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Staycation ideas: Hyatt aims to be preferred airport hotel

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Joko Magalong

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/lifestyle/10/30/hyatt-1.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">The swimming pool at Hyatt City of Dreams Manila.<em> Jeeves de Veyra, Contributor</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA -- With the opening of a part of the NAIA Expressway connecting NAIA Terminals 1 and 2 to Macapagal Boulevard, PAGCOR’s Entertainment City is set to welcome an influx of guests. </p><p>Enter Hyatt City of Dreams Manila, which is aiming to position itself as the airport hotel of choice. It’s not hard to imagine why it has an affinity to this, as the first Hyatt (the Hyatt House motel) was also an airport hotel servicing the Los Angeles Airport when Jay Pritzker bought it in 1967. </p><p>Today, Hyatt is easily one of the most recognizable hotel brands in the world with more than 60 hotels and resorts. </p><p>During a weekend stay, we revisited Hyatt City of Dreams Manila more than a year after its opening to discover why the hotel continues to be one of the most booked hotels in Entertainment City. </p><p>Hyatt seems to be the most “accessible” of the hotels in the City of Dreams complex. The brand is more familiar to locals having been around Manila longer than the other two hotels in the complex. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/lifestyle/10/30/hyatt-2.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Guests relax at the Club Lounge.<em> Jeeves de Veyra, Contributor</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>Looking around the hotel, it’s fairly normal to see local families indulging in weekend staycations enjoying the pool, foreign families returning from an Intramuros tour, or couples here for a holiday.</p><p>Business travelers are also visible in their suits, seriously talking in a corner of the hotel’s lobby lounge, having dinner in the Café, or meeting in one of the more spacious function rooms in the hotel. </p><p>Like in its previous location, the hotel is also adjacent to a casino. These days, Hyatt visitors now play in the world-class City of Dreams casino, a definite extra to Hyatt’s usual comforts. </p><div><strong>IN A HYATT WORLD </strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/lifestyle/10/30/hyatt-3.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">The fitness center offers relaxing views<em>. Jeeves de Veyra, Contributor</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>Located in two golden towers in the complex, Hyatt has the typical hotel requisites – an outdoor pool with a Jacuzzi, a fitness center, a salon (the only one in the City of Dreams Manila), and dining options like the Café and the Lounge. </p><p>The Café is Hyatt’s sprawling restaurant that offers a la carte dining as well as a sumptuous buffet. Exciting food options in the Café’s buffet spread include a risotto station, a fully loaded grill station with a Wagyu Steamship Round at its focal point, a Japanese station with fresh sushi including some always delectable Tako (octopus) sashimi, and a dessert buffet filled with make-your own crepes, milkshakes, and a range of pastry treats from chocolate cake to cheesecake, to name a few. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/lifestyle/10/30/hyatt-4.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Wagyu Steamship Round at The Cafe. <em>Jeeves de Veyra, Contributor</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>Guest chefs that highlight a specific cuisine are common in the buffet, which keeps the selection always exciting and fresh. During my weekend break, the dinner crowd was thick and lively, helping themselves to the spread while enjoying the scintillating beats of a jazz ensemble, the featured performers for the night. </p><p>The Lounge, meanwhile, is found at the lobby of the hotel. A cozy space with couches and dimmed lighting, with a bar that serves classic and signature cocktails, wine, or any libation you may fancy. Things get more relaxed at night with background music provided by an acoustic duo. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/lifestyle/10/30/hyatt-5.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">The Lounge at the Lobby.<em> Jeeves de Veyra, Contributor</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><div><strong>KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR TRAVELERS</strong></div><p>After a year of being open, rooms in the Hyatt still looked as good as new. </p><p>Rooms have a contemporary design in warm earthy tones, designed and envisioned to keep things simple for the traveler with the usual essentials -- a work station, a hairdyer, a minibar, a LED HDTV, and fast 24/7 internet connection. Well-appreciated add-ons include an iPod docking station, and a large enough safe to keep a laptop. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/lifestyle/10/30/hyatt-6.