Staycation Series: Conrad Manila, The Newest Luxury Hotel by the Bay

It's been 3 years (yes, three!!!) since I last made a post here. So much has happened since then. The little boss got bigger and started school, I finally found the the time (and guts) to start a little travel business, AND we now have a baby girl! Well, not bad for three years, eh?

Anyway, since it's been so long, I figured my next blog post should be about something really new and fresh. So, I'm starting my Staycation Series with a review of the newest kid on the luxury hotel block, Conrad Manila.

Last June 15, 2016, Conrad Hotels and Resorts, one of the luxury hotel brands of Hilton Worldwide, made its debut in the Philippines with the opening of Conrad Manila. Owned by SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation and managed by the Hilton group, this new hotel's design had the hubby eyeing it since last year, as it looks like a ship about to go out into the harbour, what with it's very strategic location by bay inside the SM Mall of Asia Complex. Quite eye-catching to be sure, and looks expensive to boot. So when I got an email offering discounted rates for BDO credit cards, BDO Rewards and SM Advantage members, with the dates of stay coinciding with my scheduled training, I wasted no time telling the hubby, who of course said yes without so much as a blink. Well, he had to watch the little bosses (there are two now, see) all by himself while I'm out, so might as well do it in style, right? Tee-hee!

Booking a room was a breeze. I made all the arrangements through email, and the reservation agent who handled my booking was extremely responsive and helpful, as I had quite a number of requests since we're checking in with young children.

We opted not to avail of the free valet parking at the drop off lobby and just proceeded to the hotel's basement parking. Luckily, a couple of slots were vacant right in front of the entrance to the elevators. We went straight to their main lobby where we  were greeted by the hotel's hostess immediately upon stepping out. An attendant quickly took our single luggage and waited for us while we checked in. We got there earlier than the usual check in time, but the room was ready, so a few minutes was all it took to check us in.

The little ones, of course, explored the elegant lobby trying to find something to amuse them.

I failed to take photos of the lobby as I was in a hurry, but here's what I got from the web. The view here is lovely during sunset.

Forgot to check what this decor was in front of the elevators and hallway going to the ballrooms.

The hallway between ballrooms (where we passed when going to and from the pool)

We got their Deluxe Bayview room on the 5th floor. For a standard room, this one can compete with suite and premier rooms of other 5-star hotels. Impressive!

The king sized bed 

The sofa by the window is a nice spot to enjoy the sunset or jus spend some time reading.

The mini bar and Nespresso coffee machine are enclosed in this cabinet

The mini bar and Nespresso pixie machine

Not your usual complimentary coffee and tea.

Love the bathroom lay-out with separate stalls for shower and toilet. And the sliding door that closes off the whole area ensures that the kids are safe, too!

Another photo of the bathroom showing the sliding door, photo from Conrad Manila's official Facebook page.

The bathroom has three shower options: telephone shower, body jet and rainshower (which I was unable to include in this photo)

We requested for a baby crib, and within 5 minutes, one was brought up to our room. The housekeeping personnel who took my call asked me if a baby boy or baby girl will be using the crib, and when they brought it up, I understood why.

The brand new pink crib for the little girl which Kuya tried to check how comfy it was.

After checking in, I had to go out for a few hours for my training, so hubby had the kids amused by letting them draw and watch TV. I must say, they seemed pretty pleased with their current digs.

Our little bossings busy scribbling down their "schedules', haha!

Of course, a staycation for the little bossings will never be complete without splashing around in the pool, so as soon as I got back it was off to the pool we went. Conrad Manila's pool seemed to be climate-controlled just like Nobu's, hence no worries of the kids getting a chill.

Conrad Manila's infinity pool. If you don't fancy having a swim, the bar area is the perfect place to chill while watching the sunset. Photo from Conrad Manila's official Facebook page.

Yep, the little bossings sure enjoyed their pool time. :)

It was difficult getting them to leave, but were eventually lured with promises of going back the next morning and the fireworks display later.

Just before the fireworks started, there was a knock on our door. Carey the Carabao, Conrad Manila's official stuffed animal, has come to keep our little girl company for the night. Kuya wanted one, too, but room service has left, and he was good-natured enough to let it pass.

Carey the Carabao strikes a pose by the picture window!

View of the SM Mall of Asia weekend fireworks display from our room.

Kuya enjoying the fireworks display.

After the fireworks, we went down to S Maison to grab some dinner. However, the choices were quite limited since most of the stalls hasn't opened yet. Those that were open had a list of waiting customers, so we decided to walk across to the Mall of Asia and have dinner there. Going back, our Kuya spied the Starbucks Reserve at the corner of S Maison and just had to get a couple of his favourite cookie straws.

Starbucks Reserve at S Maison just below Conrad Manila

The next morning, the little bosses enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast before heading out to the pool again (more on the breakfast buffet at Brasserie on 3 in my next post).

Carey the Carabao joined us for breakfast!

Pancakes with Nutella and honey for our Kuya.

Snatched a bit more of pool time before checking out.

Then it was time to go.

Check out time!

As with check in, check out was also fast and hassle-free. An attendant was again on hand to carry our bag and bring it to the car.

It was indeed a very enjoyable stay at Conrad Manila. So much so that as we were pulling out of the parking area, out little boy was already asking when we can go back. When mommy starts earning from her work anak, haha!

However, there were quite a number of things that we noticed during our stay.

1. Since Conrad Manila is very new, the smell of paint is quite strong at the lobby. We stayed in the middle of July, a month after they opened. Hopefully, the smell is gone by now.

2. The absence of a bidet in the toilet is surprising. And it seems a lot of guests were asking about it, too.

3. There seemed to be a problem with the airconditioning system, as it automatically reverts to 28 degrees no matter how many times we adjust it. 28 degress is fine when the weather outside is cool. But when it's 33-35 degrees outside and your room has wide windows that let in all the light and heat, it can get a little uncomfortable.

4. Other luxury and 5-star hotels have welcome amenities like fruit platter, drinks, and good night cookies. Not with Conrad Hotel. I was informed this was not practiced by the Conrad hotel group. Hmmm... It would have been a very nice touch. Though they do have Carey the Carabao to tuck the little ones to sleep.

5. Our room had a very nice view which the kids enjoyed. What they did not like was the long walk from the elevator to our room. Exterior-wise, the building design is quite stunning. However, there was a price to pay in terms of the floor plan/lay-out, as we had to walk the whole length of the north building to get to our room facing the bay and the SM Mall of Asia. There was an another set of elevators nearer our room, but using them meant crossing the hotel's ballrooms when going to the pool or main lobby. Fortunately, there were no events that day, so we didn't encounter a lot of people going to and from the pool.

Still, these can be improved upon (except for the elevators and lay-out, of course). Overall, Conrad Manila is probably one of the best hotels we've stayed, and we can't wait to be back. That is, if I get another good deal.

Macaron Magic by Alchemy

I got my first taste of macarons some years ago from Bizu, and though it was good, I was not overly impressed. Also, the cheapskate in me thought it was a tad too expensive. I was more taken by their Valrhona chocolate souffle.

Lately, I seem to be running into a lot of pastry shops that offer macarons, and with my interest piqued, decided to have a go at it. In the process, I also learned that a lot of homebakers are selling these little goodies, which is how I stumbled upon Alchemy, a home bakeshop in Greenmeadows. I made a little research and found out that Alchemy sells not only macarons but other desserts like canelle, madeleine, creme brulee, and more. They even offer dessert bar packages!

Now, Greenmeadows is really quite far from our usual places. Fortunately, hubby had some business to take care of near the area, so I wasted no time in ordering two boxes of 16 macarons each. Yeah, yeah, I went into panic-buying mode as I had no idea when we'll be able to go back. To his credit, hubby did not blink when I told him how much I ordered. And after tasting them, I would imagine he was glad that I got a lot.

Alchemy's macarons are available in 10 flavors. The regular flavors are Chai Spice, Banana Walnut, Peanut Caramel and Salted Caramel, while the premium flavors are Dark Chocolate Ganache, Coffee Caramel, Mint Chocolate Ganache, Passion Fruit Milk Chocolate, Green Tea and Raspberry.

Alchemy's Flavor List
Hope they would offer Pistachio soon :)

For my order, I got one box with Dark Chocolate and Salted Caramel, and the second box with Coffee Caramel, Mint Chocolate, Banana Walnut and Peanut Caramel.

Achemy's macarons = total satisfaction!

