Travel: Boracay Garden Resort | Pay as low as P1,900 per person!

Boracay Garden Resort is a subsidiary of Henann Management Group, owner and operator of the Boracay Regency and Regency Lagoon. Formerly Hotel Seraph, it rests on a two-hectare property located at the center of Station 2. The resort has 201 well-appointed deluxe and premiere rooms with charming and elegant interiors. It has premiere rooms with direct access to the pool and family rooms that can fit up to six persons.



The spacious rooms each has a private terrace, wi-fi access, bath tub with separate shower area, individually controlled air conditioning, cable television, direct dial phone, in-room safe, coffee and tea-making facilities and personal refrigerator.

The resort now features a newly renovated business center, swimming pools, fitness center and landscaped gardens.



Visit Boracay Garden Resort’s booth at the 18th Travel Tour Expo at the SMX Convention Center from February 18 to 20 and get up to 80% off on room rates. Based on quadruple sharing, pay for as low as P1,900.00 per person for a three-day stay in a deluxe room. Travel period is from February 19 to June 3, 2011.

For inquiries on room rates, packages and reservations, call Boracay Garden Resort’s Manila Booking Office at 353-1111 or email manilareservations@boracaygarden.com.ph.

Where are you spending Valentines Day?

I've been pestering my husband and asking him where we are spending Valentine's Day. It happens 3 days before my birthday but I feel the need to celebrate it nonetheless. Top of mind choices are a dinner buffet (which I assume are now on waiting list) and an overnight stay somewhere.


Executive Suite, should have an LED TV though.

Lancaster is one hotel with a Valentine's Day promo, sounds cheesy but this room look lovely. I can easily imagine me and my husband working on that table! Both of us are inseparable from our notebooks.


The bed at the Junior Suites.

Love Above the Metropolis

Buffet breakfast for two, two glasses of wine, complimentary Internet connection, and complimentary shuttle service to Ortigas shopping malls. As a special treat on February 14, guests get a long-stemmed rose.


Rates for this package are as follows:

PHP 2,900 for the Junior Suite
PHP 3,350 for the Executive Suite
PHP 4,800 for the Deluxe Suite
PHP 5,900 for the Lancaster Suite

Promo is valid from February 1 to 28, 2011

I am still undecided. I bet we'll just stay at home and watch TV! Or, surprise me.

Where I'm Staying at this New Year | Dusit Thani Hotel

Okay make that next year's new year.

If I had mind reading powers, I would've planned differently and booked a hotel room. But hey, you on the otherhand have time to change plans and reserve a room here.

New Year's Eve Countdown - December 31, 2010 only

Deluxe: Php 9,788 ++
Suites: Php 11,788 ++

New Years always stresses me out, the smoke, the noise, and gory visuals of amputated fingers. Forget all that at Dusit Thani's Devarans Spa.

Inclusions:

• Crossover Dinner for 2 persons
• New Year's Eve Countdown party with unlimited drinks for 2 persons
• 20% discount from Deravana Spa
• In-room wine
  

I'd love to wake up to this pool instead of the warzone-like scene New Year leaves behind. And I'm also excited to see if my 7 month old knows how to swim :)

The Crossover Dinner takes you across Dusit Hotel's 4 restaurants for a spectacular fest.

Basix which serves International Food

Umu for authentic Japanese Cuisine

Tosca for exquisite Italian food, Manila's latest fine dining restaurant

Royal Thai dining experience at Benjarong

I think I'll try the famous Dusit Crossover Brunch this Sunday, first day of 2011! So far, I've only dined at Basix where I spotted Amazing Race Asia winner Richard Hardin.



Time to race to Dusit and begin the year with a luxurious feast!The Crossover Brunch happens every Sunday, 11.30AM to 3.00PM. Php 1,600 for adults, Php 800 for kids aged 6-12, for kids under 6, it's free of charge.



For reservations contact 867-3333 ext. 3888

See you!

Dining: Morning in UCC Café Terrace at Resorts World

These days, I am rarely impressed. But one morning I took my breakfast inside Resorts World, at UCC Cafe. The silence of the place and the wonderful lighting was the best morning greeting
for me.



