incessant rambling

for a "Hilton" that has been in Cebu for the better part of three years, the hotel has never been the top of mind choice for most vacationers and corporations wanting to host events. it's always been THAT hotel by the far end for most cebuanos. i presume things are changing as Hilton is gearing up to invite people to go just a little further down the road for the Hilton experience. i got the chance to visit the property courtesy of the new marketing communication manager, red catalan, to enjoy the third year anniversary festivities of the hotel. turn out was good with no less than the governor attending together with some of the diplomatic community and tourism honchos enjoying a fabulous night of filipino dances. the fire dancers and spectacular fireworks capped the show and added zing to a hot event. ho-hum. after the initial dance presentation my interest wandered over to the food array. unless they do an acrobatic version of the tinikling then it's just the same c...

On a recent trip to Manila I was billeted at BSA Suites, right in the middle of the Makati Central Business District. quickly depositing my overnight luggage in the suite, i went to the viewing deck on the 30th floor. BSA Suites, Makati Despite the looming feel of the concrete jungle around me, my mind contemplated the array of lights that undulates with the moving traffic.

Marco Polo Hotel, Cebu City Cafe Marco Inspired vision of electric jelly fish floating above your head.

Oriente Poliano (Orient of the Polos) chronicled the fantastic travels of the Polo family: the famous Marco, his father Niccolò, and uncle Maffeo. Their travels took them to the heart of Asia and beyond. What took them decades to do I was able to accomplish in one and half hours, walking, with a plate in one hand, and my nose following the aromatic trail to food bliss. The Cafe Marco buffet has steadily built a reputation as the best buffet in Cebu City with the most extensive food selection arranged in food stations serving chinese, japanese, barbecues and western dishes. Appetizers my food trip started with "west lake beef soup" from the chinese food station. a clear soup made from beef stock that curiously tasted like it came from a bouillon cube instead of hours boiling bits and pieces of beef meat and bones. i found it too salty for my liking although the chopped parsley created a decorative accent to the soup. next is a sampling of chinese siomai - take note that the on...

renovations were ongoing when i checked in sugarland hotel. to realize that your happity-feeling-good feeling is the result of thinner paint fumes is a disappointment. and here i thought i am naturally a jolly-bee person in stark contrast to the expressionless receptionists that must have had too much botox. loved the square pool that is flanked by hotel rooms overlooking the space. felt like an oversized tub if you ask me. then again, orca and free willy are distant relatives so it must have been just me. that aside, aesthetic changes to the hotel included repainting jobs that used browns and whites throughout gave it a sleeker look and opened spaces that otherwise would have felt narrow. or the perfect color combination for a monastery. the restaurant space called "Twist" featured interesting light fixtures that looked like floating UFOs overhead. cozy and sufficient but nothing spectacular. don't get me started on the food. bleeeh! (imagine me sticking out my tongue, s...

the breakfast buffet in Sugarland Hotel is nothing spectacular. to prove a point that life sometimes does a poor imitation of art, i did some food photography that transformed the most mundane dish to something sumptuous. (click on read.more) glazed sweetened ham, ham and cheese sandwich in wheat bread, omelet and beef tapa (beef jerky). dentures and beef tapa don't go well. for the additional price of Php 200 you can avail of the breakfast buffet. My suggestion is to simply get the room and take the breakfast value meal in jollibee: cheaper, better and you don't end up with the guilty feeling of eating your year's supply of omelet in one sitting. better yet, get a cab and head off to bob's cafe in lacson. the coffee, pastries, sandwiches, panini, pasta are all excellent. The Sugarland Hotel www.sugarlandhotel.com Address: Araneta St., Singcang, Bacolod City, Philippines Tel. No. 6334 / 435.2690 to 99 Fax. No 6334 / 435.2645 Email: contact@sugarlandhotel.com

It is everyone's fantasy - someone crawling into bed with you while you sleep and give you a love bite. not if it is a bed bug. considering that i am booked in a five star hotel where the nightly rates average 11,000 pesosess (add additional sssss for symbolic representation of EXPENSIVE) i certainly expected a little bit better pest control - and i don't mean taking pesticide in congress to get rid of the damned but very very rich rodents. i texted a very close friend who is the PR director of another five star hotel about the incident, he wanted me to complain and ask for an UPGRADE. i was incredulous, i mean it is bad enough to get bitten by a bed bug but i have no fantasies of le stat making an entrance in my bedroom. i don't want that kind of upgrade. the worst thing is that they didn't even accomodate my request for late checkout because they are preparing for the chinese new year celebration. i mean, that's the least they can do to make up for the sleepless ...