Stories of Places, People and Photography in the Philippines and Beyond
It’s all about you at I’m Hotel. It’s time to celebrate your individuality and indulge yourself with some much deserved luxury. I’m Hotel is a 5-star hotel in the heart of the bustling Poblacion, Makati. It’s hard to miss this 24-story hotel, towering at the corner of Kalayaan and Makati Avenue. It’s near the central business district and just walks away from where the nightlife and shopping areas are.
November is a very festive month for the municipality of Angono, the art capital of the country. Aside from the main Higantes Festival which usually happens on the 3rd week of November, there are pockets of activities leading to and after the event. If one plans to experience the Angono Higantes Festival, it’ll be a good idea to stay in town. One place I would recommend is Villa Jhoana Resort, a seven-room elegant pool villa strategically in the heart of Angono.
It was a calm morning. Subtle purple hues dominated the sky. I made my way to the segmented stairs leading to the topmost viewing deck atop the rock where this private resort was named from, La Roca Villa. It was only in this morning light when I can truly appreciate the place. From this higher vantage point, I could see the Greek-inspired structures of the resort. White washed walls, blue domes, a pool and the low-tide shores filled my view. Immediately, Santorini came into mind.
There is so much action happening at San Juan Beach, La Union. The surfing, the chill night life and interesting eats in the area. Right smack at the center of it all is our lodging, Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa. A luxury Filipino-Balinese inspired resort facing the famed shores of San Juan Beach. This was our home for a night during our Lakbay Norte leg in La Union.
Makati is a prime location in Metro Manila. If you’re travelling and looking for a place to stay within this city, initial impression would be that it would be expensive. A bed alone at one of the hostels can cost Php 500–700 alone. But if you have a little more budget and yearning for more space than the four corners of a bed, it is worth checking out Jupiter Suites in Bel-air Makati. More than a decade of experience is its charm and ridiculously huge rooms as one of its key appeal.
The road seemed to stretch farther and deeper as the afternoon. We’ve been on the road since mid-morning. While we had a welcome respite from the road travel at Aloguinsan for the Bojo River Cruise, I must admit I was getting a bit antsy to reach our home for the night in Moalboal. Though the ride was roughly an hour and a half long, the road became narrower and dustier as we left the highway. We were looking for Hale Manna Beach Resort and Coastal Garden, located almost at the tip of this short protrusion of a land southwest of Cebu. There was surprise in seclusion as we found out as Hale Manna is bursting with good vibes and energy.
I’ve always liked resorts with character. As soon as our van drove in at the Anika Island Resort in Sta Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu, I thought those container-type accommodations look cozy. I haven’t tried staying in one so I was very curious how they manage to repurpose them as lodgings. Anika Island Resort already had a great location along a beautiful stretch of white sand beach on Bantayan Island and the added comfort of their facilities and services makes for a memorable leisure escape.
