A Great Weekend at The Manor at Camp John Hay

(Note: This will be the first of a series of posts I will be making on Baguio-related topics. Please do watch out for the other posts in the coming days.)

For the long weekend, my family and I decided to go on a road trip up north to Baguio City, known as the City of Pines and also the Summer Capital of the Philippines because of its cooler climate, even during the summer. People from the lowlands flock to this bustling city of over 300,000 to escape from the heat and unwind. From Manila, it is a 5-8 hour road trip depending on traffic conditions and the number of stopovers along the way. 

Around this time last year we also went to Baguio for the Undas long weekend, and stayed at The Manor Camp John Hay. We loved the place so much that we decided to stay here again this year, and once again we were very impressed, as it was a stark contrast to the hotel we stayed in during a trip to Baguio in 2007. Well, let's just say that hotel almost has the same name as that city in Italy known for its canals and gondolas. 

After an exhausting 8-hour road trip (we left home at around 5:30 a.m.), seeing this was such a welcoming sight.

The lobby was already decorated for Christmas. The last time we were here (which was around the same time last year), they were already decorating for Christmas. I guess they don't really decorate for Halloween.

A welcome drink, a cup of hot Calamansi Tea with Honey, was offered to us as we were checking in. This somehow helped relieve the headache I got during the trip.

Our Deluxe Room, with a view of the sprawling garden. This room is similar to the one we stayed in last year (but slightly more expensive at P6,000 per night), though our room last year had a view of the forest--which looks pretty creepy at night, so I don't really go out to the balcony after dark. The garden view is a lot less creepy. 

The hotel's occupancy rate was high during the long weekend. Parking, though, wasn't really a problem, since there is a large parking lot shared by guests of The Manor and The Forest Lodge which is located right next to The Manor. There is a security guard assigned to look after the cars who takes note of the guests arriving and departing. 

We haven't even fully settled down when we heard a knock on our door. We were offered more of their Calamansi Tea with Honey and some mini cakes for us to munch on as we got some rest. We weren't offered this during our stay here last year. 

The hallway which we would pass by to get to an elevator which I refer to as the "secret elevator" since it is rarely used, unlike the two elevators near the Le Chef restaurant which can get quite congested. The "secret elevator" is also much closer to our room so we prefer to use that one.

The Manor covered in fog during the night...

...and day. Seeing all this fog is such a rare sight in Metro Manila.

It is such a strange sight to see a manghuhula or a fortune teller at this hotel. It's pretty amusing, though.

The hotel's restaurant is called Le Chef. They have a dress code in effect (i.e. no wearing of shorts and flip flops), though they seem to be more lenient during breakfast time. We tried out their breakfast buffet on our second day, which cost us P500 per person. Despite the price, the restaurant still gets pretty crowded anyway--luckily we had our breakfast early that day so the restaurant wasn't as crowded yet.

They have a wide selection of food. Seen here are just some of them. The items here on my plate include bacon, chicken embutido, mashed potatoes, fish fillet, and canton guisado. 

I loved the canton guisado and the mashed potatoes so much that I helped myself to more. You can also choose from different kinds of bread and pastries. Seen here is a cherry danish which I found to be really good.

I also helped myself to a slice of banana bread and a blueberry danish which I also loved. I was already too full to eat anything else after this!

The garden area is so peaceful. It looks really good all lit up at night, too. There is a gazebo at the garden with rocking chairs where you can stay when you just want to relax and lounge around for a while. 

The Philippine-American Friendship Garden, with statues of Abraham Lincoln and Manuel Quezon seated on chairs facing each other.

The American flag is raised alongside the Philippine Flag to remind us of Camp John Hay's American background. Camp John Hay, or John Hay Air Station, was used for rest and recreation by American soldiers during the American colonial period.

My Verdict

The Manor at Camp John Hay has managed to impress me once again. Their level of service is remarkable. The staff never fails to make the guests feel important, and their attention to detail is noteworthy. Even the smallest of gestures are certainly enough to make a lasting impression. Last year, I was already very impressed by the service, but they have managed to take it up another notch this year. The rooms, too, are well-maintained, and breakfast at Le Chef is excellent. 

Still, though, I wish they would do something about their internet connection. The lobby seems to be the only place where WiFi connection is decent, and we've already had the same problem last year. This is a minor issue though, and I hope they do fix this. 

I'm definitely looking forward to our next visit (whenever that may be)!

The Manor at Camp John Hay

Camp John Hay, Baguio City, Philippines

www.campjohnhay.ph

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheMANORCampJohnHay/info

Twitter: @themanor_cjh

Hotel Review: Hotel Stotsenberg

For some Metro Manila residents who would want a quick weekend getaway but are sick of Tagaytay after having been there dozens of times, Clark in Angeles City, Pampanga may be a good alternative. Clark, formerly occupied by American forces until the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991, has become an alternative weekend destination for those who want a quick trip out of town, and enjoy the casinos and golf courses in the area, which are also quite popular with tourists from neighboring Asian countries. Others may also want to check out the Duty-Free shops, or enjoy the local cuisine waiting beyond the Clark Freeport Zone's gates.  These activities awaiting vacationers have allowed several hotels to be built in the area.

For this particular weekend trip, we decided to check in at Hotel Stotsenberg, named after Colonel John Stotsenberg, who led his regiment in Quinque in the Philippines but was killed in action at the age of 41 in 1899. The hotel is located at a sprawling lot along Gil Puyat Avenue corner Andres Soriano street inside the Clark Freeport Zone. The hotel has a convention center as well as a casino, which a lot of hotels at Clark seem to have. The hotel also has a number of restaurants and a bar which serves a variety of food and drinks.

