OUR SUITE STAYCATION AT HOLIDAY INN & SUITES MAKATI!

If there's anything that Rain really enjoys, it's when we have a staycation at a hotel. Since I've had a grueling work schedule, we haven't been able to go on a staycation for a awhile, so when I went out of town on a business trip, I promised her that her mom and I would take her to Holiday Inn Makati for a fun filled weekend. The relaxing environment of our One Bedroom Suite allowed me to get some work done, while Rina enjoyed being able to shop at the neighboring Glorietta Mall!

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DISCOVERING U HOTELS IN MAKATI

       The city of Makati seems to be synonymous with an upscale lifestyle. Even when it comes to hotels, some of the finest and lavish names from around the world have settled in the country's premiere business district. However, there are a few hotels that have sprouted up in the outskirts of Makati, that proved that comfortable accommodations need not be expensive. One such hotel is making a mark for its artistic look and feel, while simultaneously wowing their customers with phenomenal food... U Hotels Makati.

DISCOVERING DISCOVERY PRIMEA

         I'm always excited when my family and I schedule a Staycation at a swanky hotel. And let me tell you, When it comes to luxury and elegance in the hotel world, one would be hard pressed to find something better than Discovery Primea. 

      From its service, accommodations, facilities and most importantly its food, Discovery Primea shows how Filipino hospitality is taken to the highest echelon of world class standards, making it stand toe to toe with some of the most illustrious brand names in the world.   

HOT DATE NIGHT AT FLAME: DISCOVERY PRIMEA

        Since Rina and I had Rain, we admittedly don't get to go out on date night as often as we used to. Not for anything, but we both do feel kind of guilty when we leave Rain at home and we go out and enjoy a night out by ourselves. Truth be told, our little Rainbow makes all our our family days (or nights) out so fun, it never really bothers us. 

     However, during our staycation at Discovery Primea a couple of months back, Rain decided to stay in the room with her yaya and watch Disney Channel instead of having dinner with us.

    Since this gave us the opportunity to go on a date night without straying too far away from our little girl, Rina and I made the most of it.. And as you could imagine we fell in love.... This time with the food of Discovery Primea's premiere restaurant, Flame! 

    (And one another again of course hehe)

DISCOVERY PRIMEA MAKATI: TAPANADE

     I've been meaning to visit the restaurants at Discovery Primea for quite some time now, but with my work and all, visiting Makati has become increasingly difficult. A lot of my food blogger friends have been raving about it, further amplifying my agony. Thankfully, I was able to spend the weekend at the Discovery Primea (more on that in my upcoming Vlog!), giving me the opportunity to try two of their restaurants, including the flagship cafe, Tapanade.

MAKATI DIAMOND RESIDENCES: A NEW STANDARD OF LUXURY

          I love to travel every now and then, but when it comes to unwinding, I'm more than happy to just enjoy a "Staycation" in the city. One place that I highly recommend staying at, is one of the newest in Makati, and is strategically situated right in front of the Greenbelt Complex, making it possibly the best location in Manila. I'm talking about Makati Diamond Residences, one of the most impressive hotels in the country today.  

HOLIDAY INN MAKATI: BURGER BAR WEEKENDS AT FLAVORS!

      Its no secret that I am a burger fanatic. I love experimenting with different toppings, trying to find the combination that best suits my palate. 

      What if I told you there was a place where you could enjoy an unlimited amount of burgers that you customized to your own heart's desire? And not only that, you get a full on buffet that includes a wide array of American Classic Dishes such as BBQ Ribs, Ribeye Roast, and a vast selection of desserts to choose from?

       Yes my friend, a place on Earth does exist.. And The Burger Bar weekends happens every weekend of July at Flavors, Holiday Inn Makati. 

RAIN'S BIRTHDAY PART 1: A FAIRMONT MAKATI STAYCATION

          I've been to Fairmont Hotel's Spectrum quite a number of times in the past, and I can safely say it's one of the best hotel buffets in Metro Manila. They constantly think of themes to keep their guests on their toes, and the kitchen staff  from the entrees to the pastries, always rise to the challenge in coming up with ideas to match the selected motif. 

      Though I consider myself I fan of the hotel's food and service, I had yet to see their accommodations, Of course, this is the prestigious Fairmont name we were talking about, so I had a pretty good idea that it was nothing short of amazing, but it's really different when you see it for yourself. 

      So the weekend before Rain's Birthday. we were invited to experience a Staycation at Fairmont Hotel, which was perfect treat for my little girl in anticipation for her big day!  

ALL ABOARD FOR SPECTRUM SEAFOOD SUNDAY BUFFET!

         I can never resist a good buffet.. Especially from a place as spectacular as Spectrum. And this is even when I've been warned before hand that meat dishes would be hard to come by, because they would be featuring a spread that consisted predominantly of seafood. This was fine, because the last time I was at Spectrum, their "Ranch" theme gave me all the meat I could handle, so I thought of giving the seafood dishes a try. My leap of faith came easy when I reminded myself that Spectrum's fantastic kitchen has never let me down yet! 

DUSIT THANI HOTEL RELOADED: THE PANTRY

         Last year, I had the fortunate opportunity to be a guest at the GMA News TV show, Pop Talk. Since that would be my third time to do it, I was kind of wary of accepting the gig. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed both guest appearances, but I was thinking of asking to recommend another blogger friend of mine who hadn't been on the show yet, just in the spirit of friendship and giving others a chance. However, once I found out we would be reviewing Hotel set meals and buffets, I thought to myself, "Screw friendship, I'm in!".

