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on Friday, November 29, 2019

It's that time of the year again! Time for the Blogafest, the annual gathering of content creators in the country! Together with the Iligan Bloggers Society fambam, we stayed at the Belmont Hotel. This is my review of my 3D2N stay in this 4-star luxury hotel, which is one of the 2019 winners of the World Luxury Hotel Awards.

To start off, here's a quick video during our stay there:

LOCATION

Belmont Hotel Manila is only a 5-minute walk away from Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal 3 via the Runway Manila footbridge.

The hotel stands within Newport City in Resorts World Manila, the first integrated tourist destination in the country. Belmont Hotel is right across Marriott Grand Ballroom and a few meters away from Newport Mall and Newport Performing Arts Theater.

ROOM

We stayed in a deluxe room, an air-conditioned room with two single beds, which are very comfortable and with fresh, well-pressed linen. I love that they have extra pillows in the closet should you need them. The room offers premium amenities, such as Belmont Signature green tea bathroom amenities.

The wardrobe closet has a huge space for the luggage, complete with hangers. Bathrobes, bedroom slippers, hairdryer, bottled water (not in plastic; win for the environment!), and coffee and tea-making facilities are also available for the guests.

Other amenities include a 32” LCD TV, in-room personal safe, mini-fridge, and telephone. For those of us who need to catch up with work, there's a full-size executive writing desk in the room, complete with notepad and ball pen. Plus there's wifi connection!

BATHROOM AND TOILETRIES

The toilet and bathroom area is clean, spacious, and well-lit (perfect for bathroom selfies!). Hot and cold shower is available. There are premium green tea toiletries for use. Face, hand, and bath towels are of great quality as well.

Other personal items such as vanity kit, dental care kit, shaving kit, and sewing kit are also provided.

STAFF

We received the warmest welcome when we came in. The check-in process was smooth, and their staff are all smiles and ready to help. Everyone who worked in the hotel is courteous, well-trained, warm and friendly. They are very helpful, attentive, and are quick to respond to our queries and requests.

HOTEL FACILITIES

Guests of the hotel have free access to the swimming pool, gym, and sauna.

TIP: Pack your favorite swimwear and gym clothes (and footwear) should you plan to burn off those excess calories from their breakfast buffet.

BREAKFAST

Speaking of breakfast, there's a breakfast buffet at the Cafe Belmont for guests from 6:00AM to 10:00AM.

There's a wide assortment of breakfast goodies. There are sausages, eggs, noodles, bread, cereals, fruits, salads, pancakes, waffles, French toast, yogurt, oatmeal, and many more.

PRICE

Rate starts at PHP 5,515.14 (6,223.84 Incl. Taxes & Fees) per night. Check room rates and other hotel stay packages here.

WIFI

There is complimentary WiFi internet access in rooms.

IN SUMMARY

PROS:

convenient location; within walking distance to NAIA Terminal 3, shopping destinations, tourist attractions, and transportation access
with complimentary WiFi internet access
spacious bathroom with hot and cold shower
provides premium supplies for personal care and tea fix
pool and gym and sauna access
online booking available

CONS:

WiFi can be a little wonky at times.

BOTTOM LINE:

Overall, I highly recommend staying in Belmont Hotel Manila for your next staycation in Metro Manila. Service is excellent. Location is perfect. Amenities are great.

The hotel is also perfect for quick layovers, especially if you are flying in and out of Manila via NAIA Terminal 3.

With the IBS fam. Thank you, Belmont Hotel!

CONTACT DETAILS:

Belmont Hotel Manila
Newport Boulevard, Newport City
Pasay City, 1309
Philippines
☏ Phone Number: +632 5318-8888 / 7903-1999
☏ Reservations Direct Line: 5318-8815 to 17, 19 and 27
✉ Email: info.manila@thebelmonthotels.com
✉ E-mail for room inquiries: reservations.manila@thebelmonthotels.com
✉ E-mail for restaurant reservations: fnb.reservations@thebelmonthotels.com

GETTING THERE:
Guests can easily access the hotel through Runway Manila, which is within walking distance from NAIA Terminal 3 and the opening skyways of NAIA Terminal 1 and 2. Travelers just need to pass through Runway Manila then brought down via elevator access to get to Belmont Hotel Manila.

