Nestled in the Tagaytay hills is a well-kept secret -- a bed and breakfast with a special magnetic attraction : the biggest collection of rare and popular puzzles of a wide range of sizes, genres, sources, subject matter and art forms.

 The rooms themselves are a strong come-on : each one is well-appointed, with first-class furnishings and amenities. Each high-ceilinged haven is meticulously put together, down to the bed sheets, art work and colourful topiaries that adorn many rooms.

Spread over a more than one-hectare property, this new tourist destination in Tagaytay City also has a 400-square meter function room that can accommodate 400 guests, a spa, an infinity pool, a 24-hour café, cable TV connections and a wifi hot spot for net activity. All these are set against a scenic backdrop of grass and a colourful riot of wild flowers growing in abundance. And of course, there is the cool, kind weather of Tagaytay.

But the heart of this new bed and breakfast is its huge puzzle collection. Already a shoo-in for the Guinness Book of World Records, the puzzles are a labor of love of the owner’s mother, Georgina Gil Lacuna, and the inspiration for the place. Each day the collection grows, as Ms. Lacuna, lovingly fits hundreds of tiny pieces together to complete an art work. The result is an art gallery of puzzles with over a million pieces – many of which are of art whose originals can only be found in the Louvre, the Prado and other world famous galleries.

The Bed and Breakfast, by the way, is aptly named : The Puzzle Mansion. Because of its homespun but classy charm, the Bed and Breakfast is expected to be booked solid (there are 3000 beds-and-breakfast in Tagaytay), but the puzzle gallery itself will be the main attraction that will draw visitors to Puzzle Mansion.


Over 300 jigsaw puzzles make up the collection in the Puzzle Room. It still grows by the day, as the puzzle hobbyist continues to add new and bigger pieces to challenge herself and make a bid for Guinness Book of World Records recognition. She is currently working on a 32,000-pieces puzzle, the largest-size jigsaw puzzle worldwide. Her closest competitor, also a woman, is based in Brazil, with 238 jigsaw puzzles in her collection.

Puzzle Mansion was launched to the media last May 24, 2012 at an afternoon garden affair at its location in Cuadra St., Bgy. Asisan, Tagaytay City. The launch had a unique highlight : the unveiling of young designer Jessica Gallegos’ new floral fashion collection for her brand Wear Charlie. The floral prints and summer colors of the collection were inspired by the blushing hues of the Tagaytay blooms and named after the Rooms at the Puzzle Mansion : Lilac, Cosmos, Marigold, Gardenia, Passion Flower, Water Lily, Tulip, Sunflower, Sampaguita and Zinnia.

“The Bed and Breakfast is now open for occupancy. We also invite schools, offices, groups and individuals to visit our Puzzle Museum for something nice and different,” says Gino Orda, Puzzle Mansion owner.

For more information about Puzzle Mansion and the puzzle collection, visit www.thepuzzlemansion.com or its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PM.