Tag: hotel review

Weekday routines could be grueling. Working with difficult individuals, bumping into some annoying strangers, and getting stuck in an unrelenting gridlock strained me to my limits. That is why I love weekends. I can go to random getaways around the province to flush out toxic stress. Returning to work refreshed increases both my productivity and tolerance to pressure. But sometimes, travel could be equally stressful, especially when the weather and traffic conditions are not that cooperative. Hence, instead of going out of town, I spent one of my weekends within the city boundaries—in a place where the ambiance is close ... Read more

I couldn’t be sure if the sundown has passed. My phone ran out of juice and there was no other way for me to check the time. The sky was rather gloomy that day. Fine drizzles wetted the upper part of my shirt, which gave me an unusual chill. I stopped by at a mobile snack bar to get some siopao and refreshment. I remembered that I skipped lunch, so I had to grab some bites to fuel up. Not to mention, it was my birthday and I spent most of my day on the road. Traveling more than 15 ... Read more

The weather seemed uncooperative. Thick, gray clouds shrouded the horizon. It blocked the sunburst from hitting the surface. Below it was another stratocomulus layer hovering to the northeast—the direction of the southwest monsoon. Beyond it was a draping downpour, a harbinger of a miry adventure. The Visayan sea was rather chaotic that moment. Unpatterned ripples collided with each other—creating riptides—and repeatedly smashed the hull of the outrigger banca. The boat’s troubled buoyancy hardly kept us afloat. I could see how the worries gushed, whenever the forward bow alternately plummeted and scaled. Some of us were not confident swimmers though. We drifted to Malapascua at a poky speed, thus enduring the ... Read more

The simple vertical strokes of orange and red makes a fine and stunning contrast with the ivory walls. The tidy-stalked bamboo trees, the small mead that wrapped the lawn, and the classic-looking set blend perfectly to let you experience a zen feel. The Reception A simple and chic reception There’s nothing flashy in the receiving area. In place of chandelier is a hand-crafted spherical rattan which mesh added an atypical element to the lighting inside it. Two black solo couches seemed out of place with regards to color coordination, but give a comforting acceptance to the waiting guests. The reception desk is ... Read more

I could feel the warmth of the morning sun. Bright rays transcend through the wooden shutter window. It was left open. No one minded to close it though, after watching the fireworks that lit the sky the night before. New Year’s Eve, that was. I was still sleepy at 07AM. However, inasmuch as I wanted to return to sleep—I couldn’t—I remembered I agreed to join a friend for a laid-back sojourn in Moalboal. The resort town is one of Cebu’s popular destination for diving, aside from Malapascua, Bantayan, Camotes, and Mactan. So after a quick fix, I headed to Moalboal on New Year’s day. ... Read more

I don’t actually spend much money on accommodation. Hence, I usually end up staying in hostels or in bed and breakfast hotels, which are usually at the bottom of the list when talking about the price. Normally, I will get a small room with a flat sheet on a thin bed, two hard pillows, an analog TV (if lucky), and just a fine comfort room. But that is not worth complaining. I am completely aware that I only shell out few hundreds for the humble space to sleep. Pillows Hotel facade, reception and terrace So, if I find a little ... Read more

When things become really difficult, I kick the normal weekend routine and spend some quality time somewhere else, a place outside the metro but would not deprive me from the basic stuff such as the internet, a good place to eat, and a private place to relax and think over my decisions. The Harvest Hotel in Cabanatuan was one of the places that interest me. It was fairly new at the time and was advertised on a huge discount at Agoda. Without having any second thoughts, and also to avoid overthinking, I booked a standard queen for a night. The Harvest ... Read more

I am not sure if Go Hotels patterned their accommodation chain with Tune Hotels but the marketing, the branding, and the offers are almost the same. While Tune Hotels is a sister company of the budget airline, AirAsia; Go Hotels of Robinsons Land Corporation partners with Cebu Pacific Air, also a brand under the Gokongwei group. Tunes Hotels, however, has established reputation in 5 countries already such as Malaysia, Philippines, United Kingdom, Australia, and India while the Go Hotels chain is only present in the Philippines. The waiting area for guests I found a very affordable room at Go Hotels Otis branch so I ... Read more

Whenever I face a bitter situation, I usually hop on long bus rides to think about it and plan for a perfect scheme to resolve or ease the predicament. One moment, I did not go farther than I usually do. I headed to Angeles City, instead, just two hours from Manila with no plans in mind. Since the main reason of the escape is to think, I decided to look for a peaceful place to stay. I grabbed my phone and searched for hotels nearby using the Agoda app. Red Planet Hotel Angeles City offered a very affordable rate. I immediately ... Read more