Inn at the Market Seattle was our last hotel during our US West Coast trip and when we chose Inn at the Market, it’s all about location, location, location! Check out this video taken from Pike Place Market…
Inn at the Market highlighted in yellow in the video
If you take a look at the video, you’ll realise that we literally stayed AT THE MARKET!! Less than 30 seconds walk to be precise :p From the hotel, you can see the famous Pike Place Market, the fish throwing boys and of course the very first Starbucks in the world. The famous sea feast at Crab Pot is also a short walk away!
Map of Seattle with Pike Place Market in the backgroundFresh sea food at Pike Place Market SeattleEntrance of the original (aka very 1st) Starbucks Coffee in the World (Seattle)The Crab Pot – Home of the famous Sea Feast SeattleLocation of Inn at the Market circled out
In and around Inn at the Market Seattle
The first thing you should note is that parking in Seattle is a hassle. This is especially so if you’re parking at Pike Place Market. But there’s no worry at all if you’re staying at Inn at the Market. This is because there’s a special valet team that works round the clock for your convenience. So all you have to do is just leave your car at the side and your friendly “man in black” (yes, they’re in black uniforms) will whisk your car away – a little tip when you get your car again would be nice 🙂
Lobby of Inn at the Market SeattleFireplace and Christmas Decoration at Inn at the Market Seattle
The next thing we noticed was that the reception team at Inn at the Market is SUPER DUPER FRIENDLY!! Whenever we entered or left the hotel, they would say hi to us and would always be on hand to help when necessary. When we checked in, we were greeted by Noelle. She was so vibrant and lively and she welcomed us with such positive energy that you almost forgot it’s 5 degrees right outside!
Noelle – Friendly and Lively receptionist who welcomed us to Inn at the Market Seattle
The other place you ought to check out is the Roof Top Garden. From here, you can enjoy splendid views of the bay, Pike Place Market and of the Seattle Great Wheel (Ferris Wheel) too. Great place to chillax while soaking in the sun!
Roof Top Garden at Inn at the Market SeattleView of Pike Place Market, Seattle Great Wheel and the Bay from Inn at the Market’s Roof Top Garden
City View Room Inn at the Market Seattle
We really liked the colours of the room. Neutral colours with the bright orange arm chairs as the centre piece of the city view room. The toilet also comes with a bathtub (always a plus) and of course a pretty arrangement of toiletries.
Inviting King Size Bed of City View Room at Inn at the Market SeattleBright orange arm chair with views of the city streets from Inn at the Market SeattleBathroom in City View Room Inn at the Market SeattleArrangement of toiletries at Inn at the Market
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The San Remo was the 2nd hotel we stayed in during our recent visit to San Francisco. We were invited by the tourism board of San Francisco to 2 hotels – Palace Hotel as well as the San Remo hotel.
Facade of the San Remo Hotel San Francisco
History of the San Remo Hotel San Francisco
The history of San Remo hotel goes something like this…
On 18th April 1906, San Francisco was hit by a devastating earthquake and fire which literally levelled the city. Massive works were required to build the area. Hence, A.P. Giannini, founder of the Bank of America thought of an idea to build a hotel to house the men who were expected to rebuild the area. The New California Hotel was thus founded. Over the next few years, the hotel was home to sailors, fishermen and even chocolate makers from Ghiradelli’s chocolate plant. In 1922, the New California Hotel was renamed to San Remo Hotel.
Warm cozy yet rustic corridor of San Remo HotelPay phone with a retro looking sign above (San Remo Hotel San Francisco)
Instead of just staying in your room at San Remo, you should really take a walk about the hotel. Just wander through the stairs and its corridors, you’ll realise that there’s alot of history in store for you. There are pictures of the founding family, people who used to work in San Francisco and also the quaint rustic feel of the entire hotel.
In addition, the receptionists here are really cool as well. They know their stuff and can easily direct you to where you want to go or arrange transportation on your behalf. Alex was our receptionist when we checked in and he was knowledgeable in telling us where to go and what to do and when we needed an airport transfer the next day, he immediately made the arrangements. Quick as a jiffy!
Our friendly receptionist Alex when we checked in at San Remo Hotel San Francisco
Room of San Remo Hotel San Francisco
As the premise is actually quite small, you’ll need to know that toilets and common facilities are shared in this hotel…
Common toilets with shower areas in San Remo HotelWash basin near the toilets San Remo Hotel San FranciscoTV Lounge Area San Remo Hotel San FranciscoLittle chillax area with a massage chair (San Francisco San Remo Hotel)
You may also wish to know that there’s an area where drinks and coffee is available. However, do note that the water is not replenished in the evening. In the morning, it may run “dry”. Good to squirrel some away before you sleep! 🙂
Coffee Tea and Water close to the reception area (San Remo Hotel San Francisco)
Another thing which you may want to take note is that since the reception is located on the 2nd floor and rooms on the same floor or higher, you will have to carry your luggage up one flight of stairs. A relatively narrow one as well. So try to pack light if you’re staying at San Remo Hotel.
As for the rooms, we must say that they are well decorated. Beautiful bedsheets, traditional curtains and wooden furnitures really brings out the feel of a historic hotel. Our room came with a wash basin which was a plus! There’s also a portable heater which worked really well and kept our room nice and warm 🙂
One of the rooms with a painted mural window at San Remo Hotel San FranciscoOur room with a queen sized bed (San Francisco San Remo Hotel)Comes with an attached sink, toiletries and an actual window in San Remo Hotel Room
What we really loved about staying at San Remo Hotel San Francisco
1. Fior d’Italia, America’s Oldest Italian Restaurant is located at the ground floor. Upon arrival, we noticed that there’s an italian restaurant located at the first level of the hotel. It even has a sign that says “America’s Oldest Italian Restaurant”. With this sort of signs, you’ve got to try it right? Food must be good for it to survive this long. Sure enough, we did not regret our decision…
Facade of Fior d’Italia – America’s Oldest Italian RestaurantLinguini with meatballs at Fior d’Italia – Possibly the best pasta ever eaten! (17USD)Risotto Funghi at Fior d’Italia – Confirm the best Risotto ever tasted (16USD)Ricotta Cheesecake paired with Dessert Wine at Fior d’Italia San Francisco
Ok, the pics don’t really do justice to how good the food was (blame it on the romantic lightings! :p) The mains we had were simply some of the best italian food we’ve tried. No wonder it’s still around after so long. Pure simple, great tasting food. Yummy! Oh, you’ll also get a 15% “Neighbour Discount” for staying at the San Remo Hotel, remember to show your room keys when paying!
15% discount for dining at Fior d’italia if you’re staying at San Remo Hotel
2. PRIME LOCATION. What we really REEAAALLLYYY love about San Remo Hotel is its location. It is just 4 blocks away from Fisherman’s Wharf! We were even able to grab some supper from the wharf which is about a 7 minutes walk away (inclusive of waits for traffic lights). From there, you’ll be able to grab some of the freshest seafood around and see the sea lions at pier 39!
Steamed Dungeness Crabs at Fisherman’s Wharf San FranciscoSea Lions at Pier 39 – they just happened to be there one day and have been there ever since!
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Palace Hotel San Francisco together with San Francisco Tourism Board (SanFrancisco.travel) invited us for a stay at this gorgeous hotel while we were travelling in the West Coast of USA (yes, it was the Golden Gate Bridge that brought us back to USA).
Entrance of Palace Hotel San Francisco
We have to be honest here. Our first impression of Palace Hotel was that it could be just a normal hotel with the usual gym and swimming pool facilities. Little did we know that we were actually invited to a grand old dame of San Francisco!
Night view of Palace Hotel San Francisco
Established in 1875, Palace Hotel has undergone several restorations especially after the great earthquake of San Francisco in 1909 (although only 9% of the hotel was damaged) and after the 1989 earthquake of a 7 scale earthquake. When Palace Hotel reopened in 1991, its 1909 glory was restored at a cost of more than $150 million!
The cool thing about luxury hotels with a history is that
1. They are usually in the city centre. This is because cities build outwards from its centre and as it grows, the older buildings which are originally close to the city centre would then become prime locations! For Palace Hotel, it just a stone’s throw away from Union Square and the world famed, San Francisco Chinatown
2. Many famous people stayed here before. Famous personalities who stayed here before included Mark Twain, Thomas Edison (would you believe it?!), Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill (seriously?!), Presidents of USA (including Franklin Delano Roosevelt) and more recently actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg.
