After a long weekend this Holy Week, comes a three-day break to mark the Araw ng Kagitingan on April 9. Many who have undergone the gauntlet of the traffic jams in the expressways have decided to spend the holidays in the city for a relaxing getaway.
With less people and cars on the road, and less smog, the urban jungle seems to be an enticing “out of town” trip for a staycation.
What was once considered metropolitan fringes beckon for a relaxing staycation for quality time with the family, and rediscover the hidden charm of the mega city.
B Hotel, a three-brand of The Bellevue Hotels and Resorts, offers an urban oasis where you can bond with the family which won’t break the bank.
Situated in the quiet neighborhoods of Alabang and Quezon City, these once suburban areas have somehow managed to preserve their quaint character, despite the urbanization they have underwent over the decades.
Standing proudly at the posh Madrigal Business Park, B Hotel Alabang is a 150-room boutique lodging, which boasts of its “elegance in simplicity” ideal for business travelers or young families. The area takes pride in its open spaces, tree-lined promenades and greeneries ideal for outdoor exercises.
Guests will be treated to a soothing view of perhaps among the few remaining patches of greens in the southern Metro, which serve as the lungs of the city. It also offers a gustatory journey with its delectable Filipino fusion dishes which it launched late last year in a jazzy culinary soiree.
B Hotel Quezon City, on the other hand, describes itself as “sleek and snazzy” with a more relaxed, homey feel. It takes pride in its elegant New York-style industrial artistic features, which is less stiff compared to the typical accommodation of its kind. With its Instagrammable interiors, you won’t run out of photos to upload with its exposed pipes, bicycle motifs, still-life paintings, high ceilings, cement-washed walls and picture-perfect nooks. Its minimalist design will make you feel as if the hotel is coming straight out of a steampunk novel.
For your daylong cravings, there is the Lobby Café for the main meals, the Pastry Corner for snacks and the Mezzanine Bar for after-dinner chill out.
Its well-designed rooms have neither the high-brow nor all-too-familiar look, but exudes a contemporary feel in a relaxed space. The one-bedroom suite provides a convenient space for a family, as its living room can function as a bedroom for small children.
To cool off from the summer heat, you can dip in the infinity pool with an overlooking view of the skyline. Complementing the hotel’s allure is the Old World charm of Quezon City known for its post war homes, Timog Avenue and Tomas Morato, which host some of the signature decades-old restos, and public parks, such as the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center, Quezon Memorial Circle, and La Mesa Eco Park.
Named after the Hebrew word for “rest,” Selah Garden Suites is the proverbial urban sanctuary in the densely populated Pasay City. Situated along Park Avenue at the back of the City Hall, this three-story property is a green space with its canopy of centenarian hardwood trees and hydrophonic hanging gardens which punctuate the common areas.
This 72-room hotel has an assortment of accommodation for couples, families (big and small alike) and barkada with its classy double-decker beds.
EF Schumacher’s maxim “small is beautiful” must have been the guiding principle behind this hotel, as it doesn’t feel cramped because of its open spaces and greeneries, despite its compact land area.
Guests are welcomed with the modern chic foyer adorned with wicker, rattan and capiz furnishings, and a native-themed restaurant specializing in Filipino favorites and Bicol regional cuisine.
Selah also has a 4-foot deep lap pool ideal for children. One corner can be transformed into a spot for confined scuba-diving training for beginners.
But its piece de resistance is perhaps its recreational facilities which will give the family their first taste of adventure—an outdoor wall for rapelling and wall climbing, a short zipline, and a hanging bridge, which even children can try.
People who love to go backpacking will be pleasantly surprised to know that they won’t have to make do with space- and amenity-challenged dwelling spaces in their journeys.
Tambayan Capsule Hostel, a 1940s mansion in Malate, Manila, just took backpacking to the next level.
Opened in 2016, the two-story elegant heritage house offers comfortable, innovative accommodations for people traveling on a budget, or those who want to experience its eclectic vibe in a regular room. A classic showcase of adaptive reuse, which touts itself as the country’s first capsule hostel, it was designed by millennial architect Rayah Deslate, who married design elements from different generations.
You seem to travel back in time with its restored interiors—the grand staircase, chandeliers and arched doorways, and walls painted with historic landmarks of Old Manila.
But as its name suggests, Tambayan is a hip watering hole and is a place to hang around, particularly at night when customers from various age groups and nationalities converge for well-loved Pinoy food, pulutan and a few rounds of their favorite spirits.
Being at the Bohemian colony of the city, the hostel is a perfect homebase for exploring heritage spots of Manila which we have taken for granted for so long—the postcard-pretty Manila Bay, Rizal Park, Paco Park and the National Museum.
Whether it be a long or typical weekend, the metropolis is worth rediscovering through these urban getaways.