NOVOTEL Manila Araneta City Starts The Merriest Celebration for All

This Christmas is going to be a little different at Novotel Manila Araneta City as they start festivities and make this "The Merriest Celebration For All". At the lobby of the hotel, they set up one of the nicest trees last week and invited the media and special guests to sing Christmas carols and tell us what they have been doing in the past few years especially during the pandemic.

Hotel GM Maria Manlulu Garcia says "We at Novotel Manila Araneta City are truly excited to have you and your loved ones. This is the opportune time to be together and make lasting memories especially with family and friends. We will make sure Novotel throws the Merriest Celebration for All and become your home away from home."

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At Food Exchange Manila, they will be having several specials including Holiday Sunday Brunch, Christmas Eve Dinner, Noche Buena, Christmas Day Brunch and Dinner, a New Years Eve Dinner Buffet and New Year's Day Brunch and Dinner Buffet. At the Monet Grand Ballroom, both Christmas Eve and the New Year's Eve Dinner Countdown (Glitz and Glamour theme) will have live entertainment, something the whole family would enjoy!

The 6th Manila will also offer the Merriest Party package to bring a less fuzz and more enjoyment for your celebrations on these dates. Their crowd favorite Indulge Gelato will also be dishing out new holiday creations like the Zuppa Inglese, Blue Snow and Torrone. For the Italian flair, they've got home made Panettone in Dark Chocolate Raisin and Ube varieties that you can take home, and enjoy with a cup of coffee at home. Don't forget the Macarons, and Bacarons, it'll be a lovely way to end your holiday runs. They do that quite excellently. Novotel Manila Araneta City also offers holiday hampers via Take Me Out by Novotel so you don't have to worry about gifting family or friends as the selections are a sight to behold.

Staying at Novotel Manila Araneta City also have special rates, even better if you are AccorPlus members. Give them a ring or email if you want to be part of that too. If you have kids in tow, they have holiday activities for them while you enjoy the gym or InBalance Spa for a little pampering.  

During the event, they had the executive from J. Amado Araneta Foundation Inc. go in front to talk about their organization. He was also presented with a donation, from all the employees of Novotel Manila Araneta City. He says "More than the monetary value that they shared, it's the gesture and sacrifice they gave for giving their own vacation and leave credits for the benefit of the communities, programs we supervise." which was very touching to do. They also talked about the hardships they went through during the pandemic where the hotel and tourism industry was not spared. Their employees made sacrifices during those times to keep the business running, til they opened regular operations again. It was certainly inspiring to see that it was appreciated much to this day.

For folks that want to celebrate the holidays the Merriest Way for All, get in touch with Novotel Manila Araneta City through their social channels, their official website novotelmanilaaranetacity.com or call + 632 8 990 7888 to book a spot. They have the Merriest Celebration for All, and they do it while seriously inspiring us with these deeds.

Book A Hotel, Create Content and Earn with TRAVEREEL

Spent a few hours with the people from the travel industry and a couple media outlets as they launched TRAVEREEL in the Philippines. It's a social media and booking app all in one. It can even get you to earn by sharing your experience, earning through the bookings that others make too.

Travereel's Founder Ricky Sy says "I'm a tech-preneur. We could be seeing a revolution happen in the next few years. When we make travel plans, I make my kids pitch ideas and see for ourselves where that is, ask the other users which seem a little stalkerish. It's a new way of booking, you get to also share your experience when you travel and get perks in the process. We hope you get to try it too."

Vicky Rada Travereel COO adds "This is in the best position to capture a new generation of travelers. Globally, travel has already surpassed the percentages in the last three years (prior to pandemic). The millennials and zoomers are still the leading travelers, and they also spent even more time doing it. They also are digital savvy, and very active posting in social media. They also value convenience and even go through travel agencies. More people in between means more expenses, we're trying to solve that here."

15 year old Maddigan Sy says "Gen Z prefers video, instant gratification, and decisions are partly from social media. Online travel apps make it convenient for the travel hungry Gen Z's and it continues to grow year on year."

