Hotel Kimberly Manila

If you're looking for an affordable, clean, decent and conveniently-located hotel in Manila, then you don't have to look further than Hotel Kimberly. Less than a 5-minute walk away from a mall (Robinson's Place Ermita) and several dining and night entertainment options, the hotel is situated in the heart of Manila (Ermita/Malate area).

Rooms cost around Php 2000++ (US$ 45++) which includes buffet breakfast for two.

Simple yet functional hotel lobby.

I personally stayed for a night in this hotel last June (my room was upgraded though) and I must say I did have a pleasant stay.

My room was quite spacious and even featured a LCD TV which even some 4-star hotel don't offer. The hotel also offers free Wi-fi in all guest rooms! (which hopefully will become a standard in all hotels all over the world)

The bathroom included a bath tub (not included in the picture and is quite spacious.

The main and only dining area serves buffet breakfast. As with the rest of the hotel, menu selection is very basic...you have your egg station, bread, cereal, fruits, juice, 2 or 3 hot items, rice and bread. Nothing exceptional but enough to fill one's tummy and start of the day right. Dining area is also noticeably clean, a huge plus.

Hotel Kimberly Manila

770 Pedro Gil Street

Malate, Manila, Philippines

Tel (63 2) 5211888

Fax (63 2) 5267270

Website: http://manila.hotelkimberly.com/index

The Fireplace

I usually do not entertain the idea of having dinner unless it is to be with the company of very good friends or my dear cousins but, last night, we had to fulfill our acceptance of an invitation from our friends from Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila to dine at The Fireplace. Jay Serrano (Director of Sales) and Jeff Poon (scion of Maxim's Manila and Sales Manager for Travel) graciously invited us to sample their new scallop dishes and we could not say no (yes we could, but who turns away a free meal or two!)

The exterior of The Fireplace which kind of reminds me of some fancy steam train that one sees in Western flicks


The inner dining area.


A closer look at the open kitchen.


Simple yet elegantly set up table for a party of eight.


Menu with corresponding prices placed at the entrance of the restaurant. You might need to enlarge it a bit as the lighting was a little bit dim-ish to keep with the ambiance.

First of all, a short description of The Fireplace based on the hotel's website "Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila introduces the perfect spot for wining and dining – The Fireplace. This upscale grill room offering perfectly cooked prime meats and seafood showcasing culinary excellence and offers an interactive dining experience that is unique to Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila.

Be charmed by the elegant brass interiors and open kitchen concept, with its large wood-fired oven located in full view of the guests as the chefs prepare their dishes.

A fine wine library with a vast selection of European and New World wines is another attraction of The Fireplace, where a relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere, matched with excellent cuisine, provides a dining experience like no other."

One of the wine storage facilities/cooler that lined the side wall of the restaurant. This one contained a selection of champagnes.

Now on to the food that we partook of last night. For starters, I had half a serving of their Millionaire's Salad.

The salad included pan-fried foie gras, prawns, seared scallops, organic leaves and raspberry vignairette. Now why only half a serving? For one, a whole order may be too much for one person as you may still want to enjoy the other courses. Should you wish to order this salad, I would suggest for two people to share it. This is a fantastic salad and one of the highlights of the evening's meal if taken in moderation.
Price: Php 1400++ (US$ 32++)


Next came my soup which was Oven baked onion with gruyere cheese, or as my boss would say, is just a fancy name for French Onion Soup.

Beautifully presented, I could not help enjoying this familiar and tasteful soup. The gruyere cheese sticking to the outside of the bowl which was meant as an 'ornament' to enhance the look of the soup was so good that I could not help peeling it off and eating it with my soup. I could only finish 3/4 of the bowl and it felt like the bowl was bottomless!
Price: Php 430++ (US$ 10++)


Next came the main course and piece de resistance, Surf and Turf. It consists of a piece of US Prime Rib, Scallops and some veggies. This dish is actually part of the special Scallop menu at The Fireplace which will only have a limited run (until end fo June, if I'm not mistaken). Scallops are specially flown in from the USA.

