Escape to Beachside Tranquility at Amara Residences in Batangas

When the bustle of Metro Manila and the stress of city life eat you up, it’s time to break away and find that spot where you can enjoy calm, laid-back moments. And what better way to do it than to drive south and head to a place called Batangas. A two-and-a-half hour drive from the Philippine capital, the province provides a quick getaway from the metro yet is far away from its noise and fast pace.

And when in Batangas, one of the idyllic places to escape to is Amara Residences in Nasugbu. An accommodation situated within the exclusive Terrazas de Punta Fuego and with access to the town’s beach, Amara offers you a luxurious and private seaside retreat where you can simply slow down and enjoy a soothing holiday.

Amara Residences, a lovely seaside escape in Nasugbu, Batangas

The condominium-style serviced residences is located 2.5 hours from Metro Manila

Amara Residences is like your home away from home. The condominium-style serviced residence in Nasugbu has rooms with a spacious floor area ranging from 132 to 172 sqm. All lodgings have the practical features you need for a comfortable stay. These include living and dining areas, a fully equipped kitchenette, TV, king and queen beds, and a private bath with hot/cold shower and complete bath amenities.

There are three room types in the property: Forest View Room, Loft Room, and Sea View Room. They all boast a balcony: the Forest View Room offers a view of Nasugbu’s verdant surrounds, while the Loft and Sea View Rooms overlook the West Philippine Sea and the stunning sunset.

All the rooms have blinds that provide shade during afternoon naps or the much-needed privacy at night.

Panoramas of the sparkling waters can be enjoyed at the balcony of the Sea View Room

The Loft Room offers a heightened sense of comfort

The Forest View Room lets you enjoy the greenery outside while indulging in your private jacuzzi

But this resort in Nasugbu, Batangas is not just all about lounging and putting your feet up. When you feel the need to explore and have some fun, you can also do so here. As a guest of Amara Residences, you are given free access to the topnotch facilities of Club Punta Fuego and Terrazas de Punta Fuego. That means you can satiate your appetite at San Diego Restaurant, Il Jardineto, or Sol Cafe; have a rejuvenating session at the Ylang-Ylang Spa; swim at the infinity pool or Turtle Pool; practice your swing at the Punta Fuego Golf Club; or take a stroll along the 800-m stretch of sand by the beach.

Guests of Amara Residences can use the swimming pool at Terrazas de Punta Fuego free of charge

Walk, play, or swim — enjoy the beach at Terrazas de Punta Fuego

A lush sanctuary, a place to sit back and revel in nature, a haven to enjoy time for yourself or with the family. This is what Amara Residences is all about. So if you’re feeling the itch to get away from it all, it only takes you a quick drive down south of Metro Manila to reach this Batangas accommodation, your exclusive enclave in Nasugbu.

Amara Residences is located at Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines. To get here, follow the directions to Club Punta Fuego from the South Luzon Expressway or the R1/Manila-Cavite Expressway. For more information and to book rooms direct, log on to http://www.amararesidences.com.

Maxims Hotel: The Pinnacle of Luxury, Now In the Philippines

Travelers who have visited Manila may say that they have experienced luxury in one of the hotels here in the metro. But the truth is, nothing comes close to the opulence and sumptuousness one can have at Maxims Hotel in Pasay City.

An upscale property by the Genting Group Malaysia and situated in the vibrant Resorts World Manila in the city of Pasay, this hotel is the first all-suite accommodation in the Philippines. Within its 172 commodious suites — with floor areas ranging from 42 to over 500 sqm — are modern palatial comforts designed for the most discerning traveler.

Have a taste of superb leisure, with spaces furnished with plush beds, a 42-inch LCD TV with wireless keyboard and video on-demand, iHome speaker and alarm clock, a mini-bar and refrigerator, coffee/tea maker, and LAN internet access. The private bathrooms come with a separate shower and tub, as well as exclusive bathroom amenities and bathrobes.

Maxims Suite Room is an epitome of splendor and upscale comfort.

It’s not just the rooms that are impressive at Maxims Hotel. Upon your stay, you’ll discover the facilities are top-notch and the service impeccable.

First-class delights and high stakes can be had at the casino. Laid-back times can be enjoyed by the infinity pool. And soothing pleasures can be experienced at the spa.

When not out and about at Resorts World Manila, take a leisurely dip at the hotel’s infinity swimming pool.

Besides leisurely pursuits, corporate requisites are also addressed by this Pasay City hotel. Within the property are a business center and meeting facilities that let you attend to your business with ease.

