Luxury Queen Suite in Alabang, Manila: Your Japan-Inspired Getaway
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into a review that's less "polished brochure" and more "friend spilling the tea." I'm hitting you with a hotel review, and it's gonna be raw, real, and maybe a little bit ranty. Consider this my therapy session, fueled by miniature shampoo bottles and lukewarm coffee.
The Hotel: Let's Call It "Paradise Found" (Just Kidding, It Wasn't Always Paradise)
First off, let's get one thing straight: these "ratings" are my opinion, okay? Your mileage may vary.
Metadata Nuggets for the Google Gods (and you, obviously):
- Keywords: Hotel Review, Accessibility, Spa, Restaurant, Wi-Fi, Swimming Pool, Fitness Center, [City Name] Hotels, Family-Friendly, Business Travel, Luxury Hotel, Cleanliness, Safety, Food, Bar, Room Amenities. (See, your SEO is sorted. You are welcome)
Let's start, and let's dive right into it, shall we?
Accessibility: (Ugh, the Dreaded "A" Word)
Alright, lemme tell you. I need good accessibility. Bad knees, you see. This place had the usual checklist items: Elevator (✅, thank God), Facilities for disabled guests (✅ - but, and this is a BIG but, how accessible is "accessible"? More on that later… because I was not feeling it), and Wheelchair accessible (✅ - mostly, the ramps looked fine. But, you know, until you're in a wheelchair, you don't really know, do you?).
The problem is, sometimes, the "accessible" rooms are just… further from the good stuff. You know? So you end up feeling like you're the forgotten corner in a bad 80s rom-com.
On-site Accessible Restaurants/Lounges: (Hoping for the best) The main restaurant looked accessible, at least from glancing at it. Easy to get into, anyway. Didn't actually eat there. The bar, however, was a whole other story. Tiny tables squished together, crowded. Honestly, if you're trying to navigate a walker or even just a cane, I am really sorry. This needs some work.
Internet: The Modern Necessity (And My Personal Kryptonite)
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! (✅), Free Wi-Fi in public areas (✅). Praise be! This is a huge green light for me, no questions about it. The Internet access LAN in the rooms was great too, if you still have a laptop that can take it (lol.. vintage!)
Internet services: Fine, no problems.
Room Wi-Fi - This was a mixed bag. Sometimes lightning fast, other times…crickets. Maybe try a device reset. The only thing worse than bad Wi-Fi…is no Wi-Fi at all.
Getting Around:
- Airport transfer: I didn't use it, but it was offered.
- Car park [free of charge]: Yes! A big win. Parking fees are the worst.
- Car park [on-site]: Yes, and that's handy.
- Car power charging station: Didn't see it, but I wasn't looking.
- Taxi service: Available.
- Valet parking: Didn't use it.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax: (This is where things get interesting)
- Body scrub, Body wrap, Fitness center, Gym/fitness, Massage, Pool with view, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor]: Okay, I tried to hit all of these. See, I’m a sucker for a good spa, so I was excited.
- The pool with view was gorgeous (✅), but the sun loungers were a bit crowded. Like, elbow-to-elbow. Not ideal for social distancing (more on that later).
- The fitness center/gym was surprisingly well-equipped (✅). I managed to get a good workout in.
- The Spa, the holy grail! Here's where things went sideways.
- The Massage I did book was amazing, though the therapist felt a bit rushed. Still, she knew her stuff.
- Sauna, and Steamroom? Yes, but let me tell you about the "spa ambiance"…it felt like a waiting room in a dentist's office. No relaxing music, just the hum of the machines, and a sense of impending doom.
- Body wrap/Scrub: Did not attempt. Too much of a hassle with the tiny changing rooms. Too much time wasted.
- The Swimming pool was gorgeous, as I said, but I could not get close to it. The area was just too loud and busy. Maybe it was my bad. I don't really love crowds.
Cleanliness and Safety: (Because we're living in The Year of Germs)
- Anti-viral cleaning products (✅): Good.
- Breakfast takeaway service (✅), Cashless payment service (✅): Essential.
- Daily disinfection in common areas (✅): Great.
- Doctor/nurse on call (✅): Nice to know, just in case.
- First aid kit (✅), Hand sanitizer (✅): Good.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing (✅), Hygiene certification (✅): Excellent.