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">One of the Club rooms at Hyatt. <em>Jeeves de Veyra, Contributor</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>Beds are comfortable as the Hyatt group has long joined the list of hotels that offer more than 250 thread count on their sheets. </p><p>Standard rooms get a walk-in shower, while deluxe and club rooms have a spa tub, upping the ante for some serious staycation relaxation. </p><p>On the downside, much of what’s around City of Dreams is still under construction, so you might be unlucky enough to get a room that faces a construction site or something equally boring.</p><p>We lucked out in a corner room, which afforded us a great view of the City of Dreams’ Fortune Egg and the swimming pools of the other hotels. But if you want to be assured of a great view, book the View Rooms and enjoy floor to ceiling windows facing Manila Bay. </p><div><strong>THE CLUB ROOM EXPERIENCE </strong></div><p>Not all rooms are created equal, and if you have the extra cash, book one of the 45 club rooms in the hotel. Club rooms are more spacious (55 sq.m.), and a stay in these rooms also means access to the Club Lounge and its accompanying bevy of complementary luxuries. </p><p>Club rooms check-in at the seventh floor of Tower II where the Club Lounge facilitates your seated check-in while you sip a welcome drink. </p><p>In the lounge, light snacks are available throughout the day -- from scrumptious chocolate cookies to lemon cake, to your choice of coffee, tea, or juice. Want a quick drink before you go out to dinner? Cocktails and canapes are available during the early evening at the lounge as well. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/lifestyle/10/30/hyatt-7.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Part of the breakfast bar at the Club Lounge. <em>Jeeves de Veyra, Contributor</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>While breakfast fare in the Club Lounge is limited (as compared to breakfast at the Café) to continental breakfast items, some Asian noodles, an omelette station, to various cereals and the like, there’s something to be said with starting your day in a less frenetic pace, in a more serene environment that is the Club Lounge during breakfast, while sipping a freshly made cappuccino of course. </p><p>AROUND CITY OF DREAMS</p><p>If guests want to explore the City of Dreams Manila complex, they can start with a game or two in the City of Dreams Manila casino, or opt to eat a meal at the acclaimed Nobu restaurant. </p><p>Non-hotel eating options? If you’re looking for variety, you might find the shops and restaurants at the Fortune Egg of the City of Dreams limited. But while there are just a few restaurants in the complex, they do offer a bit of everything from Southeast Asian, Italian, Filipino, Korean, to American cuisine. </p><p>Shopping is also limited to a few high-end shops. If you’re feeling the need to shop, City of Dreams Manila offers a shuttle service to shopping meccas Binondo and SM Mall of Asia. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://img.abs-cbnnews.com/2015/images/current-affairs/dp-1.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">DreamPlay by DreamWorks is the world&#x27;s first DreamWorks-themed indoor interactive play and creativity center. <em>Rose Carmelle Lacuata, ABS-CBN News</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>Dreamplay, meanwhile, is a definite draw for vacationing families at the Hyatt. A kid-centric 2,400 square meter entertainment complex filled with rides and activities that feature characters from well-loved Dreamworks Animation movies like &quot;Shrek,&quot; &quot;Madagascar,&quot; and &quot;Kung Fu Panda.&quot;</p><p>Looking for more adult diversions? The Pangea and Chaos nightclubs regularly feature international and local EDM artists for the party crowd. </p><div><strong>TOP SERVICE</strong></div><p>As per its website, Hyatt City of Dreams Manila is at least three minutes away from the airports, making it readily accessible to those coming in from the terminals. </p><p>Admittedly travel time from other parts of the metro will definitely take much longer than three minutes (to more like hours), but the opening of the rest of the Airport expressway this year hopefully bodes well for faster travel to and from the complex, especially important to those tourists wanting to see more of Manila, or to those with business dealings in Makati or Ortigas. </p><p>While the hotel advocates its proximity to the airport as one of its main come-ons, personally, my key inducement to stay again is Hyatt City of Dreams Manila’s impeccable service.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/lifestyle/10/30/hyatt-8.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">The grill station at The Cafe.<em> Jeeves de Veyra, Contributor</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>From the breezy Club Lounge seated check-in, the careful attention from The Café staff during dinner, to the Zen breakfast assured by very observant servers -- all of those coupled with well-maintained rooms and facilities made being in a &quot;Hyatt world&quot; a great experience for me. </p><p>It’s an experience shared by many as the Hyatt continues to be one of the preferred airport hotels in Entertainment City.</p>

<p>Still looking for staycation options for the long weekend? There's no need to look far.</p>

Still looking for staycation options for the long weekend? There's no need to look far.