The prime rib, served medium as I requested was soft and juicy and quite tasty. The scallops though, were not what I anticipated it to be. Being of Chinese heritage perhaps, I've been exposed to scallops at an early age and although not a food connoisseur, I can say that this has not been the best scallops I've ever tasted. Overall, the dish was good but not excellent.
Price: Php 2000++ (US$ 47++)


And the finale? A bowl filled with Chocolate Soup. Those infected with a sweet-tooth (like myself) will enjoy this dessert as it ultimately chocolate-y. I finished the whole bowl without getting any quesy feeling so it must really be good. The small scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle helped neutralize the chocolate overdose a bit.


All in all, I would say that The Fireplace is an enjoyable place to dine in specially if you have a lot of spare change to spend. They have a wide selection of steaks that would make any steak lover drool. Wine lovers will also be bombarded with a diverse list of wines from practically all wine-producing countries (France, Italy, Chile, Australia, US, etc). Value for money is good at The Fireplace so make your next romantic date at The Fireplace.

The Fireplace @ the 5th Floor
Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila
1588 Pedro Gil corner
M.H. del Pilar
Malate, Manila 1004
Philippines
Tel: (+63 2) 2451234
Website: www.manila.casino.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/restaurants/index.jsp#9062005
Open only for dinner: 1800-2300H daily

The A.Venue Hotel Suite & Antel Spa Suites

The A.Venue Hotel Suite and Antel Spa Suites are two condotels (a combination of residential units and hotel rooms) that are located inside the Antel Lifestyle City along Makati Avenue, Makati City.

Inside the Antel Lifestule City, you will find the the two earlier-mentioned condotels, a mall and an event venue call A. Venue Hall. A third tower/condotel is soon to rise by the name of Serenity.

There is currently a re-branding of the hotel name to include the Best Western name, a chain of mid to low level hotels in the US and around the world.

THE A. VENUE HOTEL SUITE

Let us go first to the tower that was built 3 years ago, The A. Venue Hotel Suite.

The hotel lobby felt like a residential condominium's lobby more than a hotel's. It was quite cramped and low-ceilinged. Since the owners of the Antel group actually specialized in residential condominiums, it was quite understandable why the hotel has this kind of lobby for its first hotel venture.

I was then ushered to a show-room with a one-bedroom unit being first in their showcase.

A spacious kitchen compared to the kitchen of the two-bedroom unit although I doubt if anybody really ever takes the time to cook when staying in hotels like these. Cutleries and plates and other cooking equipment are available upon request.

A writing desk squeezed in instead of a side table is a fantastic idea to maximize the space available.

No bathtub but who actually takes the time out to soak oneself in hotel bathtubs...i certainly don't.

Now this is a little jiffy if you ask me since the chair is actually blocking the closet door and there is nowhere else to put the chair into.

And the two bedroom unit:

I like the flexibility of the center table which can be flipped on its side to function as a mini table to put your popcorn bowl and drinks should a movie night be desired.

A table for four is a bit of a squeeze to use as there is not much space to move around when you're seated beside each other.

As I mentioned earlier, I prefer the layout of the kitchen for the one-bedroom unit as this one seemed to be added as an afterthought since there still some available space (which I'm sure it ain't)

The second toilet located beside the 2nd bedroom.

The master bedroom bed.

A suitably sized lcd TV inside the master bedroom although the dangling power box is an eye sore.

The master bedroom toilet with a bathtub.

The 2nd bedroom.

The corridor at The A. Venue Suites.

On top of this, The A. Venue Suites has a Grand Ballroom and three other smaller function rooms, Business Center, Infinity Pool and Kid's Pool, Wi-fi (charged), spa, gym, Coffee shop, Laundry service, and Parking.

The A. Venue Hotel Suites

Antel Lifestyle City

7829 Makati Avenue, Makati City, Philippines

Tel: (63 2) 4030865 / 4030888

Fax: (63 2) 4030854

Website: http://www.avenuehotelsuites.com/index.php

ANTEL SPA SUITES

Antel Spa Suites is the second hotel built by the Antel group and it seems they have started to do a little bit of research on how a hotel should look like. The lobby was airy, spacious and had a high ceiling. It looks very much like a proper hotel lobby.