Due to the festive period, the lobby of the hotel was brightened up with some decorations of its own…
Christmas Decorations in the lobby of Palace HotelHuge Christmas Tree in the Garden Court of Palace Hotel San FranciscoEntrance to the Garden Court with 2 Nutcrackers DisplaysReception area of Palace Hotel San Francisco – Morey on the left who assisted us during check in
As with our stay at Hilton Vancouver Washington, we were actually anticipating a package from San Francisco travel. Although it was not there upon our arrival, our receptionist Morey, helped us by checking through the records again (twice) and going back to the storeroom (twice) just to confirm that our package was indeed late. In addition, he also gave us advice to get the package tracking number (if available) and to contact SF travel again. All this while, maintaining his professional attitude and service. With such great attitude and service, it is no wonder that Palace Hotel ranks highly in their reviews as well.
Before long, Morey passed us the room keys saying
“There you are. Enjoy your stay at the Deluxe King Suite!”
So we wondered to ourselves, a suite? Perhaps, we just heard wrong. Better not put our hopes too high just to let them fall smack down right? So we got our stuff and headed to our room, walking past this BEAUTIFUL hallway…
Beautiful Hallway of Palace Hotel San FranciscoStaircase of Palace Hotel San Francisco
Deluxe King Suite Palace Hotel San Francisco
As we entered into our room, we were pleasantly surprised by the sheer size. The room had an entrance area, living area, study area, bedroom, couch in the bedroom as well as a bathroom complete with bathtub. In one word – HUGE!
Here’s a video tour of the Deluxe King Suite at Palace Hotel San Francisco…
And so, our ears were not wrong when we heard Morey tell us about the Deluxe King Suite. A pleasant surprise for us indeed!
Study area in Deluxe Suite Palace HotelLiving area Palace Hotel San FranciscoKeurig Coffee Machine – Though coffee is available in the lobby in the morningsHuge King Size Bed in Suite of Palace HotelComfy Couch in the Bedroom Palace Hotel San FranciscoBathroom of Deluxe King Suite Palace Hotel San FranciscoBathtub in the Deluxe Suite Palace Hotel San FranciscoShower Gel and Bath Salts Palace Hotel San Francisco
What we love about the room is its privacy. Because of its entrance (small little area where you leave your shoes), you have a distance away from the other rooms, giving you tranquility in your room. The other thing we love about the room is of course its size. We had ample space on the desk for our nightly summary, snack and watch some TV in the living room and lie down on our bed, again with the TV on! Yeah, sometimes we wonder if we’re travelling or just going to US to watch TV :p
Facilities at Palace Hotel San Francisco
Gym and swimming pools are a common fare at classy hotels such as the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. But the cool thing about the fitness centre at Palace Hotel is its sunroof…
Gym overlooking swimming at Palace HotelSwimming pool on 4th floor of Palace HotelAnother view of the swimming pool with gym in the background (Palace Hotel San Francisco)
The sunroof also makes the entire pool area really inviting during the day time!
In addition to the facilities, Palace Hotel has 2 other cool hang out places at the ground floor of its premise. Known as the Pied Piper Bar & Grill, it is named among the 7 finest bars IN THE WORLD! This is along the ranks of Ritz in London, the 21 Club in New York and the La Floridita in Havana. In that respect, the Pied Piper Bar sets the standard in opulence and elegance, definitely a place you want to check out when you’re in San Francisco.
Of course, the other venue is the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company right round the corner of the building. We had the Sea Cliff “Treasure” Sundae (with cookie at the bottom) and it was definitely one of the best sundaes we’ve had. With the rich chocolate from Ghirardelli, it totally puts a different spin to the common term “Chocolate Sundae”.
Sea Cliff Sundae with warm Ghirardelli cookie at the bottom of the sundae
Created in 1852, Ghirardelli is today a familiar name for gourmet chocolate in San Francisco. Here’s a quick snapshot of the history of Ghirardelli…
History of Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Conclusion
After staying at the Palace Hotel San Francisco, you’ll realise that there’s really few places that can compare with this hotel that mixes history, class and luxury all in one. What’s more, the location of the hotel is simply unbeatable – walking distance to Union Square, Chinatown and along the Market Street where the historic F-line plies.
A hotel recommended for all visitors to San Francisco!
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Ok, straight up. Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington has got to be one of our best hotel stays EVER!!
We were invited by Visitvancouverusa.com and Heathman Lodge for a stay at their premise. Before our stay, we did a check online and found great things about the hotel (great environment, delectable food) and of course some funny comments such as “the fake ski lodge next to Westfield Mall”.
Well, as it turns out, this “ski lodge” definitely has more to offer and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay here…
Entering Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
Facade of Heathman Lodge Vancouver WashingtonA quaint sitting area outside the lobby of Heathman Lodge
It was a cold day (about 5 degrees celsius) when we arrived at Heathman Lodge. But with its warm, “wooden” facade, we kinda felt right at home as we entered into its cozy lobby
Lobby of Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington along with Christmas DecorationsA small gift shop named Trading Post at Heathman LodgeAnother view of the lobby, reception and Hudson’s Bar and Grill of Heathman Lodge
There was a slight hiccup as we were checking in at the lobby. Apparently, we were placed on a different name by the tourism board (no fault of the hotel’s) and it took a while before the air cleared and we were checked in.
Special thanks to Marcie from Heathman, who was ever so patient, putting on that great smile all the way and also to Jacob from Visitvancouver for confirming our stay almost instantly, after calling him at his desk. We were slightly concerned as we came in at about 3pm not knowing if Jacob was still in and when we heard his friendly voice on the line, we knew that this would be solved in a quick time and it was! 🙂
The team that received us at Heathman Lodge (Marcie in the centre)! Thanks you guys!
Deluxe Suite at Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
We were told by our friends at the reception that we were on the 4th floor business level where amenities such as the daily reception (which we’ll talk a little more later) were…
Level 4 with access to Hospitality Suite ReceptionCorridor of Heathman Lodge with birds chirping!
As we walked along the corridor to our room, we were surprised to hear birds chirping! At first, we thought (or at least Tom thought) there was some birds on the loose at our level! But upon closer inspection, it was a recorded sound projected through one of the speakers. The reason we’re mentioning this is because the sound was light and sounded at intervals – very surreal sounding. It was as if we had really entered into the woody redwood forests! Even as we left our room each time, these sounds from the birds really perked us up. A great touch by the hotel!
So as we finally approached our room at 408, we were still not sure what was in for us (good move by the reception team to only mention the room number and let us be surprised by what the room has to offer). Words cant really describe why we’re ranking the room as one of our top hotel stays ever and so here’s the video tour…
Video Tour of Deluxe Suite at Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
Did you see the fire place, the balcony, the space of the living room and of course the IN-ROOM JACUZZI!?!
Let’s check out what we saw as we explored the room before the “Oohs”, “Wows”, “Wahs” and “Bearbear, come see!” came a sounding…
Ice chilled water, snacks and welcome note at the deluxe suite of Heathman LodgeIn-room coffee machine, oven and sound system which we used as we rounded up each eveningSpacious living room, comfy sofa, balcony and fire place in Suite of Heathman LodgeCloser look at the gas-operated fire place (so it’s safe!) and balconyFirst view of the king-sized bed Heathman Lodge Vancouver WashingtonAnother view of the king-sized bed with tempur mattress Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
At this juncture, we want to ask you (our readers), which picture of the bed was a better taken one? We shall not skew your opinions by telling you who took which. But the thing we really want to mention is that the hotel spared no expense on luxury in this room with a king-sized TEMPUR MATTRESS! Yes, it is the foam-memory mattress and when we slept on it, we thoroughly enjoyed every inch of support on our bodies! Even as we were lying and enjoying programmes on TV (which is another story to tell), we could feel our joints being supported, especially my elbows, the feeling was great! Makes me want to get a Tempur in our place, sponsors anyone? :p
As we entered the final part of our “exploration”, this was where the real “Oohs” were let out… an IN-ROOM JACUZZI!
In-room jacuzzi in Suite of Heathman Lodge! Probably the most luxurious bathrooms we’ve ever been to!
Yes, because of the in-room jacuzzi, the room has almost immediately been bumped up to the top few hotel stays ever. With the attached TV and mirrors around the jacuzzi, no matter which side you’re facing (one or 2 people), you can still watch TV and enjoy the jets of water massaging you as you relax – all in the comfort of your room!
Perfect for honeymooners and couples who prefer a little bit more privacy!
Vintage wall paper with attached TV!Wash basin and hair dryer Heathman Lodge Washington Vancouver
Facilities of Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
As with all great hotels, there’s a gym which overlooks the pool area. A jacuzzi beside the pool as well. Yeah, we enjoyed our jacuzzi in the privacy of our room 🙂
Gym at Heathman Lodge overlooking the indoor heated poolIndoor heated pool Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
There’s also a business centre where we printed out our tickets to the Winterhawks Ice Hockey Match on New Year’s Eve. It was the very first time we caught an ice hockey match and boy was it cool! (We’ll talk more about it in our subsequent posts).