Debby Nevata the travereel CEO says "For us to validate this idea, we need to target the travelers, hotels and the content creators. Doing consumer research, we have noted there is a need to have targeted and relevant content, privacy, security, clickable links and a sign up procedure that is seamless and free. Travereel is a new booking experience that revolutionizes the way you book, meet, create content and earn as a user. You also discover and meet like minded people in the app, with the aim of helping travelers from all over the world to decide where to go next! This is an online travel agency, where you can book, with flexible payment terms, and a chance to earn from the content you share. The app currently have 3 Million partner hotels."

Lizard Global CEO Terrence Ridder talks more about it and says "We need to go somewhere, and there are so many apps out there. This makes you welcome, help you feel the true hotel experience especially if you are into scenic trips. If you are demanding, you want to see it right away. Registration should be fast, no fuss, know what the app does and its purpose. You can also use a voucher as a welcome gift, and follow people who are also into destinations you love (including those in your bucket list). This social aspect makes it tangible, you can book through it too, and share the experience with friends as well. Those things you record with the beautiful views, amenities, would come into good use. It's all user generated, validated and keep track what users are doing to keep the app updated."

Deepak Kumar of Paymongo shared information about their payment system and adds "Transactions online should be safe and secure, it allows businesses to accept from various payment methods online. We heavily invest in the technology and now include e wallets, online banks, also work with disbursements and capitals. It is convenient and smooth, easy to transfer and sync plus use conveniently on websites through secured channels. We are your partner against hackers and fraudsters. We have machine learning engine and do fight fraudsters in real time. We also have one dashboard, so the platform is easy to manage payments, disbursement and your transactions in one place."

They also allow Travel Now Pay Later options through BillEase. According to Kurt Molina, their consumer app helps  you pay it through credit limes especially if you don't have a credit card yet. There are over 4 Million users on their platform and you can use the Buy Now Pay Later options to avail services like travel so you don't go through financial strain right away. It's one of the mode of payments available at the travereel app." 

travereel is indeed a new booking experience which you can do today. Go download it on Google Play or iOS and see what wonders your wanderlust can do! 

SHERATON MANILA Starts 5th Anniversary Celebrations with SUNDOWN SOIREE

It was so much fun to be amidst media friends and the executives of Sheraton Manila. "The World's Gathering Place" had us in a Sundown Soiree as preparations for their 5th Anniversary in the Philippines are on its way. It was lovely at the 10th floor of Sheraton Manila's Sheraton Club. The interiors were conducive for talk, so we did that over cocktails and food served by Chef Andrea Burzio.

He's Sheraton Manila's new Executive Chef and was also there to tell us about the cuisine served at the restaurant. He says "I am a Filipino by heart, I learned sarap, mahal kita and hay nako so far and I'm excited about what to serve here. When I came here in 2016, and we have family, just like in Italy. We are family based, on October, we will feature lunch and dinner with family. Between our main meals, we are also offering Merienda Cena, and we hope you all like it. This is a teaser to Pranzo e Cena which we will be doing at S Kitchen this coming October, you should look forward to it!"

We were welcomed by Sheraton's GM Ms. Anna Vergara. She says "Welcome to Sheraton and today we kick off festivities for our 5th anniversary. This is a gathering of friends, perfectly way to start the holiday season. We have several activities as we showcase our facilities and celebrate the near tree lighting event, it's not an easy feat especially after the pandemic. We are celebrating with you now with our Sundown Soiree."

Ria Galvez Director of Sales and Marketing adds "This is the world's gathering place, and since it's the start of the holidays in the country, we have curated several packages coming out soon. All you need to check is SheratonManila.com. The Marriot Bonvoy app is also available so you can be a member and get perks. This September we have Beyond Happiness for those celebrating love, for family or friends, just talk to us so we can tailor fit your weddings and your most memorable events. We can't wait to see you soon!"

This is just the start of the festivities on their 5th year. There will certainly be more events up til early 2024. Make sure to be part of Sheraton Manila Hotel's celebrations as they do "JIVES AT FIVE". Head on to sheratonmanila.com and their social channels for more updates @SheratonManila. You can also call 02 7902 1800 or their mobile number 0917 859 7496 if you want to make it official. See you at The World's Gathering Place!

