Just like that summer has ended and snuggle season has come. And now may be the time to explore staycation options especially if you didn’t get to plan a grand getaway for the family. Consider it as a reset button you and your husband need to recharge and recover from the demands of work and family life.
Staycation offers the luxury of a quick R&R and the convenience of city life without you sitting for hours on a plane and carrying around luggage bigger than your children.
For long weekends, one of your best options may be Holiday Inn & Suites Makati, and we discovered why it's a favorite among families. Here are seven reasons that makes this hotel family-friendly.What other parents are reading
1. Conveniently located next to a mall
There’s a door that leads directly to Ayala Center Glorietta, and this is important for families especially for those with small children for a number of reasons. For one, if you forget to bring essentials, from diapers to allergy medicine, you can just purchase one next door. Lost your phone charger somewhere? You can buy one and be back in minutes.The door located on the lobby floor also leads to a pretty little garden that connects the hotel to the mall. The area at night is lined with beautiful neon lights your little kids will love. It’s pretty big, so your little kids can go crazy and run around while you grab food from one of the restaurants in the area. Since the mall is just next door, you and the family can afford to watch a late movie screening.
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Park the family at the executive lounge, which has the most beautiful view of the city centers, the blue sky and the mountain range on the horizon. (The view was good enough to distract the kids from the gadgets.) You can have a scrumptious tuna sandwich (must try!) and mango juice or tea while staring at the view.
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3. There’s a date night spot at the roof top
CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch nowIf you're bringing company along — lolo or lola or titas and titos — who can watch over the kids for a few hours, mom and dad can sneak out at night. The bar located on the rooftop right next to the pool is perfect for date night for parents who desperately need some one on one time with each other.
Some rooms here even come with cocktails you can enjoy at the lounge from 6 p.m. until around 8 p.m. (Kids are not allowed at the lounge at this time.)
4. Rooms are spacious enough for those with little children
Space is really important for parents who have rowdy little kids like mine. Their version of a fun staycation is not one that involves them doing a lot of lying around (that's the parents' dream).
Our room had enough space for the kids to roll on the floor, make imaginary snow angels, hop, skip, play, and wrestle. Just be mindful of your things because there are plenty of areas and spaces where your kids can hide your keys, socks, and their shoes!ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWWhat other parents are reading
5. We have to talk about the hotel's pillows!
You’ll be given an option when you get inside the room. Pillows are labeled soft or firm, and you can try them before diving in. And I must say the soft pillows were like fluffy clouds. Sleeping on them were like sleeping in mid-air (if that’s even possible). My tired back from picking up toys the entire week was lulled to sleep, and I was snoring in la la land within minutes.
6. Mom can have alone time in the spa and the sauna
The beautiful spa smells like flowers and a baby’s hair after a shower. You can also use the sauna to sweat off all the toxins from last night’s binge eating. It’s all sorts of wonderful. Chances are, you want to crawl into bed once you get back to the room.
Meanwhile, Dad can take the kids to the pool.
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7. Brunch at Flavors is the bomb (kids eat here for free!)
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We loved the high chairs, which were not the typical wooden ones. The hotel uses soft and cushioned ones paired with kids’ plates. It has plates for little kids with suction cups that stick to the table, so the babies won’t flip them over. It provides the kids with colorful spoons and forks with rounded edges, so you won’t have to worry about your children trying to poke each other with their utensils.
And don’t be afraid to grab a serving of carefully designed desserts in a wine glass. The “glass” is made of plastic! So, yes, you can let your kids dig in without worrying about them breaking anything.
For the grown-ups, there's a nice, shiny, drool-inducing lechon roll, located right beside the waffle station. Weird combo I know, but trust me it works!
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There’s fresh, huge, and succulent seafood fare, cheese, all sorts of bread, sushi, and a noodles station for the little ones who love soup.
Just before we all get too busy with our kids’ homework, activities, and school projects why don’t you surprise the kids with a grand staycation this weekend? It’d be a relaxing bonding activity for the family and a needed pause for mom and dad. Because just this once you deserve to stop worrying about everything, even just for one entire weekend!
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