- Individually-wrapped food options (✅): I appreciate this, and I'm happy to see it.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter (❌): I saw some attempts, but it was more like half a meter at times. The hotel was pretty crowded, so good luck keeping your distance.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services (✅), Room sanitization opt-out available (✅): Good.
- Rooms sanitized between stays (✅), Safe dining setup (✅): Okay.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items (✅), Shared stationery removed (✅): I'm glad, and I'm sure it helped.
- Staff trained in safety protocol (✅), Sterilizing equipment (✅): Good.
- CCTV in common areas (✅), CCTV outside property (✅), Fire extinguisher (✅), Front desk 24-hour, Smoke alarms (✅), Security 24-hour: All good. You'd expect nothing less.
- Check-in/out express, Check-in/out private: Great options, especially the private one.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: (Where the Hungry Traveler Roams)
- A la carte in restaurant (✅): Good.
- Alternative meal arrangement: Nice.
- Asian breakfast: Good.
- Asian cuisine in restaurant (✅): Good.
- Bar (✅): Yes, but not terribly exciting.
- Bottle of water (✅): Good.
- Breakfast buffet: Yep, typical.
- Breakfast service: (✅): Fine.
- Buffet in restaurant (✅): It was okay.
- Desserts in restaurant (✅): Good.
- Happy hour (✅): Who doesn't love a happy hour?
- International cuisine in restaurant (✅): Great.
- Poolside bar (✅): Yes!
- Restaurants (✅): Several.
- Room service 24-hour: Definitely useful.
- Salad in restaurant (✅): Good.
- Soup in restaurant (✅): Good.
- Vegetarian restaurant (✅): Good.
- Western breakfast (✅): Yes!
- Western cuisine in restaurant (✅): Nice.
The food was…fine. Nothing to write home about, but nothing terrible. The buffet felt a little chaotic, and the options felt a little bit repetitive after a few days.
Services and Conveniences: (The Little Things that Make a Big Difference)
- Air conditioning in public area (✅).
- Audio-visual equipment for special events (✅).
- Business facilities (✅).
- Cash withdrawal (✅).
- Concierge (✅): Helpful!
- Convenience store (✅): Score!
- Currency exchange (✅): Always handy.
- Daily housekeeping (✅).
- Doorman (✅).
- Dry cleaning (✅).
- Elevator (✅).
- Essential condiments (✅).
- Facilities for disabled guests (✅).
- Food delivery (✅),
- Gift/souvenir shop (✅).
- **Indoor venue for special events
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because you're about to get the most gloriously disorganized itinerary for a Queen Bed Suite, Japan-themed staycation in Alabang, Manila. Forget those pristine, perfectly-planned travelogues. This is real life. This is my life trying to squeeze a little bit of "Japan" into the chaotic mess that is a weekend.
Theme: Attempting Enlightenment (and Maybe Some Decent Karaoke) in Alabang
Day 1: Arrival and the Crushing Weight of Procrastination (aka, "Where's the Matcha?!")
- 1:00 PM: The Grand Entrance (and the Dreadful Taxi Ride) Okay, first things first. Getting to the hotel in the first place. I'm picturing a serene, zen-like taxi ride, the sun streaming in. The reality? A screaming toddler in the seat behind me, a traffic jam that would make Dante weep, and a taxi driver who clearly believes the best way to combat gridlock is to blare opera at eardrum-shattering levels. Joy. Finally arrive. The suite is… surprisingly nice! (Thank God, because I'm paying for it.)
- 1:30 PM: Suite Check-In and the Great Unpacking Debacle. The excitement is real. I'm picturing myself lounging on the queen-sized bed, surrounded by strategically placed Japanese-themed decor. I open the door, and the aircon blast. After that, I did a slow unpacking and it was a total disaster. Clothes everywhere. The "artfully arranged" items? Gone. This whole "organization" thing is beyond me.
- 2:30 PM: The Quest for Matcha (and Failure) I was promised a Japanese experience, dammit! This must involve matcha. So I set off to find matcha. I find a cafe nearby, but they only have instant matcha lattes. Ugh. I give up and decide to embrace the chaos.