Meanwhile, the five in-house restaurants whet your appetite for great food. Ginzadon at the 2nd floor offers Japanese and Korean cuisines. Passion, also at the 2nd floor, is the place to savor Cantonese dishes. Impressions is the restaurant at the 3rd floor that satisfies your yearning for French cuisine, prepared by celebrity chef Cyrille Soenen. The Terrace at the 5th floor is a Mediterranean-themed dining place, while Cafe Maxims is the hotel’s coffee bar and lounge.

Satiate your cravings for Korean and Japanese fare at Ginzadon.

A mouth-watering French menu by celebrity chef Cyrille Soenen is served at Impressions Restaurant.

To make your stay more than satisfactory, Maxims Hotel offers 24-hour room service. A personal butler also attends to your every need, round the clock. Other services provided by the hotel’s capable and warm staff include airport transfer, and laundry and dry cleaning.

Indeed, at this Pasay City accommodation that’s just a stone’s throw away from Newport Mall and the Performing Arts Theater, you experience the pinnacle of luxury that’s unlike any other. All you need to do here is sit back, relax, and enjoy the finer things in life.

Maxims Hotel is located at Newport Boulevard, Pasay City, Philippines 1309. It is just 200 meters from Resorts World Manila and 2.5 km from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Online reservations can be made at http://www.maximshotelpasay.com/. For more information, log on to its website.

4 Popular Public Parks in Baguio

Here are some of the open spaces you can visit outside your Microtel Baguio accommodation:

1. Burnham Park
A familiar image found among mass-produced postcards and shirts from Baguio, Burnham Park is one of the most famous publicly accessible open spaces in the Summer Capital of the Philippines. Centrally located in the heart of the city, Baguio visitors find it an imperative to have at least one picture with the park as background. The park took its name after the famed American architect and urban planner Daniel Hudson Burnham who laid out the plans for the entire city. Among its key features are its man-made lake at the center, skating rink at the south end, and the Orchidarium and children's park on the west. Burnham, however, is as functional as it is beautiful. In the aftermath of the devastating 1990 Luzon earthquake, many families sought and found refuge within its tree-covered grounds.

2. Wright Park
Wright Park is located right across the official summer residence of the President of the Philippines. Just like Burnham, this place—or at least, its famous Igorot regulars wearing their traditional costumes—have been featured in many tourism brochures and postcards. Here, one can truly feel that they are having a holiday in the city of pines dues to the distinct scent that come from the pine trees surrounding the area. A favorite destination of families during the weekend, Wright Park is the place to be for a delightful pony ride for an hour or so.

3. Mines View Park
The most popular Baguio attraction, Mines View Park is a great destination that comes with a beautiful scenery, tasty snacks, and great souvenir shopping options. Located close to Wright Park and a number of hotels in Baguio, Mines View offers visitors an astounding panorama of Benguet's gold and copper mines. Visits should be planned early in the day because it can get quite foggy in the afternoons. Close to the park entrance are stalls selling native handicrafts, wood carvings, silver products, or snacks that go well with the great view and the cool air.

4. Crosby Park
Far from a typical landscaped park, Crosby is a 6-hectare land characterized by views of mountains, gorges, valleys, and slopes. A place for more adventurous visitors, its terrain is fit for trekking, walking, photo shoots, picnics, and other types of outdoor activities.

Save for Crosby Park, which is located in Itogon, all these open spaces are set close to each other. If you're planning a visit to kick back and relax in the cool weather, there are plenty of hotels such as Microtel Baguio located in the middle of the city.

Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa Launches Website, Now Accepts Online Bookings

Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines – Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa recently launched its new website that contains information about this resort in Palawan. At www.princesagardenisland.com, guests can easily navigate through the different webpages to find pertinent information on the following:

Accommodation: Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa features Asian-themed rooms, suites, and villas, all luxuriously designed with the traveler’s comfort in mind. Common in-room amenities include wireless Internet access, a mini-bar, safe, and a private bathroom with complete set of bath amenities and bathrobes. The suites further feature a private lanai with sunbeds, jacuzzi, iPod dock, 46-inch LCD TV, and 12-inch rainshower.

Facilities: Guests can enjoy utmost leisure in the wide array of facilities offered by this Puerto Princesa resort. Here, they can bask in the 1,640-sqm chlorine-free swimming pool or hop on to the boat that will take them to the nearest sandbar. Those who want to spoil their taste buds can head to any of the 3 on-site dining spots, namely Rice, Tomato and Basil Cuisina Italiana, and Golden Elephant Seafood Village. For guests who wish to relax and rejuvenate, the resort’s Hilot Spa offers the pampering they deserve. And guests seeking a unique venue for special occasions can make use of the chapel, ballroom, and function hall.

