February 29, 2016

Where To Stay in Basco, Batanes- Amboy Hometel and Bernardo's Hotel

One of the most beautiful places to visit and explore in the Philippines is Batanes. It is located at the northernmost part of the country, and also considered to be the smallest in terms of land area and population. It takes about an hour and a half via air to reach Basco, the capital of Batanes, situated in the island of Batan.

Thanks to the continuous effort in promoting this beautiful island, Batanes has been drawing local and international tourists from around the world. Local tourism has significantly increased after the success of the movies Batanes (2007) and You're My Boss (2015).

There are currently 2 airlines that offer flights to Batanes- PAL Express and Skyjet. We went for the latter during our recent trip last December.


Now, the next question is, where do you stay in Batanes?

Most accommodations in Basco are lodges/inns or homestays. It somehow gives a warm and welcoming vibe that perfectly characterizes the Ivatan's hospitable culture.

Basco has around 20+ B&Bs/inns and specialty lodging listed on the net. During our visit, we stayed at Amboy Hometel and Bernardo's Hotel in Chanarian, Basco.



Both hotels are located right across Chanarian Beach- a long stretch of sand and pebble beach perfect for afternoon dips and sunset viewing.

Rooms

Rooms at Bernardo's Hotel are bigger and more spacious compared to the rooms in Amboy Hometel.

Bernardo's Hotel

Amboy Hometel

Breakfast

The group was welcomed with complimentary breakfast upon arrival. I personally like that Bernardo's let their guests choose their preferred breakfast (from a selected menu) for the whole duration of their stay, as compared to Amboy's daily standard breakfast. Nevertheless, breakfast sets from both hotels were pretty good. They also serve complimentary coffee or tea.

longsilog breakfast at Bernardo's Hotel

Tapa and egg breakfast at Amboy Hometel

Toiletries and Amenities

Although rooms at Bernardo's are slightly bigger, Amboy Hometel offers complimentary basic toiletries like shampoo, toothbrush, and  toothpaste. You have to pay for these at Bernardo's, and they are not cheap since products and goods in Batanes are generally expensive. Amboy Hometel has complimentary room slippers too. Both hotels offer complimentary wifi access, though I find Bernardo's connection better.

Outdoor Area

Amboy Hometel and Bernardo's Hotel offer a different kind of ambiance to their guests. Amboy has a homey and charming vibe, while Bernardo's has a modern minimalist structure. I personally like the outdoor area at Amboy Hometel as they have more tables and wider area to accommodate in-house guests.



Service and Friendliness of Staff

Staff at both hotels were friendly and accommodating. Service was excellent and we didn't encounter any problem during our stay. I guess the Ivatans are really known to be friendly and hospitable in nature.

Activities

Both hotels offer bikes rentals for P50/hour.

Rates

Amboy Hometel rates:
P2,600(double occupancy)
P3,000 (triple sharing)
P4,000(family room)

Bernardo's Hotel Rates:
P2,800 (double occupancy)
P3,300 (triple sharing)
P3,800 (quadruple sharing)

*includes airport transfers and daily breakfast

Whatever you choose between the two hotels, expect to have a great experience in Batanes with clean and comfortable accommodation after a day-long tour itinerary. 

February 24, 2016

Hawkers Republic- Singapore's Famous Street Food in Banawe

Traffic is a horror nowadays, and since we can no longer afford to travel far for our usual dinner dates, we've been frequenting the Banawe area after work for quite sometime now. Just recently, we came across this new restaurant called Hawkers Republic- Singapore's Famous Street Food.

D and I both love laksa. We would normally go to Bugis in Banawe for our laksa cravings, so we decided to order one at Hawkers to see how it compares.

Laksa (P210)


February 23, 2016

Intimist Feminine Spray- Stay Fresh and Clean Even When On The Go

Women have feminine wash and feminine wipes to keep their intimate areas fresh and clean all day. But have you heard of feminine spray? Intimist Feminine Spray is a new innovative product for women who are always on-the-go and unable to clean themselves whenever they are outdoors.

