After a day out in the mall, we finally checked in to our room at Batam View Beach Resort.
The room itself is old but clean. The wooden floor looked tired. Our room has the view of the sea and ongoing construction of Montigo Resort – the new place to be in Batam.
It has the basic necessities like cable TV, mini fridge, tub and bath, hot and cold shower, hair dryer, and safety deposit box.
The best thing about the room is the bed. Sure, the whole room may look somehow old but lying in hotel bed is the most relaxing thing to do after a day of walking. What I loved most in staying in hotels is sleeping in its huge and firm bed.
We explored the resort when it wasn’t hot outside anymore. We checked the beach but it was lowtide. We decided we’ll just lounge by the pool.
The weekend crowd were all in the pool but it was big enough to accommodate everyone. We found an available beach bed and got our towels and spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool until sundown.
We also played in the trampoline. It was fun jumping high but my legs got tired from all the bouncing after a few minutes.
For dinner, we had our take away food from Ayam Penyet Ria. The chicken was good and the spicy sauce was really hot but I love spicy food anyway.
We decided to hang out at the Islander Lounge and have some cocktails after dinner. There was a live band playing music and everyone was just enjoying the night.
I had Batam View Punch and I liked it. It was a refreshing drink with a strawberry fruit flavor and a kick of alcohol plus a cherry on top. Erick had Bintang beer which was too bitter for my taste. We also ordered calamari to go with our drinks. We stayed and just chatted all night long.
We woke up around 8AM the next day and proceeded to the Wangi Melati Coffee House for our complimentary breakfast. We thought it was continental breakfast of bread and coffee so we didn’t rushed. We found out that it was buffet! We could have gone there earlier. Anyways, we were still able to get and try all the dishes from the buffet. After breakfast, we went to the beach. The beach sand was brownish in color and the water looked green. It was clean though. The water was cool enough to beat the morning heat. By 12nn, we checked out . It wasn’t until 2:30pm Indonesia for our return back to Singapore. We waited in the hotel lobby and waited for our transfer to the ferry terminal. The Batam shuttle brought us to Nongsa Ferry Terminal. I saw a Polo store but it was too late to buy something since we were already lining up in the immigration.
It was time to go back to reality! Our Batam weekend was short, sweet, fun! And yeah cheap too. Overall, our experience was good. Although the hotel was old, the staff are friendly and accommodating as well as attentive to your needs. There are also plenty of activities to do like biking, fishing, massage, and they even have a Kinect room to entertain you.
One of things that gets me excited when planning a trip is choosing the hotel we'd stay in. I'm a budget traveler so selecting an accommodation that suits my budget is the top priority when selecting a hotel. But of course, you should never sacrifice the comfort you will get just to get a room that's within your budget. After all, it's good to be sleeping soundly on a good bed after a long day of tour and activities.
During
my travel to Ilocos, one of the things I liked about our trip was our stay at Java
Hotel in Laoag City. Java
Hotel is a 50-bedroom hotel situated in Laoag City downtown. The hotel boasts its Balinese
and Moroccan ambiance combined with Spanish and Ilocano touches. The whole roof of the hotel is patterned after Balinese huts which makes the exterior unique.
We were a group of six and we stayed in their De Luxe Room. There were two double-sized beds and we requested for an additional bed. Room amenities include a 21-inch TV with cable, airconditioning, mini bar, telephone, small veranda, and private toilet and bath with hot and cold water.
We booked the room for Php2800 with extra charges for 2 persons. Not bad eh?
For the lack of a better bed photo :)
Walking in their hallway will transform you in a Moroccan setting with the arches pointed upwards.
The next day we had our breakfast at Eagle's Nest Bar and Restaurant. We had a sumptuous breakfast enough to start another day of touring Ilocos.
Other hotel amenities include a swimming pool, tennis court, gym, souvenir shop, function halls, and massage services.
If there's one thing that I really didn't like about Java Hotel, it'd be their location. The hotel building is behind a gas station. The gas station was an eyesore considering the hotel's unique design.
We
only had the chance to stay there for a night and that brief stay was enough for
me to like the whole hotel. I wished we could stay longer but we're off to another destination in Ilocos. When in Laoag, stay in Java Hotel for one ultimate hotel experience.
Sitting pretty at the hotel's main entrance
Java Hotel Address: Gen. Segundo Avenue (also known as Bacarra Road), Barangay 55-B Salet, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte Phone: +63.77.770.5996, +63.77.771.5102 Fax: +63.77.770.5996 Mobile: +63.921.610.9910 http://javahotel.com.ph
Happy New year
everyone! I’m sure everyone has some kind of resolution for this year. Well
goodluck to all of us! May we keep it through the rest of the year.
