Bohol may seem a simple province, well it actually is but because of its beauty, local and foreign tourist flock the province and this gives opportunity to rise luxurious boutique resort and one of this not known to many is ” The Peacock Garden”.

The Peacock Garden

It is a European-themed boutique resort in Upper Laya, 6301 Baclayon, Bohol. 20 km. away from the airport and port of Tagbilaran City. It is owned by a German national Hans Schoof, and her Filipina wife Lanie Schoof a native from Alburquerque Bohol. The owner’s son Frederick Christian Schoof manages the resort.

The resorts gate is about 12 ft. high and upon entering, you can feel its exclusivity. The place is huge and quiet. There are tall sculptures and trees as you move forward to the main door of the resort.

Why Peacock Garden?
I asked the guest service supervisor about the name of the resort and she said; The peacock is a symbol of royalty and wealth in which the owner wants to depict the resort.

The Old Heidelberg Restaurant and Dr. Jose Rizal
The name of the restaurant came from the famous Heidelberg City in Germany. It is one of the many places our National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal visited often and stayed for a longer period. If you look around the lobby it is obvious that the owner is fond of our national hero. There are even framed postcards of the different places Dr. Jose Rizal has visited.

I learned that the owner Mr. Hans is a member of “The Knights of Rizal” in Germany. It is a group of people all over the world who honors and upholds the ideals of the Philippines national hero. And in fact the most valuable piece in the restaurant is the actual living room set Dr. Jose Rizal used during his stay in Heidelberg Germany given to Mr. Hans as a recognition to his outstanding contribution to the organization.

You can already feel the European ambiance in the interior of the restaurant. Huge hanged chandelier, 1800’s furniture that came from France and Germany plus the resort housed an antique and rare Welhelm Rudolph Giessen piano dated 1890 from a castle in Germany.

A Piece of Roman – Mediterranean Amenities
The structure of all the buildings in the Peacock Garden has a touch of Europe with all in baroque style. It has 32 rooms – 20 De Luxe, 12 Premier and 1 Peacock Suite room.

Since the resort is uphill do not expect seawater, instead, enjoy in the Junior Olympic size infinity pool with a perfect view for sunsets. Kid’s pool is the one near the pathway and the adult’s pool is just below it.

The resort has its own spa the “Fontana Aurelia” that offers massage and face and body treatments both for men and women.

A gaming area is available where you can play foosball, table tennis, darts and billiards. “Pim’s Music and Dance Club” named after Mrs. Shoofs childhood nickname is a place where you can sing and dance at the resort. It has a laser light and fiber glass dance floor.

If wine and cigars is your thing then you visited the right place. The Baccus Wine Cellar has many labeled wines from different countries and the Hemming Lounge is perfect for cigar lovers.

The Room and Rates
All rooms are big from 25 sq.m. to 52 sq.m. The interior is simple with wall paintings. The bed looks antique but it is not. It’s a locally made hardwood with Filipino touch carvings.

Deluxe Sea View (Twin Bed) – 8,640php
Deluxe Sea View (King Bed) – 8,640php
Premier Infinity and Sea View (King Bed) – 10,000php
Peacock Suite (1 double bed and 1 king bed) – 12,500php

Food and Day Tour
I was just in the resort for a day tour. 500php entrance and is consumable. I had crepe with chocolate sauce, grapes and vanilla ice cream and ate Ai my cousin who accompanied me on this visit ordered a Stammer Max, a sauteed ham top with egg on dark bread. I can’t say that it tastes like a European food because I am no food connoisseur but I hope it would help if I tell you that the chef of the restaurant is a German national and the food is no near Filipino taste.

Leisure and Activities
The resort can arrange Bohol tour packages that fits your interest. If culture is what you love then enjoy the Baclayon Heritage walk where you can visit one of the oldest church in the Philippines the Baclayon Church. Visit Chocolate Hills and the tarsiers with a Bohol country side tour and of course visit the beautiful beaches of Panglao and Anda and dive at the pristine waters of Balicasag and Pamilacan island. Other activities in Bohol include Waterfalls Hopping, Trekking the Highest Peak of Bohol – Mayana, and take a dip at the not yet reached bottom Canawa Spring plus Bohol Rice Terraces.

If you are full of the beach, wanted some quiet time and has extra cash then Peacock Garden is the place for you.

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Meet geemiz

Geezelle Maningo - A Cebu based travel blogger and the other half of GeeMiz Travel blog. She has been traveling around the Philippines and Asia since 2010 with her husband. A casual trekker/hiker since 2017 and has been blogging since 2008. A digital marketer during workdays and a bookworm on lazy days - she co-founded Cebu Book Club.

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