Shuttle Bus Services
Belmont Hotel Manila is in partnership with Resorts World Manila in providing complimentary shuttle services to our guests. Transportation service operates 24 hours.

It's that time of the year again! Time for the Blogafest, the annual gathering of content creators in the country! Together with the Il...

on Saturday, November 16, 2019

Sometime last year, together with the Iligan Bloggers Society fambam, we took Air Asia's inaugural flight from Cagayan de Oro City to Iloilo. Okay, out with it: WE WENT WITHOUT A FIXED ITINERARY! 🤦 Let's just say we're spontaneous and adventurous like that, although that's admittedly not 100% true. Haha! We decided to have a chill type of travel and just play it by ear, which basically translates to "we don't have a plan."

So did we see much of Iloilo after all? Here's a quick video of our 48-hour adventure. Read on for more details of our impromptu itinerary.

The Itinerary

Iloilo is all about its rich and colorful history and spectacular architecture. If you have just 48 hours in Iloilo, you need to plan your day in such a way that you enjoy the best of its culture. We have a pretty short checklist: Good food, old churches, and maybe a glimpse of the "new" Iloilo.

Day 1:

📍 Madison Hotel PHL

Our first order of business: Catch some precious zzzzzz's. We checked in at Madison Hotel and rested for a few hours while we crowdsourced how we're spending the next couple of days in the City of Love. We were serious about taking our sweet time and just have a laidback adventure. Haha!

📍 Esplanade Boardwalk, Mandurriao, Iloilo City

Feeling refreshed and well-rested, we stepped out for a sunset walk at the Esplanade Boardwalk. It's where the "I am Iloilo" sign is located. There were tourists and locals in the area -- strolling, jogging, paddle boating, or eating out.

📍 Molo Mansion

We continued our walking adventure to Molo Mansion, which is just across Molo Church and Molo Plaza. The mansion was built in the 1920s and was reopened to the public in 2015 as a cultural souvenir shop (Kultura).

There's also a cafe within the compound, where we tried the authentic Pancit Molo.

Day 2:

For Day 2, we still wanted to keep it easy and chill. We opted to hire a van for an entire day. Quick side note: We contacted the van that brought us from the airport to our hotel the previous day. We told the driver we wanted to go to Garin Farm and then visit some old churches in Iloilo.

📍 Guimbal Vanishing Mansion

On our way to Garin Farm in San Joaquin, we had a quick stopover at Guimbal Vanishing Mansion. Stories have it that at this spot, where a century-old acacia tree and a statue stand, is where taxi drivers have reportedly picked up a white lady, who then directs them to a gate that leads to a mansion.

📍 Garin Farm

Garin Farm Pilgrimage Resort is an inland resort in San Joaquin, Iloilo that integrates agriculture, leisure, and religion. It features a farm, a recreational place with tons of activities, and a pilgrimage site all in one. Shuttles are available for easier access to the key features of the resort.

Garin Farm is famous for its Stairway to Heaven, a 400-plus stairway that represents a journey from the creation to ascension. There is a Divine Mercy Dark Meditation Tunnel on the Pilgrimage Hill that leads to its main attraction, a representation of heaven -- with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, surrounded by angels and saints.

Entrance Fee: Php150

📍 Camposanto De San Joaquin

On our way back to Iloilo City, we had another quick stopover at Camposanto de San Joaquin. It's a Catholic cemetery in San Joaquin, which was designated as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines.

📍 Miagao Church

The Santo Tomás de Villanueva Parish Church, or Miagao Church, was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. It was built in a Baroque Romanesque architectural style and was mainly made of adobe, egg, coral, and limestone.

📍 Lunch Stop: Doming's Talabahan

When visiting Iloilo, eating talaba (oyster) is a must. We stopped at Doming's Talabahan, a no-frills eatery located along the national highway of Miagao, for lunch.

