Villa and this four-bedroom home located near malls and restaurants.

Uncover the hidden gems of Aklan’s Malay

Malay comes next and is best known for its world-famous Boracay island, but there’s more to this town with amazing gems waiting to be discovered. Rich in natural wonders from majestic falls perfect for trekking, to cold springs for a quick dip, and botanical gardens with a rich variety of flora — guests can definitely find an experience that suits them. If you and your friends prefer to be in the more quiet part of the town, consider booking one of these tropical villas: Villa Onyx or the Puka Villas. Both are located within the Diniwid area, close enough to the bustling White Beach yet offering a slice of tranquility.

Escape to Baguio for some summer breeze

In third spot is no other than the Summer Capital of the Philippines — a popular getaway from the sweltering lowlands during summer. Baguio never falls short of things to do: travelers can visit the classic parks full of activities for all ages, or try out the latest cafes in town. If your barkada’s idea of summer is a mountain retreat, check out some of Baguio’s most colorful and ‘gram-worthy cottages. RME Home in Baguio is equipped with a fully-functional kitchen for special dinners, and this fun and cosy house themed after an extremely popular American sitcom is conveniently located just a few minutes away from the city’s hotspots.

Head to the South’s Queen City where modernity meets culture

Rounding up the list is Cebu – a hot summer favourite offering a dazzling array of activities including eco-adventures, heritage landmarks, thriving nightlife, and delicious gastronomic adventures. For a different travel experience, check out two tiny homes on Airbnb namely Bamboo House and Robin’s Nesto. Both may be cozy in size but promise amazing pools coupled with stunning views, and a summer you won’t forget anytime soon.

To further fuel your barkada’s wanderlust this summer, download the Airbnb app or head over to https://www.airbnb.com/.

*Based on internal Airbnb data for 2022
**Based on searches made in 2022 for check-ins between 1 Mar – 30 Apr 2023 compared to the same period in 2022

Note: All stays referenced are intended purely to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not recommend or endorse specific stay or experience listings on the Airbnb platform.

About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed 1.4 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

Details and images provided in a recent press release.

During the height of the pandemic, staying connected through digital means was the order of the day.

Since everyone was self-isolating, social contact with our extended family was primarily done virtually, through phone calls, text messages and DMs on social media.

However, with the loosening of quarantine restrictions and more people moving about, it’s now time to transition to more personal connections and interactions, wouldn’t you say?

#DisconnectToReconnect

Admittedly, technology was my lifeline during the time of strict lockdowns:

Social media kept me abreast of news and updates, not just among my friend groups but also among my extended family scattered across the country and the world
Office messaging apps like Microsoft Teams and video conferencing apps like Zoom allowed me to still do my job and fulfill my work obligations
Video streaming apps like Netflix, Apple TV and HBO GO kept me and my family entertained

However, all of this increased screen time does have some serious downsides:

While I generally enjoyed staying at home (and escaping the stresses of the commute in the city in the process), there were times when I felt easily tired, boxed in within the confines of my home and closed off from the world.
Aside from the raging pandemic, some extreme changes in my workplace while my coworkers and I were isolated from each other made me feel quite stressed and anxious.
Since I’m always online, there was a time when I felt that I had to be always on call and would answer calls or respond to messages after office hours.

Well, I took advantage of the staycation that my family took together with my in-laws at the Airbnb rental Ging by Elaren in Cavite last Christmas.

Here, we all welcomed the opportunities that its distance from the metro and absence of WiFi connection gave us to be able to disconnect from technology.

Going somewhere without constant internet connection may be daunting to some (and definitely a nightmare for those with screen-addicted kiddos!) but there are some advantages to it as well:

It encourages relaxation. Since we are not bombarded by a deluge of notifications and other distractions from our devices, we found it easier to unwind and disconnect from the stresses of our everyday life.
It gave us more time for offline activities. Since we’re not glued to our mobile devices, we more time for other forms of entertainment such as exploring its landscaped grounds, reading books, whipping up our family meals together and even singing karaoke by the bonfire area.
It gave us more opportunities to connect with each other. Spared the option to retreat to our own digital world, we find yourself more inclined to interact with each other: cooking together, playing boardgames, singing karaoke or simply catching up with each other.

Ging at Elaren is a two-storey, four-bedroom home nestled in the quaint town of Alfonso, Cavite, offering us city slickers a chance to get away from the chaotic hustle and bustle of city living while vacationing in style and comfort:

The property is enclosed by a large gate to provide guests with privacy.
A large parking area out front can accommodate up to four cars
Front yard houses a tree house and fire pit
Swimming pool with lounge chairs and barbecue area
Indoor living room with couch and outdoor seating area
Dining area (good for ten people) with L-shaped kitchen for food preparation and cooking
Two air-conditioned downstairs bedrooms: one with single bed and one with queen bed and access to pool area; both rooms with en-suite batrooms
Two air-conditioned upstairs bedrooms: one with two queen beds and en-suite bathroom and one with one queen bed and access to veranda

As we ready ourselves for more work and stress in a world that’s slowly but surely opening up in the aftermath of a global pandemic, it makes sense to find time disconnect – from the near-constant demands of work and life – in order to reconnect – with the ones we love and with ourselves.

Book your stay at Ging by Elaren via Airbnb where it is rated an average of 4.46 stars.

For the health and safety of its guests, Ging by Elaren is committed to Airbnb‘s five-step cleaning process.

Ging by Elaren is located off the Aguinaldo-Alfonso in Barangay Marahan 1, Alfonso, Cavite City, a few minutes drive from Tagaytay. Check in is from 2pm to 4pm while checkout is before 12pm.

Check out my posts regarding previous Airbnb stays: