Planning Your Awesome Sofitel Escape

(12/12/12 Update: SOFITEL Overnight & SPIRALS' Champagne Breakfast!)

Checking in a hotel within Manila to spend your long weekend is becoming a trend these days, especially for families who don't want the hassle of a road trip and just want to have a relaxing escape. Sofitel is one of my favorite hotels because it transports you to a resort setting -- without you having to leave the heart of Manila. It is a great place for families with kids and for couples who just want to escape the stress of everyday business life. Plus, it's about one hour away from Makati.

Here are some suggestions on how to plan your Sofitel Escape...

The Sofitel Experience

 

Once you check in, you'll be greeted with "Bonjour!" by French-speaking Maria Claras. This is Sofitel's way of introducing guests to the Filipino-French Cultural Integration experience.

Don't forget to check-in in the afternoon, so you can witness the Awesome Manila Sunset! Sofitel has the best comfortable view, and you can relax in the al fresco Sunset Bar.

Make sure to get the rooms with a view of the Swimming Pool and the Manila Sunset.

Sofitel Room Rate (December 2009 Peak Season)

Classic Rooms - P6,620 net (See Above)
The classic rooms are the standard rooms in the non-renovated floors 4, 5, and 6.

Superior Rooms - P8,425 net
These rooms are more expensive because they are on the higher floors 7, 8 and 9. The newly renovated rooms on the 2nd and 3rd Floor are also priced at this rate.

Luxury Rooms - P11,271 net
Luxury rooms are the rooms located on the 10th and 11th floors, where you have access to the 10th floor lounge. You can enjoy high tea and have exclusive breakfast there.

A P50 contribution per room/night to Virlanie Foundation will be added to your bill.
("Virlanie Foundation offers street children shelter, meals, education and caring -- everything that a normal child should have -- a family with loving foster parents and foster aunt, a total rehabilitation to enable the children to grow up as educated individuals, capable of providing a viable future for themselves.") 

AWESOME TIP:
You can become a member of their Accor Advantage Plus for only P7,200, and you'll get a Complimentary Classic Room Accommodation. The benefit is for the primary member only, non-transferrable and subject to room allotments. (Be a member in advance and halos libre na ang classic room!)

Unfortunately, there is No FREE Wi-fi and Internet is charged at P25 per minute and P950 for one day. 

(Ok na rin, so that you cannot work and you can focus on your family :)

Sofitel provides nice toiletries by Roger & Gallet Paris and Colgate.

 

Spiral Buffet

 

You can have your dinner in one of the Best Buffets in Manila: Spiral, Sofitel!

"Spiral is a multi-cuisine restaurant with the biggest buffet in town. It has several live cooking stations and boasts the widest array of dishes. At the center of the restaurant is the spiral staircase connected to the main lobby, accented by the spiral art centerpiece." (see detailed review here: Best Buffets in Manila: Spiral, Sofitel)

We also love Galette, located in the Main Lobby, which offers one of the best chocolate truffles in town. You can buy them per piece.

Kids would love the gingerbread house on display in Sofitel for this Christmas Season. :)

 

Le Spa

To maximize your stay, check out Le Spa. It is "specially designed to cater to your body's need for relaxation, revitalization, reharmonizing and purifying." (Source: Le Spa brochure)

Hotel Guests and Accor Advantage Members get 50% off on Le Spa rates:

Body Massage:
1 hour (treatment time 50 min) - P3,150
1 hour 30 minutes (treatment time 50 min) - P4,740
2 hours (treatment time 110 min) - P6,210
3 hours (treatment time 170 min) - P9,365

Feet Delightful Massage:
30 minutes - P1,360
1 hour - P2,700
 

 

7 Pecados Night Out

From Siete Pecados to 7 Pecados, the hotel's night bar was rebranded to attract not only the hotel guests but the yuppie crowd looking for a cool bar/hangout.

Here's a 7 Pecados video of a cool "Marker Night" party held last Wednesday.

AWESOME TIP:

Sofitel is a favorite hotel of the Department of Tourism. A lot of the Tourism Events are held here. Most of the guests would hang out in 7 Pecados, like the Binibining Pasay contestants (see photo).

7 Chili Spot (P510+). Served with Nachos, grated Cheddar, Sour Cream and Guacamole.

Don't expect too much from the food (personally, I don't like the taste -- mostly bland and flat.) One of 7 Pecados' barriers for attracting the yuppie crowd is that their San Mig Light is priced at P200+. If they are serious in attracting that market, they should have a promo on their drinks and not continue to price them at "hotel level".

The Original Pecados Menu | 7 Pecados Drinks Menu

You can also organize your birthday or special celebrations at 7 Pecados and, maybe, have your own Marker Night event. :) All you need to do is ask your guests to come in white and then have fun with the markers! :) Marker parties are best for birthdays, despedidas, or reunions with your barkada.

 

Swimming Date with Your Kids :)

Kids love to look at the awesome view of the swimming pool below. They almost want to jump in already -- it is heartwarming to see the excited look on their faces.

