Stay | The New Beach Head Resort in Carles Iloilo

The New Beach Head Resort pool

Carles in Northern Iloilo is steadily getting a good stream of tourist nowadays. The municipality, once ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan is now a popular jump-off point for Isla de Gigantes island hopping exploration. If not staying on the islands, Carles is the best area to stay. Coming from the earliest flight from Manila to Iloilo and a 3-4 hours road travel to Carles, I finally made it to my home base for two nights, The New Beach Head Resort. It’s easy to downplay the resort for having only a 1-star rating in booking sites. It is also considered as the “2nd best resort” in the Carles. But it honestly didn’t feel 1-star at all! It felt more than 3-star in terms of comfort and neatness. Not to mention, a beach area where beautiful sunsets abound.

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Stay | Apsaras Tribe Siargao

Star trail night at Apsaras Tribe Resort

Hearing the word apsaras readily reminded me of the elegant female figures carved at the Khmer temples in Cambodia. Generally, apsaras are celestial maidens represented in different interpretations depending of the places. As for Apsaras Tribe Siargao, this is the newest seaside hotel in the surfing capital of the country. An appealing container-type style accommodation with direct view of the Pacific Seas.

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Stay | Fleur De Chine: 5-Star Elegance at Sun Moon Lake

Balcony view from my room at Fleur de Chine

As beautiful and serene Sun Moon Lake is, a fitting complement on a visit here is a luxurious stay at Fleur De Chine. A 5-star resort at the northern shores of Sun Moon Lake. Home of the first ever hotel built on the site in 1975 under a different name. After a major Taiwan earthquake in 1999 where the original hotel crumbled, the hotel was reborn as “Fleur de Chine (Flower of China)”. Along with the renovation is a discovery of a natural hot-spring in the area. A high quality “sodium bicarbonate” hot spring which is colorless, odorless and potable. …

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Stay | In Sky Hotel: At the Heart of Fengjia Business District

Facade of In Sky Hotel in Fengjia

Roaming around Fengjia Night Market can be exhausting. When visiting this night market that goes on open until past midnight, it is ideal to stay in the city than to travel back far out. For our night stay in Taichung, we stayed at In Sky Hotel. Opened in 2014 at the heart of Fengjia’s central business district, the hotel facade is an eye-catching display at night. Inspired by the cascading colors of aurora borealis, In Sky Hotel changes hues depending on the time of the evening. Adding vibrancy to what is already a lively city.

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Stay | Holiday Inn Baguio City Centre

Double Bed Superior Room

All roads lead to Baguio for metro folks looking to escape the city heat. More so during the cold months when people yearns for the cold clime as Baguio temperature drops below to 15 degree centigrade. Traveller would delight to know InterContinental Hotels Group has stamped their presence in the city of pines with the newly built, Holiday Inn Baguio City Centre. The 185-room, eight story building opened its doors mid of 2018. Offering another option in Baguio City with the staple quality of the Holiday Inn chain.

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Sunway City: Thrilling Sunway Lagoon Park and Lifestyle Hotels

View from our room at Sunway Pyramid Lagoon

Sunway City can be an overwhelming complex to visit. It has grown vastly from my first visit in 2009. A sprawling 800-acre township developed as an integrated lifestyle and entertainment destination roughly half an hour away from the KLIA airports or from the city in Selangor, Malaysia. It has three hotels, a huge theme park in Sunway Lagoon, a mall and a number of businesses and facilities for education and medical. It’s an ideal place to stay for families and friends looking for a convenient getaway that combines comfort and adventure in one place.

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Baler | Serene Weekend at L’Sirene Boutique Resort

L'Sirene Jacuzzi Pool

It was more than 13 years ago when I first set foot in Aurora. It was an exciting road trip with friends. From Manila, we drove through the Sierra Madre mountains down to Baler. Though I am fully aware of the surfing scene boom and the growing development of the province, I only got the chance to go back this early September when I chanced upon a good getaway deal at Deal Grocer for a three days and two nights stay at L’Sirene Boutique Resort in Baler. The resort looked hip and stylish, and the remote location made it even more appealing to me. It would make an ideal base for exploration and relaxation.

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