Our Tickets to watch the Portland Winterhawks live in action at the Moda Center
PLUS! It’s walking distance to the Westfield Shopping Mall with over 150 stores here! Yes, Kate had a great time shopping here!
Westfield Shopping Mall Vancouver Washington
As mentioned in many of our hotel staycation posts, we mentioned about afternoon cocktail receptions and Heathman Lodge offers its guests at level 4 entry to the Hospitality Suite (formerly a presidential suite) for breakfast and cocktail reception!
Hospitality Suite at 442 for cocktail reception and breakfast at Heathman Lodge
There were beers, wines for you to choose from. Finger foods included tacos (with a warm tub of cheese!), salsa, nuts and healthy celery and carrots. Though we have seen more exquisite cocktail receptions, the fresh celery (with blue cheese – yes alot of cheeses during this trip!) and carrots were a refreshing change.
Snacks at the cocktail reception of Heathman LodgeA good selection of wines and beers (both bottled and tapped)IPA with nachos and vege at Heathman Lodge Lounge
You can enjoy this in the common area, watching TV and sipping up good times or go to the next room for a more private conversation…
TV area during evening reception at hospitality suite of Heathman LodgeA small lounge next door for a more private conversation
Oh, we forgot to mention that when we first entered, the room had a fresh oven-baked cookie smell and there it was, the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies! We wanted to have more but we had a dinner at Red Lobsters which we were looking forward to that evening.
Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!
Breakfast at Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
Breakfast at Heathman Lodge was interesting with the self-made waffles.
Freshly made waffles with maple syrup for breakfast at Heathman Lodge Vancouver
The key to making a good waffle is
1. Remember to spray the waffle spray next to the waffle machine. It helps to spread the heat a little more evenly and prevents sticking on the sides
2. Dont be greedy! If you put more than required, it will overflow and create a mess! (not that we did…) Just 3/4 cup full as the instruction says and you’re good to go!
Our self-made waffles with freshly baked breakfast bar with coffee and banana Heathman Lodge Vancouver WashingtonBagel with cream cheese and grape jamBreakfast spread at Heathman Lodge Vancouver WashingtonYoghurt, juice, milk, soy milk, parfait and fruits in the fridge
The best part of our breakfast was actually meeting Audrey. She was a friendly staff in the Hospitality Suite who attended to all our needs (also reminding us to press the blue button – guests here will understand what we mean!)
We started a conversation with Audrey and she told us all the beautiful sights that Vancouver had to offer. Told us all about Beacon Rock and Multnomah Falls which we visited the next day. Thanks to her great service, we had an enjoyable and informative breakfast! Thanks Audrey!
Audrey who was friendly and helpful when we had our meals at the Hospitality Suite!
Hudson’s Bar and Grill – Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
If you’re staying at Heathman Lodge, you have got to visit Hudson’s Bar and Grill at its first level. Many people across town come here just for its food and after trying its brunch menu, we think you should too!
Hudson’s Bar and Grill at Heathman Lodge Vancouver – before dinner time. Yes it usually gets CROWDED!
As it was the festive season, only the brunch menu was available. But nonetheless, we were thoroughly surprised by the standards of the meals that we were about to have…
Dungeness Crab Cakes Benedict – 14 USD (Hudson’s Bar and Grill Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington)Smoked Salmon Skillet – 11 USD (Hudson’s Bar and Grill Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington)
In terms of value, these must have been the best egg benedicts ever! How can 2 HUGE pieces of Dungeness Crab Cakes together with 2 perfectly crafted egg benedicts only cost 14USD?! The crab cakes were fresh and had a light crisp on the outside of the crab cakes. We’ve had crab cakes before and were thoroughly disappointed but with this, it totally revived our confidence in crab cakes once again! In one mouth, you can taste the crisp on the edge of your tongues and when you go in for the bite, fresh crab meat (meat only, no shells) just fills your cavities! Yummy! Simply the best crab cakes ever!
For the salmon skillet, we were quite skeptical that it costs only 11USD, the salmon must be no where to be seen right? WRONG! The salmon came in HUGE CHUNKY PIECES and coupled with the sauce and sourdough bread? Mamamia! Remember to let the yolk ooze unto the sourdough bread and enjoy it with a huge piece of that fresh grilled salmon yah?
Bloody Mary for 10 USD (Heathman Lodge Hudson’s Bar and Grill)
As for the drinks, we went for the Bloody Mary which was recommended by many patrons. When we ordered, we did not know it was 10USD! For us, it was a little too expensive, but the taste was great. You could taste the fresh tomatoes, lime and celery mixed into it. Very different from the BMs that we drank before. Tasted healthy actually 🙂
But truth be told. For the price, we would have gone for the beers on tab instead.
Conclusion
After visiting Heathman Lodge, we cannot imagine a visit to Vancouver Washington without visiting this quaint hotel.
Whether its for the stay, for the service, for its great location (for Westfield and Columbia River side trips) or simply for great food and company, Heathman Lodge has got to be your choice of stay during your visit to Vancouver Washington!
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Eureka Inn was our next stop after our stay at Hilton Vancouver Washington. We decided to take the Oregon Scenic Drive via US Route 101 to Eureka before continuing our drive from there to San Francisco. The drive time from Vancouver, WA to San Francisco would have taken 10 hours but we decided to take a stop at Eureka so that we could enjoy the scenic drive and really just take in the sights. To give you an idea of what you can expect on the Oregon Scenic Drive, check this out…
Beautiful Ocean view on Oregon Scenic Drive via US 101
We set off at about 8am in the morning and finally reached Eureka at about 5pm. The original 7 hours drive became a 9 hours drive because of the breaks we took along the way. Well, with such views, you’ve got to stop somewhere and take it all in right?
Inside Eureka Inn California USA
Facade of Eureka Inn – Stayed here during this trip
After parking the car in the carpark right behind the hotel (parking is complimentary for guests), we headed into the lobby of Eureka Inn
Christmas Tree and Fire Place of Eureka InnLobby of Eureka Inn with view of the 2nd FloorLynette who was the receptionist upon our arrival
We were promptly greeted by Lynette who was on duty that evening. She warmly welcomed us and introduced us to the facilities of the hotel including drinks and live music at Palm Lounge
Palm Lounge with Jazz Music from 9pm onwards
Offers at the Bristol Rose Cafe (drinks for a penny! – with some orders of food of course)
Bristol Rose Cafe Eureka InnInside Bristol Rose Cafe – notice its classy interior deco
And the ballroom which JF Kennedy once held a party…
Actual Chandelier in Eureka Inn ballroom since 1952
Not to mention an outdoor swimming pool, which was too cold for us to swim at this time of the year
Outdoor pool area of Eureka Inn which must be really cool to hang out at during summer months
There’s also alot of history that the hotel is famous for. In fact, when it opened in 1922, it was considered a very classy place, which is why it is now given the name “Grand old dame of Eureka”. We also saw several interesting items scattered in the hotel…
Actual Telephone Switchboard used to connect calls between rooms
You literally “plug and play” to talk to the next room…
A really cool retro phone in our roomOld lift with old buttons in Eureka Inn
Queen Bedroom of Eureka Inn
Corridor of Eureka Inn
When we were checking in, Lynette introduced us the newly refurnished room for an additional 30USD but we decided to stick to the “original”. Though we saw many bad comments on Tripadvisor about the rooms, we did not see the “cracks” and “dirty bathtubs” that were described. The room and toilet looked fairly clean as well.
Queen size bedroom in Eureka Inn – Non renovated roomsVintage arm chairs and curtains with cable TVClean bathroom and bathtub of Eureka Inn
Everything was above expectations, possibly because we lowered it due to what we saw on Tripadvisor. But there were some small things we noticed…
1. It took a REALLY LONG TIME before hot water came out of the taps. 2. If you look REALLY CLOSELY, there are indeed some parts that were old and needed to be changed (unless its intended to be there for the “rustic” feel which we do not think so) 3. The bed was too springy and whenever I rolled, Kate rolled too.
But nonetheless, for 90USD (including taxes), the room was really decent along with a great location. Within walking distance to the historic downtown and of course Lost Coast Brewery.
Why stay at Eureka Inn?
Historic Old Town of Eureka
Eureka Inn on the National Register of Historic Places
Eureka Inn is placed on the National Register of Historic Places and from here, you can check out all the historic landmarks of the city…
Old Historic Eureka Downtown – Resembles “wild wild west” doesn’t it?Morris Graves Museum of Art EurekaThe Eureka TheatreRomano Gabriel’s Wooden Sculpture Garden Eureka
Romano Gabriel was a carpenter from Italy who settled in Eureka after WW1 and built at least 6 houses in the town of Eureka. His greatest “marvel” was building wooden sculptures that covered the front yard of his Eureka home. As time went by, he built more little objects and visitors came by just to see his front yard. Being an introvert, he would peer from his home, happy to see these visitors enjoying his work of art.
