'Coz I'm Not Your Typical Backpacker at Tune Hotel Clark

This September, we pretty much spent our 2 weekends in Angeles, Pampanga. Yehess! That's 2 weekends. Hooray for minor rotations. Anyway, Kel joined two consecutive duathlon races there and since we're always running on tight budgets, we made sure to look for cozy yet reasonably-priced hotels.

If you have been to Clark, I'm sure you'll realize why it was to me the Hotel Capital of the Philippines. Haha. There's probably no single corner in Clark that does not boast a hotel or an inn. But most of them are a bit pricey for us. 

A year ago, I came across Tunes Hotel on the net when I was looking for budget hotels in Manila. And it has a cool system of "Pay As You Use" back then that is like personalizing your own room (I don't really know if this was obsolete now, but this feature was not available in Clark or they just didn't provide us that option).  When I say 'personalize', the hotel gives you the privilege to set what amenities such as TV, hot/cold shower, A/C you would like in your room and for how long-- 6 or 12 hours? Doesn't really matter. Then, you're charged with the corresponding amount of your consumption. 

So when we returned to Clark during our 2nd week, I told my husband I wanted to try Tunes Hotel in Angeles. Since we were staying with our kid, Kel reserved a double room in advance for us. You surely cannot miss the hotel. It has a signature red and white-colored facade. Apart from this, it also has a convenient location in the city-- near restaurants, convenient stores, spa and the mall. 

 Photo grabbed from Tune Hotels website

When we arrived, we were ushered to the main elevator by their polite reception staff. You cannot get inside the elevator without having your electronic keycard first. At the 2nd floor, we were greeted by their accommodating staff at the information desk and provided us with our keycard. Check-in was hassle-free and they also gave us the password for their wifi before we left. What's also nice is that even if we arrived a little earlier than their check-in time, there have been no problem waiting.

Due to the great amount of guests who booked on the same day prior to the duathlon race, the hotel was almost fully booked at that time. We were given a room instead at the 9th floor, not bit of a problem for me but for Kel who has to carry his bike all the way to our room. Hihi.

Upon entering the room, we realized how this is not the family-friendly type of hotel. It was a bit small for a family of 3 and if the other one's a kid. I say to myself this is probably for the business people and the backpackers. Anyway, I didn't really expect much so I just easily shove the idea off. The interior was modern in brown and white and it certainly looks cozy.

Our room has a soft and comfy matrimonial bed with 2 pillows. By the way, I am very particular with hotel pillows because I don't like lying almost flat on bed. If there was one turn-off for me, it must be the pillows. Haha. I just don't like it too soft that it deflates much when lied upon. Their bedding smells good anyway.

The room has a built-in cable TV and one thing I liked about it is that it's Cignal cable. Haha! It lets you see the shows in line flashed on the screen whenever you switch channels. The room also has an airconditioning system and a ceiling fan probably for those who doesn't want to use the aircon when it's cold. It also has electronic safety deposit box and a pull-down desk for your laptop just beside the bed. There's also a built-in towel and clothes rack to save space-- an alternative to your usual room closet. What I hope was also there, though, was a mini fridge for our food and a telephone inside the room. If you need to phone in an operator, you still need to go the elevator where it is located for communal use.

One thing that is really nice about Tunes Hotel was that even if it was minimally priced, we were given an electronic keycard access, the one that you need to have to gain access into the hotel lobby and your room-- just like those that they use in 5-star hotels so they could limit the number of non-hotel staying visitors. Also, as in many other hotels, you need this to activate your room's electronic power--just a good way of saving electricity for hotels.

The bathroom was clean and all white and the shower was unusually spacious and is separated from the toilet by a glass door, which was nice. Their showers are high-pressure, heated power showers. Me and my little kid can take a bath at the same time. One thing lacking in their bathroom are the toiletries. You really need to bring your own because they will only provide you with a shampoo and soap. Good thing for me-- a hair dryer is available. 

