Areca Palm Hut: A Private Modern Bahay Kubo in Catmon, Cebu

This year, I decided to just experience staying in different kinds of villas here in Cebu. I’m still not risking my family to go on a vacation outside Cebu so I am enjoying our staycations here in my birthplace. One of the villas that I was looking forward to visiting was Areca Palm Hut. I was curious about the place because it’s a modern Bahay Kubo (nipa hut) with a spring-fed swimming pool.

This Bali-inspired villa is just a two-hour drive from Cebu City and is located in the highlands of Barangay Cabungaan Catmon, Cebu. From the highway, you need to drive about 10minutes uphill before you will reach the place. Just be extra careful in driving because the road is a bit narrow and slippery. The place can accommodate two vehicles for parking it’s not gated but don’t worry it’s safe.

What are its amenities?

• Air-conditioned Attic room

• Spring-fed Swimming Pool

• Outdoor Shower

• Campfire Area

• Fully equipped kitchen (utensils & Basic condiments)

• Floating breakfast

• Towels and basic toiletries (with 2 complimentary amenity kits)

The place is exclusive for 1-4 guests and it costs Php 5,000 from (Mondays – Thursdays except for holidays) and Php 6,500 (Fridays – Sundays). It comes with a standard floating breakfast per guest and you can add an extra guest for only Php 750 with breakfast too. They will only allow up to 6 adults and 2 kids (13yrs old and below).

The place is in a secluded part of Catmon so expect to have all sorts of bugs and insects. Just make sure to bring insect spray or repellant lotion especially if you’re bringing kids with you. At nighttime, it will really get chilly so don’t forget to bring pajamas. We also requested a Swedish massage for only Php 400 and it was a great and relaxing massage that I had for almost a year.

What did I love about the place?

I love that it’s exclusive for us and that we have all the time to enjoy the spring-fed pool. The thought of living in Bahay Kubo really thrills me because I grew up in the city and I just want to experience waking up in the morning hearing the sounds of the chicken and the smell of fresh air. It was our first time also to experience having a bonfire with s’mores and hotdogs. I loved that they got a wide area for a picnic too, so we decided to place a mat at their veranda and chill the whole afternoon. Also, this is the best time to disconnect from all sorts of social media because this place has no SIGNAL at all. We really bonded well and let ourselves relax and enjoy the place. They don’t have corkage so you can bring your own food provisions but you can also order food from them. Better try their puto and sikwate with mango it’s really delicious.

For reservations, you can message them through their FB page https://www.facebook.com/Arecapalmhut/. you can also check my YouTube channel HERE for a more detailed review of Areca Palm Hut.