No caffeine-starved yuppies lining up. Relaxed, I called the waitress for the menu and ordered a cup of their houseblend brew, chocolate French toast, and a kani sandwich for my companion.



It was the best looking French toast I've ever seen, stylishly cut in squares so it fits a bite perfectly. The choco-half-dipped sticks reminded me of Pocky, and even the sticks were enjoyable to nibble on. Topped with whipped cream, dashed with powdered sugar, and drizzled with chocolare sauce. What a good morning it was.



My companion and I agreed on how their bread were fresh and crisp. Good quality of food aside from the impressive presentation and service. I wish they do not change.

Now I know where to go for a relaxing morning, away from all the buzz, and embraced with lots of sweetness kicked with caffeine. Everyone deserves a good morning :)

A Glimpse of Escolta Buffet at Manila Peninsula Hotel

These days, it's a miracle I think I am not gaining weight but it could also be the green tea I drink several times a day. And what better way to celebrate a freeze in weight gain than a buffet?



Escolta is one accessible buffet restaurant inside the Manila Peninsula Hotel. I heard the price per head is around Php 1,500 - I didn't know because someone else hosted the dinner when I experienced their food.


All the oysters found their way to my plate

I swam in a display of fresh seafood : oysters, shrimps, and mussels. The oysters were big and I just loved dipping them into Kikoman with wasabe. I thought I wouldn't enjoy the mussels but they were soft, juicy, and delectable as the oysters.



There's also the Japanese food area where sushi and sashimi are available. What I like best is the seaweed salad I've been searching for everywhere. The sashimi is sliced fresh in front of you and you can choose from tuna, salmon, and another type of fish I cannot remember.



My sushi and sashimi plate with seaweed salad

At Escolta, you can enjoy your favorite Caldereta with cheese and other viands like herbed veal, chicken barbecue, grilled vegetables, etc. They had a crisp salad bar which I didn't had the time to try but my companions seemed to enjoy their greens with a serving of soup which is also available in the buffet.



My seafood plate, I know I shouldn't eat like this! ugh goodbye diet

I was looking for rice to enjoy my seafood with but at Escolta, they only had two types of rice: seafood rice and steamed rice. Although, rice is no biggie when it comes to buffet, I always look for fried rice or yang chow fried rice.

I know they have more main dishes to offer but my plate is attracted to sushi and seafood like a magnet, so I apologize for having little info about the other food available. What I remember though is they also have a carving station for roasted meat.



One part of the dessert spread, the other half are made up of cakes, cupcakes, and desserts in shot glasses

Now my favorite part, dessert dessert dessert! I rejoice that Escolta had lots of items to offer to people with a sweet tooth. Icecream that you can mix with candies and cookies to become an icecream teppanyaki, native delicacies like buchi, turon, and bibingka, at least 3 types of cake which includes New York Cheesecake and Chocolate Fudge.



My almost perfect dessert plate which I enjoyed with a cup of green tea

Whatchathink? I think I'm gonna head out to Manila Peninsula next time with my mini family :) Not as plenty as other famous buffet spreads but the quality and choices are excellent! lab it.

Refreshing H20 Hotel

Last week, we had the pleasure of staying at Hotel H20. It is the new hotel inside the Manila Ocean Park that features Aqua rooms, read: aquarium wall inside your hotel room. Aside from pretending like you are the little mermaid, the room provides a refreshing stay with its unique theme and lighting caused by the wide aquarium wall.


I love this thermos set inside our room which let us cook instant noodles for snacks. Why not bring your own sachet of hot chocolate powder so you can enjoy a mug before going to sleep?



Then, there's the bathroom and toilet that would literally make you feel like a fish in a bowl. The bathroom is made up of glass walls that is see-through (perfect for couples but could be quiet uncomfy for simple room mates).



What I like though are their 'designer' toiletries that are all in blue. Then, there's the perfect shower head that feels like rain on the skin. One thing missing is the bidei on the toilet x.x

The entire bedroom has mirrors that reflect every corner of the room. It is hard to miss anything that is happening even while you are watching your favorite show on their wide LCD TV or surfing the Internet (for a fee).