As for me, I
only have two things on my list: growing my savings and finally do the career
move. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. So yeah, sad
to say travel isn’t in my resolutions for this year. But fret not because
I know that I can’t resist my itchy feet. I will only travel if it’s on the budget.
Having mentioned budget trips, we just had a staycation at Lancaster Hotel Manila. When I was still working in Ortigas Center, I used to pass by this hotel on my way to work. It's conveniently located in Shaw Blvd. in Mandaluyong before you reach the flyover if you're coming from the Manila area. See I told you, I’m in for
budget trips. It wasn’t really a trip; after all the hotel was
just like 30 minutes away from our house. It was a staycation and
provided a good change of environment. Since my dad will be leaving again for abroad
soon, we also caught up with some last minute family bonding time. It was supposed to be my mom and dad’s overnight trip but they
insisted we join them and so we did.
We stayed in the junior suite
which is basically a conventional studio-type room with small kitchen and bathroom.
There was also a cable TV, fridge, telephone, and broadband access. The overnight stay package also includes free buffet breakfast and free newspaper delivered daily.
We managed to fit in this queen sized bed. My mom
kept complaining how hard the bed is but I slept soundly all throughout the night.
The thing I like
about the room is that it looks spacious although it was junior suite. There
was also a fridge and a kitchenette where you can prepare your food and do some light cooking.
From the mere look of the room, you can say it looks clean and spotless but I noticed that dust have accumulated at the bottom of the bed near the window. The room's glass windows are not that clean, you can see stains and dusts from the outside which obstructs the view. Despite this, our room still has
good view of the Shaw flyover especially at night so you can see the road lights and traffic.
The bathroom is
simple yet clean with a toilet and shower with bath tub, hair dryer, and all the basic toiletries that you need.
Honestly, I really
didn’t go out of the room during our
whole stay. I was glued to the bed and just watched TV the whole time. It’s good to laze in a
hotel bed once in a while. That’s the whole point of a staycation for me..sleep, watch TV, eat, and do nothing. So I can’t say much about the other
facilities offered by Lancaster Hotel. They pretty much have the usual facilities like the business center, function rooms, coffee shop, restaurants, swimming pool, roof deck, and spa which is soon to open.
We checked the pool at the roof deck. We were thinking of
swimming but found that the pool is only 3.5 feet deep; it was too
shallow for adults like us.
If you're looking for a hotel to stay with reasonable rates, decent rooms, and good location Lancaster Hotel fits the description. They offer promo rates for longer stay, so take advantage of it. Indeed, our stay was a time well-spent with the family although it meant more of snuggling closer in bed.
For my 2xth birthday, Erick and I decided to have a
staycation just here in Manila.
Staycations have been becoming popular these days especially for urban professionals and families who don't have the luxury of time to get away from work or responsibilities at home. Staycation is just staying in the comforts of your own home or somewhere close to your home for vacation instead of traveling to a
destination.
Last year, we celebrated my
birthday in Bangkok.
Although I enjoyed my birthday getaway with my girlfriends and the boyfriend,
I kept thinking about home. So for this year’s celebration, I had it simple and low-key. It was a simple
dinner with the family and a birthday staycation.
I must say that I’m very persistent when chasing great travel deals. We attended the Philippine Travel Mart (see related post here) last September and I was able to book a discounted overnight stay at A.Venue
Suites in Makati.
Aside from that, during the travel mart we booked our stay with Thunderbird Resort in
Poro Point, San Fernando La Union. Read the first and second parts of my Santorini-esque experience.
Our very suite stay
We arrived at A.Venue Suites a
little past 2pm, just in time for check-in. It took awhile for the receptionist
to accommodate us. He was the only one in the front desk and there were like
five of us waiting for him to attend to us. So anyways, we patiently waited for
our turn. I filled out some forms and paid an incidental fee.
After checking their records, he informed us that they ran out of deluxe room which I reserved weeks ago so they’re upgraded us to a two-bedroom family suite. Yey! Good things come to those who wait. What a great birthday treat :D
We immediately proceeded to our
room at the 12th floor. And the moment we opened our door, we can help but say that the suite was
huge. There was a living room, dining area, and kitchen.
Living and dining areas
kitchen
The moment I saw how big is our room, I wanted to text all my friends that it was house party tonight care of moi.. haha but of course, it was such late notice so I didn't.
There was a smaller bedroom with a
single-size bed and a study desk.
