SINCE Seda Vertis North formally opened in April, I’ve been sort of a regular visitor, the hotel being just in my neighborhood in Quezon City.
I’ve checked out their lunch and dinner buffets at their all-day dining restaurant Misto, which I usually found to be teeming with guests because of an ongoing 50-percent off promo.
I’ve also marveled at its inspired interiors, which make the hotel stand out from other hotels in the city. Though generally washed in browns and creams, the monotony of the neutral hues are broken up by pops of color and form, from its whimsical artworks and stylish furniture.
Many of these, I later found out, were created by renowned Filipino artists and designers, such as Kenneth Cobonpue, Vito Selma, Ann Pamintuan and Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala. (I’ve been told that Don Jaime personally oversees the selection of artwork to be displayed in Seda hotels, which is owned by the family-led Ayala Land Inc.)
The hotel has also served as my, ahem, Uber pickup point. Whenever the weather is aggrieved and unleashes a downpour just as I have finished shopping or a movie at the adjacent Vertis North Mall, I would make a quick run to Seda. Though drenched, I am welcomed by its friendly and accommodating doormen. And while technically, I wasn’t a guest on those occasions, they would invite me to take a seat at the gorgeous lobby while I waited for my ride.
So one could say that Seda (Filipino for silk) is like a new friend in the neighborhood that I’ve wanted to get to know more of.
A few weekends ago, I finally got to stay at the hotel upon the invitation of its chic and slim Sales and Marketing Director Cinty Yniguez. With its 438 guest rooms, the hotel is reputed to have the largest accommodation of its kind in Quezon City.
At my deluxe room on the fourth floor of the hotel, I had a pleasant view of the inviting swimming pool on the third floor. The room had superior sound insulation such that even as I watched children screaming and splashing about in the pool, I didn’t hear their noise at all. (Of course, their shouting in the hallway was another story.)
The main feature of the room, of course, was its huge comfy bed, all shrouded in calming white linen. For those still thick into their career, sleep is such a luxury during weekdays, and so I was so grateful for this opportunity for long a weekend snooze. Despite the iPad I had with me, and a movie playing on cable TV, I gleefully snuggled under the thick duvet and buried my head in the pillows.
I was out immediately (perhaps, helped by the four glasses of wine I had at dinner), and woke up past 10 am the next day, almost missing an equally late breakfast at the Club Lounge. What an amazing and restful sleep!
But the high point of this staycation at Seda Vertis North was our Saturday dinner. With other guests from traditional and social media, I waited outside the hotel’s exquisite grand ballroom (the biggest in Quezon City!), waiting to be served our meal on the dining tables set up in the hallway. I thought to myself, it was an odd place to have dinner when we could probably dine in more conducive surroundings either at Misto or the Club Lounge.
After determining that our group was finally complete, Cinty asked us to get up and follow her staff through a doorway, which revealed a long table, impeccably dressed up in fine table cloth and dinner ware, with pots of fresh herbs and vegetables as centerpieces. Surprise! We were actually in a kitchen where the hotel’s food-and-beverage staff usually prepare meals for the functions held at the ballroom and meeting rooms.
Equally surprising was our eight-course meal, with dishes that were impeccably prepared by a kitchen crew headed by Executive Sous Chef Kerpatrik Boiser. With every pour of wine, and every forkful of each dish served, I gained an increasing appreciation of the hotel’s culinary staff.
According to Cinty, Seda will soon be offering this Chef’s Table dining option to its guests, who want special meals that are tailor-made for their tastes and occasions that they may be celebrating with a small group of friends or family.
Now open is the Straight Up roof-deck bar, with impressive evening views of the Metro. Its well-stocked bar (though they didn’t have any Japanese whisky on hand) and nighttime entertainment provided for a cozy venue for which to hang out with friends. It’s also generous with its pica-pica, served at a central area, ready for the bar’s patrons to feast on while drinking their favorite poison.
Although I wasn’t able to swim in the pool (too many kids) or have a massage at the hotel spa (must return), I pronounced my staycation almost perfect. I managed a refreshing sleep, got to shop for some kikay stuff at the nearby mall, and had an outstanding dinner to boot. That was certainly no ordinary weekend, especially for busy journalists like me, and I was pleased.
In Photo:
1 The deluxe room with impressive views of either the pool area or the city
2 Seda Vertis North offers its guests a new dining option, called Chef’s Table, within a dining area set up in the hotel kitchen, and dishes impeccably created by the culinary staff headed by Executive Sous Chef Kerpatrick Boiser. Also shown is the Chocolate ala Bomba, an exquisite dessert served at the special hotel dinner attended by the writer.
3 The neutral colors of the lobby is perked up by colorful artwork and sculptural pieces of furniture.
4 The gorgeous pool area with stunning views of the city