We checked out at past 1pm. The hotel check-out time is at 11 am. We decided we just extend for 2 more hours to rest after the race for a minimum amount of Php 300.

Overall, I'd stay I had a good stay in Tune Hotel. Here's my final verdict:

Value for money:  4/5

Location:  5/5

Sleep quality:  4/5

Staff performance:  3/5

Hotel cleanliness:  5/5

Food/dining:  3/5

Tune Hotel - Angeles City (Clark Airport)
Don Juico Avenue, Malabanias,
Angeles City, Pampanga
Philippines

Tel:+63 45 4590888

A Dose of History: Ilocos Travel Diaries (Currimao)

In the few years that we've been traveling, I already learned to trust my instincts when it comes to choosing hotels for vacations and staycations. This is probably because I'm a self-confessed 'maarte' and I get really choosy when it comes to bedrooms and more importantly bathrooms. Hahaha! Since were also traveling on a budget and Vigan gets really pack so peak rates are on during summer, we decided to save during our first night in Vigan. We slept instead in a budget family room in Green R Hotel. Although it's pretty decent, I was still not comfortable with the place. But again, it's just because I'm plain 'maarte'. Haha!

The original plan was to stay in Pagudpod but the hotel rates are way over our budget so I had to patiently look for a second best option. Of course, as always when it comes to my instincts, the resort hotel I booked didn't disappoint!

We stayed in Playa Tropical Resort Hotel. Dubbed as the Bali of the North, the resort is located in the far barangay of Victoria in Currimao, Ilocos Norte. When I say far, it really is a very long ride from the suburbs. When we arrived at the place, I was blown away with the beautifully and romantically constructed hideaway. 

I reserved for us a double deluxe room. It was a spacious room good for 4-5 persons. The accommodation includes free breakfast for 2 and a two complimentary 15-min massage for guest which you may opt to avail in your own room or in their massage room. There is no wifi connection in our room though because their wifi is only located in commonplaces like the lounge and the floating huts.

Outside the main hotel building are the elegant floating huts, casa, a well-maintained garden and the infinity pool. Seating inside one of their floating huts, I can lay my eyes on the calm and gentle waters of the West Philippine Sea and have a breathtaking view of the sunset. We also had our dinner served by Cafe Amarra there. The food's a bit pricey but delectable, nonetheless. It was even served right on time. (Tip: Their sinigang na hipon and halo-halo are must-try!) The waiters were also courteous and attended to our needs even if they were a little under-manned.

 Sunset by the infinity pool 

In the morning, we took a dip in the sea and I loved the fact that even if it was not white sand, it's fine and the water is one of the calmest I've plunged into. Aside from the pool and the beach, the resort also offers spa and other services in Solana spa, which you can book at your convenient time. There is also a function hall (the structure in the photo below) that usually houses weddings and other events.

Older kids would also love the gameroom and playground for the little tots. Nathan practically spent the whole night in there just because he's afraid of water. Hehe.

To sum it all up, our short stay in the hotel was really relaxing and truly memorable. Will definitely come back again some other time, although probably not soon because we still have a lot in our itinerary in the next years to come. It's one of the best lairs in the North for couples and families. =)

Here's my final verdict:

Value for money:  3/5

Location:  3/5

Sleep quality: 4/5

Staff performance:  4/5

Hotel cleanliness:  4/5

Food/dining:  4/5

Playa Tropical Resort Hotel 

Brgy. Victoria, Currimao Ilocos Norte, Philippines 

(077) 670 1211 / 0917 5700223 

stay@playatropical.com.ph

The Grand L Square Hotel and Residences: A Hotel Review

I was never really the backpacker type. So when my husband, Kel, and I decided to register the Mabuhay Pilipinas Cycling League's duathlon relay (no, I was rather dragged. Haha!) in the, my urgent question was: "Where do we stay?". He knew I was persnickety when it comes to staying in hotels. I can seem to sleep and bathe well in even the slightest unkempt rooms.