The Aqua room's working table is spacious with organized sockets and Internet cable.

Their spacious bed which is lined with what seems like ostrich leather is very interesting. Personally, I felt like I was staying somewhere outside the Philippines but I wish their airconditioning system were cooler. Noted that when we stayed they were still on a dry-run.


Makansutra's hot chocolate is a perfectly sweet morning treat

Our stay had free breakfast buffet at the Makansutra food village which was quiet simple with dried fish, pork and chicken adobo, rice porridge, noodles, eggs, and yummy hot chocolate and tasty coffee, Makansutra style. What made our morning brighter was the view of Manila bay. You could enjoy their breakfast at Al Fresco seats over at White Moon Bar.


White Moon Bar in the morning

Overall, Hotel H20 is a pleasant place to stay in. Check in at 2:00PM, have a refreshing shower and arrange for afternoon drinks at the White Moon Bar just before the sun sets. Dinner would be nice at the Makansutra for something exotic. Then just chill and relax inside your aqua room :)

The Boutique Bed and Breakfast Tagaytay

I have been wanting to try accommodations at bed and breakfast hotels in Tagaytay. Who wouldn't want to relax and escape in this place that's super close to Manila but offers a different cooler climate.



The Boutique bed and breakfast is one BnB I often pass by when driving through Aguinaldo Highway. It looks new, simple,and modern - which I thought was perfect for young couples looking for a romantic getaway. After searching and reading through the Internet and blogs, I knew I wanted to stay here for me and my partner's quick honeymoon :)

I booked the I Escape room for about Php 5,595.00 via email (kudos to the efficient staff of The Boutique) and coordinated with them via SMS. Reservations must be paid at Metrobank but I requested if I could just pay them on my booked date as I am running out of time. Luckily, they agreed and it was super hassle-free.



We arrived at around 1PM but check-in time was 2PM. The staff asked us to personalize our Pamper Me basket which is also included in the room package. We chose from their different types of soaps, shampoos, scented oils, and lotions. These were then placed in a basket with loofa scrubs, other toiletries, and hotel slippers. Sweet <3


Upon entering the room I was already in love with The Boutique. lots of pillow, luxurious linens, perfect lighting, and a nice sight of a mini garden from the window and the shower room.

Inside the closet were two comfy bathrobes that my partner and I quickly found ourselves in. We were also surprised to receive refreshing welcome drinks.



As usual, after 5 minutes my partner had setup his laptop and used The Boutique's free WiFi which had reliable speed and reach. I also accessed the internet with my N95 using their free WiFi service.

After resting and having dinner outside The Boutique, we awaited for our free cold facial stone massage. Guests have to book this in advance, just tell the reception the best time for the masseuse to visit your room. The massage is good for a couple and it was just the best way to cap a long day.

A handful of chilled stones are used to massage and rub the face.Then the masseuse gives a relaxing head massage while your eyes are covered and cooled by some stones. It was just enough for us to say 'aahhhh'. What I like best is that the two masseuse did not hand any envelope or ask for tips :) We were peacefully left lying on the soft bed.



Then we decided to grab some DVDs from their in-house DVD library. When we got back to the room, they sent us our free hot chocolate, cookies, and freshly popped popcorn to enjoy with our action movie. I have never stayed in a hotel so thoughtful.

The morning after, we were awaken at around 8AM with a bountiful breakfast in bed that we chose earlier. It included fresh fruits, I had pancakes while my partner had rib eye corned beef.

If only I could, I would stay in this place longer. But I guess the magic is in short and sweet stays for one to have something to look forward to.

Before leaving, they even handed me a small surprise as a thank you for our stay. Thank you The Boutique for making our quickie honeymoon a memorable one ^^ Visit their website at http://www.theboutiquebnb.com/ for more information



Not to forget that The Boutique has a spacious viewing area with fun and comfy native furniture that you can lounge in. Also, the Samsung HD TV is equipped with cable TV and sound systems ;)