"Romantic stay for two with a candlelight dinner at Artina Suites in Makati City - Choose 1 or 2 Nights"
Such was the description on the discount voucher I purchased last Feb. 14, 2013 from Groupon (http://www.beeconomic.com.ph/). Meant to be used as a celebratory gift for my husband and I on the occasion of our 11th wedding anniversary, we were not disappointed at all. Of course, it will all start with having realistic expectations in the first place. You don't expect much from a hotel package worth Php3,700, especially when you've paid just Php1,899 for it via Groupon.
1. Reception/ist
The first people that guests will meet are, of course, the receptionists. In high-end hotels, the door attendant and/or bellhop will greet the guests.
Such was the description on the discount voucher I purchased last Feb. 14, 2013 from Groupon (http://www.beeconomic.com.ph/). Meant to be used as a celebratory gift for my husband and I on the occasion of our 11th wedding anniversary, we were not disappointed at all. Of course, it will all start with having realistic expectations in the first place. You don't expect much from a hotel package worth Php3,700, especially when you've paid just Php1,899 for it via Groupon.
1. Reception/ist
The first people that guests will meet are, of course, the receptionists. In high-end hotels, the door attendant and/or bellhop will greet the guests.
But at this boutique hotel, the proportionately-sized reception area or lobby is clearly seen from the outside due to the full glass wall installed at the hotel's entrance. Christine and Ruby were very accommodating over the phone and in person. There is no inkling that guests like us, who have paid less via a group buying promo, are treated less cordially as their regular paying patrons.They just need to improve on their check-out procedures to ensure that all room charges are summarized properly. She forgot to look at our Cafe charges... we had to mention it to her. |
2. Room Of course, the bulk of what we've paid for is the room. We got Rm #7 on the 2nd floor. Being quite claustrophobic, I was relieved to see that the hallways' space was adequate. The color palette was more of the cool neutral family of gray, light brown and cream. There were also motion-sensing hallway lights. To enter the room, you'll just need to flash your card in front of the sensor on top of the door knob. Upon entering, you'll have to place your key card on the slot on the wall to turn on the electricity in the room. I love this feature since |
it's a way to conserve electricity by preventing unnecessary consumption due to "forgetful" guests who were not able to turn off the air conditioning unit, lights and television, etc.
We were welcomed by a clean, minimalistic-designed room. The walls were painted a dark shade of gray which was a nice contrast to the queen-sized bed dressed in white sheets and accentuated with a couple of richly-colored throw pillows. There was a 40+ inch flat screen TV and a split-type air conditioner which was set at 18 ° C --- a temperature ideal for snuggling under the comforter. The cool effect could have turned really cold were it not for the light colored varnish on the wooden counters found in the center of the room meant to be a place for dining-in, drinking coffee on and reading the newspaper (which, incidentally, they give out for free to guests) on. There was a microwave and a personal chiller which contains just five (5) cans of soda (which by the way, costs only Php30 each).
We were welcomed by a clean, minimalistic-designed room. The walls were painted a dark shade of gray which was a nice contrast to the queen-sized bed dressed in white sheets and accentuated with a couple of richly-colored throw pillows. There was a 40+ inch flat screen TV and a split-type air conditioner which was set at 18 ° C --- a temperature ideal for snuggling under the comforter. The cool effect could have turned really cold were it not for the light colored varnish on the wooden counters found in the center of the room meant to be a place for dining-in, drinking coffee on and reading the newspaper (which, incidentally, they give out for free to guests) on. There was a microwave and a personal chiller which contains just five (5) cans of soda (which by the way, costs only Php30 each).
There was another door to the right, which I presumed was the bathroom. I was delighted to see a walk-in closet prior to the bathroom itself behind that door. Being a fan of dark-colored wood designs, I was impressed by the clean lines and combination of gray concrete, brown wood and white opaque glass. Another plus is the huge shower head installed. There was also a bidet in the water closet (no need for bringing a "tabo" or dipper). Minimal supplies such as shampoo, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste were provided, as well as a pair of slippers. |
3. Dining
The package includes a candlelight dinner and a set breakfast. We had an early dinner at 6:30 pm because we had an 11:00pm appointment at the spa later that evening (see related blog). We were given a choice among 6 or 7 dinner sets. My husband chose the Crispy Chicken dish (of course, with rice) while I chose the Creamy Tomato & Bacon Pasta. We both had Nido soup for starters and before long, were served the main dishes. (see related blog)
The package includes a candlelight dinner and a set breakfast. We had an early dinner at 6:30 pm because we had an 11:00pm appointment at the spa later that evening (see related blog). We were given a choice among 6 or 7 dinner sets. My husband chose the Crispy Chicken dish (of course, with rice) while I chose the Creamy Tomato & Bacon Pasta. We both had Nido soup for starters and before long, were served the main dishes. (see related blog)
I ordered toasted bread as an extra since I needed a differently-textured food to munch on. Then we ordered the choco creamy flan for dessert (not included in the dinner package). The dinner was good and above my expectations (except for the fact that there was no "candlelight"...). The dining crew was accommodating also, but by the time we finished eating, there were none around to have us sign off for the extra food items ordered to be charged to our room. I had to ask if there was something we had to sign for the additional orders. (Hmmm... it looks like they're used to giving out items for free?) | |
Meanwhile, the breakfast was also good, although not as good as the dinner. My husband had ham, scrambled eggs and garlic rice while I chose the Italian-sausage-patties-sunny-side-up-egg-and-garlic-rice set. They should have offered tapa and tocino in the breakfast sets too. Of course, we both had brewed coffee. It was unfortunate that coffee was not unlimited.
Oh yes, before I forget. We really appreciate the good service of the hotel. At about 9:30am, we got a call from the receptionist, reminding us about our free breakfast. Really nice. :)
4. Notes for improvement
Generally, it was a good experience for us. Facilities were clean, the staff accommodating, and the food really really good. However, there are some points for improvement:
Oh yes, before I forget. We really appreciate the good service of the hotel. At about 9:30am, we got a call from the receptionist, reminding us about our free breakfast. Really nice. :)
4. Notes for improvement
Generally, it was a good experience for us. Facilities were clean, the staff accommodating, and the food really really good. However, there are some points for improvement:
a. Security: Although there were security cameras in the hallways, and a security guard in the parking area in front of the lobby, unauthorized entry into the hotel could be undetected because there was a door leading up to the rooms (perhaps it serves as the fire exit) just beside the hotel cafe and far from the receptionist. The guard is also seated far from this door. It would be better for the hotel to install fire exit doors to guard against unauthorized entry from the outside. |
b. Location: The hotel is located in an area that is run-down. Granted that the hotel cannot do anything about its surroundings, it could be good for the hotel to install markers along the J.P. Rizal St. to help guests locate the hotel which is tucked in Zobel St. It could also be good for the hotel to promote its location among taxi drivers. |
By the way, from Perea St. along Dela Rosa St. near Greenbelt 5 in Makati, we paid Php80-90 taxi fare. We opted to walk from the hotel back to the spa that night. It took us around 30-40 minutes but it was a good exercise.
Hope this helps fellow travelers and discount-hunters like me. Artina Suites Hotel has a website: http://www.artinasuiteshotel.com/
Kudos Artina Suites!
Hope this helps fellow travelers and discount-hunters like me. Artina Suites Hotel has a website: http://www.artinasuiteshotel.com/
Kudos Artina Suites!