Map of Old Town Eureka WaterfrontEureka Waterfront Promenade and Boardwalk
Lost Coast Restaurant and Brewery
Facade of Lost Coast Brewery 4th Street Eureka California – Seemingly quiet on the outsideNoisy and boisterous crowd inside Lost Coast Brewery
The other highlight of our stopover at Eureka was our visit to Lost Coast Restaurant. That evening, the restaurant was PACKED! We had to wait about 20 minutes (which is a long time considering the size of the town) before we were seated down. But the wait was well worth it. Let’s first talk about the beers…
Ordered Tangerine Wheat during our 20 minutes wait, therefore it was half full when we took this photo (3.75USD per pint) Lost Coast Brewery Eureka
Unlike some brewery at some well-known microbreweries in Singapore, you can ACTUALLY taste the fruity flavours of the fruit beers here. The tangerine and raspberry tastes were very apparent, much to Kate’s delight. But the highlight for us was the food…
Caesar Salad $8.99USD (Lost Coast Brewery Eureka)1 pound of Buffalo Wings at $10.99USD (Lost Coast Brewery Eureka)Lost Coast Brewery’s Famous Hot Brown – Generous servings of beef with melted cheese between crispy sourdough bread!
We decided to have some vegetables to aid the “you know what” so we ordered the Caesars. Turns out that the portion was HUGE which really helped the “you know what”, if you know what I mean…
Well, that is true. But truth be told, this was MUCH BETTER! The meat was tender, chunky and juicy. The sauce on the other hand was tangy and appetising. When we told the waitress that it beats Anchor Bar’s original Buffalo Wings hands down, she just replied a humble
“Yeah, our wings are pretty hard to beat!”
By the time we reached the hot brown, we were already very full. But the beef was really juicy and packed in so much flavour that we didnt mind bloating ourselves up that evening. The sourdough bread made the sandwich all that more unique.
Total damage of $38.36USD at Lost Coast Brewery
Well, the best part was that the total damage was less than 40USD (tips not included yet)! At this juncture, if you are vexed about how to tip in the USA, our rule of thumb is 10% + 1USD. This means that for this meal, we tipped 5USD. Do note however, that 10% means that you don’t really like the service but is still ok. Which means that our general rule of thumb doesn’t really please the waiter/waitress but don’t piss them off as well. Which makes it a good balance 😉
Breakfast at Eureka Inn
Inside small dining area of Eureka Inn for breakfast overlooking the poolBreakfast at Eureka InnCoffee juices and milk at Eureka Inn
Nothing much to shout about for breakfast. It does keep you full and provides you with coffee to kick start the day. One gripe we had was that the microwave oven was not working and we were not able to warm up the cakes and croissant which would have made the breakfast more enjoyable.
Eureka Inn California USA
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All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our stopover at Eureka during our Oregon scenic drive. It is afterall the largest city between Portland and San Francisco on the west coast. If you want to have a nice place for stopover during this drive, do check out Eureka Inn!
Hilton Vancouver Washington was one of the hotels that we were invited to during our visit to USA. It is important to note that this Vancouver is the one in the state of Washington, in the United States of America and not the one in Vancouver Canada. But here’s a little known fact, Vancouver Washington was in fact the “FIRST Vancouver” to be founded in the West of the continent of America. Which is why the tourism slogan for the city is
“Discover the Original”!
Hilton Vancouver Washington with Bell Tower at Esther Short Park
We arrived at Hilton Vancouver Washington on a cold Christmas’ Eve. However, as we entered the lobby, the ambience perked us up almost immediately and soon we forgot about the bitter cold right outside the doors of Hilton…
Lobby of Hilton Vancouver Washington
Our receptionist Leesa made our first impression of the hotel even better with her warm smile and kind gestures (she introduced us to this really great restaurant called Beaches, which we will talk a little bit more about later). Before long, we received our key and made our way to our room at level 6
Friendly Staff of Hilton Vancouver Washington – Leesa in the middle provided us with helpful info about VancouverLift Lobby of Level 6 in Hilton Vancouver WashingtonHallway down to our room at Hilton Vancouver Washington
Hilton Vancouver Washington’s Deluxe King Bedroom
Hilton Vancouver Washington is actually the only 4 star hotel in downtown Vancouver. Hence, it was no surprise to us that the room had all the amenities that we usually see in a 4/5 star hotel room.
Large inviting King-Sized Bed in Hilton Vancouver WashingtonSpacious Interior with Cable TV an executive deskToilet with Bath Tub – Hilton Vancouver Washington Deluxe King BedroomNeat Toiletries of Hilton VancouverCoffee machine with coffee bean powder Hilton Vancouver
Video tour of Deluxe King Bedroom of Hilton Vancouver Washington
There were 3 really cool things that we liked about the room.
1. The Coffee Machine. Kate and I are coffee people and coffee, especially in the mornings, help to “kick start” our day. The coffee machine (with coffee bean powder no less) gave us fresh coffee each morning that brightened our day (and also kept us warm on a cold winter’s day)
2. The Executive Desk. For most people, the executive desk seemed redundant. Afterall, you’re on a vacation right? But for travel bloggers like ourselves, it gives us a proper place to go through the photos of the day and jot down comments on our computer so that we can blog about them when we return. Otherwise, we would have to sit on the floor and type which may result in backaches, especially for oldies like us ;p
3. Room with a View! When we first drew our curtains, we were greeted with this view…
First look outside our room from Hilton Vancouver
We were like “Whaat?!”
From this view, what do you see? Nothing except buildings and perhaps even a factory right? At that point in time, coupled with the mist, we were pretty sure we were surrounded by factories!
But as the skies cleared up the next morning, we soon realised why we were given this corner room…
View of the Columbia River from our room at Hilton Vancouver Washington
We had marvelous views of the Columbia River and the bridge that leads to Portland!!
Facilities at Hilton Vancouver Washington
In addition to the in-house restaurant, Gray’s at the Park and Esther’s Coffee Bar, Hilton Vancouver Washington offers the usual facilities such as the gym, swimming pool and jacuzzi…
Fitness Centre opens 24hrs Hilton VancouverSwimming pool Hilton Vancouver Washington opens from 6am to 10pm dailyThere’s even a Jacuzzi by the Swimming Pool at Hilton Vancouver
What we really liked about Hilton Vancouver Washington
Besides it being a 4 star hotel, there are 2 things that we really liked about the location of Hilton Vancouver Washington
1. Proximity to the Waterfront Park. Hilton Vancouver Washington is just a short walk away from the Waterfront Park. From there, you can have easy access to the relaxing board walk by the river as well as the excellent restaurants such as Beaches, Mcmenamins and Joe’s Crab Shack
2. Proximity to Historic Venues of Vancouver. If you’re into the history of USA, Hilton Vancouver Washington offers a great base from which you can visit historic locations such as the Officer’s Row, Fort Vancouver Historic Site, Pearson Air Museum as well as the many historic Monuments of the City (such as Slocum House built in 1867)
All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Hilton Vancouver Washington and here’s a sneak peak of the marvelous views we enjoyed along the Columbia River…
Can you see the snow-capped Mount Hood in the distance?
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Related Posts
This is part of our coverage of San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver USA. Check out these posts if you’re visiting the West Coast of USA!
* Thanks to Visitvancouverusa.com for making the trip possible. Special thanks to Natalie and Jacob who assisted us endlessly through the planning phase of our trip!
** Special thanks also to Leesa of Hilton Vancouver Washington, who told us up front to visit Beaches Restaurant where we enjoyed great service and food that was MAMAMIA!
AMOY Hotel Singapore is a newly refurbished boutique hotel launched by Far East Hospitality, right in the heart of the CBD area. We were invited by AMOY Hotel for a stay and this post will tell you why you should stay here during your next visit to Singapore!
Checking In at AMOY Hotel Singapore
Checking in was a breeze and we were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff of AMOY Hotel. While I was checking in, Kate took some shots of the lobby of AMOY hotel…
Lobby of AMOY Hotel with breakfast area at the rear end20 common Chinese surnames at the reception area of AMOY Hotel
As we were checking in, we also received our welcome drinks which eased us into the vacation mood. But there was one other thing we noticed while we were checking in…
Chinese paintings done manually in the hotel’s lobby!
We saw someone actually painting the artwork on the furnishings of the hotel lobby! To add to the “wow factor”, we were told that this person, painting the artwork, is actually from the housekeeping department! We were told that the hotel has ideas that stems from artistic creativity, but seems like the idea has also permeated to staff of the hotel as well. Kudos to the management for allowing its staff to engage in these small improvements of the hotel!