Oh, and we found this there:

📍 Guimbal Parish Church

The Parish of St. Nicolas of Tolentino, or Guimbal Church, made of yellow adobe and coral stones, is also one of the oldest churches in the country.

📍 Tigbauan Church

We also dropped by San Juan Sahagun Parish Church, or Tigbauan Church, in the town of Tigbauan, Iloilo. It was built in Spanish Baroque style and features intricate designs in its interior. The biggest mosaic is found on the church’s altar in a dome, showing Jesus and his disciples, heaven, earth, and hell.

📍 Iloilo Business Park

Before heading to our final church stop, we had another quick stopover for a glimpse of the "new" Iloilo. We stopped by Iloilo Business Park and took pictures of Casa de Emperador, which houses the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA), the first museum dedicated to contemporary and modern art in Visayas and Mindanao. We didn't have a chance to get into the museum as we were kind of pressed for time. Saving that for our next visit. :)

📍 Jaro Cathedral Church

We then headed to Jaro Cathedral, which was constructed in the Romanesque Revival style. The facade of the Cathedral features stairs leading to the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles.

📍 Souvenir Shopping: Original Deocampo Barquillos

It's Filipino culture to always bring pasalubong. So we made sure to visit this shop in Jaro.

We then went back to the hotel for a quick shuteye and freshen up a bit before heading out for dinner.

📍 Dinner: The Pitstop Restaurant SM City Iloilo Southpoint

For dinner, we wanted something uniquely Ilonggo. We opted for the Pitstop, which serves nearly everything with Guimaras mango -- from pizza to bulalo and sisig. Interesting!

📍 Plazuela Dos
After a very filling dinner, we walked around SM City Southpoint to a nearby Plazuela Dos before heading back to the hotel.

Sticking with our plan of keeping the itinerary chill and easy, we opted to stay in the hotel (while some friends went back to Molo Church) while waiting for our AirAsia flight back to Cagayan de Oro City.

I posted this on my Facebook account right after:

No wonder Iloilo City is called the City of Love: You spend barely 48 hours, yet you fall in love with the city. ❤️

Sometime last year, together with the Iligan Bloggers Society fambam, we took Air Asia's inaugural flight from Cagayan de Oro City to...

on Friday, September 6, 2019

on Sunday, June 30, 2019

It's easy to see why Taiwan is fast-growing in popularity as a travel destination. Tagged as "The Heart of Asia," Taiwan truly is a perfect destination in Asia that must not be missed. Our 4D3N adventure with my For Mindanao fambam was a whirlwind of interesting activities!

Here's a quick video of our adventure. Read on for the details.

The Itinerary

Our trip is a combination of guided tour and DIY adventure. Flight and hotel bookings plus a 1-day tour in Taichung were arranged through Ms Rhizz of Rhizz Tours and Travel (based in Bohol). Vouchers to major attractions, unlimited fun pass, and 4G sim were pre-booked via Klook. And all directions as we went around Taipei, c/o the ever reliable Google Maps and compass apps. 😂

We arranged our itinerary in a way to have a balanced experience of Taiwan and explore the beautiful attractions, nature, food, and culture and arts.

What to do upon arrival (Taoyuan International Airport):

Money changer. There are money changers in Taoyuan International Airport. [Note: You can also buy New Taiwan Dollar (NTD) before flying to Taiwan. There's a money changer in Mactan Cebu International Airport near Burger King and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.]
Pick up Taipei unlimited 1-day pass and 4G sim with unlimited data (pre-booked via Klook).
Purchase and load Easy Card. The card is 100 NTD, which we loaded with 400 NTD to be used for bus and train fares and other purchases.
Take the express train to hotel.

Travel Tip #1:

Bring your own water bottle. It's easy to find public drinking fountains for refill. You're helping the environment AND saving some money. 😉

Where to Stay When in Taipei:

📍 Diary of Taipei Hotel台北日記旅店-台北車站館 - Taipei Main Station

Conveniently located in downtown Taipei, the Diary of Taipei Hotel is a short 5- to 8-min walk from Taipei Main Station. Beds are large and comfortable. Linens are clean, and the rooms are cleaned daily. Hot and cold shower is available too... perfect for a nice hot bath for a relaxing slumber after a day of touring. I'll blog a separate blog post for a hotel review.

