A family-friendly holiday at Azalea

MANILA, Philippines - Growing up, summer vacations are seemingly not complete without making that trip to Baguio City.

Travelers are always on the lookout for family-friendly destinations. With its year-round crisp and cool air, Baguio naturally ranks as a top pick for any family looking to unwind together, away from the scorching heat and somehow, closer to nature.

Given the ever-increasing number of tourists it has been drawing through the years, Baguio has also seen a marked rise in the number of options for where to stay.  

Want a place that’s located in the heart of the city, but could still afford guests some peace and quiet from the crowds that religiously troop to the country’s summer capital at this time of the year? Check out Azalea Residences, a newly launched hotel.

What will particularly catch the guests’ fancy is the detail on how its rooms are big enough to accommodate families and how they feature amenities that allow them to do their own cooking.

Making reservations by phone, be surprised that the person on the other line would offer not just to arrange your reservations, but to also draw up an itinerary for you to find time for new attractions to explore and interesting restos to dine in, so as to make your Baguio visit worthwhile, if not unique from the previous ones.  

And so everything is set and packed. (Clothes, check. Food, check. Toys, check.) Traveling with kids on a six-hour drive can be quite daunting. There’s relief though at finally reaching your destination. The Baguio breeze plus the sight and smell of pine trees never fail to lift up the mood of any weary traveler. Upon entering the Azalea Residences, it is apparent that this distinct Baguio ambiance got enhanced by the hotel’s huge, log-cabin structure. 

Picture a big, cozy house. One that’s nicely tucked away from the busy downtown, but still thankfully, accessible from Session Road where the biggest slice of the city’s action and activities is.

Check-in is seamless, and guests are welcomed right away with juice squeezed out of freshly picked strawberries and served in tall cocktail glasses, which the children would love, plus warm towels to freshen everyone up.

Traveling as an extended family, avail yourselves of the hotel’s two-bedroom suite. The suite is roomier; occupying 60 square meters, it is more spacious than the average condo unit.

The suite is replete with a living area (its sofa can transform into a pull-out bed), kitchen and dining area all spruced up with amenities which, how cliché this may sound, are all that guests need to feel that it is going to be their “home” away from their home in Manila.

There are multiple TV sets placed in each room plus the living area for equal entertainment for everybody. The kitchen has complete cooking equipment, as well as a microwave oven, refrigerator and rice cooker. The hotel also takes care of the dinnerware. Any tourist would relish doing their own cooking in Baguio what with the fresh vegetables harvested from nearby La Trinidad Valley and sold at the Baguio City Market situated at the base of Session Road near Burnham Park. (Other must-try goodies and local produce found at the market include Cordillera rice wine — for the adults, of course! — plus handicrafts and other popular pasalubong items.)

Thanks to Azalea Residences’ host of amenities, guests could be tempted to stay indoors in the whole duration of their holiday. The suite’s ample space makes it possible for the kids to set up an “indoor” campsite. If the kids want to have a bit of the rough-and-tumble play in the outdoors, a playground is also available.

Breakfast is served at the hotel’s Tradisyon Coffee Shop. The fine Filipino fare includes fried rice, crispy espada, local longganisa, etc. Tradisyon is open until 10 p.m. so there’s nothing to worry for those who want to grab late-evening snacks. Azalea Residences also has a bar lounge named 8 Degrees that’s offering a variety of cocktails, milkshakes and specialty coffee.

The hotel also has a tent venue for special events and social gatherings; it is the first and only such venue in Baguio. The tent can beautifully be transformed into a wedding reception venue.

Having a desire for serene and tranquil surroundings to complement family bonding, the hotel is able to deliver and meet expectations. More importantly, kids (and even the moody ones) can have a great time and would hardly be bored. And that’s the most priceless thing in any family vacation. Azalea Residences, indeed, is proving to be a holiday haven that’s worthy of a return soon.

For the frequent holiday goers, sign up with Azalea Resorts & Residences’ Timeshare Vacation Club. Members get to have access to a number of usage benefits that will guarantee a holiday unlike any other.

Azalea Resorts & Residences is currently offering timeshare on special promotion. The membership package includes a lifetime membership, seven days of vacation per year, and floating periods within Azalea properties.

Azalea Resorts & Residences is owned by Fog Horn Inc. and is affiliated with RCI (Resort Condominium International), the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the world’s largest full-service vacation rental business, providing access to more than 85,000 vacation properties in 100 countries.

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Azalea Residences Baguio is located at Leonard Wood Loop, Barangay M. Roxas, Baguio City. For more information, visit www.azalea.com.ph. For reservations or inquiries, e-mail at reservations@azalea.com.ph or call its Manila Reservations at 02-5794894 or 02-5794890, Baguio Reservations 074-4428888 or its mobile number 0917-8611641.