Vito Selma calls it his favorite escape in Pampanga, and it’s no wonder why the furniture designer has been charmed by the bed and breakfast. Here, chic tropical design meets probinsya life. The coming together of unpainted cement walls, wood, and strategically placed greens create the place’s warm, unhurried, unpretentious vibe. Mekeni, it seems to say.
Pampanga’s Hardin is actually one of three boutique hotel establishments owned and run by the children of Jose and Myrna Bituin, founders of the 49-year-old furniture company JB Woodcraft in Guagua. First to open was Fabrika, followed by Venta Suites which is in the same spot as Hardin, which is formerly the family business’s kiln-drying warehouse.
Leslie has long nurtured a fascination with the hospitality industry and imagined it to be the field she will spend her retirement years in. Her first job after graduation was running a small family-owned inn in UN Avenue, Manila. She currently manages JB Woodcraft which is famous for making custom hand-carved furniture.
Each of the Bituin siblings designed their own space, and each is dotted with stuff from the family’s furniture business. Asked about her favorite pieces in hers, Leslie says it’s the long table where intimate gatherings are often held. The solid wood top has been with the family for the longest time and can sit more than 20. On one end of the table is the forklift which used to be a fixture in the warehouse. The table’s legs used to be water pumps. Above the table is a chimney that was in the spray booth before; it’s now outfitted with light bulbs.
The many plants work to soften the inherent industrial vibe of the place. Hardin has a bigger open space than Venta Suites which allowed for a bigger garden—which inspired the name of the bed and breakfast. (Leslie also sells plants in the establishment.) For now, Hardin only has a single villa but it will be adding more soon. Its events space, however, can accommodate a party of 20. The garden with pool can be rented out by a small group for a day. There is no restaurant yet but guests can order from the nearby Fabrika and other restaurants in the area.
Hardin packs in a lot of chic, grownup style for a bed and breakfast—but whipping up lovely spaces should be second nature to this family. After all, the Bituins helped put Guagua on the map when it comes to world class furniture.