The Bellevue Hotel Manila

I wasn't so happy about my check-in experience with Acasia Hotel Manila so I was so keen not to go through the same with Bellevue Hotel Manila (both hotels located in Alabang). I called an hour (2pm) ahead of the regular check-in time which is at 3pm (most hotels are at 2pm even) to confirm the reservation I made months ago. I was replied positively and was informed that a room was already waiting for me. Reiterating that my early check-in request was granted.

Past 10 minutes of 3pm (I intentionally came a tad late to avoid another waiting scene), I was at the front desk of the hotel to check-in, only to spend almost an hour waiting in the lobby for a room. wtf! The staff told me that the room wasn't ready and had to be prepared yet.

Check-outs are at 12nn, check-ins at 3pm. 

Need I elaborate more?

Frowns. more frowns at the lobby :(

After 48 years, at around 4pm, the staff approached me apologetically and handed me the key card to my room. wtf! See how I aged waiting? Like another ten years were added on my face.
I hate inconsistencies. I hate waiting. I hate unhappy beginnings.

dear front office/reception.
the check-in experience sets the meter of your accommodation  it also initiates the mood of the guest for the duration of his stay. it's very important to do it fairly and prompt as it builds the first impression which usually lasts and would surely travel the net, especially when your guest blogs.
yours truly,
unknown diva

 

Anyway, up in 12th floor, this was my deluxe room. Biased to my initial experience of the hotel, I didn't like the room. It looked tired. Furniture and appliances were outdated. Particularly the television. And the smell. . so old and unpleasant. I suddenly missed the state of the art room of Acasia Hotel.

Those were the beds. To be fair, I have to mention thu', that this was at the main (old) wing of the hotel. Apparently, the hotel has a new tower wing which I really thought was what Bellevue  all about.

Had I known it, I would have had stayed at the new wing. Although accessible to each other, the two wings have separate everything. Like, restaurants, check-in lobbies, gyms, pools,etc. Given that the new tower wing has newer facilities, expect that it has a higher room rates. Before this, the only glimpse I had of this hotel was when we had drinks at the Vue Bar (see here) which was located at the tower wing. I didn't know that there were old and new towers.

I had to ask for extra key card cos they only gave me one. hello, you meant my companion had to endure powerless room every time I (vice versa) went out of the room? Cos I needed to bring the key card with me to use the key card secured elevators of the hotel. wt#?

The short foyer of the room. Adjacent to each other were the bathroom to the right and a kitchenette bar to the left. After the entrance door was the closet.

In fairness, it had everything_ safety deposit box, iron & board, hair dryer, flashlight, robes, slippers. .

The bathroom was nice with generous supplies but the towels were tired (they look otherwise in these photos) and didn't smell fresh at all. I think the hotel has to update their laundry service. I mean the linens (towels, bed's) didn't exactly smell 5 star.

I appreciated that there was a kitchen bar. It had a fully stocked ref which as usual we refrain to consume anything from there, haha. The littering was on us. When we stay in a hotel, more often than not, we would buy foods outside. Especially, when it's 5 star with expensive dining outlets which we could hardly afford. 

The usual complimentary coffee and tea facility.

It helped that Shopwise was just across the road. I love to munch fruits and bought some..

. . plus the hotel sent a complimentary small fruit plate, thank you.

Well, in the end_ it was actually a nice stay. We had fun at the gym and the pool was okey. The free room wifi was generous too as it could serve up to two devices. The check-out was smooth and easy.

The breakfast buffet was great. See now at My 3rd & 7th Sense.

Poolsides of Acasia & Bellevue

Almost at the last lap of summer holiday here at P.I., in spite of occurrence of  daily short drizzles, it's still majorly crazy hot around here. My girls ( about to go back to school in a week from now ) haven't noticed it yet, ( thankyou:) but this is one summer that we haven't gone to the beach. The no-beach-summer is actually intentional. Adding to the fact that everything's quite costly cos it's peak season, I also have to conquer the following : crowded beaches, fully booked hotels & resorts and massive traffics or worst_ local budget airlines issues. .all those just to spend a day to three in a beach. wtf!

So I went for the best next thing (for me) _ nearby hotels with pool that we could chill-in just the same, sans the tedious flight/drive, suffocating crowds and quite lighter in the wallet too.

If you're a condo resident, for sure you can't appreciate another pool in another building. Go, conquer the beach!.. but if you're like me who is landed in a village w/o swimming pool, this would be just right during the hottest season of the year.
Actually, I had it covered months ago, back to the travel expo I visited in Feb. this year. I was able to book early and paid like 50%++ off the published rate. That's one of the perks of planning ahead :D
I was glad that we didn't have to go far. Practically within the neighborhood, in Alabang there were two 5stars hotels that I had my eyes on :



1). Acasia Hotel Manila. The newest hotel in this side of Manila, was so nice that facilities still smelled brand new.

Nestling on the third floor of the hotel, the pool was far from grand, if anything_ actually was small. Nevertheless, I liked it that everything was spic & span. New = uncrowded. It was like we rented the place privately. loveth! Service was also efficient and warm. Complimentary drinks were served bottomless. So generous! I also loved the quality brand new bath towels. We really had fun.

* see the rest of the hotel  here and here and a bit of it also here *



2). The Bellevue Manila. Relatively old, I don't know how old. Maybe a hundred years old, if I have to base it to the smell of their bath towels, haha. Seriously, not that long. The hotel has actually a new tower wing but we stayed at the main wing only because I didn't get it that it has new building as option to stay. Thu' given that the new tower wing rooms are few peso more costly, had I known it, I would still opt to stay in a newer room.

Also on the 3rd floor of the hotel (why always on the 3rd?), the pool of the main wing of Bellevue was a bit bigger compared to Acasia's pool. It was also busy and more crowded than the latter. We wanted to swim the first day but the pool was crowded. There were also lots of guests dining/drinking in the area. The following morning was not that crowded. .



. . yet my girls thought the water was too cold, might be cos the prev night rain so they decided not to take a dip. They just camwhore the whole time in the lounging chairs around the pool.



That left just me and husband in the water. But not for long. In a short while guests flooded in the pool which we were not happy about and cut our swim.
* see the rest of Bellevue Hotel here*