Bedroom 1 aka the smaller room
The master bedroom was complete
with a queen size bed, study desk, wall-mounted flat screen TV, closets, and
the bathroom.
chillaxin in the master bedroom
nooks of the master bedroom
The bathroom was small but was
equipped with the basic necessities. There was a bath tub which is a + point
although it was small. There could have been a view while you soaking in the tub – but the outside was a construction site for another hotel/ condominium complex.
the cozy bathroom
Yes, I brought the whole bathroom with me
Our hotel suite has no view at all.
Everywhere you look, it’s all construction site.
There was also a hint of funny
smell in the suite. It smelled like cigarette smoke that stayed in the couch
and the room.
Another downside of the whole suite
is that the rooms would have to share the bathroom which is inside the master’s
bedroom.
But other than that, we are
satisfied with the hotel room. As soon as we settled in the room and organized
our things, we just watched TV the whole afternoon and went online. The
hotel has a wifi service but you have to pay for it. Good thing I brought my
very portable Globe Wimax.
It was already 6pm when we prepared
for our dinner date.
the maxi dress is a gift from Erick and my koosh sandals is from VNC :)
The birthday dinner
It has been planned long before
that we’d have the buffet dinner at the Spirals in Sofitel. But unfortunately,
as you all probably know the famed Spirals was closed for renovation after
Typhoon Pedring storm surge flooded the ground floor of Sofitel where the restaurant was also located.
It was hard thinking of another
alternative since we’ve been dead-set to try Spirals buffet. Oh wells.
We decided we’d just have dinner at Serendra in BonifacioGlobalCity. I’ve been hearing
good food reviews about Mamou so we tried our luck to get a table there. We
arrived at Mamou around 7pm and the attendant reserved a table for us at 8:30 pm.
Okies, not a problem.
We checked the shops at Serendra and BHS and
then we landed at Topshop where I bought a cute orange bikini. When I was a bit
younger (gosh I feel old now), my hobby was to collect swimsuits since my friends
and I love hitting the beach almost every month. It was only recently that I had to stop this
addiction and instead buy clothes that would actually cover my whole body :D I didn’t buy it but Erick seemed to see in my eyes that I really wanted that cute
bikini. So being a good boyfriend, he bought it for me as another birthday
gift. Thanks love <3!
We then received a text message
from Mamou’s that we already have a table. So we rushed back to the restaurant.
The restaurant has a homey ambiance for family dinners and get-togethers which makes it a perfect venue for those
special occasions. The place is cozy and has an intimate ambiance. We were
seated in small corner near the counter. We ordered the following.
We both loved this appetizer especially the mushroom dip. We kept on munching it until we realized it was gone. That's how we liked it so much. It's also very light on the stomach.
They also gave us complimentary white and wheat bread and butter placed in a small woven basket. The bread was very soft.
I wasn't very happy when they served my plate. First off, it wasn't the look of the Asian Duck I saw from other pictures. Where's the duck?? Look and dig till you find it. It was actually cut into strips instead of a quarter serving of duck.
What it lacked in presentation, it compensated for its taste. Although I did not taste the duck in my meal, the chorizo rice is already good by itself.
Asian Duck with Red Chorizo Rice (Php395)
The Roast Pork and Chicken is Mamou's version of citrus rubbed pork and chicken , buttered onions, red or white Cuban rice (Erick had the red rice), cinnamon saba, and black beans.
And lastly for dessert.. It is always the favorite part of my meal.
Whew.. I love their Dark Chocolate Sans Rival! I can be so shallow when it comes to sweets, so please bear my indulgence for the Sans Rival.
Dark Chocolate Sans Rival (Php180)
By the time, we were having our
dessert I was feeling very sleepy which Erick noticed. I don’t know if the
food was such a comfy food that evoked my feeling to sleep. I felt very bloated
after our meal. We finished dinner around 10pm and since I wasn’t feeling very
lively that night, we went home to our hotel.
I was feeling a bit guilty because
I dozed off to sleep as soon as we got back to our hotel. I was such a
lousy birthday girl that night. Me thinks.
Things always get better in the morning as they say… I
woke up with a slight fever and I can’t seem to move my body normally. Every
step is an effort for me. I was officially SICK. Boo.
But since I am still mobile, we went down Azzuro Bar in the 4th floor to have our breakfast, I wasn’ hungry to eat but I needed to get something in my stomach. The breakfast spread was
limited with soup, fried rice, adobo, scrambled eggs, breads, pastries, and
cereals.
We checked out the pool after our breakfast. Erick went for a swim while I stayed in the pool bed.
Pool area
There are two pools - one for adults and the other one for kids. There wasn't any other guests that time so the place was all to ourselves. I learned that the upper floors of A.Venue is actually a residential condominium based from what I read in the pool policy. They also have a small gym in the hotel but we weren't able to check that out.
