 |
| The Horizon Club deluxe room |
Sometime last week, my husband had an important meeting early in the morning in BGC. Rush hour traffic from Quezon City where we live is unpredictable so he asked me to book a room for him near his meeting venue. I decided to make a staycation of it for me and Jia.
I got us a deluxe room at
Shangri-La at The Fort but, upon check-in, I was offered Horizon Club access for just an additional Php3,500. I accepted. We checked in at 5 p.m., which was just in time for cocktails. Although I don’t drink, I was famished.
 |
| Nespresso coffee machines are always an indulgent feature |
We were given a Horizon Deluxe room on the 40th floor, which is also where the Horizon Club Lounge is located. It was 47 sqm., not a lot of space for the amount we were paying but the bed was supersized, which was perfect for us and our toddler who loves rolling and walking on the bed.
 |
| L'occitane toiletries |
Complimentary packets of banana chips and coconut chips were waiting for us in the room, and shortly after our luggage were delivered, a staff came in to set up our welcome amenities, which included a basket of fruits (orange, mango, and apples) and three chocolate balls on a stick (delicious).
 |
| Welcome setup |
 |
| Add caption |
Kids are not allowed at the club lounge during cocktails so I had my afternoon merienda alone (my husband was still at work). Then a staff approached me and asked if I’d like to be with my baby at the lounge. I said yes, of course. She transferred me to an empty meeting room at the lounge, away from all the drinking guests, so I was able to bring in Jia and the nurse.
 |
| Tapas |
 |
| Cold canapes |
 |
| Bread |
 |
| Sushi |
 |
| A whole leg of Jamon Iberico |
When we had our fill, I took Jia to Adventure Zone on the 5th floor. Access to stay-in guests is Php600. They require kids to be dressed in long sleeved tops and long pants. Everyone including adult companions must wear socks. The jungle gyms and slides are ideal for older kids but Jia enjoyed playing with the toys.
 |
| Salimpusa at Adventure Zone |
 |
| Kerry Sports Gym has a basketball court! |
 |
| The pool area at the 8th floor |
I met up with my friend Clang at Samba restaurant at the 8th floor for dinner. This is also where the pool area is located. The pool looked inviting but I wasn’t able to take Jia for a dip because she was just recovering from a cold.
Samba’s cuisine is Peruvian, which is growing in popularity in the metro, but they also infuse local flavors in select offerings such as their Peruvian adobo. Their arroz con mariscos, a traditional Peruvian seafood rice, was bursting with flavor. I wish I got to try more of their offerings but I was still too full from my cocktail-hour nibbles.
 |
| Arroz con Mariscos |
The next morning, after my husband left for his meeting, I went down to the lobby to have breakfast at High Street Café. The buffet selection was ample—not as overwhelming as Spiral’s but thoughtfully curated. Even their bacon is better, grilled over hot coals instead of pan-fried.
 |
| Bacon! |
 |
| Salad station |
 |
| Gelato station |
 |
| My favorite -- bread station |
 |
| My husband's preferred sweets - kakanin! |
 |
| Filipino breakfast |
 |
| Eggs station |
 |
| Add caption |
 |
| There's also a Grab and Go station at the entrance for those in a hurry |
Horizon Club guests have the option of having their breakfast either at the lounge or at High Street Café. The latter is certainly a better option as the selection is far more extensive. I thought the lounge offering was lackluster and in dire need of more hot dishes, although you can request the staff for congee, noodles, and the like, which I did for my daughter. Jia loves sleeping in hotel rooms! She slept through the night and woke up at 10:28 a.m. I took her straight to breakfast at the lounge. Thankfully, the staff still accommodated my food requests for her.
There's so much to do at Shangri-La at The Fort that it deserves more than a single visit or an overnight stay. The husband wants to play on their basketball court and try out their gym. I want to dine in all their restaurants, visit their spa, and maybe book a haircut with Alex Carbonell at Studio Fix located at the adjacent mall. I'd also love to enrol Jia in one of the classes at Adventure Zone and take her to The Mind Museum nearby.
Shangri-La at the Fort is in the same price category as Raffles Makati so it’s hard not to compare. For a romantic weekend, I'd pick Raffles. I'd go with Shangri-La for a family affair.
No comments:
Post a Comment