Travel Tip #2:

Take note of the name and address of the hotel in Chinese, just in case you need to ride a taxi at some point. Not all taxi drivers in Taiwan can converse in English. We kept the hotel's business card to show the driver when we get too tired to figure out how to commute back to the hotel.

What to Do and See When in Taiwan

Taipei Free Walking Tour

We started our Taiwan adventure by getting acquainted with the culture and interesting architecture of Taipei. We booked the Taipei Free Walking Tour Golden Age Route via Klook. Shout out to Jack, Viki, and Pei of Like It Formosa 來去福爾摩沙! They did a very great job of touring us around and helping us understand the rich history and culture of Taiwan.

Tour Details:

meetup at MRT Beimen Station Exit 2
📍 North Gate
📍 Taipei Post Office
📍 Tianma Tea House
📍 Xia Hai City God Temple
📍 Dadaocheng
5:30pm tour ends at Dihua Street

Travel Tip #3:

Book a walking tour with local guides. You'll have a deeper understanding of the culture, architecture, and people. Like it Formosa offers 3 routes in Taipei 7 days a week.

TaipeiEYE Chinese Opera

Day 1 of #TAIWANderful adventure continues with a TaipeiEYE臺北戲棚 Chinese Opera experience. We went to see an authentic (subtitled) traditional Chinese performing arts.

Photo credit: TaipeiEYE website

We bought the ticket via Klook, which included:

TaipeiEYE show ticket
Traditional costumes trying-on experience (7:00pm - 7:50pm)
Face painting experience (7:00pm - 7:50pm)
Taking photos with the dancing lion
Postcard mailing service

And then off we went to our first Taipei night market experience.

Shuangcheng Street Night Market

From TaipeiEYE, we walked for about 8 to 10 minutes to Shuangcheng St. for dinner. It's a fairly short block, but the food options are vast.

Taichung

For our trip to Taichung on day 2, we went the easier, more comfortable route and pre-booked a van. We didn't want to waste time getting lost. Haha! And of course, there's peace in knowing you can sleep while in transit and be sure that you'll arrive at your destination.

We booked the chartered car service through Rhizz Travel and Tours. Fee is Php 2000 per head. The van was comfortable, air-conditioned, and with free wi-fi. Yey! Our driver/tour guide is Alex. He can speak English well, so we didn't have trouble conversing with him. Plus his playlist in the van includes OPM songs. My OPM heart is happy. Haha!

Here's Alex's contact details:

Travel Tip #4:

If you want a day tour outside Taipei, it is best to book a chartered car service. It may be a little pricier than fully DIYing, but the peace of mind you'll have is priceless. ;)

Our Taichung itinerary:

📍 Rainbow Village, Taichung
📍 Taichung World Flora Exposition
📍 Zhongshe Flower Market

Rainbow Village

Rainbow Village is a colorful settlement in Taichung famous for its vibrantly painted houses and streets.

The village also has an interesting and inspiring history behind it. It was created by Huang Yong Fu ('Rainbow Grandpa') in an effort to save his village from demolition.

Taichung World Flora Exposition

Taichung World Flora Exposition is an international horticultural expo, featuring the best of the best. Most information are written in Chinese/Taiwanese though. So... there's that. But it was a feast to the eyes nonetheless.

Zhongshe Flower Market

We finished our short Taichung adventure with a visit to Zhongshe Flower Market (or Chungshe), which features beautifully landscaped gardens with colorful flowers.

The vibrant hues make excellent backgrounds for 'em Instagram posts.

Shilin Night Market

After Taichung, we went back to Taipei. We asked Alex to drop us off at Shilin Night Market instead of back to the hotel. We just couldn't miss the largest and most famous night market in Taiwan.

After having our dinner, we roamed around Shilin Market to buy some pasalubong. And of course, what better way to spend in a foreign country than disappear into the crowd and have an impromptu photoshoot session. Haha!

Taipei Fun Pass

Now on to day 3. We pre-purchased 1-day Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass through Klook, which we picked up in the airport.

