In Barangay Bibingkahan, there’s a place that feels both familiar and new. Old wooden furniture. A vintage television set. Hand-carved sculptures from the Cordillera. Original artworks by local painters. At first glance, La Luma looks like a museum. But it is, in fact, a boutique hotel and café—built from memory, family, and imagination.
At the heart of it is Dr. Lambert Angeles, a practicing dentist who admits he’s always been drawn to the arts.
“La Luma started as a retirement house for my parents,” he says. “But as we were building it, the idea kept growing. Eventually, it became something we could share with more people.”
The property spans over 2,000 square meters and was once home to a small house surrounded by trees and plants. Instead of clearing the lot, Angeles made sure the trees stayed—part of a quiet promise to preserve the character of the place.
Today, La Luma is both a tribute and a vision. The name comes from the initials of Lambert, Louise (his father), and Marilyn (his mother). But it also refers to the Spanish-Filipino term for “the old made new”—a perfect way to describe the space, where salvaged wood, antique pieces, and Filipino design come together with industrial finishes and curated lighting.
Inside, guests will find details that speak of Dr. Angeles’ love for the past: old radios, reupholstered chairs, weathered woodwork, and sculptures that seem to have their own stories.
“I grew up appreciating old things because of my dad,” he shares. “He loved anything Filipino—anything made by hand, anything with history. That stayed with me.”
But La Luma is more than nostalgia. It’s also a place for community and creativity. The café serves all-day breakfast featuring Bicolano flavors—Ginobatan longganisa, adobong pula sa asin, and their own take on laking. The menu is still expanding, but the goal is clear: to highlight local ingredients, partner with nearby producers, and eventually become a food destination in Sorsogon.
“We want to stay true to Bicol flavors but add a bit of twist,” says Angeles. “We hope people discover something new here, while still tasting something familiar.”
Each room at the hotel also tells a story. The names—Indak Luwalhati, Tadhana—are not random. They’re old Filipino words that carry meaning, depth, and poetry.
“Ang ganda ng wikang Filipino,” he says. “We don’t use these words often, but they say so much. I wanted to highlight that beauty.”
La Luma also serves as an informal gallery. A painting by Sorsogon artist Lindsey Dioneda hangs on the walls, alongside pieces by Tabaco-based artist Igoy and rising visual artist Darryl Ibasco of Irosin, Sorsogon. Sculptures like the bulol, sourced from Cordillera, are placed alongside cement and wood finishes—creating a space that feels both rooted and fresh.
For Angeles, it all goes back to his younger years. Though dentistry is his profession, art has always been close.
“I was the kind of student who joined poster-making contests, theater, anything creative,” he laughs. “La Luma is really just a continuation of all that.”
Asked what he hopes La Luma becomes, he says simply: a place where people feel welcome. A space that showcases Filipino talent, honors the past, and encourages people to slow down.
La Luma is located in Barangay Bibingkahan, Sorsogon City.
Photos by Nico Jaymalin