HSMA Offers Vouchers on September Online Sale

The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International just recently held their membership meet at Kingsford Hotel in Parañaque City. They also announced the annual September Sale, where member properties will offer vouchers that's offered in very attractive prices and can be used in different dates of the year (without expiration). This initiative has been done by the organization and their members to help stimulate local tourism including properties outside Metro Manila.

Ms. Lolet G. So of HSMA "Our events have been supported  by our media friends and the DOT. Thank you to all the members for being here today from the hospitality industry. The past 7 months have been very busy, we had a lot of relationship fostering with agents and clients. Amy and Tep has been working hard on our September Online Sale. We also will have a summit to guide everyone for what we will be doing this 2024. The next few months will be busy for the association and the members as we meet targets before the year ends. Thank you to our partners for always supporting HSMA. She has been with us since the pandemic and the DOT initiatives, she will also be discussing their efforts, our keynote speaker RD for DOT Shailyn Batin."

Ms. Sharlene Batin says "I would like to start with a baseline so you understand where the DOT is coming from. The transfer and control of the national government to the local government so there's more participation from stakeholders. We need to work together to make sure the culture of tourism is good in your area. The concept of decentralization means it is shared responsibility, accountability and am pleased to tell you training was done for 70k in our industry, more soon. The pandemic taught us many things, to create policies and guidelines, have more engagement, collaboration and partnerships, economic growth. People are in a constant state of movement no matter what the situation is and we will create an environment where businesses could grow. Most of you know we now have hop on hop off hubs in the country. We will be launching the Parañaque hub soon and hope we capture the layover market. We saw numbers and hope they see the Philippines on October 15. The objective is to make a DIY, tourist experience in here and other major cities. Devolution needs technology, we understand that we need digital solutions, as these hop on hop off services are common in Europe."

If you would like to get these offers, simply visit their website HSMA.ORG.PH/SOS to get great deals that's not on other platforms. 

I'm personally booking a few, see you there!

Save on Hotel Deals via the Blood Moon Sale on KLOOK!

This 11.11 is going to be a little hectic for a lot of people. Why not make the most out of it and take that well deserved rest and refuge amongst the different local destinations in the country. It's time to see why that Blood Moon we saw has something to do with some of the deals you can enjoy specifically til November 15. Imagine, 75% OFF on hotel bundles in places like Manila, Cebu, Tagaytay, Batangas, Baguio City, Palawan and the lovely island of Bohol.

If you haven't heard of KLOOK, it's time to download the app. It has literally helped me make my vacation in Bangkok  worthwhile since I was foreign to the activities that the city actually offers. They have packages to take you in each spot, but this one in the Philippines is special since it will get you remarkable deals at some of the best beach, tour spots and hotels in the country. One is at La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel, the fabulous Hennan Palm Beach Resort, there's also JPark Island Resort and Waterpark. Aside from that, they've got deals in Quest Hotel Tagaytay, there's also one in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan for deals amounting to 75% OFF the rooms regular price. Head on to klook.com/en-PH/tetris/promo/phyearend2022 if you want to take advantage of it. Follow @Klook_PH on IG, KlookPH on FB, for those uhmazing deals this side of the world!

Take Another Look: Heritage Hotel's Riviera Café

The Riviera Cafe has a selection of dessert items, the Mango Graham is highly recommended!

Heritage Hotel has been something that I usually just pass by going to and from other landmarks like Mall of Asia, MOA Arena or hotels in the area. This 4 Star hotel sits at the corner of EDSA and Roxas Boulevard which is a prime location. Back in the 90's they've had the privilege of being the primary destination for food adventures since the buffet here is legendary, probably one of the firsts who have done it in Pasay City. This is my first visit inside the hotel. I haven't thought about this being a dining destination because as a commuter, it's pretty dark outside. When I went inside, I was at awe of the interiors. To tell you honestly, I didn't know it was this nice. Heritage Hotel definitely deserves another look.

