When in Manila or traveling pretty much around Asia and need a place to stay, book your next apartment or home through www.PandaBed.com and stay in one of the many privately owned homes and apartments that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
I recently had to take a trip to Manila and I needed a place to stay but figured a hotel was out of my budget, plus I wanted a place that had a kitchen and a living room so friends could come over and we could dine in. I searched online and was lucky to run across PandaBed.com. This website allows you to book in one of their thousands of homes and apartments all across Asia. Just looking at the home page with beautiful photos of other units already got me excited for my visit!
Signing in and booking the apartment through PandaBed was a breeze. I just needed to sign in using my Facebook account and typed in a few of the details needed. Apart from the usual entries like the dates of your stay and the number of guests, PandaBed also allows you to choose the type of Host you want for the unit that you are booking. You may choose from Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and Muslim-friendly homes or click on the “doesn’t matter” option. I imagine some people really have certain preferences for the homes they stay in or some unit owners as well, would prefer a guest who understands and respects their religion and would be more inclined to have them in their homes and well, this option addresses that need. This though didn’t matter to me, I just wanted a place in the Quezon City area because of my work so I just typed that in along with the dates of my visit as well and in a matter of seconds, I was given a couple of choices that looked really good and was also accessible. You could also check guest reviews of the unit and base your choices from there.The choices given will also show a map of the place so you can see if it is accessible to nearby train stations or airports. You will also see the place description, amenities as well as the house rules and property rating based on other guests who have stayed there. I looked over several choices and when I finally saw one that best suited what I was looking for, the booking was made and PandaBed sent me an email to confirm my booking and included the contact details of the unit owner.
As soon as I landed in Manila, I had to go to work and knew I wouldn’t be able to make it to the apartment at the time of check in which was 2pm so I texted the owner and she said she would just leave the apartment keys with the security guard at the Building Lobby. When I arrived, I noticed how safe and secure the place felt, the lobby was well lit and the security guard was always visible. I arrived late that night and was exhausted from a whole days work and I didn’t really expect a lot from the place I rented considering the price that was paid to get this apartment. I opened the door and immediately fell in love with the unit. The owner managed to turn a small unit into a beautiful and comfortable home and though exhausted from work, I could not help but take out my camera and take photos of the gorgeous unit that would be home to me, for at least a couple of days.
I really liked the unit owners attention to detail, she put in everything that could help make you get the most out of your stay. I had a microwave, a stove top, pots and pans, plates, utensils, an iron, a blowdryer — basically everything a hotel would offer and so much more. She had towels neatly hung in the shower, provided a dishwasher and hand soap dispensers for when you do decide to dine in, and she even placed a washer for when you need to do your laundry! She also put in top of the line gadgets like a Harman Kardon speaker set and a huge flat screen tv and even hooked up a wifi router for internet browsing. She also managed to prepare a list of some of the restaurants nearby that could deliver food to the apartment. And the unit was spotless! I was blown away by how the unit owner really had her clients in mind when she designed and arranged this studio. It was complete with everything I needed without making the place seem crammed or cluttered. The building also has 24-hour security which makes the neighborhood safe and secure. You can walk around the area with wide choices of restaurants, bar, spa’s, salon, supermarkets and a lot more. It is also 5 minutes by cab to Trinoma Mall and SM North Edsa.