Our less than 24 hour-stay was spent in The Grand L Square Hotel and Residences located in San Rafael, Tarlac City. The hotel is a good 10-minute drive to Hacienda Luisita and just good because our race starts early the following day.

The parking area is located just in front of the hotel. Not too many vehicles parks at the same time so parking was never a trouble for us. It's along the highway, though, so it's pretty like parking at your very own risk.  

As we came in, we were ushered by their friendly attendants who greeted us all the way to the information desk. The lounge is small yet welcoming. Our check-in was fast and organized.  Since, we already had our reservation prior to coming, we were immediately given our room keys and stubs for complimentary welcome drinks and breakfast buffet.

 

Our room is a Zen-themed superior double room furnished with a queen-sized bed, a pair of couch and a small living room table. The room, although a bit modest, was equipped with conveniences just right for the price we paid. As for the air-conditioning, the thermostat was a little bit warm in our room even if it was set at maximum. I think they need to fix this because the weather's definitely hot these days.

 

A cable LCD TV was installed above the dresser horizontally to our bed, which is definitely a score for me. There's also a tea and coffee maker provided for guests.

Wifi has a bad signal in our room. There are only specific corners where we can have a connection. But the signal in their lounge and cafe is good and browsing is fast.
 
Although a bit small and except for the few stains on the bathroom tiles, the rest of the bath was kept neat. I noticed, however, that the water was kept warm at all times -- there's no cold water! Of course, I would prefer the warm water when taking a bath but I would have liked it better when there's available cold water especially when I'm washing my face.

The interior also looks nice to me. I liked these blinds because it gives you the impression that the lines are embossed but they are just 2 thin materials placed over each other. See, you can just pull the one on top so there can be space in between if you want the light from outside to reach the room.

After leaving our things in the room, we went to the A lounge at the 4th floor to claim our welcome drinks. Note: The hotel has no elevator so you'll need to take the stairs. Doesn't matter though, 'coz exercise is good for your heart and you'll love the rooftop when you get there. 

There were few choices on their menu but only two (2) drinks were available that time. I was a bit saddened because I would have loved to taste their Mojito for the night but then, we settled for these cocktails. Although full from our dinner, I felt that we need to taste at least 1 of their appetizers so we ordered their cheesesticks. It's really cheese from inside and out. Loved it! After a few minutes of stay, we left and called the night off.

We left a bit early the following morning for the race and came back just in time before their free breakfast buffet time ends, which is at 10:00 am. To my dismay, the serving plates were almost empty but it was a relief that they were willing to cook available viands for us but of course, we need to wait. We were served with bread and butter and their signature tapa dish on our own table in 10 minutes, not bad.  

For a small breakfast buffet, the menu during that morning includes buttered garlic rice, scrambled egg, fried bangus, chicken tinola and tapa. They also served bread with jam and for drinks, you can choose between juice and coffee. They did not serve us any dessert, though.

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The hotel also houses a business center, currency exchange, hair/beauty salon and a small gym. Sadly, I was not able to take pictures of them since we were too tired after the race and took a quick nap before leaving instead. But it will be nice for you guys to know that they have these facilities just in case you soon need a place to stay in Tarlac City.

So here's my final verdict on our overnight stay:

Value for money:  3/5

Location:  4/5

Sleep quality: 4/5

Staff performance:  5/5

Hotel cleanliness:  3/5

Food/dining:  3/5

Finding a place to stay in the provinces is a bit challenging sometimes especially when you're running on a tight budget, but I'm happy to chance upon The Grand L Square hotel for a comfortable 17-hour stay.

The Grand L Square and Residences

Km. 120 Mc Arthur Highway

San Rafael, Tarlac, Luzon

(045) 491 0714/ (045) 491 0710

A Touch of Beijing: My First of Summer 2014

Summer has definitely started and my clock just started ticking. So to get the ball rolling, I started it with a perfect staycation in the bustling metro.

