Oakwood Premier Manila lets the dogs in
MANILA, Philippines - How would you like to spend a staycation with us?” asks Aleah Alam, public relations and marketing communications executive of Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg, Manila. Not being a staycation type of person, I was hesitant to say yes.
“Oh, by the way,” Aleah adds, “I am inviting you and Vodka the Bichon.”
“Vodka the Bichon?” I ask.
“Yes,” came Aleah’s quick reply. “I follow her on Instagram and Oakwood Premier Manila is a pet-friendly hotel.”
I have to admit that I was excited. The invitations I get where I can bring Vodka are few and far between. I had planned on only bringing Vodka with me. But when we were packing our bags, Tasha the Poodle was making her presence felt by lying on the clothes in the luggage. So, I asked Aleah if it would be okay for Tasha to come along.
“Yes,” Aleah said. “They are both small dogs.”
We arrived at Oakwood at about 2 p.m. It was a weekday. I parked the car in the basement and proceeded to the front desk. There were only sweet smiles that greeted us as each of the staff wanted to say hi to the “famous” Vodka, and Tasha, too.
After I had quickly filled out the check-in forms; it was time to go to our room. Aleah and Michael Celis, director of sales and marketing, joined Vodka, Tasha and me as we took the elevator to our room. As soon as I opened the door, Vodka and Tasha gave the room a good sniff-down as they entered each of the two bedrooms in the suite that had been given to us for the overnight stay.
I noticed that Oakwood Premier’s appeal lies in its unique combination of hotel amenities, five-star service and the comforts of home. My home is a place for peace and quiet — so was the floor on which we were booked. I did not hear a sound during the time I was there. I also tried to keep Vodka’s yipping and yapping to a minimum, as I did not want to disturb anyone on our floor.
“The founder of Oakwood, Howard Ruby, is a well-known animal lover,” said Aleah as we headed to our room. “When Oakwood was just starting, he made sure that the properties would also be open to pets as he is a pet-lover himself. Here in Manila, our owners have agreed to the policy since not so many properties here give options for travelers coming in with their pets.”
Aleah added that the hotel does get a handful of guests who stay both long-term and short-term with their dogs. Maggie, the resident Black Labrador, and her pet parents, have been staying with the hotel for years.
“We are thankful for having responsible pet-parents who always ensure that their pets are in nozzles when in the lobby or in the elevators,” added Aleah. “The dogs are also behaved most of the time and are already used to people.”
For a pet-lover like me, that is where the beauty of Oakwood lies. But there is much more beauty to the hotel than it just being pet-friendly.
Each unit boasts a king-size bed with luxurious linens, a dining area with dinnerware, glassware and silverware; a fully-equipped gourmet kitchen with modern home appliances; waterproof flat-screen television and steam shower in the marble bathroom; washer with dryer and ironing facilities; 40-inch high-definition home entertainment system with surround-sound speakers; a built-in DVD and multi-media interface and high-speed broadband Internet access.
As I started to unpack the bag of Vodka and Tasha, I remembered that I brought them kibble for the night. I walked over to the kitchen so I could put the food in the cabinet.
I noticed that the kitchen was fully equipped with modern home appliances including a 12-cubic-foot refrigerator, an oven with a burn-free vitro-ceramic cooktop and exhaust, a microwave oven, a dishwasher, a coffee/tea maker, a kettle and bread toaster, as well as a variety of cookware and utensils that provide various options for cooking.
That done, it was time for us to check out the master’s bedroom where the three of us would share a bed. And yes, the bedroom was just what I wanted. It had a king-size bed, down pillows and the softest linens; an executive desk with Internet access; international direct-dial telephone with voice mail; and a high-definition home cinema system that provides the finest audio-visual experience.
I loved the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, which gave me a good view of Pasig City during rush-hour traffic on a weekday.
The bathroom was most interesting — a sanctuary in itself with a built-in-steam and a rain-shower head, vessel-type double sinks, a free-standing bathtub for extended indulgence, and its most unique feature, a retractable waterproof flat-screen television.
It is no wonder then that Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center Manila was chosen as the number-one hotel in Pasig in the 2014 Travelers’ Choice awards of TripAdvisor, an award given to only one percent of hotels around the world.
“We are very proud of this achievement and are thankful to our guests for taking the time to write such positive and warm accolades about us here at Oakwood,” said general manager Rick Erdos in the brochure that was in the room. “This award validates our associates’ commitment to deliver our brand promises and at the same time ensure that our future offerings and initiatives remain current to the market.”
Perchance to sleep
It was only 4 p.m. by the time the three of us had made the rounds of our suite, but, it being a staycation, we were more than ready to take a long nap on our king bed.
I helped Vodka up on the bed. Tasha could do it by herself. I pulled the curtains shut and turned off the lights — a sign that it was time to sleep. I closed my eyes and in a few minutes we were all in dreamland.
There are days that I wish would end as soon as they started. But this Wednesday was one day that I wished would never end. When it’s just me and my doggy babies, the world is a happy place.
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Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center Manila is located along ADB Avenue, Ortigas. It is within walking distance of The Podium shopping mall and Robinsons Galleria, close to SM Megamall, Shangri-La Plaza, and Greenhills Shopping Center.
