I grew up thinking hotels were simply for travelers and for wealthy people with nothing to do with their money. Why? Simply because hotel stays usually cost a lot.

You see, I grew up in a not so well-off family. We’re not exactly poor but we’re not rich either. My parents were very practical people who usually spend only for necessities. To them, there is no reason to stay in a hotel if you have a place of your own. To spend money and time in one, especially if your place of residence is not that inaccessible, is to waste important resources.

Fortunately, after having experienced a few hotel stays myself, I changed my mind. Yes, I agree that hotels can sometimes be costly, even expensive, but for special occasions where a change of venue and relaxed living is desired, it is quite an appropriate place. It’s not something to be apprehensive about, nor something to be ashamed of.

That’s the kind of mentality I want mateo to acquire when he grows up, not only because I don’t want him to dislike hotels, but also because andrea and I plan to travel a lot with him.

We want to eventually visit Las Vegas and stay in hotels Las Vegas style. We’d also like to go to Europe and tour the various stops there, but first we’d like to check out Singapore, Hong Kong and the neighboring Asian countries. In short, we want to travel the whole world. And in order to that, all of us have to be comfortable in hotel stays, right?

Now that mateo is more than a year old, he’s been showing off more and more tricks lately. He’s been deliberately playing hide-and-seek with us, waving goodbye when he’s about to leave the house, saying a few more words like fish, cat, and sometimes even guitar, and deliberately asking for food with his hands. He’s certainly come a long way but if there’s one thing he never forgot, it’s his love for his wooden horse.

You see, every once and a while, when he gets bored with all his plastic and rubber toys, we bring out his favorite wooden horse. His face would just instantly light up and then he would ask us to carry him on top of his wooden rocker. He would then just rock the horse so lively and enthusiastically that sometimes we even get scared that he might actually fall off from it. He loves it so much we sometimes consider buying him some equestrian clothing to complete the whole look. I guess deep inside, he just has the heart of a horse-lover.

Now that summer is finally unleashing its fury, I can’t help but think about going back to Tagaytay to cool off. I just bet the summer sun won’t be enough to ruin that place’s relaxing and almost surreal ambiance.

You see, Canyon Woods, the residential resort we stayed in in Tagaytay, is like a huge village with several properties that can be either rented or bought. It is placed in a very remote area of Tagaytay, where nature grows harmoniously with the residents. It’s a perfect getaway from the busy urban  life, just like the Thousand Hills Golf and Conference Center in Missouri.

Unlike all the other Branson hotels, the Thousand Hills Golf and Conference Center offers several cabin and condo rentals similar to Canyon Woods. It’s a great place for a summer escape with a different feel.