Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts

February 13, 2025

Anniversary Staycation at Nawa Wellness Calatagan

Since last month, my mom always asked me where we are going to celebrate our wedding anniversary and I always say, hindi ko alam baka kakain lang kami sa labas. And now February is here and we still don’t have definite plans. 

I was contemplating if we would have a weekend getaway or food trip. Pero kung weekend getaway naman, wala na ko maisip na puntahan na resort. I even checked the list of exhibitors of the recent PTAA Travel Expo baka may magandang puntahan pero ayaw ko naman pumunta sa travel expo because I still can’t forget our last visit kasi kaya tinamad na ko. 

For the past few years, we celebrated our anniversary at Chateau Hestia, La Chevrerie Resort and Spa, and Nawa Wellness Calatagan. And now, I realized that I haven’t shared our Anniversary Staycation at Nawa Wellness so let me do a throwback post. 


Nawa Wellness is a new eco-luxury holistic wellness destination in the Philippines. Before kasi, when we say wellness resort, The Farm at San Benito ang naiiisip natin but now, meron ng ibang option. My husband just inquired and reserved our room via their Facebook Page and to guarantee the reservation, 100% deposit for the first night is required. 


Calatagan, Batangas is not that far but we still traveled early because I wanted to eat Breakfast at La Creperie - Twin Lakes. Then after our breakfast, we went straight to Nawa Wellness. This was the third resort that we visited in Calatagan, Batangas. We have tried Golden Sunset Resort and Stilts Calatagan before but only for a day trip. 

On our way to the resort, we were surprised na may harang, so need pala namin magbayad ng Ecological Fee. I thought sa San Juan, Batangas lang ito, meron din pala sa Calatagan. The small booth is about 15 minutes away from Nawa Wellness so kaya pala hindi namin naexperience sa ibang resorts na bandang unahan. 

Ecological Fee

PHP30 - Adult 
PHP24 - Senior, PWD, and Children 

Anniversary Staycation at Nawa Wellness Calatagan 

A few days before our trip, the staff asked for our arrival time and my husband said, 11AM but we arrived at 9:30AM, sobrang napaaga. When we got there, we realized na one-way pala yung daan so mahirap kapag may kasabayan kaya pala they asked for our arrival time so they can prepare. 


The guard asked us to wait while the staff are preparing, so dahil napaaga kami hindi pa sila ready. They have a “Welcome Ritual” for all the incoming guests pala. So may pausok and sinabitan din kami ng lei. 


At the reception, they served our welcome drinks and gave us a brief introduction about the resort, activities, restaurant, and others. We already paid for our accommodation but there is a PHP6000 cash deposit. 



Check-in time is 2PM so we were surprised when the staff informed us that our room was already ready. Yes, early check-in. Before we went to our room, we ordered our lunch. The place is not that really big, pero sumakay pa kami ng service on our way to our room together with our butler “Jaspher’.

If we need anything, we can just message our butler so yung mga order namin na food, paschedule ng spa and activities, sa kanya kami nag-iinform. 


Escolta Room (Superior Room) 

As of this writing, I checked their website, iba na pala name ng rooms nila. So I was assuming yung Escolta Room namin is under Superior Room. Last year they had packages but since I’m not fond of body treatment or massage, I told my husband na Room with Breakfast lang kami. Escolta Room is PHP5,600 for 2 persons and PHP2,000 for extra person. 

This is the room. 


The bathroom is small. 


There is a water dispenser, gazebo area and small swimming pool in this building so pwede na kung ayaw mo maglakad ng malayo para sa malaking pool. 




For our food, you can read the “What to Eat at Nawa Wellness” post. I shared on this post what we ate during lunch, dinner, and breakfast. 



My husband and son also availed of the Banana Body Wrap, PHP2,600 per person and it is only 45 minutes. My husband said, “Okay lang” so nanghinayang yata sa PHP2,600 niya. Hehehe!



Nawa Wellness Activities 

Prior to our visit, I thought we would just eat and rest at Nawa Wellness so I was really surprised that they offer activities too just like our experience at The Farm at San Benito. 

7AM Guide Walk 
7:30AM Breathwork 
9:30AM Mandala 
3:15PM Meal Prep 
4PM Hiking 
6PM Reiki 

Make sure to book in advance because slots are limited. We were not able to experience the Reiki kasi fully booked na. 

There are also paid activities. During our trip, there was “Hilom and Likha” and I was lucky to try this activity. The activity is from 3 to 6PM, so I did not join the Meal Prep and Hiking activities.



For Meal Prep, the chef taught them "how to make 3 kinds of juices using cucumber apple, watermelon, banana, turmeric juice, honey and lemon". 


For Hiking, nakakapagod ito, 250 steps daw yung inakyat nila. Buti na lang may free bottled water. 


The following day, we joined the Breathwork and Mandala Activities. 



After the Mandala activity, we went home already. Overall, we enjoyed our short weekend getaway. The service is good from the reception, restaurant, and all the staff na makakasalubong mo. 


