With the cool weather breezing in Metro Manila this Amihan season, we can perhaps hold off on our urge to hide off to the mountain resorts for a consummate family staycation. The Bonifacio Global City, popularly known as The Fort, boasts of open spaces, greeneries and master-planned community, which somehow lends a feel of an out-of-town feel within the megalopolis.
The upscale district is a sought-after hub for specialty dining, luxe hotels, lifestyle recreation, golf courses, and a panoramic view of the Laguna de Bay and the metropolitan skyline. Like the proverbial “city within a city,” BGC was designed to be a haven for promenaders, bikers, per lovers, and people who love the outdoors with its landscaped parks adorned with freestanding art installations.
Towering at the heart of the business enclave is the Shangri-La at the Fort, Manila, it is among the few star-rated hotels, which was given the green light by the Department of Tourism to resume leisure operations under strict health protocols. Guests checking in would have to undergo an anti-gen test at a makeshift clinic, and whose result can be known a few minutes later.
The country’s tallest hotel at 250 meters, it is a complete lifestyle destination in itself with its fusion of family fun, fitness, food, and everything in between. The tower complex features 576 contemporary and spacious guest rooms and suites with a commanding view of Manila’s urbanscape, as well as 97 serviced residences of up to 124 square meters, fitted with a kitchenette, living room and dining zone, which are ideal for long-staying visitors who want the feel of home.
On top of the world-class amenities the hotel brand is known for, it also advocates wellness and active recreation, either within its recreational facilities or the community that embraces it.
The posh hotel carries the prestigious Kerry Sports, a worldwide comprehensive lifestyle and leisure club, which includes an NBA-grade basketball court used for practices by professional cagers and visiting international players. The good thing is, you don’t have to be a checked-in guest to get your hands into its high-tech fitness facilities.
The 8,000-square-meter, two-level gym boasts of two tennis courts, two squash courts, an outdoor lap pool with an entertainment and dining area, exercise studios, and a wellness spa with eight treatment rooms. It also houses an Adventure Zone, a multi-level children’s indoor playground, with engaging activities for themed party rooms.
Come chow time, you can explore a variety of innovative cuisines from around the globe with seven dining concepts for a culinary feast with family and friends. These are High Street Café, High Street Lounge, Canton Road, Raging Bull Chophouse & Bar, Sri Lanka’s, Ministry of Crab, Samba, and Raging Bull Burgers, to cater to different taste buds.
While some of them are yet to reopen, a must-try is Samba Restaurant, which offers lesser-known but succulent Peruvian and Latin American delights. It also acts as the default coffee shop and breakfast place at the podium level on the eighth floor with the swimming pool and recreational facilities.
Beyond these, there are al fresco food choices in the neighborhood, which is now the preferred setup to allow free movement of air and lessen the risks of viral transmission.
Outside the hotel, BGC is a fortress of fitness with its splendid road network and dedicated bike lanes even before the Covid-19 struck to encourage earth-friendly, non-motorized mobility. Visitors can borrow Shangri-La’s sturdy and lightweight single-speed bamboo bike or Bambike, and pedal around boutique shops and Instagrammable public parks and gardens.
Seasoned pedalers who want longer distances can explore adjoining spots such as McKinley Hills, Fort Bonifacio Philippine Army Headquarters, the postcard-perfect Libingan ng mga Bayani, and even as far as the old town centers of Taguig City, Makati City and Pateros, and Laguna de Bay, to rediscover their eclectic charm overtaken by rapid urbanization.
With the confluence of fine food, fitness, and bonding with family and friends, The Fort lives up to its name as a true fortress for fun times and countryside feel under the new normal regime.
Image credits: Bernard L. Supetran