- 3:30 PM: Poolside Panic (and the Sudden Urge to Existentialize) The pool! Glorious, inviting pool! I put on my swimsuit, slap on some sunscreen (okay, mostly slap it on), and head out for a swim. I forgot my book. Now I'm facing the vastness of my own thoughts. Did I make the right life choices? Am I fulfilling my potential? Do I deserve a second slice of cake later? These are the important questions.
- 5:00 PM: Dinner at the Hotel Restaurant (or, "The Ramen That Wasn't") They promised ramen. Authentic, soul-warming ramen. I walk in and… it's not actually ramen. It's something vaguely noodle-like in a slightly oily broth. I try to be optimistic. I slurp. I try again. Nope. Just…nope.
- 7:00 PM: Karaoke Time (and the Shameful Realization of My Vocal Limitations) Karaoke. Yes. Tonight, I shall become a Japanese pop star. I find a karaoke bar, which is packed with people. The initial excitement quickly fades and I try a song. Then another. And another. My voice cracks, I butcher the pronunciation, and generally make a fool of myself. But hey, that's part of the fun, right? (I hope?) I hide in the bathroom and sob, but I realize everyone else had the same shortcomings.
- 9:00 PM: Back to the suite (and the soothing glow of the TV) I return to my suite. After that karaoke fiasco, I sit back on the queen bed and turn on the TV.
Day 2: Zen and the Art of Complaining (and Maybe Actually Enjoying Myself)
- 8:00 AM: The Wake-Up Call (and the Staring Contest with My To-Do List) I wake up to a loud, annoying phone call from the front desk. After that I try to get some work done. But I just can't bring myself to do it.
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast Buffet (and the Struggle to Find Something That Isn't Deep-Fried On) The buffet. Hope springs eternal! I survey the buffet. Ugh. The only thing that calls to me is a sad, overcooked piece of what I think is bacon. I go for pancakes and drown them in syrup. I deserve it.
- 10:00 AM: Spa Time (and the Blissful Surrender to Pampering) Okay, redemption! A massage. A proper, professional massage. This is exactly what I needed. All the stress and disappointment from the day before just melts away. I feel the zen I craved.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch Adventure (and the Search for Actual Japanese Food) I'm on a mission! I locate a legit-looking Japanese restaurant (a little too far off to be honest, but I walked anyway). I must have an authentic experience!! The food is great. I order something called "tempura" and immediately start stuffing my face. After that, a few more dishes come and I start feeling like a food-critic.
- 3:00 PM: The Great Japanese Movie Marathon (or, "Lost in Translation (and Snacks)") Back to the suite, and time for a movie marathon. I have a mountain of snacks: chips, chocolates, and a diet coke. I find a Japanese movie, and start watching. It's subtitled in English, so I hope I will understand.
- 5:00 PM: Packing (and the Sudden, Overwhelming Desire to Stay Forever) I start packing. As I fold my clothes, I get a pang of sadness. This whole "Japan" thing, even the messy version, was actually kind of fun.
- 6:00 PM: Final Departure (and the Promised Land of My Own Bed) Check out, goodbye to the suite, and a bumpy taxi ride is on my side. I had a blast. After that, I am home. In my own bed. And the journey? It was all worth it.
So there you have it. A messy, chaotic, and hopefully entertaining account of a weekend getaway. Remember, embrace the imperfections, laugh at the mishaps, and maybe, just maybe, you'll find your own version of "zen" in the chaos.
Unbelievable Luxury Awaits: Huaneng Hotel, Qingdao's Hidden Gem!
1. Okay, so... What *is* this "life stuff" all about, anyway? I feel like I missed the memo.
Ugh, right? The *memo*. I think I threw mine in the recycling bin a decade ago. Honestly, if I had to give you a straight answer, I’d be lying. "Life stuff" is basically… everything. It's the stuff you're supposed to be doing, not doing, feeling, pretending to feel, desperately wanting to feel, and absolutely, positively trying to avoid. It's the big wins (finally mastering that perfect pancake!) and the utter faceplants (tripping over air on the way to the mailbox, again). It's the joy, the despair, the sheer, overwhelming *blah*.
I remember this one time, I was convinced I had it all *figured out*. Career on track, relationship blooming, apartment spotless (for, like, a whole *hour*). Then… the washing machine broke. Cue the existential crisis. Turns out, life is a relentless cycle of triumph and appliance-related chaos, folks. Welcome aboard.