We went back to our room and prepared for check-out at 12nn.
I loved the whole idea of staycation so I guess I'll be having more of these vacations. It's self-paced, relaxed, inexpensive, and fun. Who says you have to travel far to have a vacation?
When I first learned about Thunderbird Resort in Poro Point, I know this little piece of paradise must be included in my travel list for this year. Traveling to La Union for surfing has always been in my yearly travel itinerary, so it would be a shame if I don’t get to see the other gem in La Union - Thunderbird Resort.
Thunderbird Resort in Poro Point is a 65-hectare resort property with a Mediterranean architecture inspired by the Santorini Islands in Greece. The resort is nestled in a cliff overlooking the South China Sea. Its Santorini-inspired architecture is evident in its white hotel building with touches of blue. The dome ceiling and the painting on the lobby is a sight you will never surely miss. Room rate
I’ve inquired about the resort’s rate months before our travel but I actually found a good deal at the Philippine Travel Mart last September. See related blog entry. We got deluxe rooms for Php5390/night. The rate is 10% cheaper than their standard rates. They only allow a maximum of four persons in the room so we had to pay for the extra persons at Php1000/head and that included buffet breakfast already. The Santorini-esque experience As soon as we stepped in Thunderbird Resort’s lobby, I instantly felt that I am in for a grand vacation. The ambiance of the hotel is welcoming and very refreshing. On the reception area, you can already see the blue waters from the sea. The cool breeze blowing makes me feel that it was summer but in October.
I love the interior of the hotel. The hotel furniture are made of rattan and other native products and it complemented the simple yet elegant hotel interiors. The design is minimalist but when put together, it exudes simple elegance. Checking in was swift. I just had to fill out a couple of forms and pay the incidental fee. After that, we were ushered to our room. Now the rooms.. As we entered our room, I felt a certain excitement in my bones. First off, there were two huge queen size beds. Weeee! And the bed, sheets, and duvets are just so soft and refreshingly clean that I wouldn’t mind sleeping on it all day. I couldn’t help but test how soft and firm the bed was..so I jumped and bounced on it. I miss jumping in the bed, I used to do that when I was little. The room has a 32-inch flat screen LCD TV, DVD player, a JVC surround media system where you can plug your USB or portable hard drive. There’s a mini fridge and a small bar for the goodies which are for sale. Our room also has a study table and coffee table near the veranda. This little nook is perfect while sipping your coffee and having a small talk with your friends. The veranda completes the whole room. Here, you can lose yourself by staring at the blue sea or the pool area of the resort. I already love it here! The bathroom is immaculately clean and huge. I tell you, it’s one of the biggest bathrooms I’ve seen in a hotel. Too bad, they didn’t put a bathtub on it. It could fit with all the extra space. And the toiletries, oh em gee.. I love Thunderbird Resort really! There’s also free wifi within the resort. So no hassle if you wanna be online – whether in your lappie or phone. Before sunset, we decided to lounge in the pool area. There are two pools – for adults and kids. Plus, there’s a pool bar where you can order your favorite cocktail drink or just fresh fruit shake. The adult pool is only 4 feet deep all throughout. We passed our time there and decided it was time to change clothes for dinner. On our way to our room, the fully lit dome at the dark could not be missed. It made me wish I am really in Santorini. I know that sometimes they allow guests to go near the dome and do photo shoots. And hmmm that just gives me an idea ;P We had dinner at Olives Restaurant where the ambiance is casual dining. On our table Seafood Ravioli. The pasta pillows are not that firm. The pasta was kinda sticky although the seafood is freshly cooked. Seafood Alfredo Spaghetti
Spicy Sausage pizza and Ilokano pizza
These pizzas baked in wood-fired stone oven were highly recommended by our server so we went ahead and tried it. I liked the Ilokano pizza more than the other. The spicy sausage pizza just tasted just like normal pepperoni pizza. After dinner, we had our drinking session in our room. We weren’t able to drink the night before since we were all dead tired. We played a game “I never had” which is more like ‘truth or dare’ but with a twist. Each of us has to tell something that we have never done and the others who’s done that thing will then drink the shots. It was a fun and quirky game! We came to know more about one another and each one’s dirty dark secrets.. :D The game led us to drunkenness and more crazy antics and of course a bad hangover the next day… That's it for our first day. It was a long and fun day --from surfing in San Juan La Union to R&R in Thunderbird Resort in Poro Point. The fun never stops! Read the second part of my Thunderbird Resort Poro Point experience here.