RIVIERA CAFE has been renovated and spruced up recently (and it's now open to the public!). Executive Chef Patrocinio Obia was mighty proud about how things have changed in recent months. For starters, the buffet used to be very dark and the renovations were pretty much a chance to brighten things up. Riviera Cafe will still be homey, very Mediterranean in style; but now modernized with a few light fixtures reminiscent of cafe's. Their menu now boasts of over 21 stations, bringing international flavors and Southeast Asian flair to the buffet. I could tell how passionate he was in making changes, and the other Chefs delivered quite well during service.

The spread was huge, and they've got plenty of dishes to choose from. I had a tiny bite of what I think would be good first before I concentrated on the best ones. Yes, I always had a gameplan when I visit buffets, and Riviera Café was absolutely lovely.

Salads stay cold and crunchy, served with different salad dressings on the side. Note how small servings they have on the station, they do that so you get food freshly cooked each time.

Fancy cheese? I like the funky smelling ones, don't judge!

The Grilling Station had different seafood and meat all skewered up

See that Beef Sate on the top left? They had to refill that plate because of me, it was that good! It was lightly grilled and smothered with peanut sauce that was a bit crunchy. It made a lot of difference!

The Laksa Station is something that you should take a vacation in. They make the Laksa from scratch, the shrimp flavor was intense and this was undoubtedly everyone's favorite that evening.

Carbs? They've got the pasta station waiting. Just let them know what sauce and pasta variety you want, they'll cook it right in front of you.

They've got Hainanese Chicken, I like the roasted one. You would need to put sauces on the meat if you choose the other poached or steamed variety.

They have Lechon and Crispy Pata, I would pass on the sauce as it was too livery (if there's such a term).

For those who love Japanese rolls, they've got a multitude of options laid on the mirrored plates. This was quite filling.

Dimsum had Chicken Feet, I like it.

Siu Mai was also freshly cooked, not overly steamed because it was probably made the same day.

I don't need to convince you with the Beef Sate, it was my personal favorite!

Finish the meal with some seasonal fruits, just to feel healthy about all the grilled food you ate lol!

Heritage Hotel's Riviera Café deserves another look, another try. With the changes they implemented on the buffet, the amount of people they can accommodate in the floor and guest rooms, this would surely be a good place to dine in for those special occasions and events. They're also HALAL Certified and has been the go to place of Malaysian and Indonesian Embassies for meals and meetings. If you want to reserve a table or their venues, call 0288548888 and press local 7355 or 7357. Trust me on the Beef Sate, it's one of my favorite places now to dine in. The buffet costs Php 1,188 and is currently open Thursdays to Saturday Dinner, and Sunday Lunch.

You can also stay in Heritage Hotel's many rooms. They are planning to renovate those as well. Now you've got more reasons to go there!

Fun and Gastronomic Adventures at Sheraton Manila

Sheraton Manila Ballroom

It's been a while since we've gone out and attend physical events, but this one was certainly for the books! I've been seeing Sheraton Manila at the front of Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3 for quite some time now, but I haven't been inside the hotel for some weird reason. The property is part of Marriot chain of hotels worldwide, and surely, this Sheraton Manila property was likened to their tagline, and aptly personifying "Where the World Comes Together". 

They prepared a Soiree party for invited guests, had us team up, part ways, to walk into different floors of the hotel to check the rooms and amenities. A program started and had us try hors d'oeuvres were sourced responsibly, prepared meticulously by the hotel's chefs. They also had us converge in a new facility they call "COLLAB" which is a modern industrial co-working space that could hold different events, meetings, gatherings, you name it, it can happen there. There's also a loft and pretty wide rooms you can divide so when there's something else you want to do in the same space, that takes care of it.

Sustainably sourced food in all their restaurants

To see more of the rooms, here's a video tour of Sheraton Manila. Hope you enjoy this bit!

And if you're in the mood for a gastronomic treat, S Kitchen's S Kollaborations is holding "12 Hands" as 6 Chefs James Antolin, Kiko Santiago, Carlos Aluning, Carlo Miguel, Kenneth Cacho and Brando Santos whip up their best international dishes just for this July. Honestly, S Kitchen is one of the best buffets in Manila and these guys make it look like it's easy. Lunch and Dinner costs Php 2,900 (Dinner is Sunday to Thursday) whilst on Fridays and Saturdays, it's a bit special so it'll be around Php 3,200 net. You're getting the work of 12 hands, that's a lot for one day. I'd recommend the steaks if you're a good eater, particularly the Korean Ribs which is so good in my books.