Here's a preview of the different things you can do with your kids:

Spider Web and Mini-Wall Climbing

Watching the boats in Manila Bay

Creating Sand Castles

My toddler son loves the slide because he can already climb up and slide on his own safely.

And of course, swimming with your kids!

AWESOME TIP:
The pool is not heated, so it will be super cold in December. Put some oil on the back of your kids and give them enough Vitamin C. Note: the slides that you can see at the back is only for kids 12 years old above.

For those kids who cannot swim due to colds, they can use the Kids Club Facilities:

Cool and Wild Video Games, Kiddie Flicks, Chefs Wannabes, Kids Eat, Bookshelves, Wacky Water Coloring Books, Creative Crafts, Funky Face Painting, Toys and Goodies Shoppe.

In House Guest | Walk-In Rate:

P200 | P250 - 2 hours full use of facilities and snacks
P300 | P370 - 4 hours full use of facilities and snacks
P600 | P720 - 8 hours full use of facilities, snacks and lunch
P100 | P100 - Extension Fee for every fraction of an hour
P75/hour/head - Accompanying Adult Fee
P250/hour/head - Any Extension beyond 10.00pm 

The Spiral Breakfast!

The Spiral Breakfast is actually one of the highlights of your awesome escape in Sofitel.  The in-house guests get a complimentary breakfast for two (2) adults and kids dine in for FREE :)

The centerpiece is The Filipino Breakfast buffet with your usual Tapsilog combination...

...with our favorite healthy boiled egg and White Omelet for protein. :)

I like the fact that you can order Chinese Noodles and Mami for Breakfast. :)

Aidan loves the cereal selections.

What else makes the buffet special for kids? It's the unlimited supply of Gummy Bears!

Yes, Gummy Bears for Breakfast. :)

My personal favorites are the Papaya Smoothie (with a little bit of a pait taste) and the Banana-Hazelnut Fresh Yoghurt for breakfast!

The perks and pleasures of staying in a hotel are certainly wondrous. For me, though, a truly awesome escape is all about seeing the priceless expressions of happiness on our kids' faces. :)

Please share your own Sofitel experience so that the next person reading this will be able to learn from your experience as well. Thanks :)

Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel
CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard Pasay City, Philippines
Telephone: +632 551-5555
Visit www.accorhotels.com/asia

For Accor Advantage Plus, you can call:
Melicia Pia Limbo
VIP Officer, Advantage Plus Membership
Telephone: +632 832 6948
Mobile Number: +63 907 5432685
Email: meliciapia@yahoo.com

Live an Awesome Life,  

 

Anton Diaz
Founder, OurAwesomePlanet.com
Mobile: +63917-LOVEOAP (5683627) 
Email: anton@diaz.ph
Add me in Twitter: antondiaz
Add me in Facebook: antondiaz
Add me in You Tube: antondiaz

P.S. This is OAP's official entry to the Sofitel 7 Pecados Contest. :)
 

Comments

[Dennis Morada]

Our family's favorite weekend getaway. No need to drive far and you get a sea view and all the wonderful things you wrote about here. We've been getting those cards 5 years already, and yes, sinusulit talaga! As always, great sharing, Anton.

[Dennis Morada]

I just want to add, New Years are great here as well. Here's where we run away from the smoke and noise that's common where we live. Sofitel and sometimes some TV stations hold their fireworks show very close by. The view from the room balcony is awesome. They hold a party by the pool as well. It's best, of course, if you have the family around. So long before New Year, 4 or 5 aunt and uncle families already plan to celebrate here.

[Arlini]

hi anton. i've been here last year, i blogged about it too. i love the place but it sucks 'cause there's no free wifi :( i don't know now.

[lani de leon]

Hi anton! You have very cute kids, indeed. I envy every shot of them eating with you on your food features, beaxuse i have two kids who are picky eaters. They would seldom, if not never try out something new. I just want to ask some tips on how I can get my kids to eat better stuff than french fries. Thanks!

[Anton]

Yes, Arlini it still does not have FREE WIFI. Thanks for pointing that out, and you have to pay P25 per minute or P950 per day if you want to get broadband access...

[Anton]

Hi Lani,

Thanks for asking. This is a very tough question specially when your kids are already used to eating just French Fries. We would usually let them try anything from fruits, to anything we eat. We let them "TRY" anything and some they don't like. It is important to get them to try because some of the food they would like specially if it is new to them.

In a restaurant we would order 50% familiar and 50% new so that they would have a chance to try the new ones. We would actually entertain them to try the new ones -- either let them try new food while they are busy with something or we well tell them a story of how yummy this food is.

Anton

[Glenn]

Your kids are really blessed with loving and fun parents. :) Kudos!

[Mom-Friday]

you have great timing on this post and I will consider this for our post-Christmas "outing". But can you recommend other family-friendly resorts in Batangas or Tagaytay area? would appreciate your feedback as I only considered Acuatico Resort in Laiya, but fully booked already, thanks!