Since everybody knows I'm an online contest junkie, I joined a great deal of online contests and giveaways just before our clerkship ended and lucky to have won a free overnight accommodation and breakfast for two (2) in one of the 12 biggest and luxurious hotels in the metro. The said contest was sponsored by none other than, Philstar.com and Agoda.com. 

What's formerly called New World Renaissance Hotel is now refurbished to become the New World Hotel Makati. The hotel is strategically situated within the upscale Ayala area. So if you're the shopaholic type of person, you'll probably enjoy most of your stay since it's quite near a lot of malls like The Landmark, Glorietta and Greenbelt.

The parking area was located at the basement area. Even if there were ongoing wedding celebrations during our stay, we never had a problem finding an accessible parking space at that time. I only hoped the elevator from the basement parking opens up directly to the main hotel lobby so you don't need to go out the hotel first before coming in the hotel entrance. 

Upon entry to the main hotel lobby, we were welcomed by really polite attendants. I even heard one speak Mandarin to a Chinese guest at the lobby. Check-in was organized. Within a few minutes, we were on our short elevator ride to our room at 11th floor.

We stayed in a superior room with a queen-sized bed. There's a single couch, an arm chair and a small living room table. The cable LCD TV was mounted nearside the dressser. It would, however, be a little nice if it was not diagonal to the bed. The room was equipped with a small refrigerator, telephone, iron and ironing board and a safe for valuable things you might want to keep when you leave your room premises. It also has a mini-bar with sampler sizes of some liquors and tea and coffee maker. The air-conditioning is perfectly cool. The control for the air conditioning, lamps and sound is set in a single remote found at bedside. Sadly, the radio isn't working where we stayed. 

For those who might be asking and because I've read a lot of bad reviews re: their internet provision on foursquare when I checked-in, the wifi service is working perfectly well when we stayed there.

 

Each bathroom is equipped with a bath tub, shower, hairdryer and of course-- 'selfie' mirrors. There's actually a lot of them inside the room.

 

What I also liked about the hotel bathroom are the toiletries that smelled really good. There's only been very few hotels I visited where I used their toiletries. 

The hotel was pretty much provided with facilities you need for a much needed recreation. The fitness center is located at the 3rd floor and is open 24 hours. It's furnished with weights, aerobics, steam and sauna rooms, private massage rooms, lockers and shower rooms. I've completely forgotten to take good pictures of the steam and sauna rooms, my bad.

The splash pool bar is located at the 4th floor and is open from 7 am to 7 pm on weekends. They have created a poolside bar offering light snacks and thirst quenchers. The pool is atop the fitness center and there's a nice passageway between the two without having to enter the hotel premises.

The hotel also houses the Marahai spa at the 3rd floor which offers massage, facial and body treatments. This is open from 10 am to 1 am daily.

Food will never be a problem for staycationers like me. The hotel has 4 dining rooms to chose from. Jasmine restaurant at the 2nd floor offers a wide array of Cantonese cuisine and dimsums to choose from. The Lounge and the Bar Rouge at the lobby serves cocktails and light snacks. Of course, you wouldn't want to miss the breakfast/lunch/dinner buffet at Cafe 1228 where they served Asian and Continental food everyday.

We had our buffet breakfast at Cafe 1228. I love the modern ambiance of the dining area. We were ushered to our own table by the windows upon entry. They served us with coffee and tea--in a pot! So you can have your own cup repeatedly filled if you want. But you can also serve yourself juice or puree of your choice from their drinks station.

Below are photos of the food stations. I wasn't able to take a lot of pictures, then, because I busied myself with binge-eating. Haha.

 My first stop will always be dimsum.

Turning Japanese-ah!

Crispy bacons is a must-try!

They serve this everyday. Feels like Christmas!

Bread and cheese are the perfect pair!

 

Pimp your own pancake/waffle.

 

You can always choose healthy.

And here are my plates.

That, folks, concludes our short and sweet stay at New World Hotel Makati-- my first R&R for Summer 2014.

New World Hotel Makati

Esperanza Street corner Makati Avenue, 

Ayala Center, Makati

Tel: +632 811 6888