YULETIDE DEALS
STREETS IN the Metro have begun brimming with lights again, signaling the start of another holiday season as well as the end of another year. Those eyeing a different way to celebrate can turn to the selection of places that have started rolling out their respective Christmas and New Year promotions, such as the ones below.
MARCO POLO ORTIGAS MANILA
Choosing to celebrate the season as one of giving is Marco Polo Ortigas Manila as it helps save the Philippine eagle and provide less fortunate kids an unforgettable Christmas with its “Wings of Hope” campaign. From Nov. 24 to Dec. 15, guests are invited to buy a Philippine eagle stuffed toy at the hotel front desk for P600, which will then be donated to the Philippine Eagle Foundation.
The Philippine Eagle Foundation is a nongovernment organization that focuses on Philippine eagle survival through a conservation breeding program that reintroduces species to their natural habitat to avoid extinction. The program started in 1965 and it aims to raise awareness about the extinction and address one of the wildlife conservation crises that the country is facing. The extinction of the Philippine eagle will inevitably affect not only the local culture, but the quality of Philippine forests as well. There are only around 400 Philippine eagles left as of 2015.
Last year, Marco Polo Hotels in the Philippines was able to raise P1 million for the Philippine Eagle Foundation with its Adopt a #PhilEagle campaign. The same initiative was rolled out in Marco Polo Hotels in China as well.
The stuffed toy can be kept or donated, as it with a Christmas card where guests can write a personal letter to kids from impoverished areas, and will then be placed on the Wings of Hope Christmas tree along with other toys that have been donated. All letters and toys will be given to a chosen charity after the run of the campaign.
Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is located along Meralco Avenue, San Antonio, Pasig City. To know more about the Philippine eagle and this campaign, visit philippineeaglefoundation. and marcopolohotels. com, respectively.
DISCOVERY SUITES MANILA
Those who opt to stay in Discovery Suites Manila this holiday season can expect to make moments worth remembering. The hotel has prepared desirable room and dining rates to encourage family festivities and celebrations with other loved ones.
For one, guests can enjoy sharing endless stories by the pool or spending an afternoon exploring the pulsating city as holiday room packages start at P4,000++ in a Junior Suite from Dec. 1 to 30, 2016 and Jan. 1 to 15, 2017.
Meanwhile, a feast of holiday dishes await guests at 22 Prime. The special set menu this season includes Sous Vide Turkey and Grilled Angus NY Striploin at P1,850++ from Dec. 16, 2016 to Jan. 1, 2017. Those who plan to celebrate Christmas Eve at the restaurant can expect a menu that highlights a Roast of Prime Rib and a Holiday Turkey for P1,770++. Party packages are also available through a starry, Christmas-themed buffet menu for a minimum of 50 guests.
Discovery Suites Manila is located along 25 ADB Avenue Ortigas Center, Pasig City. For inquiries and reservations, call ( 02) 719- 8888, e- mail to reservations@ds.discovery.com.ph, or visit discoverysuites.
MARRIOTT HOTEL MANILA
Marriott Hotel Manila recently held its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony to signal the beginning of the its holiday campaigns.
The hotel presented its 26-foot Christmas tree at the hotel lobby with host Tessa Prieto-Valdez and General Manager Bruce Winton, who welcomed the guests. Other personalities at the event include ballerina Sage Espiritu, local celebrity Marian Rivera- Dantes, and the Himig Roseña chorale.
Also present during the celebration were the students and administrators of the Philippine School for the Deaf, Marriott Hotel Manila’s beneficiary. The hotel aims to help raise funds to jump-start a construction of additional dormitories to accommodate more indigent students. Every purchase of Rio the Unicorn, which is available for P500 in the life-size gingerbread train at the hotel lobby, will aid in this advocacy.
Marriott Hotel Manila’s holiday room rates start at P14,500++ and already includes overnight accommodation in a deluxe room, buffet breakfast for two at Marriott Café, and P2,000 food-and-beverage credits that may be used in any of its food-and-beverage outlets. The offer is valid until Dec. 30.
To welcome 2017, the hotel is also offering New Year’s Eve room packages which start at P38,500++ and is valid only on Dec. 31. The rate includes overnight accommodation in a premium room, welcome amenities, buffet breakfast for two at Marriott Café, and two VIP tickets to the Grand Countdown party.
A percentage of these room rates will go to the campus rehabilitation of the Philippine School for the Deaf.