[I Wei]

At P 950, I'd rather get a Smart Bro that I can bring anywhere. My sister was just there for a doctor's convention. Around that time, my other sis was booked at Pen. The Pen sis was glad that she chose Pen instead of Sofitel because you can plug in your laptop directly to the network in the hotel room. I also tried the Pen wifi in one of their offices. Slow compared to Megamall but better than Rockwell, where I had no luck with wifi access.

http://bilihingpinoy.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-wifi-in-metro-manila.html

[ycae]

hi anton,
we did what you blogged, last month. fully agree with your experiences & tips. went thru the same. it was crowded everywhere. pool is very cold - wished they would consider keeping it warm. fortunately, breakfast buffet was definitely one of the highlights. the kids just love having the 'freedom' to choose what to eat. they are bugging me already when are we going back. btw, the slide on the left side is open to kids. only the right side is restricted. love your posts. keep it coming. cheers.

[Raffy Pekson II]

The Philippine Plaza, whether it was Westin before or Sofitel today, has always been the hotel I'd recommend to my foriegn visitors, especially North American clients who sometimes bring their family to their business-oriented trip to the Philippines. First and foremost, it's a "resort hotel," more horizontally laid-out than traditionally constructed vertical hotels we see in the metropolis. There's more space and leg room to roam around and you don't feel cramped. Many of my guests who also stayed in other Manila hotels say it's far the best hotel to stay in if you're looking for the resort feeling but don't want to be too far away from the business district. However, if it's a purely business and very short trip where one will not have time for the hotel's amenities, go for the hotel nearest to your business destination.

Additional fact: Philippine Plaza Holdings Inc. (PPHI) owns the building as Sofitel is the management company. Japanese conglomerate Kajima Enterprises (I think) owns a big chunk of PPHI. The President of PPHI is Arch. Oscar Salvacion, owner of Design Coordinates, Inc.

[lani]

Thanks very much..if I may say creativity and patience are important keys. I like the 50% familiar and 50% new the most, i will keep that in mind!

Thanks a lot. May God bless you and your family with the beast not only this Christmas but always.

Lani

[lani]

Mom-Friday,

You might want to try Palm Beach also in San Juan Batangas, which is way better than Acuatico. We have been to Palm Beach last Halloween and had a blast. You might want to check out their website.

[kathy]

i super love sofitel's bed. and when you're in sofitel, it feels like you are outside the metro. perfect for a long weekend getaway.

[Garry A. Garcia]

FYI Sofitel Manila has been always a consistent an award winning property within the ACCOR group during their GM's meeting .

But the one in Hanoi which The Legend Sofitel has the most charm and oozes with luxury is a must try. It is the first of the ultra high-end of the Sofitel Brand.

[Olive]

Hi Anton!

Thanks for sharing your Sofitel experience and for the tips esp the membership card.. I think my kids will like it there too!

Have a nice day! :)

[Anton]

Wow, Thanks for the recommendation. I'll put The Legend Sofitel in
Hanoi in my list of places to go to :)

Anton

[Kat]

Hello Anton,

Where can I buy the accor advantage plus?

Thanks in advance!

Kat

[Anton]

I put the name of the person in the last part of the article. I don't
know her but siya yung kumausap sa amin from Sofitel.

Anton

[jayjayvg, md]

So far the best hotel in metro manila. Very kid friendly- my 6 year old son loves it there. They have a kid's area, the playground, the kiddie portion of the pool and the kid friendly food in spiral. Attention to detail is very palpable. The room and bathroom always squeaky clean . Spiral is well maintained- food is of good quality. I highly recommend it to families :) but yes i agree they should follow the trend in makati hotels- free wifi.

[mrs lavendula]

hi anton, i wanted to take my nephew to the pool tomorrow and i inquired about their walk in rates. apparently they don't accommodate walk in for their pool and facilities, just in house guests!
would you know when they stopped taking walk in clients?

[Anton]

When the French took over, bawal na ang hindi in-house guest. Also,
ang dami nilang guest every time and the pool / sunset area is a bit
crowded around 5pm

anton

[Sonny]

Hi Anton,

Is Sofitel strict with the number of guest in a room? I just received my accor card with a free night. But we are two parents and three kids ages 11, 12, and 13 yrs. old.

[Anton]

2 adults and kids should be fine. They are strict with the free breakfast buffet strictly 2 adults and 2 kids. You have to pay for the other kid, I believe.

[Sonny]

Hi Anton,

Thanks for that surprisingly quick reply! I love your site very much. Will definitely try some of the restaurants you reviewed when I go for vacation this April. Btw, I'm Riyadh-based.

MOre power!!!!!

[Curious]

Hi! I have an Accor A|Club Card and I was wondering how can I avail of the free room?

[Mari A23]

Hi Anton,

Habve you tried the Sunset Bar? Do they only sell liquors? Thanks! ^_^

--Toni

[Roozette]

hello! what do you mean by walk in rate? can we pay and use the pool even we don't book a room? thank you