They are friends, and they've planned a great meal for you at S Kitchen's 12 Hands this July

Food selections at S Kitchen is top notch!

Sheraton Manila is located at 80 Andrews Avenue in Pasay City. They have access to NAIA 3 through a bridge so it's a perfect place to stay in before a flight. If you want to have a reservation, call (02) 7902 1800 and they can arrange everything for you. I'd also like to recommend the room with the jacuzzi, it's something dreamy during these rainy days.

I'd like to take this bit to thank the nice people of Sheraton Manila, I got to know what it looks like, had sumptuous food, and had fun during the soiree. Thank you!

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar Bestowed Best Historic Hotel Award

Bagac, Bataan's pride Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar has just been given the Best Historic Hotel in Asia and the Pacific award by the Historic Hotels Worldwide Awards of Excellence. They have bested over 300 hotels and resorts around the world. Finalists include Deogarh Mahal Rajasthan, Raffles Singapore, Beijing Hotel NUO, Raffles Grand Hotel D'Angko, The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore and The Murray Hong Kong. This comes no surprise with the amount of work that they've put in property that's gotten to preserve, maintain the historic integrity, the architecture and overall ambiance.

Ceremonies were done at The American Club Resort Hotel in Kohler, Wisconsin last November 11 wherein attendees include industry professionals, managers, owners and representatives from different historic hotels from different corners of the world. Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar's very own Jose "Jerry" Acuzar has accepted the award with a video message shown to the crowd. In it he sent thanks to the nominations committee for recognizing their work at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar since its inception. He puts this as really good support for the importance of preserving heritage and restoring it to its former or even better glory. He also has dedicated the ward for the skilled builders, artisans and those who have researched extensively about the different heritage homes and the craftsmen and women in the property. Mr. Acuzar was lauded and appropriately called a "visionary" by executives.

He says "Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar was made for my love of family, of my hometown Bataan and the Philippines. This is my way of showing gratitude to my country and its people."

If you want to know more about them, visit lascasasfilipinas.com today.

RedDoorz is Hygiene Pass Certified

I just got off the event of RedDoorz as they just announced that most of their properties are officially certified by Hygiene Pass, the new clean promise for Filipino travelers. It was attended by Miguel Capistrano III the RedDoorz Philippines Country Manager, Dr. Renzo Guinto their Hygiene Pass Public Health Consultant and Kean Cipriano, an actor, musician, songwriter, and RedDoorz Hygiene Pass Advocate.

RedDoorz has been in the Philippines since 2018 and with standardized service guarantees in the whole of Asia, they provide really affordable stays in hotels, homes, with the assurance you get what you pay for. They have amenity kits, air conditioners, 24/7 service, water heater, wifi, TV and mineral water. The Philippines is the second biggest market of RedDoorz next to Singapore who has been doing this for years. Unfortunately now, there has been a deep decline in hotel stays and a slump has been felt during the pandemic. They made sure to study what is happening and found out a few matters to get things back to normal. Hygiene for example should be a priority, and this is how they got Hygiene Pass to certify their properties. This means they follow WHO and DOT protocols and public safety measures. They want to make sure rooms are clean and sanitized, their people are tested, implement the measures for all their renters, and put that the certification so guests are assured to stay safe. With it, they got the Hygiene Pass certified hotels available on the app.  They have worked with Dr. Renzo Guinto as their consultant.

Dr. Renzo Guinto says "This pandemic made us realize how public health is so important. You usually see doctors for curative purposes and not prevention, this is my role and we want to make sure that people go to the hospital when they need to. Now hospitality establishments are now into health, more than ever before. We help train assessors so properties across the country would check these properties and assert if they abide by the rules and standards of the company. Having been a customer of RedDoorz, I personally saw how the standards are implemented in the real world. Hygiene Pass gives a positive signal for travelers, so they get assured and guarantee that the place they are taking refuge has passed standards. Lobbies have thermometers, a safe place in the middle of the pandemic. This means they are not just a hotel business. We want to protect our customers, we want to protect our employees, we do our homework to comply as we continue to deal with the virus. The holidays are meant for reunions, we have to sacrifice a little not to see physically, stay safe at home."