Nawa Wellness 
Brgy. Bagong Silang,
Calatagan Batangas

January 15, 2025

Lunch at Wu Xing Chinese Restaurant by Clark Marriott Hotel

This is the continuation of our Christmas Staycation at Clark Marriott Hotel. As promised I will share our experience at Wu Xing Chinese Restaurant and Goji Kitchen + Bar. Let me start with our lunch at Wu Xing. 

Since we booked our staycation a week before our trip, I had no time to research the hotel amenities and must-try restaurants in Clark Pampanga. So after check in I spent my time searching, browsing, and reading reviews. Fortunately, Clark Marriott Hotel has so many dining options: the hotel offers Goji Kitchen + Bar, Smoki Moto, Wu Xing, The Lounge, Urban Coffee, Pool Bar and Noodle Inc.

Among the restaurants, we wanted to try Goji Kitchen + Bar, Wu Xing, and Smoki Moto. Speaking of Wu Xing, as per my research, this is the first Wu Xing in the Philippines, serving traditional Chinese and Cantonese cuisine and authentic Peking Duck. Wu Xing’s cuisine is all about the flavors reflecting the five elements - wood, fire, earth, water, and metal.

Three years ago, they started operating in Clark Marriott Hotel and because of that, this hotel became a dining destination too. All the reviews I read online were positive, so I was excited to eat our lunch.


I checked their online menu and Facebook page and chose between Wu Xing’s Emperor Feast and Yum Cha Feast. 

Wu Xing's Emperor Feast is designed for a family of 3 to 4 persons and inclusive of one round of iced tea. 

Feast I for PHP4,400+ 

Siu Mai, Pork Dumplings (4 pieces) 
Crispy Fried Enoki Mushroom 
Roasted Pork Belly 
Deep-fried shrimp with Salted Egg 
Kai Lan or Wok-Fried Choi Sam with Garlic 
Kung Pao Chicken 
Yeung Chow Style Fried Rice 

Feast II for Php 5,400+ 

Sichuan Chicken with Chili Oil Sauce 
Honey Glazed Barbecue Pork 
Wok-fried scallop with XO Sauce 
US Beef Tenderloin with Black Pepper Sauce & Broccoli 
Fried Rice Sakura Shrimp, Pork Belly, Soy Sauce 
Wok-fried Noodles with Assorted Meat and Vegetables 

Yum Cha Feast (Mon to Thurs 11:30 - 2:30PM) 

"Explore a tempting selection of steamed, fried, and specialty dishes, perfect for weekday indulgence." Inclusive of complimentary glass of Clark Blend Iced Tea 

Monday to Thurs: 11:30AP to 2:30PM

PHP1500+ Adults 
PHP750 + Kids 

Sa totoo lang, nagugutom na ko while reading the menu and looking at the pictures kaya 10:30AM pa lang lumabas na kami ng room. We also checked the restaurants of other hotels but we still went back to Wu Xing because my husband already made a reservation. 

Opening time is 11:30AM pero siguro nakita nung staff na ang tagal na namin nakatayo sa labas ng restaurant kaya pinapasok na kami ng 11:20AM. Ayaw na namin kasi mag-ikot pa. Hehehe! 


Upon entering, the staff asked if we had a reservation and then ushered us to our table. He handed us the menu and I asked about the Emperor’s Feast. The staff said, hindi po available today yung Emperor’s Feast, Yum Cha Feast, and any other credit card promos. Toink! 


Excited pa naman ako sa food trip ko kaso wala pala yung mga feasts and 20% off credit card promo. Huhuhu! Ang alam ko kasi until December 31, 2024 ang promo, hindi ko nabasa na may except holiday na condition. 

Anyway, we ordered Shanghai Style Pork Xiao Long Bao PHP830, Deep Fried Shrimp with Salted Egg PHP990, Yeung Chow Fried Rice PHP770, Roasted Pork Belly PHP1140, and Macau Style baked Egg Tart PHP490 + Service Charge. 



After several minutes, they served the complimentary chips and tea. Since we are the first diners, ang bilis lang dumating ng order. 




Ang dami nung Yeung Chow Fried Rice, hindi ko nakunan agad kasi yung staff, naglagay na siya ng rice namin per bowl. 


Kahit gutom kami, hindi din namin naubos yung order so take-out na lang yung iba pero we still have room for dessert. hehehe! Napaisip nga ako, kung available yung feast, for sure ang dami namin leftover din. 


After trying their food, I am not surprised why this restaurant is the number 1 Chinese restaurant in Luzon. The dishes are expensive but I am happy because it is worth the splurge. In addition, the service is good, ramdam mo na masaya sila na magserve. 

For sure, I will revisit this restaurant in the future but I will make sure na available yung feast or promo so I can try more dishes. 