Look at these little sweeties

We started with the Dark Chocolate Ganache. The ganache was rich and had a strong chocolate flavor. I got to say, it's the best chocolate macaron I've had so far. The next one, the Salted Caramel, was another hit with us. The rich caramel filling with a hint of saltiness gave the macron that chewy center that I look for in other macarons. I couldn't decide which one I liked better as both were really, really yummy!

My third pick was the Coffee Caramel, coffee-flavored shell with caramel filling. Nice coffee-flavor, not too strong, just enough to give an unmistakable coffee taste. The Peanut Caramel had the same caramel filling as the Coffee Caramel, except that it had a peanut-flavored shell, while the Banana Walnut had buttercream filling and made me think I was having banana walnut cake in every bite. The Mint Chocolate Ganache, on the other hand, had just the right amount of mint in the chocolate filling. I do not really like mint chocolate in any form, but this one I was able to take a bite of. I would stick to the Dark Chocolate one, though.

We were initially worried that the macarons might go stale as the reminder on the box say the enchantment lasts for five days, meaning we should consume all of it before the five days are up. However, it was not necessary as we finished both boxes in 3 and a half days!

A little reminder at the side of the box

Love the bakery-inspired whimsical design!

The simple signs says it all: Magic!

I know I'm no authority on desserts, not by a long shot. But I must  say, of the dozen or so different brands that I've tried, both from homebakers and commercial/known pastry shops, this is probably the best macarons I've had. Can't wait to for the next opportunity to go a little North of the Metro so I can get another couple of boxes (maybe more if I'm sharing, haha!).

You can check out/contact Alchemy through their Facebook page: Alchemy

Note: This is not a sponsored post

(Not So) Crazy Over Cronuts

These past few months, it seemed a lot of people are going ga-ga over a new pastry that recently made waves in New York. Called cronuts, croughnuts, doissants, and a whole lotta names, this croissant-donut hybrid has caused a lot of pastry shops scrambling to join the Cronut Craze. It's basically croissant dough shaped into a donut, fried, then filled with cream and topped with chocolate, caramel or some other flavor of choice. Cronuts have become so popular that one bakery-cafe has resorted to rationing, making the following announcement on their social media page: "Due to long lines for our croissant-doughnuts, we have to ration the pastries based on the length of line". Apparently, a person waiting in line that could stretch on for an hour or more would be given between 2-4 pieces of the pastry depending on  the number of people who lined up. Gah!

Now, I've had my fair share of waiting in line (sometimes for hours on end!), but one thing I have not done yet (and possibly never would) is to line up for long periods just to buy the latest craze. That's probably why I'm always one of the last to know (or taste) the new "IN" thing, teehehe! Not being snobbish, just lazy and a little practical. And hey, if something was really good, it'll be around even when the hype has died down, right? So I put cronuts in the on-hold file, thinking to give it a try when the hype has died down.

A couple of weeks ago, I was browsing around when I chanced upon GourmetFinds, another home-based bakeshop. I actually checked it out because I was on the hunt for the best macarons in Manila, and saw on the product list that the bakeshop has jumped on the cronut bandwagon. Calling them DCs (short for Doughnut-Croissants), GourmetFinds offers four varieties:

Chocolate topping with Vanilla, Coffee or Nutella filling

Pistachio topping with Pistachio flavored filling

Speculoos topping with Vanilla filling

Salted Caramel topping with Almond Cream filling

There's a 4-day advance order requirement, and a minimum of 6 pieces per order with 1 to 2 flavors. As I was ordering a box of French macarons to try out, I thought why not get some cronuts as well. So I ordered a box, choosing Chocolate with Coffee filling and Speculoos with Vanilla. I initially wanted Salted Caramel as it is my favorite macaron flavor, but as I haven't tried Speculoos yet (yes, I have NOT tried it despite its popularity), I opted for the latter.

Here's my box of six:

Box of six DCs (Doughnut-Croissants), Php600

Slightly closer look

Almost all the reviews I've read about cronuts say that the pastry should be eaten immediately, not refrigerated and not re-heated. However, the box that I got was cool, which made me think that it came from a refrigerator. Also, there was a sign on the side that says KEEP REFRIGERATED. Obviously, these will have to be kept in a ref. At home, hubby and I got a piece of each flavor to try. As I took out the cronuts, my fingers got all oily, evidently from the oil used to fry the cronuts. Uh-oh! Not a good sign for me.

