There are cafes I visit once just for the experience, and there are cafes that have become a go-to ride destination whenever I need a break. While so many al fresco coffee shops seem to have popped along every bend in the road along the popular Marilaque highway, La View Mountain Resort has become one of our default pit stops for coffee during weekend rides since we first discovered it in January 2022.
La View Mountain Resort is a cabin-style restaurant and resort located a little past the Infanta marker and KM 90 along the main highway on the way to Quezon. The area, roughly a two-to 2.5-hour drive from Manila (depending on the traffic), is known as Little Baguio because of the weather.
There’s a reason why riders keep coming back here. The temperature dips in the early mornings, late afternoon and evenings, making it a great destination for anyone who likes cold weather. On some days, you can witness a sea of clouds here.
The occasional fog also adds to the atmosphere of the whole area. For those who can’t travel far during weekends, this is as close to Baguio weather as you can get from Manila, minus the traffic.
We usually stop at La View just for coffee or drinks to enjoy the breeze and view. Their coffee menu includes Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino, Latte, Macchiato, Salted Caramel, Mocha, Butterscotch and Irish Coffee for P60-P140 for hot drinks and P100 to P220 for iced beverages.
They also have non-coffee drinks like Matcha Latte, Choco Latte, and Ice blended drinks with flavors like Hazelnut, Chocolate Kit Kat, Salted Caramel and Cookies and Cream for P170.
While you could probably get premium blends from third-wave coffee shops in malls in the city, it’s the long ride, amazing view, and cooler Tagaytay-like weather that elevate the coffee ride here.
The food is decent as well. We’ve tried a few of their meals on various visits. Their Single order Fried Chicken (P180) and All-day breakfast (P200) are good for solo diners, while most merienda and main dishes (P300-P450) are good for sharing for 3-4 people.
Dishes are reasonably priced, though the resort does cater more to families and couples looking for a romantic date destination during road trips compared to the more budget-friendly joints frequented by motorcycle groups.
The Crispy Beef Short Ribs served on top of banana blossoms in coconut milk and Kare Kare (both P450) are good for sharing. They also serve Binakol (native chicken cooked with buko chunks), Sinigang, Grilled Liempo, Crispy Pata, Sisig, and more. The options are good, considering how hard it is to transport fresh ingredients from the city to this remote mountain area.
While we've only visited La View on day trips, I wouldn’t mind staying here overnight with family during the hotter summer months for a full nature getaway. The temperature is much cooler up in the mountains compared to the city and you can feel like you’ve traveled far during staycations.
La View offers several cabins and rooms for rent, including cozy A-frame loft-type cabins and Barkadahan villas for larger groups. Rooms start at P4,000 a night for two guests with breakfast. The Hillside Rooms are located in a Country style building with 8 rooms. They also have a Poolside Villa that can fit a maximum of 5 guests. They have family rooms with mountain views and a larger Barkadahan Villa that can fit up to 15 people for clan gatherings and group getaways.
While staying overnight, checked-in guests can enjoy the 4 outdoor pools including the infinity pool, gazebo and picnic tables, view deck, and parking area. Guests can wake up to a sea of clouds in certain months, and enjoy unobstructed views of mountain ranges with easy access to food from the restaurant, so there's no need to cook.
From La View, you can easily visit Km. 90 Little Baguio Botanical Garden nearby or drive further to see other eco-parks and waterfalls. While the restaurant and cafe have WiFi, the signal is spotty in the area, so be prepared for an off-grid/digital detox.
Aside from motorcycle rides, we’ve used La View Mountain Resort as a base for biking trips, since the cafe has a spacious and secure parking area. It offered a great starting point for breakfast and a good dining spot again for early dinner before driving back home. We enjoyed the long stretch of traffic-free roads that we usually just whiz through on motorcycles and got a good workout biking in the cooler area with a refreshing view of the mountains.
La View Mountain Resort, 93 Marikina-Infanta Hwy, Real, Quezon Province.
