Executive Hotel Lounge Review: Hilton Manila

Being alive is enough reason to celebrate nowadays. When CS agreed to bring our daughter out for the first time, I made sure that it will be a special one so I booked an executive room at Hilton Manila for the ultimate staycation experience - a decision I regretted the moment I realized that it is indeed a different time from what we were used to.

 

Ambiance and Amenities.

 

The hotel moved the executive lounge to the ground floor which was fine if service was at par to what a lounge should be - have at least a staff to man the counter! We went straight here after check-in for some light snacks but there was no one in sight. We, along with a couple other guests, helped ourselves with available drinks and cookies and we just went back to our room.

The actual hotel lounge was closed.

  

Variety and Abundance of Snack Choices.

 

Nuts and cookies were displayed at the counter but the afternoon snacks was set meal with no options - too bad for CS who refuses to eat beef lately. More burger sliders for me!

 

 

Unlimited alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages.

Coffee, tea, and soda were available and refillable. I am assuming the same goes for the alcohol though we did not see any guest ordered a glass during our stay there.

Operating Hours.

 

• Afternoon tea - we self-served, no staff available when we went there
  
• Evening cocktails - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• Breakfast - served at Kusina Sea Kitchens with first & second seating to control the number of guests dining at a time
  

Full Breakfast Buffet.

 

Good selection of breakfast staples and favorites from breads, pastries, salads, egg station, charcuterie, Western and Filipino section, and with a few Chinese food as well.

 

 

It was my first buffet after 2 years and while I enjoyed the freedom of having to scoop food to my plate, it was quite alarming too see how many people have already touched the serving spoon before my turn. I'd rather dine in a fully-assisted buffet so I won't have to worry about touching anything I'm not sure if sanitized or not. Really worrying to say the least.

Other Perks & Services Offered.

 

None - we had to queue for more than 30 minutes for check-in. Check-out was done over the phone and I just dropped off the keycards on our way out.

Overall Service.

 

Skip the executive rooms. A 2-night stay at a deluxe room would be a more practical and enjoyable option for the same price that we paid for.

 

~o~o~o~

Hilton Manila
1 Newport Blvd., Newport City
Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Tel.: (632) 7239-7788

Executive Hotel Lounge Review: Sofitel Manila

How would like to enjoy your afternoon tea or a glass of wine with the iconic Manila Bay sunset as your view? Sounds like a dream, right? Well, look no further as Sofitel's Club Millesime lets you savor that and more when you book a room in one of their well-appointed luxury club rooms or suites. To read more on our Sofitel Luxury Club room experience, please click here.

Ambiance and Amenities.

I've been to Club Millesime several times and the excitement never gets old everytime I hear the ding sound in the elevator signaling that we've arrived in the club floor. As soon as we step inside the lounge, a staff immediately attends to each guest regardless if you're a regular or a first timer as the treatment is one and the same - warm, courteous, professional, and accommodating.

Variety and Abundance of Snack Choices.

What I love about Club Millesime is the assortment of your non-regular food items that we usually see in club lounges in Manila during evening cocktails. While most hotels tend to offer the basics, Club Millesime takes it a notch higher by offering a wide array of Western appetizers, a selection of cheese and cold cuts, at least 4 hot dishes, and jaw-dropping dessert spread.

 

Unlimited alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages.

Free-flowing cocktails, wine, champagne, fruit juices, and soda await guests during evening cocktails. Kids are strictly prohibited at the lounge at this time, as most Manila hotels impose nowadays. Coffee and tea, on the other hand, are available anytime of the day.

Operating Hours.

• Afternoon tea - 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
• Evening cocktails - 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
• Breakfast - 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM
  

Full Breakfast Buffet.