The New Year’s Eve Grand Countdown Party will start with a mass at 6 p.m. and will be followed by dinner and the program proper at 7 p. m. Marriott Hotel Manila is bringing in artists in music and comedy and will serve premium food and cocktails.
Marriott Hotel Manila is located at 2 Resorts Drive, Pasay City. For inquiries
on the outlined holiday offers, call ( 02) 988- 9999 or visit manilamarriott.
MAKATI SHANGRI-LA
Makati Shangri-La recently unveiled its holiday campaign through The Grand Getaway: Holiday Sparkle, which highlights special room rates this Christmas season.
“Christmas is a time of joy,” Patricia Javier, director of Communications for Makati ShangriLa, said in a statement. “We have illuminated the entire hotel lobby in grandeur and elegance in anticipation of the brightest season.”
Makati Shangri-La welcomes guests of all ages to create sparkling memories at the hotel, with the Deluxe Room offered at P8,800 and the Horizon Deluxe Suite at P15,800, both of which come with a complimentary day pass at the Ayala Museum and a sumptuous breakfast feast at the Circles Event Café. Horizon Deluxe Suite guests, in particular, can enjoy private a check-in and check-out from the convenience of their rooms and exclusive access to the Horizon Lounge where they are encouraged to enjoy the view of the city skylline with evening cocktails and canapés. All weekend stays also include an early check- in and late check-out.
As a holiday treat to lucky guests, Makati Shangri- La is raffling off Philip Stein Horizon Bracelets and Pandora Gift Sets for bookings and stays from Dec. 16, 2016 to Jan. 8, 2017. The raffle draw will be on Jan. 9, 2017.
Makati Shangri-La is located at Makati Avenue corner Ayala Avenue, Makati City. For inquiries and room reservations, call (02) 813-8888 or e-mail to reservations.slm@shangri-la.com.
MAKATI CITY
This month, a handful of establishments in the city of Makati are offering promos that are set to create memorable holiday memories. People can bask in the wondrous season with a staycation at Fairmont, Raffles, or Holiday Inn; a Festival of Lights; a gigantic Christmas tree; and a remarkable shopping experience at the Circuit Makati Bazaar.
At the Holiday Inn and Suites Makati, each overnight stay on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday at best available rates comes with a complimentary stay at a chosen Holiday Inn partner hotel, either at Holiday Inn Bangkok Sukhumvit 22 or Holiday Inn Express Singapore Katong. It also comes with a 2+ 1 offer on lunch or dinner buffets at Flavors Restaurant.
Meanwhile, Fairmont Hotel’s Bed & Breakfast Weekend campaign is at 50% off, which includes an overnight accommodation, daily breakfast for two at Spectrum, complimentary high-speed Internet access and local calls, 1+1 for lunch buffet at Spectrum, and 50% off regular treatments at the Willow Stream Spa.
Raffles Makati, for its part, is offering 30% off on its best available rates during weekends, and this already includes a daily breakfast buffet at Spectrum for two persons, complimentary high-speed access and local calls, classic Afternoon Tea and Evening Cocktails at Writers Bar for two persons, and priority in the room upgrade wait list.
Those who choose to avail of these offers can thus delight in Makati’s holiday atmosphere with a visit to the Ayala Triangle Gardens’ Festival of Lights, which is only a short walk away from these hotels. The Festival of Lights is one of the city’s signature traditions, and has been named among Conde Nast Traveller’s Seven Most Spectacular Lights Shows in the World.
This year, people who visit Makati also get the opportunity to view the Metro’s biggest outdoor Christmas tree, which stands 56 feet and is located in Circuit Makati. The establishment also has a bazaar for the holiday season, on top of celebrity booths, musical performances, and outdoor games.
“Christmas is all about family, friends, and all the people we hold dear. What’s a better way to experience the joys of this season by sharing new experiences with those you truly love, in a city that offers something for everyone,” Shiella Aguilar, Project Development manager of Makati, said in a statement.
Holiday Inn and Suites Makati is located in Glorietta Mall, Palm Drive, Ayala Center, Makati City, while Fairmont Hotel and Raffles Makati is at 1 Raffles Drive, Makati Avenue, Makati City.
Ayala Triangle Gardens is at Paseo De Roxas St. corner Makati Ave. corner Ayala Ave., Makati City.
Circuit Makati is on A.P. Reyes Street, Olympia, Makati City.
For more information on the holiday offers by Makati, visit makeitmakati.com.