Guijo Suites Makati – Three months ago, I spent the latter part of a long weekend in a quiet and cozy hotel in the heart of Makati. It was the prize for a giveaway that my friend Coffeehan hosted last September 2015. And no, I didn’t have to coerce her to give me the prize. She willingly handed it to me. Hahaha. I don’t usually win in raffle or contests so I was really surprised to see her congratulatory email in my inbox.
Come to think of it, I think this was my first staycation. Having worked in the hospitality and food industry all these years, I had the experience of staying in a lot of different kinds of accommodation. And all that experience always surface whenever I stay in a new accommodation or eat at a new restaurant.
Here’s how my first staycation went about.
Tucked in a quiet neighborhood in Guijo lies a 3-star hotel with the same name. Even though this was not a new hotel, the taxi driver still had a little difficulty searching for it. In hindsight, I should’ve booked a cab through Uber or Grab.
Guests are welcomed by the gray and modern façade and greeted by the lovely receptionists upon entry. An outdoor seating with a garden and pond can be found on the left upon entering. Meanwhile, at the end of the hallway is the lobby resto bar. Check-in procedure was quick and we had no problem locating our room.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The room was of average size and made vibrant by the bright yellow-green wall. The room was clean as well as the bathroom. Despite the colds (Btw I was sick during this weekend), I found that Marge was right. Guijo Suites uses a scent that is pleasing and not overpowering to one’s sense of smell. My mom, for one who has such a keen smell, approves.
The bed was comfortable and the pillows, fluffy. Definitely, a plus for me since I’m such a pillow hugger. Hehe. And one thing that I always do is request for an extra pillow. It was good to know that they didn’t charge me for it.
The air-conditioned room also has a small desk and chair, a cable tv, and a fully stocked minibar with 2 complimentary bottled water. There was also a setup for coffee and tea making. And a safety deposit box inside the closet. They give complimentary bedroom slippers upon request.
The view isn’t something to boast of, though, since the only thing you’ll see is the building beside the hotel. At least, the brown curtains served to block out the sun, which is definitely a plus for sleeping in.
Peeking inside the bathroom, the square shower head immediately caught my attention. It definitely resulted in a long shower session. The hot water pressure and temperature were also good enough.
After taking a long nap, we went out to get our dinner. Walking distance from the hotel is a variety of restaurants to choose from. This includes establishments like Shopwise, Chowking, Mcdonalds, KFC, Shakey’s, small retail stores and services. The hotel is also near Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Makati Central Business District.
They also have a lobby resto-bar (Lobby Guijo Café) that operates from 6 AM – 10 PM if you want to dine in.
|
|
|
Wi-Fi signal works well inside the room but disappears once you go out. If there was wi-fi in the public areas, then my allocated password didn’t work. There are also at least 4 electrical outlets in the room.
Complimentary breakfast is available from 6 AM – 10 AM. The Breakfast Hall is in the basement of the building, with 16 tables. There is an available station for egg, pasta, coffee, fruits, salad, cereals, dessert (sweetened banana), bread, and hot station. Hot items include pancake, rice, breaded chicken, mixed vegetable, pork longganiza, and ham.
It would have been better if they had a bacon station. Their tea is served upon request. One note for improvement is that one of the staff with long hair keeps coming in and out of the kitchen. Working in food safety, of course, I noticed it right away that she doesn’t wear a hair net when going inside the kitchen.
I found it weird that despite having given the breakfast coupons to one of the staff, another staff went around asking for the room number.
|
|
|
QUICK GUIDE TO GUIJO SUITES
7644 Guijo St., between Kamagong St. and Pasong Tamo
San Antonio Village, Makati City
Metro Manila 1203, Philippines
HOTEL FACILITIES:
- 24-hour front desk
- Bar and coffee shop
- Daily housekeeping
- Elevator
- Laundry service
- Room Service
- Safety Deposit box
- Shared Lounge
- Smoking Area
- Massage
- Wi-Fi in rooms
- Parking
TYPES OF ROOMS:
Deluxe Room
Junior Suite
Premier Suite
CHECK IN TIME: 2 PM
CHECK OUT TIME: 12 noon
Payment options: Accepts cash and cards
Check availability and discounted rates here
Where to go next? Check out the Instagram-worthy street art at Bonifacio Global City
Don’t forget to check out these captivating hidden gems in the Philippines
