Beyond building structures, indestructible visionary carves stunning destinations
From the corner of my eye, I spotted him. Clad in a simple jacket and jeans, he blended quite nicely with the weekend crowd out to enjoy the cool clime and beautiful sights of Tagaytay. But I was quick to recognize him even as he walked discreetly into the coffee shop and made a beeline for the far end table in the al fresco area. There, he quietly sat down as he set a small pad (paper—as in a notebook!) on the table.
There was no fanfare, no fussy welcome for billionaire and business tycoon Manuel B. Villar Jr. that Saturday afternoon at Joe’s Tavern—which, by the way, is just one of the many unique dining concepts under the Villar Group. We were inside the 100-ha Crosswinds, a picturesque Swiss-inspired expanse set amid the lush, undulating terrain of Tagaytay.
LUXURIOUS, SWISS-INSPIRED OASIS
I sneaked a glance at him and he looked content—although it was easy to assume that. After all, he has successfully carved such a stunning destination in Crosswinds alone, now a sophisticated, luxurious community that lets you revel in the quiet serenity of its lush pine forests amid a beautiful semblance of the famed Alpine region.
The moment you set foot in Crosswinds, you’ll find the verdant open spaces and breathtaking mountain views to be a welcome respite, enabling you to take it easy and decompress. The cool crisp air and the delicate fresh scent coming from some 35,000 magnificent pine trees spread across this mountain oasis will make you think twice about leaving so soon. And you’ll probably stare, too, with longing at the upscale residences and mid-rise towers built in the likeness of Swiss chalets, prodding you to actually consider investing in a property here.
In the meantime though, we can all indulge in the many dining destinations inside Crosswinds. You will easily spot Coffee Project, Ruined Project?, Cafe Voila and Napa Valley. Venture further inside Crosswinds and you’ll end up in a quaint European-inspired town square setting, where there’s Dear Joe, Joe’s Tavern, Windmill and Cafe Yama. A little further off the main road is Andersen’s Bakery which whips up early in the morning freshly baked bread creations well worth the stopover.
A VISIONARY
We finally mustered the courage to approach Villar who indulged us with a brief chat, disclosing plans that would make Crosswinds a truly enthralling destination. It was kind of hard to believe that something already as beautiful and breathtaking as Crosswinds can get any better.
Well apparently, it can— revealing to us once again the visionary in Villar. And these incredible additions will definitely be worth the wait.
According to Villar, Crosswinds still has a huge room for expansion and enhancements. For instance, they have begun transforming some areas near Lausanne (Crosswinds’ most premium lot-only residential development) into a vineyard, a strawberry farm and a flower garden to be called Bloomfield—thus creating new and beautiful landscapes that will add
character to this community. “I want to see more color here, that’s why we’re adding the farms and a flower garden here,” Villar said in the chance interview with Inquirer, explaining that these new features will add bright pops of color amid the rich, dense foliage covering the expansive, rolling terrain of Crosswinds.
Villar also disclosed that they are mulling other potential activities like strawberry picking. A farm-to-plate concept is being considered as well.
Eventually, there are plans to add a hotel to cater to a growing demand, as well as a small commercial area hosting a well curated row of unique shops, kiosks and specialty stores. This, he explained, will allow them to offer new activities, which will turn those quick getaways into truly memorable experiences for their guests.
Villar was especially excited about what’s in store for guests this coming holiday season, but was tight-lipped about it. You have to wait for it, he said—not for long though, it is already October, after all.
FORMIDABLE FORCE
There’s really no stopping a force as formidable as Villar. Although he has already turned an ambitious vision into reality, he is raring to do more, fueled by more ideas than ever. What’s even more admirable is the way he acknowledged that there will always be room for improvements.
This is perhaps the reason why Crosswinds is not only a premium a real estate asset but a famous, well-loved destination, which in itself will already create better value in more ways than one, whether you’re a homeowner, an investor, or a guest.
At Crosswinds, for example, the goal according to Villar is to bring to the country a piece of the most beautiful locations in the world for Filipinos to enjoy—from the landscapes, sceneries, to the architecture and gastronomic offerings.
“Have you been to Solvang? It’s beautiful. My dream is to bring Solvang here for Filipinos to enjoy,” Villar said, referring to the city in Santa Barbara County, California known for its Danish-style architecture, flower-lined streets, bakeries, cafes and wineries.
I finally thanked the country’s richest tycoon for his time and let him go back to his thoughts, his pad and his visions. As I headed back to my table, I can only wonder what other amazing feats he has in store for us. But whatever these are, they would definitely be worth the wait.