2. How do I deal with... well, *everything* being so hard?
“Hard”? Honey, *hard* is an understatement. It's more like navigating a minefield blindfolded while juggling chainsaws… on a trampoline.
My go-to strategy? Cry. A lot. (Just kidding… sort of.) Seriously, acknowledge that feeling. It’s okay to NOT be okay. It's human. Take a breath. Take another.
Then...baby steps. Pick one thing. One tiny, manageable thing. Call your mom. Drink some water. Put on pants. That's it. Progress, right?
I will never forget this one time, I lost my job, broke up with my boyfriend, and accidentally dyed my hair green. I could have wallowed for days. Instead, I called my best friend, we ordered pizza (a whole pizza, not just one slice. It was the highlight of THAT week), and we spent the night watching terrible reality tv. It wasn't a solution, but it was a *moment*. A moment of not-so-terribleness. Find your moments.
3. What's the deal with relationships? Are they even worth it? (Cue dramatic sigh.)
Oof. Relationships. Where to even begin? They're like a box of chocolates… full of feelings that could either leave you feeling delighted or utterly destroyed.
Are they worth it? Sometimes. Other times… NOPE! It depends on the relationship, the people involved, and the current alignment of the planets. Let's be honest.
Look, I've been through relationships that felt like a warm, fuzzy blanket and relationships that felt like being trapped in a washing machine. The key? Knowing your worth, communicating (even when it's awkward), and not settling for less than you deserve. And for the love of all that is holy, don’t be afraid to walk away. It's hard, but it is sometimes the most liberating thing in the world.
I remember dating this guy. He seemed perfect. For, like, a week. Then I discovered he hated my favorite band and preferred mayonnaise on everything. Everything! I mean, come on! It was over before it really began. Learn from my mistakes, people! Know THY mayo preferences. It might save you a world of hurt.
4. How do I "find myself"? (Ugh, the phrase.)
"Find yourself." It's so cliché, right? But honestly? It's less about "finding" and more about *becoming*. Don't picture a lost sock. Think of it as slowly building yourself, one mismatched sock at a time.
Try things. Fail gloriously. Learn from it all. Read books, travel (even if it's just to the next town over), talk to strangers, and listen to music that makes your soul vibrate.
Once, I decided to take a pottery class. Me! The girl who can’t even successfully fold a fitted sheet. I made a… well, it looked like a lopsided, lumpy blob. But I did it! I laughed, I got covered in clay, and I realized that maybe, just maybe, I didn't have to be perfect.
And that's the point. Finding yourself isn't about achieving some mythical state of perfection; it's about embracing the messy, beautifully imperfect person you are. And probably always will be. And that's okay. It's more than okay. It is life! And it's good!
5. Okay, so what about… money? Let’s talk about that terrifying monster.
Money. The root of all… well, a lot of things. Stress, anxiety, the inability to buy all the fancy coffee you want. It’s a beast. I'm not going to pretend I have all the answers here, because, frankly, I don't.
The key is to get a grip on it. Budget. Even if it’s a budget that says, “okay, I have $5 for the week and a dream.” Track your spending. Learn to cook some things at home. (Seriously. It helps. Trust me).
I've definitely been through the "ramen-and-regret" phase. And the "credit card meltdown" phase. And the "pretending I'm rich" phase. (That one was short-lived).
The biggest thing: don't be afraid to ask for help! Talk to a financial advisor. Read some articles. Learn from your mistakes. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and the finish line is… well, not being broke. Which is pretty great, actually.
6. How do I deal with failure? It kinda stinks.
Oh, failure. My old friend. He comes around more often than I'd like, the tricky devil.
First of all, acknowledge it. It happened. You messed up. It's okay. Everyone has failed. I once forgot to set my alarm for a big work presentation and almost missed it entirely. My boss looked more horrified than I felt, and I felt horribly.
Then, learn from it. What went wrong? What could you have done differently? But don't wallow. Dust yourself off, and try again.
Failure is a stepping stone, not a full stop. It's a chance to figure out what you really want and who you really are.
I will tell you one thing. No failure is ever as bad as you expect it to be. I promise. The world keeps spinning, your friend keeps being your friend, and you are still here.
