The suite life at InterContinental Manila

If you are looking for a pocket vacation that won’t hurt your budget, head off to the InterContinental Manila and book yourself a suite for the five-star pampering you truly deserve. Just flash your Citibank card and, voila!, you get a 20 percent discount on any Suite room on weekends.

That’s what I did recently. I booked myself a junior suite, and as luck would have it, the room came with access to the Club InterContinental Lounge.

This offer is too good to pass up. For many seasoned travelers, the InterContinental brand speaks of luxury and old-world elegance, as well as friendly, efficient and innovative service. One of the first premier hotels to open in the Philippines in the late ’60s, it continues to be one of the leading hospitality establishments in the country.

If you haven’t been to the Intercon in a long time, you just might think you’re in a new hotel once you enter its doors. That’s because it has just completed a total renovation that has been described as “fresh, stylish and contemporary.” All 355 guestrooms, including 59 suites, have been done in earth tones and walnut wood finish, complemented by cut-and-loop carpeting. Cutting-edge room amenities include flat screen TV sets, broadband Internet access, and modern-day amenities that adhere to the InterContinental Hotel standards.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

When my booking was made, I was advised to go straight to the Club Lounge at the 14th floor for express check-in. As soon as I introduced myself to the receptionist, I was greeted like a king, Treated like one, too. After I checked in, the receptionist guided me to my room, as she updated me on the services available at the Lounge. Where else can you get personalized treatment like this?

It is not surprising for the hotel to be proud of its Club Lounge because it is the highlight of the renovation. The spacious lounge offers panoramic views of busy Ayala Center, nearby residential villages, EDSA, and even faraway Manila Bay on a clear day. And if you look out the ceiling-to-floor picture windows, there’s a refreshing rooftop Zen garden, created by noted landscape designer Ponce Veridiano, to relax your senses. Inside, a variety of Oriental art objects and a photo mural by Jaime Zobel de Ayala complete the lounge’s luxe ambience.

The Club Lounge has a conference room with its own side bar and coat racks, which guests can avail themselves of during their stay, access to Internet work stations, a private library with its own reading room, and a sprawling dining area with a long buffet table and bar that can cater to 60 to 70 guests. Complimentary breakfast, cocktails, and free-flowing coffee, tea and juices are available for Club guests, while a team of butlers is on hand to cater to the needs of guests.

I’m not kidding. Afternoon tea is from 3 to 5 p.m., cocktails from 6 to 8 p.m., and breakfast from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Yessiree, it’s munch till you drop over here. And in case that still isn’t enough, a buffet of after-dinner drinks and hors d’oeuvres is served at the Club Lounge for P850++ per person from 8 to 11 p.m.

Oh my, I could really live at the Intercon for an entire day if I wanted to!

My junior suite was snug and cozy, and although the sleeping area might be a little bit cramped — it is an L-shaped room, I daresay a challenge to the renovation team — the bathroom is truly spacious. There are separate bath and shower areas, and his and hers wash basins.

And if you are staying at the Intercon, there’s only one place to dine in style, and that’s at the Prince Albert Rotisserie. This fine dining restaurant is famous for its steaks, which are cooked fresh daily from the same oven the restaurant has been using since it first opened in 1969.

And yes, have the Angus prime rib roast beef. There’s nothing like it really. The slab of beef is kept in a special trolley where it slowly cooks to almost rare doneness. The steak is sliced, further cooked to your desired doneness, and served with a siding of steamed vegetables, jacket potato, and Yorkshire pudding. Just a slice and a bite, and you are in steak heaven. No other steak is as tender and flavorful.

If you are on a budget, the Prince Albert now has prix fixe lunch menus that come with either a 150- or 300-gram slice of steak. Just choose the meal that you want, and it comes with a buffet of appetizers; soup, salad or hot entrée; and dessert. What more can you ask for?

Surely, life is really suite here at the Intercon.

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Until Nov. 30, Citibank Gold and Platinum cardholders visiting InterContinental Manila get the following privileges:

• 20 percent discount on all Suite rooms. (Valid from Friday to Sunday, for local residents, and subject to availability.)

• 15 percent discount on total food bill, when dining with four or more guests at Cafe Jeepney, Gambrinus, and Sol Y Sombra.

• 10 percent discount on deluxe and executive rooms, for local residents and subject to availability.

This is one of the many offers available to Citi cardholders through Citibank World Privileges, which has been described as the next-generation privilege program, offering more than just discounts and freebies. Overall, its intent is for its cardholders to walk away with rewarding experiences every time they use their Citibank card. Apart from local partners, it also has exclusive offers for its cardholders in 17,000 merchants across Asia Pacific and the world. All these are possible only through Citibank’s comprehensive local, regional and global knowledge as well as partnerships.

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InterContinental Manila is at 1 Ayala Ave., 1226 Makati City. For reservations and inquiries on its suites, call 815-9711. Log on to www.intercontinental.com/manila.