Welcome drinks and the staff of AMOY Hotel – Apple and Lina
Special mention must be made of Lina. Throughout our stay, she offered impeccable and personalised service that made our staycation that much more special. After our check-in, she showed us all the way to our Deluxe Double Room. Talk about personalised service! Along the way, we were also told that the 20 most common surname are sprinkled across the hallways of the hotel.
20 most common Chinese surname sprinkled across the hallways of AMOY Hotel
After showing us to our room, Lina also walked through some of the features of the room, which we will show you in the next section. Thanks Lina!
AMOY Hotel Singapore Deluxe Double Room
Our first impression of the room is its modern design which still intertwines with Chinese artistic flavours. The view of the open concept wardrobe shows what we mean…
Open concept wardrobe of AMOY Hotel
There are a few things that we loved about the room. Firstly, the tea and coffee selection which offers yummy flavours like Oolong caramel tea and Kimono tea. Secondly, though the room is small (20 sqm), it has a rain shower facility!
Lastly, the modern yet warm design makes one feels welcome for a stay 🙂
Selection of coffee and tea at AMOY Hotel SingaporeBathroom with rain-shower facility above (not shown)Modern yet artistic appliances in the roomThe bed Amoy Hotel Singapore – notice the chinese art-inspired stool used as a bedside tableCable TV Amoy Hotel – where we caught up on “How I Met Your Mother”Windows overlooking Ju Chun Yuan Chinese RestaurantOverview of the Deluxe room in AMOY Hotel Singapore
Breakfast at AMOY Hotel Singapore
Although many have said that the breakfast at AMOY Hotel is not that fantastic, we actually think that it was adequate. The spread though small, meets the requirements of a continental breakfast of cereals, bread, cheese/ham and coffee!
Simple but thorough spread of breakfast at AMOY HotelCereals anyone?Fruits and retro platesPastries and gourmet coffee – there’s a coffee machine that makes cappuccino!Cool serviette dispensers Amoy Hotel Singapore
We recommend that you go for 2 different toasts at breakfast (play with the cool toaster!). One with cheese and ham and the other with kaya and butter. Washed down with a cup of gourmet cappuccino! You can wrap up the meal with some fruits or yoghurt for a healthy touch 😉
Why you should stay at AMOY Hotel Singapore
Frankly speaking, the room is not the main draw of AMOY Hotel. “Then what is?” you may ask. It’s all about location, location, location! AMOY Hotel is so superbly located that you can walk by foot to the CBD area, Singapore River, Chinatown, Club Street and many famous hawker centres to try out local flavours! But before we go there, let’s talk about the heritage of the Far East Square area
1. Heritage. You’ll soon notice that in and around the hotel, there are many monuments, displays and signs that shows the historical heritage of Singapore. This is because Telok Ayer ran parallel to the original shoreline (hard to imagine right? so much land reclamation has been done!) and many immigrants used to land around this area. They set up living quarters and also temples and mosques to give thanks to their gods for the safe passage to Singapore.
The history around AMOY StreetSigns pointing to the temples and mosques in the Telok Ayer areaChinese Immigrants to Singapore – notice the long pigtails belonging to the era of the Qing Dynasty (and no, the guy in the middle is not supposed to be wearing a shawl) Kids enjoying a game of capteh – simple games of the past when there was no PSP, XBOX or IPhonesAbout Chia Ann Siang one of the early immigrants to Singapore Ann Siang Hill Park named after him
2. Excellent Location! From our hotel, we could walk to Chinatown, Singapore River, Club Street and more!
Chinatown with Chinese New Year decorationsTemple Street cordoned off only during the Chinese New Year periodThe Singapore RiverChillax at Red Dot by the Singapore RiverClub Street (cordoned off for al fresco dining at night)More dining establishments at Club Street
3. Food Food Food. If you’re a foodie like us, you will certainly enjoy your stay at AMOY Hotel. This is because, if you’d like to try some local food, AMOY Street Food Centre and Maxwell Food Center (famous for Wanton Mee and Hainanese Chicken Rice) are within walking distance. In and around Far East Square, you’ll find food establishments at Pekin and Nankin Street. For dim sum buffet, Ju Chun Yuan just downstairs offers a good selection at an affordable price. Of course, for more classy joints, Club Street & Boat Quay is just a stone’s throw away!
Amoy Street Food CentreWanton Mee Stall – also offers great chicken curry meeWanton Mee at $3 – Generous on the ingredients (5 dumplings in total), char siew was slightly tough this time – had traditional flavours though (aka 古早味）Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice at Maxwell Food Centre – Look at the Queue!Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice $3.50 – Delicious, tender,flavourful chicken with an excellent texture to tasteDining options in and around Far East SquareFood joints at Pekin StreetMore food joints at Nankin StreetPub crawlers enjoying a shot at Nankin StreetJu Chun Yuan – Famous for Buddha Jumps Over The WallGood selection of dim sum buffet at affordable price at Ju Chun YuanDeli Food at South Bridge Road – Good selection of food ranging from Chinese to Indian Muslim to WesternNice traditional decoDO NOT ORDER the salted egg sotong else you’ll end up with this…Remnants of the dish – tze char from this stall was not that good but cant beat it if you want variety, it has EVERYTHING
How to get to AMOY Hotel Singapore
Like many visitors before us, you’ll probably find it a little challenging to find the entrance to the hotel. So to make the process that much easier, here are 2 ways to locate AMOY Hotel at Far East Square.
Fuk Tak Chi MuseumAMOY Hotel is located opposite Telok Ayer MRT Station
Fuk Tak Chi Museum actually fronts the entrance of the hotel. If you’re walking along Telok Ayer Street (opposite downtown line’s Telok Ayer MRT Station), look out for the the facade of the Fuk Tak Chi Museum and bravely walk into it. You’ll notice a glass side door, enter it and you’ll arrive at the lobby of AMOY Hotel.
Alternatively,
Entrance to AMOY Hotel from Far East Square
If you are already in Far East Square, look for the above entrance opposite Mr Teh Tarik. This entrance is close to Ju Chun Yuan restaurant and next to Tung Lok Teahouse.
In Conclusion
The excellent service and great location is a huge draw to stay at the AMOY Hotel. At night, we were also given a good night note from the staff of AMOY Hotel…
Personalised good night note from team of Amoy Hotel!
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For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals at AMOY Hotel Singapore right here! Enjoy warm and friendly services while soaking in the sights and sounds from a centrally located hotel!
**Special thanks to Mike and Far East Hospitality for making our stay at Amoy Hotel possible!
When we think of Bohol, we think “ah…” and its simply because of the things to do and attractions in Bohol Philippines! In this post, we’ll tell you the “ah…” things to do in Bohol!
Things to do in Bohol
1. Bohol Countryside Tour
You may think that Bohol is only about beaches and clear waters? A Bohol countryside tour will change all of that perception and you’ll be thrilled to see some of the interesting things on this tour…
Rice fields Bohol one of the 2 main agriculture of bohol the other is fishing 4 sidelines include tyre recycling pottery jam making and bolo
Lush green fields of Bohol
Everyones favourite iconic chocolate hills Bohol
The famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol!
Close up of Tarsier in Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area
Cute nocturnal tarsiers
View of the mountains along loboc river
Loboc River Cruise
Can you see the picture of saint pio formed under weathering at Baclayon Church Bohol
Baclayon Church – Can you spot a face on the walls due to weathering?
2. Bohol Dolphin and Island Hopping Tour
Dolphin watching and Island Hopping is most probably the single most MUST DO thing when you’re in Bohol. On this trip, you’ll be able to chase after the dolphins (have them dance right before you), snorkel with the turtles, laze on the sandbar and just enjoy the deep blue waters of Bohol!
Finally! Whole school of dolphins sighted!
Chasing schools of dolphins in Bohol!
Snorkelling off Balicasag Island – Our guide diving in basketball jersey!
Snorkeling with corals and turtles
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin Island
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin Island
Our Guide at Balicasag who worked very hard to steer our boat and look for interesting fish turtles at the edge of the corals
Our guide at Balicasag with deep blue waters and clear blue skies
MUST STAY hotels in Bohol?
3. Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Garden in Bohol easily ranks among our top 5 hotels we’ve ever stayed in and here’s why (we’ll let the pictures speak for themselves)
Welcoming bed at the peacock garden premier infinity and sea view
Celebrating our anniversary at Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Gardeb – right in front of the infinity pool and ocean view
Awesome view of the ocean and infinity pool
Peacock Garden Infinity poolCan you see where the infinity pool ocean and sky starts and ends
Mojito and Apple Pie at Heidelberg Restaurant of Peacock Garden Bohol
Mojito and Apple Pie at Heidelberg Restaurant of Peacock Garden Bohol
What we love about Amorita Resort Bohol is its close proximity to the Alona Beach. From there, we were also able to book our private day trip for dolphin watching and island hopping. The hotel had a summer vacation resort cum Hawaiian feel to it. Simply relaxing…
Flower deco for anniversary at Amorita Resort Bohol
Anniversary celebration at Amorita Resort
View of the beach from the pool at Amorita Resort
Pool of Amorita Resort Bohol with day beds
Alona Beach from the garden deck of Amorita Resort
Alona Beach next to Amorita Resort
Marvellous view of the setting and evening of the beach at Amorita Resort
Marvellous view at sunset with sumptuous seafood BBQ buffet
Things to do and attractions in Bohol
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You may think that Cebu is only a base for side trips in the Philippines but there are actually many things to do in Cebu! In this post, we’ll show you the top 6 things to do and attractions in Cebu Philippines!
What to do in Cebu?
1. Cebu City Tour
We hired a local driver by the name of Long (yes that’s his name!) who took us on a private Cebu City Tour!
Cebu MonumentThe Magellan CrossFort San PedroView from Tops. Mactan Island
2. Shopping at Ayala Mall
Ayala Mall is one of the main shopping malls in Cebu City and we got to shop, watch movies and play some arcade. Things that the locals do in Cebu! 🙂
Ayala Mall 4 storeys of shopping
What to eat in Cebu?
3. Golden Cowrie Restaurant
For authentic Philippines food, look no further than the Golden Cowrie Restaurant. The setting and ambience is warm and welcoming. The waitress who attended to us was also very patient, introducing us to the delicacies and translating the various dishes to us. Price was reasonable and the taste was great. Definitely a must-go-to place for great local tastes…
Interior of Golden CowrieGolden Cowrie Small crispy pata 295Golden Cowrie Squid in coco sauce 179
4. Ipar’s Authentic Spanish Restaurant
Across the street from our hotel was a banner that read “Authentic Spanish Restaurant”. We decided to head over to Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed the authentic Spanish flavours!
Deco in Ipar’s Authentic Spanish RestaurantIpar’s churizo 200 peso garlic bread 120 pesoIpar’s sangria big carafe 450 peso
5. CnT Lechon – The Best Lechon in Cebu
If you’re in Cebu, you must try the lechon (roasted pork) there. If you ask the locals, more often than not, they’ll point you to CnT lechon – possibly the best lechon in Cebu. The truth is, the meat was normal but the star of the show? The skin! Crispy, full flavoured and of course sinfully fatty! Which is why it went really well with rice. You can actually have mouthfuls of rice with 1 sice of skin!
Half kg of CnT lechon. crispy skin.juicy meat. 200 peso
6. Breakfast at Bo’s Coffee
Enough of Starbucks, try out the breakfast at Bo’s Coffee and you’ll soon realise that this local coffee joint can also give its US competitor a run for its money! Good coffee and food at a reasonable price. Ambience to match at that!
Bo’s Coffee mushroom and cheese omelette with toast 150 pesoBo’s Coffee corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancakes 175 peso
Where to stay in Cebu?
7. Castle Peak Hotel Cebu
Castle Peak Hotel in Cebu was the first hotel we stayed at in Cebu and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay because of its spa!!! Made us go like little chicks…”cheap cheap”, “cheap cheap”…
Huge bed in Deluxe room of Castle Peak HotelBath Tub in Deluxe room of Castle Peak Hotel
8. City Suites Ramos Tower
There are several reasons why we enjoyed staying at City Suites Ramos Tower. Firstly, the room was more like a 1-bedroom condominium. It has a small living space, kitchen and even a balcony overlooking Cebu City. We could also see Tops from our room!
City Suites $73 double super single bedsSunset from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites orangey skySunset and Tops Hill seen from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites
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SATS Premier Lounge is one of the lounges where you can enter free simply by signing up with the ANZ Travel Card!
SATS Premier Lounge T2 Departure Transit
SATS Premier Lounge T2 Departure Transit
There are essentially 2 ways of gaining entry into SATS Premier Lounge for free via the ANZ Travel Card. Firstly, when you apply for the card, you will be given 2 vouchers for complimentary entry into the lounge. The second way? Spend on the card! By accumulating a spending of $1500 (you’ll easily achieve this when you purchase your long distance air tickets), you’ll also get complimentary entry to SATS Lounge.
What’s Inside SATS Premier Lounge?
For the sophisticated travellers, lounges are part of air travel. You can grab a drink, have some snacks, catch some shut eye or even have a quick bath before your next flight. At SATS Premier Lounge, you can do all that and even enjoy a massage on one of the massage chairs available in the lounge…
Massage Chairs in SATS Premier Lounge – According to Kate, go for Sequence “5”!
Massage Chairs in SATS Premier Lounge – According to Kate, go for Sequence “5”!
There are also showering facilities in the bathroom if you would like to enjoy a hot shower before your flight. But what do we enjoy the most? The food and drinks of course!
Coffee Machine, Wine and Hard Liquor in SATS Premier Lounge
Coffee Machine, Wine and Hard Liquor in SATS Premier Lounge
A good selection of food and drinks (in the fridge) in SATS Premier Lounge – T2
A good selection of food and drinks (in the fridge) in SATS Premier Lounge – T2
Chicken Rice, Lemon Chicken and Ramen with Gyoza
Chicken Rice, Lemon Chicken and Ramen with Gyoza
We actually had ALOT of food at SATS Premier Lounge. We had the chicken rice (which is something you should have – thigh meats with chili!), lemon chicken, ramen, pasta, cup noodles, naan with chickpeas, banana, cakes, beers, wines and coffee! Phew…that was quite a list!
But the other thing that we enjoyed? Reading CRISP NEW MAGAZINES!
Wide selection of magazines and complimentary use of internet
Wide selection of magazines and complimentary use of internet
TIME, Fortune, Travel Magazines and international newspapers are available for your reading pleasure. As travel bloggers, we enjoyed every single bit of the travel magazines which were literally BRAND NEW! The feel is really different when you read it brand new as opposed to crumpled ones where 1 million and 1 people have read it before you right?
Lounge area in SATS Premier Lounge
Lounge area in SATS Premier Lounge
Well, one of the things we liked about SATS Premier Lounge is that eventhough entry was free, it was still relatively exclusive (as you can see from the picture above). During our stay here (about 2 hours – yes, very KS we know), there wasn’t any time that we felt it was overcrowded or too noisy. Everyone just came in for a rest, a bite and off they went. Adhering to the “do not disturb OTHERS” policy.
After our maiden visit to SATS Premier Lounge, it seems like lounges will pretty much feature in our upcoming travels. Whether you’re a sophisticated traveller or simply a gian peng Singaporean like us, SATS Premier Lounge would be a rest stop you’d want to check out before your next flight.
Remember to sign up with ANZ Travel Card!
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If you’re transiting in Singapore, why not check out the Crowne Plaza Hotel, a 5 star hotel, right beside Changi Airport?
Every year during the lunar new year period, Singapore’s Chinatown ‘springs’ into live! (If you do not already know, the lunar new year is actually a celebration of the arrival of spring that is why the lunar new year is also known as the spring festival). This year, during our staycation at Amoy Hotel, we visited Chinatown and enjoyed some of the atmosphere of Chinese New Year in Singapore!
As the coming year is the year of the horse in the chinese zodiac calendar therefore, the decorations in Chinatown is made up of many running horses also known as 万马沸腾 in Mandarin…
Decorations with horses for Chinese New Year at Chinatown Singapore
Decorations with horses for Chinese New Year at Chinatown Singapore
Chinese New Year Decorations in Chinatown
Chinese New Year Decorations in Chinatown
Singapore’s Chinatown unlike other chinatowns in all other parts of the world, is not known as 唐人街 (Chinese Street) in Mandarin but 牛车水 (literal translation : Bull Cart Water). The reason is because in the early days, before the establishment of a water distribution network, the bull-cart (really driven by bulls!) was used to distribute water to the households in Chinatown.
During the Chinese New Year period, in addition to the usual row of shopping streets, additional shops are set up at Temple Street (the street is cordoned off) for sale of chinese new year goodies. And the streets? CROWDED!!
Usual row of shopping at Chinatown – Just outside Chinatown MRT station
Usual row of shopping at Chinatown – Just outside Chinatown MRT station
Crowded Temple Street during Chinese New Year in Singapore
Crowded Temple Street during Chinese New Year in Singapore
Another view of Temple Street
Another view of Temple Street
Opposite view with People’s Park Complex (珍珠坊) in the background
Opposite view with People’s Park Complex (珍珠坊) in the background
View of Temple Street in the night
View of Temple Street in the night
Chinese New Year Decorations in the night
Chinese New Year Decorations in the night
Besides the decorations and experiencing the CNY mood, many also flock to Chinatown during the Chinese New Year period to do some shopping!
