German Unson Heritage House B&B, Silay

Transforming heritage houses around Silay into Bed & Breakfasts, a cafe, restaurant, museum, or events place is the direction I'm rooting for Negros when it comes to tourism. Personally, as someone who grew up in Negros and has explored other areas with a similar vibe as a tourist, coming home I can see a different perspective, and its greatest draw is striking that beautiful balance of being a quaint city yet has substantial facilities for comfort. Having a character that can make you say you're in a completely different place, yet your longing for the familiar is readily available within reach...like an internet connection or western dishes. The German Unson Heritage House is one of the pioneers when it comes to making use of their ancestral house as a usable public space. Slowly, other heritage houses are following their footsteps, and hopefully this will spring forth a tourism industry that can reach an international market because there is undeniable potential to make it happen.  

A family-owned business, they add a personal touch as the host and cook are the granddaughters of German Unson. Chell, one of the granddaughters and proprietress of the B&B, explained that the last relative who lived in the house passed away in 2009, and for a time the old house was abandoned until they decided to restore and repurpose the house to avoid dilapidation...since the National Historical Commission basically provides no financial aid whatsoever after slapping their plaques on the walls. Her sister, being an interior designer and with the help of family funding, slowly took in the task and made the space into a B&B that can accommodate an intimate amount of guests. There are four rooms that can be rented in total, each with its own distinct character and named after those who resided in those rooms, living or otherwise. Prices range between 2000-2500 per room that's good for two, but can accommodate up to four with an additional 300-500/pax with breakfast. If you're keen on detail, one thing you should look at are the ceiling of each room as they present different patterns, as well as the tiles and windows. The furniture used are also the original ones, save for some furbishing that needed update for use.

Their receiving area and sala with a lap harp in one corner.

Two of the many beautiful artworks hung on their wall.

Sliding door and window detail that leads to their balcony.

Some of the nooks that you can freely hang out at. That's San Diego Pro Cathedral at a short distance.

Dining area on the second floor.

Their breakfast fare if eaten ala carte is priced reasonably at Php175, that includes a plated meal plus drink and some fruits for dessert. Availability varies from day-to-day though as their stocks are limited. They also have specialty dishes with recipes that had been passed down by their lola that you can sample, but will have to book about three days in advance since these take time to prepare Chell said. Oddly enough, their dining room and kitchen is on the second floor and can ideally sit six people, but they can add a table extension that can seat up to eight pax. Larger number of guests for events, like 15-20, they will have to set a tent on their front garden in order to fit. They avoid overcrowding of the place, so it's best to call in advance for a reservation. 

The overall atmosphere is homey...like a homestay if I should compare to other places. You don't feel like you're in some hostel when you get there. It feels more like you are staying over as guests of the family, and they serve you really good breakfast. All rooms are air-conditioned, but you can also opt to use fans if you like. You will have complete freedom to the facilities that they allow access to, so you can stay over at one of their nooks that are scattered all over their area, you can even take your plate and eat there if you want.

As for the food, I liked them all. Their breakfast choices are hearty and they have a couple of selections available as long as they have them in stock. Although they discourage walk-ins because they may not accommodate you if their place is full as it easily gets packed with a group as few as ten, but as long as they have the space, they will be more than happy to serve you. Taste-wise, it reminded me of the countryside, a kind of nostalgic taste that can trigger memories of your grandma or that party you went to in the province as a child. You can customize a set meal with an appetizer, two viands, a drink and dessert for Php500...or depending on the costing of your order; but you will have to book it days in advance and you must at least have enough people for the custom menu that they'll be making, at least 8-10 people for the group. Their breakfast selection is available most days though, and I recommend the soul food bas-uy and their lola's chorizo. They also customize their dishes based on the availability of ingredients, for our case they added tambis in our salad because they were ripe enough to pick in their yard. Their drink choices are limited to calamansi juice and native coffee as of the moment though.

The one that we all agreed to be our favorite was their hot chocolate with pinipig. I had about four cups that night, and their pinipig was deliciously perfect that it hit the spot. They use tablea from the market in Silay and use a batirol to make the tsokolate; the ways of the old. It was comforting and wonderful on a cold January night...but would be ideal as breakfast as their pinipig was soooo good that it tasted like a better version Kellogg's rice krispies cereal and coco pops less the chemicals. My cousins and I enjoyed ourselves over our meal that night that the sister hosts had to bid us goodbye because it was getting late.

Danggit and Bas-uy with Egg

Tocino and Egg

Potato Croquettes

Diablo is chicken relleno in spicy tomato-based sauce.

Clockwise: Diablo, Tambis, Greens Salad w/ Tambis, Pato sa Tuba.
Pato sa tuba is duck simmered in tuba, asado style.

Tsokolate Platter: But-ong, Cheese Puto Manapla and Ibus.
All are rice-based kakanin, my favorite being the But-ong.

Tsokolate Batirol w/ Pinipig. A must-try if you get there!

Their story as stated on their Facebook page is:

"Built in 1938 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style popular before World War II, the ancestral home of German Locsin Unson and his wife, Fe de la Rama Ledesma Unson, was declared a heritage house by the National Historical Institute on April 6, 1993. The first heritage house in Silay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines to be converted into a bed and breakfast, this charming four-bedroom, two-storey house opened its doors to visitors and guests in June 2016."

Rates per night with breakfast & WiFi: 

Rene Room (Ground floor) Php2000
Carmen-Cristina Room (Second floor) Php2000 
Lourdes Room (Second floor; with study) Php2300
German-Fe Room (Ground floor; Master suite) Php2500

Extra person 300php
Extra bed 500php

German-Fe Room Php2500

Rene Room Php2000

Carmen-Cristina Room Php2000 

Lourdes Room Php2300

A family photo of the Unson-Ledesma family. Chell said it's their only "almost-complete" family photo, unfortunately German Unson was the only one absent in the picture. 

Your landmark is Silay Plaza on the left side of the road, turn right from the highway after Munsterific. It's on the right side of the street with the signage out their wall and a opened black gate. By bus or jeep, you can take the Silay route and have yourselves dropped off in the plaza. From there you can go to other places of interests besides the B&B.

No. 5 Zamora Street

Silay City 6116

Negros Occidental

Contact Number: (034)432 2943

0925 8745021

Operating Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM