Best Hotel in Manila: A Staycation at the Sofitel
When in Manila and deciding which is the best hotel to stay in for a little rest and relaxation, Sofitel quickly comes to mind. Undoubtedly, even when everyone wants to go out of town, say, for the holy week, I love staying within the metro because it’s the only time that Manila becomes like a sleepy town. I can simply recall how some of my best vacations have actually been because we decided to have a staycation instead, a vacation within the city I live in, particularly, in my case, staying in Sofitel. I remember all the good times I’ve had here and immediately, I find myself booking a stay there every now and then either with my husband, or sometimes, just with our friends or even our families.
Sofitel, I believe is the best Hotel in Manila and for many reasons! I just love love love the whole look and feel of Sofitel. I go there and instantly feel as though I am in a resort hotel that is far away from the busy streets of Manila. My husband who loves Hawaii swears that staying in Sofitel reminds him so much of Hawaii save for the beach that stretches out before us, but he says, the view of the quiet and calm bay in Sofitel has it’s own unique too. What I love about staying here is that everything I need to have a perfect vacation is right here and I don’t have to go far away to get here. I am so glad that I also got to discover a lot more during our last visit, all the more letting me believe that this is by far my favorite hotel in the metro.
Recently, I was swamped with so much work that I felt I needed to indulge in a little vacation and I really didn’t feel like flying off to somewhere or taking a long drive either so I once again, quickly booked a stay at Sofitel knowing that this was the ONLY hotel that would make me feel as though I were in some fancy luxury hotel far far away.
When I arrived and mentioned the room that we booked, I was informed that I could go straight to the tenth floor and check in at the club lounge and they would take care of all our baggage and take them up to the room right away. I found out that the tenth floor at Sofitel is like having a hotel within a hotel. The Club Millesime lounge was created as an executive floor which provides guests with a more private space to relax and unwind and enjoy complimentary breakfast and snacks, among other things. It’s perfect for those who just want to keep to themselves or for those who wouldn’t want to go downstairs to have something to eat. Before going to the room, we allowed ourselves to enjoy a cup of coffee and some delicious snacks. Our staycation had already pleasantly begun even before we stepped into our room.
complimentary coffee and snacks exclusive for Club Millesime guests
Other Priveleges as a Club Millesime guest which I found enjoyable:
* complimentary use of DVD’s , CD’s, books, newspapers and magazines – for the movie buff and the inner geek in me.
* complimentary access to So Fit (best gym in Manila) – for the fitness addict I can sometimes be
* late check out until 4pm with no additional charge depending on the availability – because who really wants to check out at 12 noon right?
* complimentary A la Carte and Buffet breakfast, afternoon snacks, cocktails and wine tasting and other beverages – you’ll never know what time you can go hungry!
* complimentary pressing of one suit or one dress – for that date you know you’ll be having at spiral or the other restaurants in the hotel.
After borrowing a few DVD’s for our stay, we headed for our room. The rooms are lovely, as what you’d expect from a luxury hotel. I immediately noticed that the bathroom was installed with floor to ceiling glass panels, complete with blinds should you need a little more privacy. Apart from the shower area, we also had a bathtub for that warm evening soak I was intent on having later that evening. I also noticed how a welcome note was left on our table with complimentary fresh fruits and canapes and how we had quite a selection of tea as well along with other snacks and drinks at the mini bar. Now, I know this is silly but I can be a bit particular about my pillows because I tend to get a sore back or a stiff neck when I use the wrong ones so one of the things that I ask for when I check in a hotel are the pillow choices we have and I was so happy to see that I they had a pillow menu that we could choose pillows from. We also had a veranda that had a view of the bay, it was perfect for a surprisingly cool night this time of the year.