       It was actually a fun episode, however we had the misfortune of ending up at The Pantry at Dusit Thani Manila as our last stop. I say "Misfortune", simply by the time we got there, we were all so full from reviewing two other restaurants, so when we arrived at The Pantry, we were all too stuffed to actually enjoy the meal. 

       Admittedly, I wasn't able to make the most of my short but sweet visit there, but I swore I would be back again, this time, with an empty stomach so I can get my fill of The Pantry's dishes. 

    Lo and behold, just a few months later, I found myself roaming around the Pantry, and boy did I make up for the last visit! 

PURE IMAGINATION: A SWEET SUNDAY BRUNCH AT SPECTRUM

        I've made no secret that I feel Spectrum at Fairmont Hotel has one of the best buffets I've ever had.. Not just in the Philippines, but anywhere in the world. Granted, they may not have a selection as extensive as other hotel buffets, but they do a great job in making sure that every entree served is nothing short of phenomenal.  

        Not only is care meticulously given to every dish that leaves Spectrum's kitchen, but the creative minds at Fairmont tirelessly think of ways to make sure their guests are always wowed with their creative themes! 

       After enjoying the Lego Themed "Awesome Sunday Brunch" earlier this year, we returned to Spectrum to check out their newest promotion.. The Sweet Sunday Brunch: A Candy Wonderland!

ASCOTT SERVICED RESIDENCES PART 2: CAFE ON THE 6th!

        During our recent Staycation at Ascott Serviced Residences in Makati, we had the pleasure of having our dinner and breakfast at Ascott's Cafe on the 6th. With its delicious food and relaxed ambiance, It took only a few moments for me to ask myself why I had never eaten here before! 

A WEEKEND AT ASCOTT MAKATI: PART 1

         "Did you know there's a swimming pool in Glorietta?", I asked Rina. She looked at me rather puzzled then replied, "Huh? Where in Glorietta?".  "Glorietta 4.. In Ascott.", I said. "Oh.", she said answered, thinking I was being a smart ass (again). "Yeah, I knew that.".

     But you see, I wasn't just being a smart ass. I was trying to prove a point. Ascott Serviced Residences has been operating Glorietta 4 mall complex for quite some time now, yet it doesn't seem to be the top of mind when it comes to Staycations and even dining in Makati. 

    Well, as me and family discovered last Father's day weekend, it should be. 

WIN A TRIP TO CHIANG MAI: NORTHERN THAI CUSINE AT BENJARONG, DUSIT THANI MANILA!

     I still remember the first time I went to Dusit Thani Manila. It was roughly around six years ago, before our blogging days, when I took Rina to their newly opened "Crossover Buffet". The crossover concept allowed me to start my meal at Basix, and literally walk over to their restaurants, Umu (Japanese), Tosca (Italian) and Benjarong (Thai), and grab some dishes from there. My only problem was that Tosca and Benjarong are both located on the mezzanine floor, meaning in order for me to walk on over there, I would need to climb the lobby staircase. 

   If you have seen me in person, you would know that my body is not made for climbing up on stairs, so I took the elevator. I must admit, I was slightly embarrassed when the elevator door opened to reveal that it was packed with Japanese guests. And there I was, standing in front of them with a plate full of food. They graciously moved aside to make room for me, but you could see they were curious where this little guy was going with all that food. 

   Something I remember very clearly, is the Pad Thai, which was stir fried by this tiny older Thai woman while you wait, was absolutely delicious. In fact, everything I had tried was nothing short of phenomenal, but it was really the Pad Thai that stuck. 

   Just a few days ago, I was elated to finally get an opportunity to return to Dusit Thani Manila. This time, I would be taking our taste buds on a trek to Northern Thailand through the culinary delights of Benjarong!

   And guess what? They're offering one lucky guest a chance to win a trip to Chiang Mai! 

EVERYTHING IS AWESOME AT RAFFLES HOTEL'S LEGO AWESOME SUNDAY BRUNCH

         When I was a kid, my brother and I were huge lego fans. We had quite an impressive collection of different parts that we would just throw into this humongous, heavy, lego-issued carry case and sort things out later. Soon, my friends had much cooler cases with different lego designs, but couldn't store as much lego bricks in it as mine, so despite the fact that my bro and I would have to lug around this clunky case, we preferred it to any other the fancier cases, simply because it could fit MORE bricks, which would lessen the chances of two siblings fighting over who gets the blue ones. 

   The mere fact that to this very day, Lego has found a way to remain relevant and become a staple in our pop culture is a testament to how iconic this product is. You know a brand has made it when it gets the Lego treatment! From Starwars, Marvel, DC and even Disney (Yes, geeks, i'm aware that the first two are owned by Disney, but you know what I mean)!

   After the Lego Movie came out on Blu Ray last year, it gave me an opportunity to introduce the wonderful world of Lego to Baby Rain. She may not be able to build a Lego Death Star just yet, but she did love Emmet (Whom she calls "Mr. Lego Man") and Wild Style.

   Her fondness for the movie got me excited to see her reaction when we would visit Raffles Hotel's Lego-Themed Awesome Sunday Brunch, that's happening at their flagship restaurant Spectrum all of February and March!