Note: GourmetFinds was kind enough to send an apology for the cool DCs, as the box was kept in an aircon room prior to pick-up. The gesture is much appreciated, though it was not necessary as the pastries were bound to get cold if not eaten immediately.

I wasn't too happy with the thought of eating what essentially was a cold, fried croissant, so I popped the cronuts into the oven toaster for a couple of minutes or so just to warm them up. I then sliced into it to check out what the craze is all about. As I have not tasted cronuts before, I do not think I am in the position to say what a good cronut should be. This is just to describe what I had.

The cronuts had delicate layers, light and flaky like a croissant, except that these had cream oozing out from the layers. Maybe I re-heated it too long, which made the filling all runny. Oh, well...

Nice, delicate layers, an indication of how much work
was put into making this pastry.

I first tasted the chocolate-coffee combination. Being a picky eater, I normally do not set high expectations when trying out something for the first time. But with all the hype, I probably set the bar a bit higher than usual. Something like, "I'm getting another box as soon as these are gone!" kind of reaction. However, the cronut was just okay for me. The coffee filling tasted nice, just the right amount of coffee flavor, though a little too sweet for my liking. The chocolate topping was also quite sweet. What I liked was the delicate layers of the pastry, really light and flaky, just as a good croissant should be. Obviously, these were made with good quality butter and other ingredients.

Chocolate topping with coffee pastry filling.

The Speculoos-vanilla cronut, on the other hand, was not as sweet as as the chocolate-coffee one. The vanilla filling was still quite sweet, but it was balanced by the mild sweetness of the topping. I have to say, though, that the Speculoos topping didn't make an impression on me. I know a lot of people raved (and are still raving) about Speculoos Cookie Butter, but in all honesty I really didn't get what's so special about it. If I have to describe it, I'd say it's pretty much like peanut butter without the peanut taste. Or maybe I'm just not partial to it. Sorry Speculoos fans!

Speculoos topping with vanilla pastry filling

That pretty sums up my first encounter with the cronut. I did not really expect to taste the best dessert/pastry ever (taste is subjective, afterall). But after all the raves that I've read, finally having a taste was a bit of a letdown. I liked the texture and lightness of the cronuts that I had, albeit a little too sweet. What put me off, though, was the combination of the butter in the croissant plus the oil used in frying the pastry. If you're like me that you slice off and discard the fatty layers of liempo and other meat because you have low tolerance for overly-fatty food, then the butter-oil combination can be a little too much.

Will I give other popular brands a try? Why not? It won't hurt to sample other versions, and I might grow to really like it. That doesn't mean I'm willing to wait in line, though. Never mind if I will be among the last ones to finally get a taste of all the other cronuts out there, I will take my sweet time until getting cronuts is as ordinary as buying a dozen glazed donuts from your regular donut shop.

Update: Bought a couple of cronuts from Le Coeur de France. The baker convinced me to try them after telling me that theirs are baked, not fried, hence less oily than the usual cronuts. Will post my thoughts on this baked version later.

Buddy's Dozen - Park Avenue Desserts Part 2

I've been on a dessert spree lately, so after trying out Park Avenue Desserts' French macarons and Molten Brownie Bites (see my post on PAD's macarons and brownie bites here), I went straight for their Buddy's Dozen, a dozen of Park Avenue Desserts' best-selling mini cakes.

I really like the packaging, very simple but with a touch of elegance

Park Avenue Desserts' best-selling mini cakes in one box!

It took some time before our little family of three finished the whole box, but we did it (well, almost), and here's the verdict.

Quadruple Chocolate Mousse

Heaven on Earth cake from Starbucks. Notice how
similar they look? Tastes the same, too.

Quadruple Chocolate Mousse -- What can I say? This is one of my favorites, and the little boss' as well. Layers of dark, milk and white chocolate, and coffee mousse on a thin chocolate cake base. I tried tasting each layer separately (quite hard as each layer was really thin and delicate) and was pleased to note that each layer indeed tasted differently, although I must admit the taste of the coffee mousse was lost on me. This cake is very much like the Heaven on Earth cake at Starbucks both in looks and taste, and left me wondering if PAD is the supplier of the coffee store's mini cakes.