Chinese New Year Goodies!
Chinese New Year Goodies!
Decorative plants sold during Chinese New Year
Decorative plants sold during Chinese New Year
Taiwanese fruit jellies
Taiwanese fruit jellies?
I think we have not visited Chinatown during Chinese New Year for a really long time! There were 2 HUGE stalls selling Taiwanese fruit jellies and they were giving out free samples with slogans such as “来来来，走过别错过” (translated as “Come! Don’t let this (opportunity) pass by!”) and “All can try, 有买没买 nevermind!” (translated as “Sample all the freebies! We don’t really care if you buy or not because we are already making tonnes of money by selling just one box! Hahaha!” (in the style of semi-sinister laughter))
There is however one stall that many would spend endless hours queuing for during the festive season. And that is Lim Chee Guan’s Bak Kwa (local barbecued pork). We did not take any photos as there were simply too many people in a cramped area. The queue can easily reach about 100 (as far as we could see – could be more!)
To sum it up, whether you’re a local or just visiting Singapore during the Chinese New Year period, remember to visit Chinatown to soak in the atmosphere, take some beautiful photos and sample some Chinese New Year goodies!
This is our last day in Cebu and we were determined to make the most out of the last 5 hours here! We went to Bo’s Coffee for breakfast and time passed surprisingly slowly as we had time to people-watch and use the free wifi to keep in touch with family back home.
Drip Coffee (10 pesos with any order of mains), Mushroom and Cheese Omelette with Toast (150 pesos) & Corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancake (175 pesos)…
Bo’s Coffee
Bo’s Coffee mushroom and cheese omelette with toast 150 pesoBo’s Coffee corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancakes 175 peso
We then head back to the hair salon of the first floor of the Ramos Tower to get our hair done! I had a haircut and wash for only 100 peso, and Kate had a “hair spa” for 250 peso. We will really miss the massages, facial and hair treatments in Cebu when we are back in Singapore.
Though we were not hungry yet, we NEEDED to try the spanish food at Ipar’s Authentic Spanish Restaurant! Or rather, Tom needed. Haha. We had a satisfying lunch at Ipar’s and we had to drag ourselves back across the road to get our luggage and check out.
Starters of Churizo, Garlic Bread and a Big Carafe of Sangria at Ipar’s…
Deco in Ipar’s Authentic Spanish RestaurantIpar’s tapas menuIpar’s meats menuIpar’s churizo 200 peso garlic bread 120 pesoIpar’s sangria big carafe 450 pesoIpar’s fillet of fish in famous parsley sauce 350 pesoIpar’s breaded pork chop 200 peso but not as nice as peacock garden’s.
We arrived slightly early for our flight and the flight was delayed! 🙁 An advice for our readers: You do not need to arrive at the airport 2 hours early like how you would normally do for international flights because the airport in Cebu is really really small. And once you go into the waiting area, you have to sit on the cold metal seats to wait for your flight. But of course having said that, please do not be late either!! Please be considerate to your fellow passengers and not be the one who delays the flight 🙂
We hope you have enjoyed reading our posts as much as we have enjoyed our time in Cebu/Bohol and blogging about the trip!
Today we are leaving Bohol!!! Boohoo 🙁 But before we left, we enjoyed our breakfast in Saffron (we did not get to eat in Saffron the day before because of the dolphin and island hopping tour). The spread was decent but we still prefer the breakfast in Peacock Garden 🙂 But we need to comment on the added special touch at Amorita Resort – the waitress will put a fresh frangipani flower by the ear of female guests during breakfast and this makes the ladies feel pretty and extra special 🙂
Omelette Station and Buffet spread at Amorita Resort…
Amorita Resort Breakfast Egg stationAmorita Resort Breakfast Salad and cold cutsAmorita Resort Bread and cereals selectionAmorita Resort Breakfast Cheese, tuna and mushroom omeletteLast shot of pretty waters and soft sand from Amorita Resort
Our checkout was again fast and smooth. There was no hiccups with the bill and there was even a small box of cookies as a parting gift! I love the confectionery at Amorita resort! Keep it up! 🙂
Soon we were on the ferry heading back to Cebu. Boohoo again. After we alighted, we queued for close to 30 minutes before we managed to get a taxi to City Suites Ramos Tower. The fare was only 90 peso. We quickly checked in, left our luggage in our room, and walked out to the city. We shopped and ate around the Fuente Osmena Circle for a couple of hours before we filled our spare travel bag with local goodies and souvenirs for friends and family back home.
Lobby of City Suites Ramos Tower CebuCity Suites $73 double super single beds
Shopping at Fuente Osmena Circle Cebu
Our first visit to Jollibee in Cebu!Spaghetti meal with one piece chicken and coke at Jollibee
To end the day, we indulged in a “All Meat Pizza” and San Miguel beer while watching the sunset from the balcony of our 20th floor unit.
All meat pizza and Turrones de Cebu for dinner while enjoying the sunset view at the balcony…
Turrones De Cebu for 75 pesos but the one at Amorita was better and crunchierHuge all meat pizza and 4 SMB for 448 pesos cheaper than dominoes. Thin crust and yummy!Sunset from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites orangey skySunset and Tops Hill seen from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites
Kate dozed off while I watch the Matrix Trilogy!
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It was an early start but we were not at all tired as we were looking forward to this trip to the islands and to spot dolphins! 🙂 Below are the highlights from the Dolphin and island Hopping Tour in Bohol…
Headed towards Balicasag island catching the dolphins first then going to the island for snorkeling followed by sand bar at Virgin islandAfter hanging around and searching high and low for the dolphins to appear…Finally! Whole school of dolphins sighted!Dolphin showing us its tummyClear blue water at Balicasag IslandSnorkelling off Balicasag IslandSnorkelling off Balicasag Island – CoralsSnorkelling off Balicasag Island – Our guide diving in basketball jersey!Our Guide at Balicasag who worked very hard to steer our boat and look for interesting fish turtles at the edge of the corals
Virgin Island Sandbar with locals selling coconuts and sea urchins…
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin IslandSmall shops on the islandFried Bihoon at 200 pesos and coke at 30 pesos
We were back in Amorita Resort at around 2pm and we can’t wait to laze in the pool and sip our drinks! Wait a minute! Isn’t this what we already did yesterday???!!! 🙂 This time round we had Mojitos but the bartender took really long to make the drinks and they were greenish in colour. Hmmm…not the usual Mojitos we normally drank. Perhaps most people here go for the beer and the cocktails are not ordered that often. We also felt peckish and ordered a few dishes, but one at a time so that we can enjoy the food while it is still warm. Sorry, no photos of the food because we’ve kept the camera back in the room 😛 We highly recommend the pizza – the thickness of the crust was just right! 🙂
When we went back to the room, we were pleasantly surprised by the pastries in the room for the turndown service. We decided to order a cup of cappuccino (smiley face!) to go with the pastries, as well as the Turon de Bohol which turned out to be the nicest dessert we have eaten. Check out the photo!
Turon de bohol – Banana Jackfruit Springroll with caramel sauce and ice cream (210 pesos)
Turon de bohol – Banana Jackfruit Springroll with caramel sauce and ice cream (210 pesos)Room service cappucino… smiley face
We did remember to brush our teeth after the sweet treats. Heh. Good night world!
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Too soon, it was time to return to Cebu. We spent a couple of days in Cebu to round our trip before returning home to Singapore. Stay tuned for day 7 of our Cebu/Bohol trip tomorrow!
Day 5 is a lazy day for us. We woke up late and enjoyed the wonderful breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol.
We had some time to stroll around the compounds of Peacock Garden again before we packed our bags. We really cant bear to leave this place 🙁 Soon, we were at the reception checking out and paying the bills. It was a fast and smooth process. As the reservation included 2 way transportation, the car was ready to bring us to our next destination, Amorita Resort.
Lobby and surroundings of Amorita Resort…
Lobby of Amorita ResortVillas of Amorita ResortWeather forecast beside Saffron restaurant Amorita ResortFlower deco for anniversary at Amorita Resort Bohol
The weather for the day was a cloudy 25deg Celsius and it was a nice walk along the beach. There were many local and foreign tourists enjoying the warm waters and very very soft sand. Many people were doing “mud bath” in the shallow waters, and some experienced locals were looking for sea urchins. I was offered to taste one…fresh from the sea! A new experience! However, my tummy wasn’t feeling too good that night though. Kate enjoyed an one-hour foot massage for 300 peso. It was soooooooo relaxing to lie on the beach, feeling the sea breeze, and getting the soles of your feet rubbed. After that, we went along the beach to share the joy with the kids by giving out our helium balloons. Many kids were thrilled by the balloons 🙂
Swimming pool and view of Alona Beach from Amorita Resort Bohol…
View of the bohol sea from the infinity pool Amorita ResortView of the beach from the pool at Amorita ResortAnother view of the pool with the day beds at Amorita Resort BoholAlona Beach from the garden deck of Amorita Resort
After washing the sand away, we dipped in the pool and enjoyed happy-hour priced San Miguel Light while watching the sun set before our eyes. We felt thankful for what we have been blessed with, and can’t wait to spend the brand new day ahead together.
