Holiday Inn

MANILA, Philippines - The new kid in the Makati block is a familiar friend. For years, Filipinos have loved Holiday Inn for its casual, down-home atmosphere and friendly service. Now Holiday Inn & Suites is bringing its brand of hospitality in the middle of bustling Makati, right where the action is. One cannot find better action than at the Ayala Center, where the hotel is connected to. Holiday Inn is quite impossible to miss, too: just look for the mall entrance facing Pasay Road and it is there.

Holiday Inn’s location allows it to go beyond its casual setting. “As a global brand, Holiday Inn attracts the leisure market. However, because of its location, Holiday Inn attracts a lot of corporate businesses, from companies to online bookers. The hotel is also attractive to tourists because it is the only hotel directly connected to the Ayala Center mall,” begins Teri Flores, Holiday Inn & Suites PR and marketing communications manager.

The hotel has a lot more going for it. For business travelers and corporate guests, Holiday Inn could certainly be a welcome proposition. All the function rooms are at par with the best in the city, coming complete with modern electronic equipment and free Internet access. The hotel will even set up a buffet at the foyer should food be required within reach. Holiday Inn can accommodate groups of various sizes, with meeting rooms, a boardroom, a business center, and an executive lounge waiting to serve.

Holiday Inn boasts of 348 rooms, each specifically designed according to the hotel brand’s standards around the world. Each room, with the smallest type at 32 square meters, is fully equipped with a high-definition 40-inch LED TV, IDD/NDD telephone, coffee and tea-making facilities, mini-bar, work desk with high-speed Internet access, a multimedia panel, duvet, and Holiday Inn’s signature soft and firm pillows. If this is not comfort beyond one’s expectations, then it is next to impossible figuring out what is.

Flores shares that their suites are perfect for long-staying guests. “Depending on their preferences, guests can choose from our types of suites. There is a corner suite which is more spacious than the deluxe room. The Executive Suite has one bedroom while the Makati Suite has two. These suites are ideal for families and bigger groups.”

“Our suites have a mini-kitchen. There are pots and pans, cutlery, a microwave oven, and everything else that lets you cook. See, we give options to our guests should they have the need to cook their own food in their suite.”

In fact, the food choices at Holiday Inn are something they are proud of. The all-day dining flagship restaurant called, appropriately enough, Flavors offers palate-pleasing world cuisine showcased in its daily buffet. “We named it Flavors because it has all the flavors, to put it simply,” she says. “Everyday we serve up at least five of the dominant tastes. So we have something for everyone at Flavors.”

Flavors is a must-try. The buffet may not be as overwhelming as the hotel’s bigger counterparts but it certainly brings out a set of delicious choices for the discriminating foodie.

“We take pride in our homegrown recipes at Flavors,” she declares. “We take pride in the good selection of our buffet.”

Mention must be made of Holiday Inn’s unique take of the curiously popular pastry that is a hybrid of the croissant and doughnut: the Krookie. The hotel’s version has an Oreo cookie in the middle, and is not oily — definitely a must-try in Holiday Inn.

For a just-as-relaxing setting, try the Citron lobby bar and its intriguing menu based on a person’s blood type. To feel that one is truly at the top of the world, then the Oz Bar is the place to party. As the only skybar in this urban jungle, guests get to enjoy various views of the city from the bar. Their witty signature drinks are tops, and so is the rest of the bar menu.

“Nightlife at Oz is an experience. With our roofdeck bar, one can choose to stay inside or outside. We convert the poolside into a lounge area where guests can groove to the sounds of our DJ,” Flores says.

Even the Executive Lounge is also a haven of cuisine and comfort. It is open all-day for refreshments, and has breakfast from 6:30 to 11 a.m. Afternoon tea happens from 3 to 5 p.m., and features local delicacies and non-alcoholic drinks. Flores says, “One can get his drinks here and bring them up to his room.”

Flores is also particularly fond of the hotel’s ambience: “Holiday Inn Makati is casual and modern. The brand globally promotes a relaxed environment. It is not prissy, so one can come in shorts and still be welcomed in true Holiday Inn style. Even with our friendly service staff, we make sure that they have comfortable uniforms. That is why they are allowed to wear sneakers.”

Should one feel guilty from taking his holiday way too seriously, there is the hotel gym and spa, both offering the latest equipment and soothing treatments.

The hotel is a virtual feast to the eyes and spirit. There are paintings done by Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala in all the rooms. The stylish interiors were put together by three teams: Bernie Miranda for the guest rooms, Noel Bernardo for the F&B outlet, and the roofdeck pool and bar by Asuncion Berenguer. The country’s respected and sought-after floral architect Rachy Cuna is Holiday Inn’s in-house consultant for decorations. With this group of artists, Holiday Inn is easily one of the most eye-catching establishments this side of town.

So if that long-dreamed of holiday is desired, then why not let Holiday Inn & Suites Makati make it a reality. After all, it does not have the word “Holiday” in its name for nothing.

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Holiday Inn & Suites is located at Glorietta 1, Palm Drive, Ayala Center, Makati City. For more information, call (02) 909-0888. Visit its website at www.holidayinn.com/makati.

Photos by Fernan Nebres