Business Hours: 
Lunch: Daily from 11:30AM to 2:30PM 
Dinner: Daily from 5:30PM to 10:30PM 

Wu Xing Chinese Restaurant 
Lobby Level, Clark Marriott Hotel 
5400 Manuel A. Roxas Highway,
Clark Freeport Zone Mabalacat City, 
Pampanga, Philippines

January 14, 2025

Christmas Staycation at Clark Marriott Hotel

I was busy crafting during ber-months so I forgot to plan for our Christmas Holiday. A week before Christmas, I was planning for our menu, mag-order lang ako ng food since I didn’t want to cook. But I changed my mind because ang mahal din pala ng magagastos ko kung mag-order ako ng food for our family get-together plus our Christmas dinner. Tapos kakain pa kami ng Christmas breakfast somewhere in Tagaytay (our tradition for the past several years). 

So I suggested to my husband na magstaycation na lang kami ng Christmas and advance na lang namin yung Christmas Family Get-Together sa bahay. Malakas lang ang loob ko na magstaycation because I knew na free yung accommodation namin care of Marriott Bonvoy Points.

We’ve been to Sheraton Manila, Sheraton Manila Bay, and Sheraton Mactan so ang pinagpipilian namin are The Westin Manila, Manila Marriott Hotel, and Clark Marriott Hotel. And the winner is Clark Marriott Hotel kasi hindi pa namin napupuntahan.

Christmas Staycation at Clark Marriott Hotel

This is our first Christmas Staycation because normally, sa bahay lang talaga kami at kakain sa labas ng Christmas breakfast. We left early to avoid the traffic and arrived at Clark Marriott Hotel before 9AM.



The staff gave us 2 options kung magpay kami ng deposit or pay as order na lang sa restaurant, we chose the latter. And since we only used our points for our accommodation, breakfast is not included. The staff informed us that we can avail the Buffet Breakfast for PHP1,200/person kasi yung sa restaurant pa daw kami mag-avail, PHP2,100/person daw yung rate. Since it was our first time, I had no idea sa buffet rates nila. Plan ko sana na magroom service na lang kami but in the end, we availed the breakfast and the staff gave us vouchers and keycard. Yey! Early check-in. 


Clark Marriott Hotel Deluxe Room - King 

We prefer 2 double beds but it is not available so siksikan kaming tatlo sa king sized bed. We have a couch, mini fridge, TV, complimentary coffee/tea maker. 



Marbled bathroom. The toilet has a bidet. 



Clark Marriott Hotel Dining Options 

Clark Marriott hotel has Goji Kitchen + Bar, Smoki Moto, Wu Xing, The Lounge, Urban Coffee, Pool Bar and Noodle Inc. You can also visit the restaurants of Swissotel and Hann Resort. These 3 hotels are connected so you can just explore the area. Sa dami ng pagpipilian, hindi ka talaga magugutom, nakakabutas lang ng bulsa. Hehehe! 



We had lunch at Wu Xing, breakfast at Goji Kitchen and for dinner, wala gusto sa amin magdinner na kasi may leftover kami sa Wu Xing and madami din snacks na binigay ang Marriott so we just ate Gelato at Oma’s -Swissotel Clark. Our initial plan is dinner at Smoki Moto kaso hindi na natuloy but I hope next time, we can try this restaurant kasi maganda yung review. I will share our food trip in a separate post. 



Complimentary from Clark Marriott Hotel 

We got a complimentary chocolate bar, cake, snacks, and may Christmas gift sila na towel with Marriott logo. So wala man silang Christmas events or activities, may pagift naman. 






Clark Marriott has spa, fitness center and swimming pool pero wala kami pinuntahan. We literally ate, rested, and slept last Christmas. No late check-out so we went home early at sa bahay na kami naglunch kasi marami kami leftover from our family get-together. Hehehe! 


x

Clark Marriott Hotel 
5398 Manuel A Roxas Highway Clark Freeport, 
Pampanga, Philippines

December 11, 2024

Pullman Ciawi Vimala Hills Resort Spa & Convention in Bogor Indonesia

My husband recently went to Indonesia for a business trip. He traveled to Bogor, Indonesia, and stayed at Pullman Ciawi Vimala Hills Resort Spa & Convention. The resort is about two hours from Jakarta, depending on the traffic situation. Because of his midnight flight schedule, he needed to stay at Sheraton Grand Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel during his first and last day for safety and to rest before the land travel. 


The Pullman Ciawi Resort is part of the Vimala Hills Villa & Resort which has 91 hectares of land. The resort is elevated so guests will experience cool air. My husband said it feels like Tagaytay of the Philippines. 



This is the Deluxe room measuring 42sqm with a large balcony and marble bathroom. 




The breakfast buffet is served at Damar Restaurant. It offers both local and international favorites. 





They offer different activities for family and big groups but since my husband is on a business trip, he has no time for recreation, maski magswimming. Hehehe! 


Pullman Ciawi Vimala Hills Resort Spa & Convention 
Jl. Raya Puncak, Gadog, Megamendung, 
16770 Bogor Indonesia 
Tel: + 62 (251) 830 6888 
Fax: + 62 (251) 830 6889 
Email: hendrik.hendrik@accor.com
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