Introducing, Casa Simeon: A Heritage House-Turned-Bed & Breakfast

(SPOT.ph) When people think of hitting up the Bicol region, the itinerary mostly consists of visiting the majestic Mayon Volcano, the islands of Caramoan, Bulusan Lake in Sorsogon, and many other outdoor wonders. But what most people glaze over is the sheer amount of history and culture seeping from the streets of the region.

Case in point, in the unsuspecting town of Bacacay, Albay is Casa Simeon, a pre-war ancestral house-turned-bed and breakfast that's bound to spark the curiosity of anyone who walks past it. "If only these walls could talk," is the first thing that comes to mind after seeing this repurposed building. Here's what you need to know about Casa Simeon both as a heritage home and a modern-day tourist accommodation.

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The History of Casa Simeon

The original owners of Casa Simeon were the late Simeon and Beatrice Alparce, who built it as an ancestral residence in the 1920s. For several years, the house became a fixture in the town as other families constructed similar but smaller houses, adorning the town with an appealing architectural style that would make Bacacay an attractive place to settle.

During World War II, as Japanese forces swept into Bacacay, Albay, the Alparce family was forced to temporarily abandon Casa Simeon and join the other townsfolk in fleeing the war. Fortunately, the house was unscathed following the Japanese surrender, enabling the Alparces to resume its original use as a residence for their growing family.

From Ancestral Home to a Bed & Breakfast: Casa Simeon Today

Enrico Alpace Calleja, the grandson of Simeon and Beatrice, and his wife, Jessica Noelle Wong, currently run and manage Casa Simeon. After living in the house for several years, the couple decided to restore the old house and turn it into a bed and breakfast in 2018.

Wong points out that staying at Casa Simeon will not simply provide guests with a "sense of the warmth wood beneath their feet, but guests will also get a feel of the culture and history." Based on this writer's experience, stepping foot into Casa Simeon will give guests a sense of coming home. The smooth and polished floors and the cool breeze of provincial air are reminiscent of childhood trips to your grandparents' house in the countryside—just with a bonus view of the majestic Mayon Volcano.

Calleja and Wong made it a point to preserve the beautiful fusion of Filipino, Spanish, and American architecture—especially the interior's wooden panels and fixtures that date back to pre-war—and delicately intertwine these elements with traditional and modern touches.

Adding to that, the number of guest rooms are limited to just nine which allows guests to experience the ambiance of a provincial home more intimately. Rooms at Casa Simeon range from 24 square meters to 30 square meters, ranging from a standard room with a double bed, a deluxe room with a queen, to a family room with two double beds. These tastefully designed guest rooms come complete with modern conveniences and hotel-grade amenities, providing a taste of cultural experiences without sacrificing creature comforts.

Activities to do in Casa Simeon

More than just rooms, this charming bed and breakfast also boasts expansive common spaces on both the first and second floors. The ground floor leads to a garden with an evenly mowed lawn that can serve as a venue for special events. Inside, guests can find a library, a coffee shop, and cozy reading nooks where guests can explore and study a well-curated collection of books and antique pieces. 

The garden at Casa Simeon is perfect for relaxation, yoga, and meditation. Guests can enjoy quietly reading a book in the library or writing on the second floor balcony that opens up to a view of Mayon Volcano.

Even better, Casa Simeon offers an assortment of activities, including a half-day cooking class. Here, guests can learn about Bicolano culinary traditions by making regional dishes like Tinutungan na Manok.

Casa Simeon also offers travel and tour packages within Albay such as a Camalig Adventure Tour, a Mayon Volcano ATV ride, and a Misibis Bay day tour.

Casa Simeon cooks up homey Heritage Cuisine in its in-house restaurant

Casa Simeon's in-house Native Cuisine restaurant completes the guest experience by serving heirloom recipes to satisfy contemporary palates while providing a glimpse of the flavors of yesteryears. 

The restaurant's menu is comprised of traditional Bicolano cuisine made using modern culinary techniques. Take for example, Casa Simeon's selection of "Ginataan" dishes, which have earned a reputation in the area for its strong, spicy flavors and clever use of local ingredients like coconut milk and scorching chili peppers.

But of all the dishes available at Casa Simeon, the Tinutungan na Manok stands out as the best-seller. This traditional Bicolano dish is made with chicken cooked in a smoky, creamy coconut sauce. The word tinutungan refers to the process of using toasted coconut, giving the dish a distinct roasted flavor.

Other must-try dishes on Casa Simeon's menu include Pasta Bicolandia, a pasta dish smothered in Bicol express sauce (P250), Baduya at Keso (P130), and Churros with Tableya (P220). Guests also favor the usual all-time favorite Filipino dishes that come with a Casa Simeon twist. The resort uses heirloom recipes handed down from the time of first-generation Alparces, with best-sellers including Caldereta, Kare Kare, Lechon Kawali, and many more.

What we can learn from Casa Simeon

Casa Simeon is proof that one can seamlessly blend conservation and adaptive reuse. The heritage house retained much of its original pre-war look and therefore brims with nostalgia and history of Bicol, giving us hope that more old homes will find a new purpose in today's world.

The recent demolition of an ancestral house in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, to make way for a new fast food branch exemplifies the modern-day mindset of quickly removing any old property—regardless of its history—in favor of a new one. This writer hopes we can all agree that demolishing historic homes to make space for something new should be a last resort.

Owners of still existing ancestral houses can now look at the examples set by Casa Simeon and several others, such as Villa Angela in Vigan, Casa Vallejo in Baguio, Sulyap Bed and Breakfast in San Pablo, Laguna, the Henry Hotel in Pasay, and La Casita Mercedes in Makati, to name a few. Additionally, there are also old stone houses in Chavayan, Batanes that now serve as tourist homestays. Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, a popular resort in Bagac, Bataan, is famous for disassembling old, abandoned houses and transporting them wood by wood and brick by brick, to rebuild the exact house on the resort's premises.

It is this writer's hope that given the choice between a post-modern hotel and a refurbished old structure for accommodation, more travelers choose the building with a story, where every corner stands as a testament to the passage of time and history. Hopefully, not only in the name of heritage conservation but also to enhance the traveler experience, more owners will follow Casa Simeon's lead.

How to get to Casa Simeon from Manila:

Bacacay is just a 30-minute drive or roughly 20 kilometers away from Legazpi City.

From Legazpi City, commuters can proceed to the Legazpi Grand Terminal and look for the UV Express heading to Bacacay. Since the UV Express passes right directly in front of Casa Simeon, simply tell the driver to drop you off at Casa Simeon.

From Tabaco City, at the Jeepney station, catch a ride to Bacacay. From the Jeepney terminal, take a tricycle to Casa Simeon. For car drivers, you can easily locate Casa Simeon on Google Maps or Waze.

Casa Simeon is at #1 Bes St, Brgy 13 Poblacion, Bacacay, Albay. Rates start at P2,950 with breakfast for two. For more information, visit Casa Simeon's Facebook page.

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