Services: Helpful assistance like airport transfer service, room service, shuttle service, housekeeping, and tour desk are provided by the resort. Wi-Fi Internet access is also offered, keeping guests connected to the world even during their vacation.

Location: Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa is found in the village of Bancao-Bancao, 5 minutes away from Puerto Princesa International Airport. From here, guests can access many of Palawan’s best attractions, including the Subterranean National River Park, Honda Bay, Iwahig Firefly Watching, Baker’s Hill, Crocodile Farm, Mitra’s Ranch, Palawan Museum, and Iwahig Penal Colony Farm.

Moreover, the website of Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa makes it easy for travelers worldwide to book a stay here, with the integration of an online reservation system. By using the booking engine that is powered by DirectWithHotels, guests experience the following benefits:

1. Getting instant confirmation of their bookings. All that’s needed is to complete a short booking process to reserve a room under their name and on their desired stay dates.
2. Taking advantage of special deals that are found exclusively on the website. Rate plans other than the best available rates may appear on the booking engine when guests book on dates that fall within a promo’s validity period.
3. Having no worries on payment processing, as all transactions done through the resort’s reservation system is secured by Trustwave, DigiCert, and AsiaPay.
4. Directly booking with the hotel, eliminating the need for a third-party travel agent.

To reserve a room directly at Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa, guests can log on www.princesagardenisland.com. More information about this Puerto Princesa accommodation may be found on its website.


PRINCESA GARDEN ISLAND RESORT AND SPA
Caniguiran Street, Barangay Bancao-Bancao
Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
Philippines

Phone Numbers: +63-02-7447979 to 82


About DirectWithHotels
DirectWithHotels is in the business of making selling online simple and more profitable for hotels. Since 2005, we’ve helped over 1000 Hotel Partners (and counting) in 50 countries worldwide increase their direct bookings online. We attract visitors and drive traffic direct to their hotel websites with tactical online marketing, convert these visitors into bookers with a top-performing booking engine, and manage increasing reservations with an easy-to-use web interface. All this at a fixed, performance-based fee of just 10% for every direct booking.

TRAVEL GUIDE: 4 Things to do When in General Trias, Cavite, Philippines

Why fly long distance when you can go sightseeing just a few hours from Metro Manila, Philippines? Book yourself a hotel in General Trias, Cavite and embark on a trip filled with leisure and learning. Here are 4 things that you should not miss during your “Gentri” trip.

1. Visit old churches
It is nice to see the different churches when you are in a new town because they reveal the locale's architectural history. Gentri has many parishes but the St. Francis of Assisi Parish and Our Lady of Guadalupe Church are the most notable ones. The former was built in 1611 by Franciscan missionaries and also has the distinction of being the first site where the Philippine National Anthem was played. The latter, on the other hand, features a modern design and is set in the middle of the Gateway Business Park. Regardless of which you visit, you will definitely have some Instagram and Facebook-worthy photos to take back with you.

2. Go museum hopping
Here in Gen. Trias, you can relive those field trip moments when you see paintings, murals, exhibitions, and other galleries inside the GBR Museum and Museo De La Salle. Located inside the Gateway Business Park, the GBR Museum contains more than 3,000 vintage photographs as well as hundreds of model airplanes donated by founder Mr. Geronimo Berenguer de los Reyes Jr. from his personal collection of the city's memorabilia. Museo De La Salle, meanwhile, houses a rich collection of antiques from the Spanish occupation.

3. Snap photos of statues and markers
You can also take pictures of Cavite's best sons by visiting markers scattered around town. The General Mariano Trias Marker is located in front of the general's ancestral house in the town plaza. General Mariano Trias fought bravely during the Philippines' revolution against the Spanish conquistadors. But aside from the good general, there are also other heroes who sacrificed their lives during the battles. One of them was Diego Mojica, who led a group of revolutionaries in attacking the Spanish headquarters on 1896. A marker in his honor is also located in the area.

4. Stay at The Bayleaf Cavite
There's no better way to end your "Gentrip" in a rest-conducive lodging like The Bayleaf Cavite. This accommodation in General Trias is the first of it’s kind in the area. With a total of 148 guest rooms and suites, which can be booked online, it is configured to accommodate room requirements from a single bed to as many as four beds per room. An all-day dining cafe, an entertainment center, skylit atrium lounge, outdoor wedding park, and pool bar complements the property’s services. The 45–meter long, free form swimming pool adds a special touch to the vibrant atmosphere of this hotel in General Trias, Cavite.