CASA San Miguel: Home Away from Home

Under the canopy of trees lies a bed and breakfast facility that also functions as a school for young boys and girls, some are fishermen's kids, who play their violins.

This place is called CASA San Miguel, owned by the world renowned violinist Coke Bolipata. It serves as his home and a community center that includes a school for the arts and music, art gallery and museum, cafe and a bed and breakfast facility.

THE ROOM

The rooms are designed with classic style giving you a mix of old and modern Filipino home experience. Our room has high ceilings which make it more breezy. And one thing that surprised me is how affordable CASA's rooms are compared to other hotels and bed breakfast facilities in town. 

Our room has a huge window where we can view the garden and the Backstage cafe. It also has a porch where we can sit and relax.

BACKSTAGE CAFE

If there's one place in Zambales that will give you a rich gastronomic experience, CASA San Miguel's Backstage Cafe is the best spot. I loved everything that was served to us. Their pizzas are really something! Their breakfast, one meal you shouldn't miss while you're there. 

And last but not the least, their famous carbonara. I've read so many good reviews about it so I got curious how it tastes. Lo and behold, the news is true. CASA's carbonara is one of the bests I've ever tasted. It satiates your appetite with its rich and creamy flavor which will not get you fed-up. They also have different varieties of carbonara. During our stay, we had the classic carbonara with bacon bits and carbonara with tuyo. Both pastas are mouthwatering.

Apart from building a bed and breakfast facilitiy and cafe, the owner also built a foundation. So proceeds from the cafe helps fund Coke's advocacy in helping his scholars. Since the 1990's, Coke has been helping the underprivileged kids in town to fulfill their dreams and learn about music. This is his way of giving back, thus, the birth of his program Playing it Forward.

One corner of the gallery has a display of the children's artworks

This is where the concert takes place

Overall, my stay at CASA made me feel at home. The staff is very accommodating, the place is cozy, the food is great and the advocacy and story of CASA is definitely worth-sharing.

How to get to CASA San Miguel: From Manila, ride a Victory Liner bus to Iba, Zambales and alight in front of San Antonio Public Market (3-4 hours). Then take a tricycle to Casa San Miguel. 

CASA San Miguel is located at Evangelista St., Brgy. San Miguel, San Antonio, Zambales.