MANILA, Philippines – Chances are you already marked down the dates of the seat sale period on your calendar. You’ve probably drafted your itinerary upon looking at IG feeds and geotags and even browsed through Air BnB multiple times. But you also scheduled leaves in advance to make time for a visa application and a last-minute run to the mall. You leave the house five hours prior to your flight but only to find out it’s delayed. It’s always nice to travel far for a change of pace every now and then. Seeing new places, meeting different people and trying new things always leaves us feeling renewed. But planning trips in a rush and with a tight schedule might just give additional stress rather than do any good. Thankfully, staycations have become a thing, and days off have never been the same.
A recent trip to Makati was unlike any of the times I spent singing to Taylor Swift (no shame!) while stuck in the middle of Waze hell. I was being dropped off at Holiday Inn & Suites Makati, where I was staying for the weekend, when friendly staff and a giant teddy bear greeted me at the front door. I couldn’t help but smile right back at the staff — also (maybe) because of the sight of Glorietta mall literally right beside the hotel. (Totes my kind of neighbors!) Like most people, I called up the lobby for the WiFi password as soon as I got to my room. I kicked off my shoes and blasted my playlist through the room speakers and it became nothing like a party of one. And with the mall being next door, I couldn’t help but sneak in a quick search for early holiday presents before I left for a late afternoon at Circuit Makati.
In case you haven’t heard, Circuit is the budding entertainment hub at the north of this city. With new theaters, museums and establishments on the rise, it is bound to be the new watering hole by 2018. But for now, the skate park and go-kart attractions lured me to that side of town — riding an adorable Circuit Makati shuttle bus, by the way. For the more skillful, skateboarding might just be the thing. But I’d gladly stick to staying behind the wheels and City Kart Racing offers just that. For a first timer, I guess I did pretty well. With 12 minutes on the track, it was no Fast and the Furious but the adrenaline did make up for all the times I was stuck in EDSA traffic. Maneuvering through those sharp turns really drained the energy out of me so it was only proper that I got some grub right after. There aren’t a lot of dining establishments open yet but, thankfully, Backyard was ready to serve hungry guests like me. What the Circuit food scene currently lacks in options, it makes up for with taste. Case in point: Backyard’s tinapa in quinoa salad, chicken lollipop with tequila lime glaze, and fresh ricotta ice cream. And as if the treats weren’t enough, I also had the option to catch Sandbox Collective’s No Filter 2.0 in Circuit’s newly built Power Mac Spotlight Center and a full-body massage service waiting for me back at the hotel.
While I can never really tell what the deal is with hotel sheets and comforters, I woke up feeling so energized that I even went for an early morning swim. Did I mention the view from the pool was overlooking the Makati City skyline? It was the perfect spot for a double-tap-worthy sunrise. But what would a hotel overnight be without the breakfast buffet? Holiday Inn & Suites’ selection boasts a wide variety from the traditional Pinoy silogs and taho to French toast and baguettes to healthier options like fruits and yogurt. They were even serving sushi for breakfast (as all buffets should, regardless of the time of day). After eating, I found myself walking to the mall just in time to get a head start on my shopping list. I didn’t even have to worry about my bags, traffic and finding parking because the hotel concierge gladly extended my checkout until I was done with my errands. Now, that’s what I call efficient.
Sugar rush: macaroons and a wide variety of cakes completed the hotel buffet.
I guess you can tell how much I enjoyed my staycation. While it will never take the place of the thrill of adventure, it’s a good alternative for when the vacation schedule is a little tight. Makati Staycations are a balance of unwinding and being productive — perfect for the holiday season. While Christmas is a time for relaxing and celebrating with family and friends, it also involves a lot of preparation with to-dos like grocery shopping and finding the perfect gifts. But with countless attractions and retail establishments just a few steps away from Makati’s top hotels — Raffles, Fairmont, InterContinental and Holiday Inn & Suites — Make It Makati and MasterCard help make it a stress-free holiday for everyone. And now in its third year, Makati Staycation packages have gotten better with big discounts and enticing deals for accommodation, dining and wellness. I don’t know about you but this is definitely a holiday tradition truly for keeps.
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Makati Staycation packages are available to MasterCard cardholders from November to December 2015. For reservations, log on to www.makeitmakati.com or contact the reservation desks of the participating hotels. Visit facebook.com/makeitmakati for more details.