There is nothing more satisfying than having a relaxing staycation at a five star luxury resort hotel. I have enjoyed my fair share of overnight stays at most of the hotels in Metro Manila, but one luxury hotel truly stands out for having that ultimate resort feel even when it is just a few steps away from the crazy overcrowded streets of Manila city. I always feel like I am in a different place or in another country altogether whenever I have my staycation in this hotel, especially when I hang out at its tropical resort-type poolside area. I’m not in Bali or Phuket, nor am I in Boracay. I’m just here at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila. 카지노사이트

Sofitel Philippine Plaza (photo from website) is an iconic hotel that has housed royalty, celebrity and heads of state. Opened in 1976, it boasts of spectacular views of the Manila Bay and lush landscapes and greenery amidst the city. Sofitel Philippine Plaza is the only 5-Star luxury resort hotel in Manila and is known for its spectacular Manila Bay sunsets. Sofitel is under Accor Hotels which is a French group operating over 3,600 hotels in 92 countries under several brands including Novotel, Mercure, Ibis, and others. The hotel continues to attract both local and international travelers alike with its signature brand of Filipino hospitality and the French joie de vivre that is reflected in its rituals in food and wine, and varied entertainment offerings.

I checked in at Sofitel Philippine Plaza a few weeks ago and being a Le Club Accor Hotels club member, I had access to the priority check-in lane. After I dropped off my bags inside my room, I immediately headed to Spiral, the hotel’s signature buffet restaurant which has won numerous awards including TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Fine Dining Restaurants in Asia, where I had a very hearty lunch (Read about it here). Afterwards, it was back to my room for a little siesta before I explored the hotel grounds.

I stayed at their Superior Room which is 42 square meters in size and features king or twin beds, private balconies with bay or city views, broadband internet access, coffee/tea making facilities, work desk, in-room safe, cable TV, and a minibar. The room’s contemporary interiors are made warm by fine touches of Filipino flavor, such as exquisite capiz shells, coconut inlay, and dark wood.

I have to admit though that I am not really that impressed with the hotel’s rooms and interiors. They seem too bare for a 5-star luxury hotel and I have seen much better rooms even from local 4-star hotels like the F1 Hotel. The LCD TV also looks a bit too small and unimpressive for this room. Maybe their other more expensive rooms and suites have better interiors but I have not been able to stay at those. 안전한카지노사이트

The spacious bathroom has a rain shower complete with toiletries. Don’t you think that the bathroom also seems too plain for this type of hotel? All other hotel amenities at Sofitel Philippine Plaza exude that elegance and luxury but I don’t understand why I can’t feel that inside their rooms.

But one thing that truly sets the hotel apart is their pool. Sofitel is the only resort hotel in Manila that has as its signature facility an exquisite lagoon-shaped pool, breathtaking with its sparkling turquoise waters, two giant slides and cascading waterfalls amid landscaped tropical gardens dotted with palm trees. I have an amazing view of the pool and Manila Bay from my own room and I can’t wait to take a plunge later.

After my afternoon nap, I went around the hotel to see its other facilities. Le Bar is an innovative three-in-one concept – a bistro, patisserie and library – that offers a French bistro a la carte menu. Live jazz is on offer early evenings, while Sofitel Signature Cocktails and French High Tea are also available.

Snaps is Sofitel’s 24-hour sports bar, designed with sports fans in mind. Sleek, modern interiors and large screen LCD TVs provide the optimum lounging and viewing experience, as guests select from a menu of bar favorites like burgers, pizzas, hotdogs, and other gourmet comfort food. A billiard table is available for impromptu matches.

I wanted to get some gym time later in the evening, so I dropped by at So Fit, Sofitel’s health and fitness center. It’s great that the gym is open up to 12:00 midnight so busy bodies can still grab a late night workout.

So Fit provides holistic, up-to-the-minute wellness programs with the finest cardio machines from Life Fitness. Free weights and the state-of-the-art training machine, Kinesis, are likewise available.

Le Spa is Sofitel’s popular spa which offers a selection of health and beauty treatments to give you an exhilarating and rejuvenating experience. I wasn’t able to get a massage treatment this time but I will show this to you next time I visit the hotel. It was quite unfortunate because it started to rain heavily that afternoon so I had to cancel my swimming plans. But I was determined to go back to the pool the next day so I just ended up at the gym and relaxing inside my room that evening.

The next morning, I headed down to Spiral for my sumptuous buffet breakfast. Spiral is one of the biggest buffet restaurants in the city so expect their breakfast to be just as extensive.

Breakfast favourites such as bacon, sausages, ham, potatoes, and even dumplings can be found at the buffet. You can also have your eggs prepared for you however way you want at the Egg station.

Juices and fruit shakes are also available including healthier options such as these carrot and cucumber shakes. Hmm… I think I will pass on these. 카지노사이트 추천

Manong Taho also goes around serving authentic taho to guests straight from the containers. I like how this adds to the Filipino feel of the restaurant despite it being a French brand.

Spiral also serves a variety of desserts including waffles, pancakes, pastries, and even ice cream. Any breakfast buffet that serves ice cream in the morning should be commended.

It was a bright and sunny day so I decided to spend my afternoon lounging around at the hotel’s magnificent resort-type backyard. It really feels like you are in a tropical island somewhere in Palawan or in Puerto Princesa away from civilization but in fact you are just a few minutes away from SM Mall of Asia.

The hotel also has its own tennis court just like the ones in Edsa Shangri-la and Makati Shangri-la.

But Sofitel Philippine Plaza is probably the only hotel here that has its own 18-hole putting green, which sits adjacent to the majestic Manila Bay.

There are also several activity areas for the little kids including the playground or the air-conditioned Kid’s Tent which can keep them busy while their parents go for a swim.

I can just stay here and relax by the pool all day long. You can order drinks from the Sunset Bar and just sit at these couches while watching the sun go down.

I don’t wanna leave this place!

But of course, before the day ends, I have to go swimming! Sofitel’s lagoon-shaped pool is one of the biggest and best pools in the city and guests and their families all enjoy taking a dip.

It also features a giant water slide which is quite high and scary. I tried it a few times just for the experience but I don’t really enjoy slides.

What I really really enjoy is taking pictures at Sofitel’s pool. The location and setting just seems so magical and I always feel like I’m in a photo shoot whenever I step inside these cascading waterfalls.

I just had to recreate one of my swimming pool shots from last year so here I go again with the hair splash shot.

Poolside servers are bring various complimentary sweets and goodies for the kids and adults as well.

This place is just heavenly. As the sun begins to set, I took my place at one of the giant pillows facing the horizon and watched the majestic Manila Bay sunset. Even with all the new big hotels opening and in development, there is just no other hotel in Manila which can match this setting and this is why Sofitel Philippine Plaza will always remain as one of the top hotels in the city.