The hotel's facade

Before entering the hotel, guests would have to go through a security check--a guard stationed at the entrance would check the guests' bags or purses, then the guests would have to go through a metal detector before finally entering the lobby. The lobby was nothing special--it wasn't as grand and impressive as the lobbies of  many five-star hotels in Metro Manila, but it wasn't too shabby either. To the right was the reception area and to the left were some couches and the dining area (no dividers here--the set-up somehow reminded me of The Peninsula Manila where the lobby was also where the dining are is located), as well as a bakeshop where they sold cakes and pastries. They had an ATM machine near the entrance which is a plus for the guests, since there wouldn't be a need to head out the hotel to look for the nearest bank, since the hotel is a bit far from where the action is at Clark (a.k.a. the mall). There was also a mezzanine level, though I did not really bother to check it out. The lobby seemed dull, though--some piped-in jazz or piano music would have helped liven up the place. A bit of dusting would have helped too--the couches and chairs looked rather dirty, which isn't good for people who are sensitive to dust (myself included).

The lobby--all spruced up for Halloween and Christmas. The lobby has an Italian feel to it

The dining area is located right at the lobby

As mentioned, the hotel has a convention center and for that particular weekend, there were a number of conventions and activities going on, including a Sangguniang Kabataan regional gathering. A celebrity guest was also scheduled to perform at the casino that same night, and the hotel was also filled with guests who were staying for the long weekend. Parking, however, was not a problem--we would easily find a parking space whenever we would arrive.

Check-in was fast and we were immediately escorted by a bellboy to our room, 311-D. It was a fairly long walk to the elevator, but it did give us the chance to check out the place. The hotel compound is huge--we did get to see the pool (which was also enormous) that had two slides and some nets (for volleyball). There was a lifeguard on duty in case of emergency. On another side of the hotel was the so-called "Central Park" which had a jogging path and fountain where guests could relax or exercise. This whole area was encompassed by more of the hotel's buildings.

The garden, "jogging path", and fountain area, surrounded by buildings

The hallway that led to our room up on the third floor was not air-conditioned, and rather hot and stuffy. The windows there couldn't be opened either, so guests would have to bear with the temperature especially on a hot day.  The hallways, however, were equipped with CCTV cameras for security purposes.

The hallways

The room we got had two single beds, an old TV, a small refrigerator, a dresser and a decent, well-stocked bathroom. Since there were four of us staying, we had to ask for an extra bed upon check-in which was brought to our room before we could even fully settle in. Aside from the bed, they also brought in an extra towel, a bar of soap, and a small bottle of shampoo which we did not really ask for, but they figured we could use (which we did). Overall, the room was decent, but badly needs updating. The only window that the room had would give you a view of the hallway, so they remained covered throughout our stay, unless we would want our privacy compromised. The lack of natural lighting did make the room seem dreary--the dark walls and the dark wood on the beds and dresser only made this worse. Wi-Fi connectivity is also available, but for a fee.

The two single beds inside our room

Noise can be a bit of a problem--the rooms do not completely keep the noise coming from the halls out. Once in a while, I could hear a child running down the halls or screaming, or another guest talking to someone loudly on the phone. While this isn't much of a problem when we're wide awake, it is quite difficult to bear if we wanted to get some sleep.

The old television and dresser. On the dresser were some brochures and a clear book describing the hotel's amenities.

Breakfast is served at the dining area at the hotel lobby. Seating is very limited (considering the size of the hotel and the number of guests at the time) so if it does not bother you, there would be a chance that you would be sharing a large round table with another group of guests. We shared the table with another family of four, which for me was quite awkward. Food choices at the buffet table were also limited. Food options were limited to one type of bread, soup, rice, and three meat dishes (fish, sausage, and pork with gravy), two kinds of fruit, and two beverages (orange juice and hot chocolate). For those who are used to the buffets at five -star hotels, breakfast at Hotel Stotsenberg may come as a shock. But then again, this is not a five-star hotel, so it helps to lower your expectations. The food was decent, but it not really something to rave about. The waiters, however, would approach the tables and ask the guests if they needed anything. My mother's requests for more hot chocolate to be brought to our table were attended to quickly.

The staff at the hotel are willing enough to assist the guests with anything, though a lot of them would not really acknowledge your presence unless you talk to them first. For those expecting a simple greeting from them when you would pass them in the halls; well, you wouldn't really get any. The staff could use some extra training on this aspect.

Conclusion


Hotel Stotsenberg is a decent hotel, but could use some major updating, starting with the lobby up to the rooms. For a hotel of its size, you'd think they'd have their own large dining area with adequate seating, but they just had to squeeze it in the lobby, which isn't really that grand anyway (only The Peninsula Manila could pull this off, in my opinion--having the dining area right where the lobby is). While the rooms had amenities that one would typically find at hotels, there is a need to keep up with the times. While the hotel doesn't really seem to be deteriorating, it doesn't seem to be moving forward either--it's just...standing there, and it seems perfectly happy being stationary. Parking at the hotel deserves a thumbs up though, and also the well-stocked, spacious bathroom in the room. Quick service and response time by the staff is also worth mentioning, though they could improve on making the guests feel more welcome.

So...did I regret spending a night at this hotel? I would say not. While there is still a lot of work to be done before it could rank itself up there with the five-star hotels, it helps to lower your expectations a bit and you'll go about your trip without a hitch. Like many other establishments, it does have its own plus points and a few flops here and there--but then again, nobody's perfect.