The pass combines attractions and transportation for one great value, with access to 12 different attractions, unlimited rides to the Taipei MRT, Taipei and New Taipei City bus, and 4 Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Routes. Check here for more details.

We didn't want to cram the day with so much activities, so we limited our itinerary to:

📍 National Palace Museum
📍 Former Official Residence of Chiang Kai Shek & Madam Chiang
📍 Taipei 101 Observatory

National Palace Museum

The National Palace Museum is a must-visit in Taiwan. It is a world-famous museum that houses a huge collection of classic cultural relics of the Chinese imperial court dating back thousands of years.

Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence

After a quick lunch, we then proceeded to our next destination, which is a short bus ride away. We visited the former residence of Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Soong Mei-ling. It is a designated historical site that celebrates their accomplishments and huge contributions to the growth of Taiwan in the modern era.

Taipei 101 Observatory

We also made sure to visit the tallest building towering above the city like the gigantic bamboo stalk to appreciate an overlooking view of the beautiful city. Tickets and entrance are on the 5th floor of the Taipei 101 Shopping Mall. The pressure-controlled elevator ride up was an experience itself, taking you to the 89th floor in 40 seconds. Observation decks are on the 88th and 89th floors, and there is an outdoor deck on the 91st floor opened on some occasions, weather permitting.

Taipei 101 from afar

View from the top

Linjiang (Tonghua) Night Market

To cap off the day, we opted to have one more night market experience on our last night in Taipei. We went to Linjiang (Tonghua) Night Market because of its proximity to Taipei 101. We had dinner and strolled around for more souvenir shopping. This one is pretty low-key but still very lively. It is also rarely visited by tourists, so it feels more local.

National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

On the last day of our #TAIWANderful adventure, we wanted a fairly easy day. We only had one attraction to visit -- the National CKS Memorial Hall. This historical landmark in Taiwan was erected in honor of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, the former President of the Republic of China.

We took lots of pictures and made sure to witness the changing of guards.

And then we went back to the hotel to pick up our things and headed back to the airport.

Food in Taiwan

One of the highlights of Taiwan is the food scene. It really is a gastronomic adventure! The rich culture of Taiwan, with both western (European) and eastern (Chinese and Japanese) influences well translates into a rich collection of food items to try. So, I'm just dumping food shots here.

Travel Tip #5:

Serving size generally is huge for an average Filipino appetite. If you're traveling with a group, best to just share. Otherwise, you may bring your own container to pack the excess for your next meal.

So there you go. That wraps up our Taiwan adventure. If you want details, including budget and link, you can view our itinerary spreadsheet here. (Yep, because we're kind of OC like that. Haha!) Please note that this budget excludes flights and accommodation.

It's easy to see why Taiwan is fast-growing in popularity as a travel destination. Tagged as "The Heart of Asia," Taiwan tru...

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Travel Jams

A 4-Star Luxury Hotel Near the Airport: Belmont Hotel Manila Review

LOCATION

ROOM

BATHROOM AND TOILETRIES

STAFF

HOTEL FACILITIES

BREAKFAST

PRICE

WIFI

IN SUMMARY

PROS:

CONS:

BOTTOM LINE:

CONTACT DETAILS:

How to Spend 48 Hours in Iloilo: What to See and Do in the City of Love

The Itinerary

Day 1:

Day 2:

ILIGAN CITY | Diyandi Festival 2019 Schedule of Activities

Major Events Not to Be Missed:

#TAIWANderful: A 4D3N Taipei + Taichung Experience

The Itinerary

What to do upon arrival (Taoyuan International Airport):

Where to Stay When in Taipei:

What to Do and See When in Taiwan

Taipei Free Walking Tour

TaipeiEYE Chinese Opera

Shuangcheng Street Night Market

Taichung

Rainbow Village

Taichung World Flora Exposition

Zhongshe Flower Market

Shilin Night Market

Taipei Fun Pass

National Palace Museum

Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence

Taipei 101 Observatory

Linjiang (Tonghua) Night Market

National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

Food in Taiwan