Intimist Feminine Spray is a feminine care product for women who lead an active lifestyle and place high regard for hygiene and personal wellness. It is a solution to various problems that most women are concern about with regards to personal hygiene. Some of these problems are odor-causing bacteria and itchiness in the intimate area of the body.

February 9, 2016

Headquarters Cafe & Games Katipunan- Fun Games and Coffee at HQ Manila

Headquarters Cafe and Games- the newest board game cafe in the bustling university district of Katipunan. There may be endless options for students on where to eat around the neighborhood, but this newcomer offers more than just food and drinks.

Joining the board game cafe bandwagon, Headquarters Cafe & Games gives students another reason to enjoy long breaks and coffee dates. The place exudes a happy and casual vibe, with colorful superhero paintings on the wall. 


Customers are free to use the table top games on the shelves, while enjoying their cup of coffee. The board games available are quite limited as they are still on soft opening. However, new games are set to arrive in the next coming months. 


Gifted.PH- Gift Giving Made Easy This Valentine's Day! Get Thoughtful, Get Gifted.

Happy love month everyone! It's the season of love once again, and the time when restaurants are packed with diners struck by cupid's arrow is here. It's another season of hearts, flowers, chocolates, teddy bears, greeting cards and gift-giving among couples, friends and families. 

Got any plans for Valentine's Day yet? Don't know what to give to loved ones this coming heart's day? Gifted.PH got you covered with their simple, easy, and thoughtful way of giving gift cards online.

Gifted.PH is an online gift certificate website where you can send personalized gift cards to anyone with just a few clicks away.


Get thoughtful this Valentine's Day and choose from over 80 of the Philippines' well-loved brands and establishments. Take your special someone on a shopping spree at Bench, Human, or Kashieca, or let her have that gorgeous designer dress from Rosanna Ocampo, Maureen Disini, Charina Sarte, or Tan-Gan. How about a relaxing afternoon at Bliss Yoga after a game of archery at Benel Archery. Perhaps your guy would appreciate a new haircut at Felipe and Sons or a new read from Fully Booked.

My favorite category on Gifted.PH?- Food, Drinks and Desserts. Bring your date to some of the metro's gastronomic dining destinations. Take her out to any of the Raintree Restaurants- Chelsea Kitchen, Stella, Rocketroom, Kabila, Museum Cafe, Terraz, Saboten, or enjoy a sumptuous buffet at Makati Shangrila's Circles Event Cafe. Go Japanese at Sandaya Yakiniku, French at Le Jardin, or Spanish at Alba Restaurant. Experience shabu-shabu at Huat Pot or go for a casual date at Gino's Brick Oven Pizza. Whatever it is, you are sure to give the gift of freedom of choice on this special day with Gifted.PH.

IHOP Philippines P25 Pancake and Red Velvet Pancake this Valentine Season ♥♥♥

IHOP Philippines spreads happiness this Valentine season with their Php25 Pancake Promotion happening this Feb. 8 to Feb. 12, 2016. Enjoy their iconic, signature Buttermilk Pancakes for only P25 per piece (Php50 for the 2-stack and Php100 for the 4-stack) for dine-in orders at all IHOP Philippines branches. Multiple orders of their Buttermilk Pancakes during your visit are more than welcome! 


Another great news at IHOP this season of hearts is their new Red Velvet Pancake Combo- 2 pcs. Red Velvet Buttermilk Pancakes, 2 Eggs Made to Order, Hash Browns, and 2 Strips of Bacon or 2 Sausage links all for the loveable price of only P299!


IHOP Philippines’ Red Velvet Pancake Combo will be available for a limited time in all their branches from February 12 to 19, 2016 only so hurry and feel the love in the air with this breakfast-meets-dessert combination! ♥