Serenity Place is Westgate's one-stop shop for wellness and relaxation.

If you’ve been living in the city for the longest time, driving through the South of Metro Manila is literally and figuratively a breath of fresh air – less traffic, more trees, and naturally relaxing. To incorporate the serene living characteristic of the South and the casual opulence of its residents, Filinvest Alabang Inc. developed a lifestyle center that is a destination for those who want to enjoy the good life.

Located in sprawling Filicity, Alabang in Muntinlupa City, Westgate Center is a 9.2 hectare open-air retail concept that creates a Main Street ambiance conducive to leisurely get-togethers and recreation. With palm trees lining up the streets, al fresco restaurants in every corner and a stylish enclave for wellness and relaxation, Westgate offers a pleasant respite from the boxed-in feeling of strolling in malls and being lost in the clamor of overeager shoppers and mall-goers.

“I think long before the open-air concept of other lifestyle centers, we were here already. Back in 2002, Filinvest Alabang Inc. thought of providing a different kind of atmosphere that’s more relaxing and capitalizing on the greenery of the place, “said Rose Nuqui, vice president for Commercial Centers and Retail Management of Filinvest Alabang Inc.

The casual street type feel of Westgate Center allows clients to park their cars along the streets and simply walk to their desired spot as opposed to waiting for an empty parking space in crowded parking lots.

Westgate Center, the first open air lifestyle hub in the South also attracts diners and shoppers alike from all parts of Metro Manila. “People from Manila also flock here because Westgate tends to attract tenants you cannot find anywhere else like French Corner, a fine-dining restaurant that offers creative continental cuisine, and Bohemian Nation Trading Co., a specialty store that sells quality handcrafted Indian and Tibetan antique furniture, home décor, and gemstone jewelry,” Nuqui shared.

Aside from French Corner, some of Westgate’s diverse food finds include: Alba Restaurante Español, home of traditional Spanish cooking; Red Kimono, which is a modern and unconventional approach to Japanese cooking; Sophia’s Mediterranean Cuisine that boasts of Italian, French, Greek and Spanish influences; and Oyster Boy for traditional Filipino cuisine.

For a particularly stressful work week, Westgate is where you find Serenity Place, also known as the oasis of the South. Go on a weekend getaway within the four freestanding pavilions of Serenity Place’s garden setting marked by ornate Mahara doors. Housed in these pavilions are four different establishments: the aforementioned Bohemian Nation; Bona Coffee, an Italian-inspired coffee bar that offers low-fat, low-calorie drinks; the 60-seater Sujiivana salon and the Sujiivana Day Surgery and Spa.

Other lifestyle establishments include the Li’l Fun Ranch and Gymboree Play and Music for kids, automotive sales, service and accessories for car aficionados, sporting specialty stores for sports buffs and pet grooming saloons for adorable pups.

Nuqui summed it all up by explaining that above all else, Westgate is an “R and R” place where family and friends can dine and shop. 

(Westgate Center is at Filicity, Alabang Center, Muntinlupa City.)