The tear-shaped Roca cake that I ordered ala carte

The round Roca Cake that came with Buddy's Dozen

Roca Cake -- Chocolate overload! The chocolate covering this cake was so thick and rich that it was like  a round chocolate bar impersonating a cake! Chocoholics would love this cake, though those who aren't fond of sweets might find it a little too much. The caramel cream inside was almost lost in the thick chocolate frosting. The first time that I ordered this ala carte, the cake was shaped like a teardrop, but the one that came with the Buddy's Dozen set was round like the rest. I like the round one better, simply because it was a bit bigger, haha!

Muscovado Cheesecake

Muscovado Cheesecake - A very light cheesecake that tastes, well, like muscovado sugar, except that it's not overly sweet. I'm not fond of cheesecakes, but this one's good enough for another try.

French Apple Pie

French Apple Pie -- Again, I am not really a fan, but I definitely like this one. Just the right amount of sweetness and cinnamon flavor, and not too thick pastry which is the case in some apple pies. 

Lemon Meringue Cake

Lemon Meringue Cake -- Like their lemon macaron, PAD did not scrimp on lemon on this cake. Really tart lemon curd, and would go well with a nice cup of green tea with lemon. But what we really liked was the meringue on top, soft and just the right amount of sweetness. I would have liked it better if the meringue was a bit toasted like the ones on their promo photos as it would give the meringue a slight burnt-sugar taste.

Chocolate Mallow Malt Cake. 

Chocolate Mallow Malt Cake -- The little boss loved this because of the little marshmallows. It was good like the rest, but I didn't think it was that special. Just layers of chocolate cake with marshmallows and chocolate ganache. It didn't help that the marshmallows on top were quite burnt instead of just toasted. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but not as good as the Roca cake and Quadruple Chocolate Mousse, at least in my opinion.

Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake -- I normally don't like red velvet cake, simply because I don't like its color (Weird, I know!). It was good, though quite crumbly. It actually felt like cake crumbs formed into a mini cake. It was just OK for me, though.

Mango Crunch Cake

Mango Crunch -- Crumbly graham crust with cream and mangoes. Hubby and the little boss liked this, too. Sweet cream, but not overly so, with little pieces of fresh mangoes in between and on top. Again, this one looked a lot like the Mango Madness mini cake at Starbucks, though with a slight difference in the cream topping. I didn't get a photo of the Starbucks cake, though.

Rum Bundt Cake

Rum Bundt Cake -- Comfort food. That's what came into my head the minute I tasted it as it reminded me so much of the cupcakes that I loved when I was a kid. I can't remember the name, but the texture and taste are almost the same. It's basically pound cake with rum and sugar frosting. I almost didn't taste it as it looked so ordinary. So simple yet so good. It would go so well with a cup of tea on a rainy afternoon.

Blue Velvet Cake

Blue Velvet Cake -- I wasn't able to taste this one as we had a few unexpected visiotrs and I had nothing to offer them but the mini cakes. It would have been rude if I asked our guests to let me have a bit of their snack, haha!

PAD's description of the Blue Velvet Cake: A stunning Blue Velvet Cake studded with layers of blueberry filling in cream cheese filling. Warning: This cake is addicting!

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake -- Another one that was served to our guests, so we'll just have to make do with the product description from PAD: The quintessential crowd-pleaser! Light and enticingly moist carrot cake covered in classic cream cheese frosting. Who doesn't get hungry just thinking about it?

What's My Name

What's My Name -- The third one that I didn't get to taste. Oh, well. Nine out of twelve ain't bad.

Product Description from PAD: Nutty, chewy oatmeal and brown sugar tart. Topping of tangy lemon cream and blueberries completes this new creation. It's so good that we don't know what to call it.

The stand-outs for me are the Roca Cake, Quadruple Chocolate Mousse and Rum Bundt Cake, while the Hubby liked the Mango Crunch. The little boss, of course, liked everything. But what I really liked about these cakes is that each one had just the right amount of sweetness. I'm defintely going back for more of these mini cakes, and the macarons and molten brownie bites, too!

Park Avenue Desserts can be found at #7 G/F MegaCenter, Paseo de Magalanes Commercial Center, Makati City.

Photos by Mike and Shella Esguerra

Note: This is not a sponsored post.