The only room type available was the Studio Suite which is adequately sized and furnished.

For such a small room, it comes equipped with a kitchenette and dining table. A welcome addition for occasions when you want to eat inside your hotel room and not do it on your bed.

The bathroom, although compact, comes with a bathtub. I just hope its not too tight sitting on the toilet seat.

A shot taken from the hotel hallway.

Facilities of the hotel include a Spa, Infinity Pool, Gym, Laundry Service, Coffee Shop, Business Center and Parking.

Antel Spa Suites

Antel Lifestyle City

7829 Makati Avenue, Makati City, Philippines

Tel: (63 2) 4030808

Fax: (63 2) 4037572

Website: http://www.antelspahotelsuites.com/index.html

The Rotisserie

Aren't there times that you wished you could just take a relaxing and un-hurried dinner with friends with the ambiance of a fine dining restaurant. I do! Which is why for my post birthday treat this year (my birthday is actually in February but we always wait for the group to be complete before we do any celebrations, thus, this dinner happened early part of May), I decided to introduce my friends to The Rotisserie.

According to The Rotisserie's press kit "Preserving a traditional exceptional food and service, Rotisserie is the home of Manila's Prime Rib of Roast Beef and Caesar Salad. Take a stroll down memory lane and reminisce the flair of the Old Manila through Rotiserrie's classic vintage setting"

The Rotisserie has been around for more than 30 years if my memory serves me right and this restaurant used to be THE restaurant to be seen. Nowadays, it seems as if the restaurant has lost all its glory and the young ones would not even be familiar with this restaurant.

Be prepared to spend a bit when you dine at The Rotisserie. Expect to spend at least Php 2,000 or US$ 46 per person, not including the drinks yet. I was fortunate to personally know the Food and Beverage Director as well as the Executive Chef of the hotel and I asked them to prepare a special menu for me and my friends at a very special price (hotel director's privilege which I was able to "borrow").

First off, we had the complimentary bread basket. Remember this is in a fine dining setting so we expected the food to be served one at a time and at a slow pace. It helped that there was an abundance of bread for us to help ourselves and satiate our hunger while waiting for each of the dishes to be presented.

Our soup came out next. Lobster Bisque it was. Very thick and tasty. You immediately know that this is no run-of-the-mill bisque.

The Caesar Salad which was tossed by the maitre d' at the salad tossing station (?). The dressing was perfect as was the generous topping of cheese and bacon bits.

My entree consisted of Roast Beef and Prawns. Now, The Rotisserie has always been known for its Roast Beef and this is where we would find out if the restaurant was able to maintain the perfect way of preparing this dish. I am usually not a fan of steaks or beef for that matter but since this is what the restaurant is famous for. I, of course, would not want to miss the chance of tasting it once again.

Certainly, the roast beef was excellent. Topped with the gravy, it was soft, chewy and delicious. The prawns were also very good and taking their shell off was a breeze. I was the only one presented with this combo dish (my friends were given the roast beef + sea bass combination) since I am allergic to fish.

My friends also enjoyed their roast beef serving. Unfortunately, the sea bass was a disappointment to all. The general consensus was that it was not fresh. A pity since it looked very appetizing.

Last came the dessert. Tiramisu with a side scoop of ice cream. Everyone sang praises for this light and tasteful end to our meal. I expected it to be mediocre but to my pleasant surprise, it was so good that I wanted a second serving.

All in all, it took us more than two hours to finish our meal. I also brought in a bottle of red wine (corkage waived upon my request) to compliment our roast beef. For special occasions, I would highly recommend this restaurant as it oozes of romance and Old World charm as they claim. The price as I mentioned earlier is hefty but in the end, your taste buds are satisfied as only a proper find dining restaurant can satisfy it.

The Rotisserie

3rd Floor, Manila Pavilion Hotel

U.N. Avenue, Ermita, Manila

1000 Philippines

Tel: (63 2) 5261212

Mon-Fri lunch: 1130H to 1500H

Mon-Sat dinner: 1830H to 2230H

Closed on Sundays