We were on our way back to Davao from Reel Place (see previous post) when we felt the need for another cup of coffee. I initially wanted to check out Tree House Coffee + Rooms but I was intrigued by another cafe by the roadside. And boy was I glad I made Jun pull over at geePods Homestay and Cafe.
Where to Find geePods
GeePods is located in Barangay Baganihan in Marilog. Coming from Bukidnon, it’s a few kilometers after the giant eagle statues which we stopped by to take photos of. You would not miss the cafe — just look our for a chic white and glass facade with three orange flags with the words COFFEE, ROOMS, and FOOD. There’s parking by the roadside, too.
Good Food, Good Coffee
Their entrance leads to a small cafe with semi-outdoor seating. The cafe is modern yet homey. Their seats were comfortable, the decor subdued and tasteful.
Adie was already “starving” at this point so we ordered food and coffee. Their menu is simple and well-thought-of. They have everything a hungry traveler could ever want: all-day breakfast, pasta, Filipino classics, chicken wings and sandwiches.
I love that they hand-wrote their coffee menu on a small chalkboard at their counter. Jun ordered an iced americano and I had iced Spanish latte. Of all the coffee we had on this trip, geePod’s is by far the best for me. Their latte was not too milky and their brew is strong. I requested less sugar and the owner-barista gladly complied. Much to Jun’s surprise and delight, they threw in an extra shot of espresso with his order. “For the road”, said the owner.
Adie also enjoyed her favorite breakfast meal: bacon, rice and slightly runny sunny-side eggs. I took a few bites of her food and wanted to order one for myself. However, I decided against it because I was looking forward to eating somewhere else.
Unique Accommodations at geePods
Behind the homey cafe is an staircase leading up to geePod’s rooms. The stairs is an artwork on its own — it is laid on side of the hill, careful not to take away from the natural terrain. To me it felt like going up a giant tree house with several levels. The cafe at the ground, their small rooms (Rocco) on the second level, their mid-sized house (Issa) on the third and their large villa (Gee) on top of the hill, with commanding 360° views of the surrounding area.
Little B yelped with excitement when she saw the pool at their second level. It took all of her willpower (and my constant reminder) not to dip her feet into the water. She opted for the swing instead.
Their Rocco rooms were very cute. It looked like a cross between a tent and hobbit house but do not be fooled by the size. Rocco comes complete with a bathroom, a small desk and even an outdoor sitting area. The two Rocco rooms are steps away from each other so I imagine Jun and I staying in one room and the girls in the other, should we ever stay overnight.
Other guests occupied both Issa and Gee villas so we did not go up to take photos. But judging from the happy and contented faces of their occupants, I daresay their as nice (if not nicer) than the Rocco rooms. They even had karaoke at the hilltop villa which, to me, is a staple for overnight stays in Buda. With nothing much to do, belting out songs is a great past time. I remember doing this when we stayed at Monte Ana Haven last year.
Overall Impressions
We found out that geePods is a family-owned business which just opened in April 2023. The owners, a couple from Catalunan Grande in Davao City, manned the front of house. This spoke of how much they value their business and their guests. Both husband and wife took care of greeting guests, facilitating checkins and checkouts and even preparing the coffee and serving the food. The wife manages their Facebook page, too!
The couple was down-to-earth, very friendly and chatty, even shared that they have grandchildren of about the same age as our kids. I’m guessing the rooms are named after members of their family.
It was a delight discovering this little gem in Buda. Jun and I promised the kids we will stay overnight at geePods the next time we visit this part of Davao. And I will make good on that promise soon.
GeePods is one of the 5 stops we made during our drive to Buda in search for good coffee. We call this the Buda Caffeine Quest. Check out out previous posts about Kidbu Cafe, Jack’s in the Sky and Reel Place in Lorega. Have you been to geePods? We’d love to hear about your experience!