 Mr. Capistrano says "We are very excited to note that since we launched the campaign, our safety is our priority, in terms of the business, all hotels that have it have improved visibility, increase in traffic and demand. More than 10% increase and is still increasing every year. I believe it should always be the priority, with or without the virus. Everyone stays in them so it should be really sanitized."  

Kean Cipriano says "Happy to be here to hangout with you guys, still alive and my family is safe. To be honest, it's really different to do this inside our homes, the pandemic is really hard because of the different landscape. I am optimistic that 2021 will be different and hopefully we can learn from the procedures and things we are implementing in Hygiene Pass. I actually take care of my kids, we don't have help, I take them on trips and at work even for gigs and meetings. When I stayed in a RedDoorz property, I made sure my family is safe, it's like when you stay in one, you'll be familiar with any RedDoorz property. For me, this campaign is just something to be thankful for. We are all paranoid for my kids and myself, I don't go out much but in this time, we can't rely on someone else's honesty and it's all about integrity, a campaign where RedDoorz make sure we're going to be safe is something that is huge especially for me who's a big family man. It really matters, before, it was so different. I go out of my car and spill a bottle or more of alcohol sometimes but we have to look out for each other, this is what Hygiene Pass is, a clean promise and I will have to trust them that they are cleaning the properties not just for me but my whole family. Touring is what I do for a living and it was gone because of this pandemic, so I always have to make sure where I stay is safe, affordable and practical. When you see in social media that you've got a blue check, it's different, because in this case, there is a concern by the brand, you have assurance that even the people who work in the place are safe. This is a good step, this campaign will have a domino effect to other properties so we would be mindful, make sure our people are safe. This will help a lot of people. Happy holidays!"

 

Now go download the official RedDoorz app and see what properties are listed with the Hygiene Pass, make sure the place you are going to and staying in is a safe place, just look for the Hygiene Pass seal and be assured it's okay because they got it taken cared of.

 

JOY NOSTALG's Holiday Offerings

Spent an evening at the Joy Nostalg for their annual Christmas Tree lighting event. Invited guests of the hotel, their executives and media were there to witness the ceremonies while we were put in the mood by the lovely choir from their chosen charity orgnization the Virlanie Foundation.

They have been involved in helping these kids go to school, their families which usually belong to the poorest of the poor communities. The Joy Nostalg is a hotel under the management of the Accor group and they didn't dissapoint in their spread and plans these holidays. It was all heavenly!

The GM of Joy Nostalg says "Accor has had a long relationship with Virlanie and our family gets bigger. We have started to sell products that benefit their families in their community directly. This is my first year here, but the crowd is bigger and thank you for being here."

They are also supoorting Kaya by Virlanie Foundation, they are doing this through Bayanihan, a word that signifies helping each other to have a more sustainable Christmas. They are a child caring institution so they work on the streets, community, residential places, health and psycho social, education, integration and more of their advocacies. This includes abused, neglected and unsupported kids so they too would have a normal life. They are also enabling them for social entrepreneurship, so they too who are at risk will survive, even going to Europe to put out their cause and they hope people would support them. They need the avenue and train them to be self sufficient, a very nice cause especially in these places in the Philippines. They have eco ornaments, other products that mothers could sell at an even better price, so they too can be successful like other people, with sustainable livelihood.

If you want to help you may see them via Virlanie.org.

By the way, Joy Nostalg will take you to a festive mood on Christmas Eve and New Years day as they offer full buffet treats including these dishes for only Php 1,700. On other days they also have OFF THE GRILL menu which costs Php 1,500 only with the best cuts of meat, sausages and sides plus a glass of bubbly. They offer it during weekdays only.

Go to Joy Nostalg at the 6th floor of their tower, along ADB Avenue in Ortigas Center Pasig City. You won’t be heartbroken! It is absolutely worth it! Call 6377888.

KUMAGCOW

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