An interactive buffet breakfast with 21 ateliers? There's no better way to start your morning but to dine in the most extensive offering any hotel in Manila can offer - welcome to Sofitel's Spiral Buffet! Go wild and enjoy food hopping from one cuisine to another to savor its HUGE selection because I guarantee that whatever morning cravings you might have, you can definitely find it in Spiral along with ten other breakfast staples you will surely love.

But if you like your privacy and some quiet, you are always welcome to enjoy your breakfast at Club Millesime with fewer but well-thought of options, of course.

Dining in Spiral is an incredible experience in itself so if you haven't tried it at least once in your life, you're definitely missing out on the best buffet in the whole country!

Other Perks & Services Offered. 

Overall Service.

It would be a shame to expect less than perfection from one the country's premier five-star hotels who have hosted several dignitaries and VIPs in the past. Except from the slow service we've encountered during cocktail hour, Sofitel Philippine Plaza's service embodies what true Filipino hospitality is all about from the moment we hear the parking attendant say, "Magandang hapon po!"

~o~o~o~

Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd.
Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Tel.: (632) 573-5555

Costa NeoRomantica: Jewels of the Far East Cruise

The largest European cruise operator with 14 ships sailing around the world, Costa Cruises has been our top choice for our cruise vacations ever since we had the chance to board Costa Victoria in Singapore back in 2016. I've been in touch with Lester of Travel People, Costa's preferred sales agent in the Philippines, for exciting deals and promos offered to the local market. One great deal we did not want to miss was a 5-day cruise across Japan that set sail last August 2018.

Our five-day Jewels of the Far East Cruise aboard the Costa NeoRomantica originated in Fukuoka's Cruise Center and traveled to 3 more cities in Japan (Maizuru, Kanazawa, and Sakaiminato) then in Pusan, South Korea before going back to Fukuoka for de-boarding.

Public buses saved us tons of money because taking a cab in Japan is quite pricey.

Just like in airports, cruise check-in is required before boarding to make sure all passengers (especially foreign tourists) have the required documentation and are all accounted for.

Completed in 1993 and refurbished in 2011 to increase its capacity, Costa NeoRomantica's decks are named after popular cities in Europe such as Monte Carlo, Madrid, Vienna, Verona, Paris, London, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam. Aside from the usual entertainment on-board, the ship boasts of a full luxury spa called Samsara featuring a vast 4,400 floor area that houses a gym, spa, thalossotherapy pools, treatment rooms, sauna, Turkish bath, UVA solarium, cabins, and suites.

Lido Bar Saint-Tropez

Grand Bar Piazza Italia

Cabaret Vienna

Tango Disco

One of the 789 cabins in Costa NeoRomantica, ours was an ocean view stateroom with a queen bed (or more like 2 single merged into one). Much to our dismay, all staterooms with a private balcony were full so I had to convince CS really hard to take what's available. Apart from balcony, the room had everything we need - a comfortable bed with side tables, television, open closet, and toilet and bath. Basic bath essentials are provided but its always better to bring your own brands.

The daily program, individual Costa cards, a welcome letter, tour order forms, and FAQ sheet were available in each room to get the guests accustomed to the activities in-store aboard the ship.

If you love food as much as we do, then you'd be excited to know that most cruises offer buffet meals throughout the day. In Costa NeoRomantica, guests are treated to several dining options - an all-inclusive sit down restaurant and a buffet dining area offering international cuisine, and paying restaurants and bar if you fancy exclusivity and gourmet dishes. An 8-course steak meal sounds nice but paying $150/head does not, so we always find ourselves lining up in the buffet area or booking a table at the sit-down restaurant. You can order as much as you can because there's no limit here! Just make sure to order/get enough food you can consume to avoid wastage.

Tip: To save money, take heavy breakfast before leaving the ship for shore excursions; you can also dine at Costa when you return from your day tour at the all-day buffet restaurant.

Photo taken on the first day of the cruise and at 4 kilos lighter - my belly and chubby cheeks took the heavy hit after a week of relaxing and pampering aboard the Costa NeoRomantica!