To end of the day, we had a hearty meal at Saffron.
Grill Buffet Dinner at Amorita Resort…
Grill Buffet Dinner for 750++ at Amorita ResortThe Grill at Amorita Resort
Romantic Dinner for 2 at the Deck overlooking Alona Beach…
Setting at the Garden Deck for our dinner at Amorita ResortMarvellous view of the setting and evening of the beach at Amorita ResortBBQ dinner at Amorita Resort: Grilled sotong pork ribs which was VERY tender bone fell off succulent and fresh prawn shrimp macNcheese meat on stick cheese croquette and favourite adobo drumletsHalo Halo was quite nice got alot of liao including jack fruit banana agar agar atapchee corn chick pea toasted oat meal topped with shaved ice and yam ice creamWhite chocolate mousse anniversary cake placed in our room when we went out for dinner SURPRISE!
We slept early that night as we have to be at the beach gate at 5.30am the next day for our Dolphin and Island Hopping Tour! 🙂
What a lazy day indeed! Stay tuned for day 6 of our Cebu/Bohol trip! More beach activities and clear blue waters ahead!
After a good night’s rest in the premier infinity and seaview room at Peacock Garden, we were curious what was going to be offered for breakfast by the hotel. We were pleasantly surprised by the choice of food especially the sides to go with the main course. We had sufficient time for a slow breakfast, enjoying the native sweets with our hot coffee, as our Bohol Countryside Tour started at 10am.
Healthy and yummy breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol…
Peacock Garden Breakfast menu. semi buffetPeacock Garden Breakfast Cereals, nuts and juicesPeacock Garden Breakfast Cheese and cold cut. gherkinsPeacock Garden heartshaped jamsPeacock Garden Breakfast Salty cream dory with tomato, mushrooms, ham and cheese omelette and pancake
Bohol Manmade forest 800haChocolate Hills Bohol named so because during the dry summer months the greenery wont be there revealing the brown hillsEveryones favourite iconic chocolate hills BoholRice fields Bohol one of the 2 main agriculture of bohol the other is fishing 4 sidelines include tyre recycling pottery jam making and boloButterfly Park – Bohol: Bear flying off as tinkerbell!Tarsier conservation area BoholTarsiers mate for only 3 to 5 secondsClose up of Tarsier in Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area
Besides the main attractions of Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers of Bohol, we also visited the Baclayon Church, Blood Compact Memorial, Manmade Mahogany and the Loboc River Cruise!
Loboc river cruiseView of the mountains along loboc riverPerformance by the Natives and Beautiful scenery enroute the Loboc River CruiseWaterfalls at the end of the river before turning backOriginal pulpit where the message was said the structure on top was said to be like an amplifier at Baclayon Church BoholCan you see the picture of saint pio formed under weathering at Baclayon Church Bohol
There are several nice beaches in Cebu but most of them require at least a 4 hour car or bus ride to get to the north of Cebu. We reckon that Bohol is a decent distance away and it has a good mix of countryside and beach activities so we booked our Oceanjet ferry from Cebu to Bohol on the 3rd day of our trip.
Oceanjet Ferry from Cebu to BoholInside Oceanjet 2 hours ride to Bohol from Cebu
Our driver from Peacock Garden greeted us at the arrival gate of Taglibaran City seaport with a nice wooden signage with our names on it. It really stood out as the other hotels used paper or whiteboard (starting to raise our expectation of this luxury hotel). The journey to Peacock Garden was about 20mins and we really liked the peaceful surroundings of the hotel. We spent the first hour walking around the compound and taking photos of the facade, fountains, garden and of course the view at the swimming pool.
Peacock Garden Receptionist who took us around the resort and welcomed usWelcoming bed at the peacock garden premier infinity and sea view
Peacock Gardeb – right in front of the infinity pool and ocean view
Magnificent view over the infinity pool and ocean!
Peacock Garden Infinity poolArty shot of the infinity pool at Peacock Garden
Kate then decided to splurge at Fontana Aurelia Spa and chose the Signature Indulgence: Gift of Gaea (3950 peso) because it has 2 of her favourite food: coffee and chocolate! While she was being pampered for 3 hours, I stayed in the infinity pool and was mesmerised by the different shades of blue: the sky, the sea, the pool (which inspired our “Guess and Win – Paradise” contest).
Fontana Aurelia Spa at Peacock Garden BoholFontana Aurelia Spa in peacock garden hotelPeacock Garden Massage tablePrice list at Fontana Aurelia Spa Peacock Garden
Dinner at the Old Heidelberg was exquisite. Classy and tasty (usually you get either or but at Old Heidelberg, you get both!) The hotel staff also prepared for us a heart-shaped chocolate cake for our wedding anniversary when we were done with our main course.
Inside Old Heidelberg restaurant Peacock GardenChefs Recommendation at Old Heidelberg restaurant Peacock GardenChoice of breads of great butter and spreadKalderatang Baka Filipino Beef Stew 480 pesoJaegerschnitzel with spaeztle 540 pesoComplimentary heart-shaped anniversary cake courtesy of Peacock Garden Hotel
After dinner, we strolled past the swimming pool and took a couple of night shots. Back in the room, we were pleasantly surprised by the turndown service and we love Peanut Kisses!!! Yummy!
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What a relaxing time on the 3rd day of our Cebu/Bohol trip! We’re almost at the halfway mark of our Cebu/Bohol trip. But more awaits on day 4 of our trip! Stay tuned tomorrow to find out more!
There was so much planned for the second day of our trip! We had arranged to meet Long at the hotel’s lobby at 10.30am for our Cebu City private day tour but we wanted to explore the neighbourhood too so we woke up early and went for a stroll, looking for breakfast. We eventually settle for Alberto’s Pizza (nope, we did not have pizza, check out what we had by clicking on the link). We headed back in time to the hotel to meet Long, and our first stop was CnT Lechon! Haha…more food! Ahhh…i miss the crispy skin and tender meat *dreamy look*
Alberto’s Pizza HUngarian and Cheese Krainer with garlic rice and egg for 75 peso eachHalf kg of CnT lechon. crispy skin.juicy meat. 200 peso
Half kg of delectable crispy skin and juicy meat at CnT Lechon! – You may be visiting 2fatbears.com in the near future if we keep up our eating antics! :p
Soon we began our trip proper and learned about Cebu’s history at our first stop: Cebu Monument. As we could not stop along Colon street, we took a couple of photos and videos of the old street. The City Hall, Magellan Cross and Basilica del Santo Nino were around the same area so we covered these fairly quickly. It also started to drizzle very lightly but when we reached Fort San Pedro, the rain had stopped. We tried to remember the dates in Cebu’s history when we were walking around the Independence Plaza but found it really hard 🙁 We then spent about an hour and a half at Cebu Museum as there were 6 different galleries that showcased the different periods of Cebu’s history. We were not very keen to visit the Taoist temple but we were curious about the “Berverly Hills of Cebu” and wanted to check out the huge and expensive bungalows. The view from the temple was nice but it was nothing compared to the view from Tops. We wanted to stay till it was dark for a night shot but it was getting chilly and we did not pack a light jacket in our bag. But we still enjoyed ourselves, watching the skies changed colours as the sun set, enjoying our chilled San Miguel Lemon flavoured beer and SML.
Cebu MonumentCebu Metropolitan CathedralThe Magellan CrossFort San PedroCannon in fort with the remnants of the wallCebu Capitol BuildingOur driver for the day Long with his cab on TopsView from Tops. Mactan IslandSan Miguel at 60 peso each on TopsArty shot of seating area on TopsNight view from Tops
Long drove us back to our hotel by 8.30pm. We wanted to pamper ourselves so we went up to the Twin Peaks Spa for facial at only 400 peso each. Kate had the extra indulgence of pedicure at 100 peso and had her nails painted bright fushcia pink 🙂
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People usually think that Cebu is all about beaches and clear waters. But in fact, there are also other interesting attractions, history and food to indulge in. Stay tuned for the 3rd day of our Cebu/Bohol trip tomorrow!
It’s more fun in the Philippines!! The tarsier’s eyes do freak me out when I see the advert on the tourism board webpage. But since we have never been there before, SGD is strong, the people speak english; and we want to go somewhere that is not crowded, nice scenery, laze on a beach, we decided to visit Cebu/Bohol. Many people ask why are we not going to Boracay instead…well, it’s more convenient to do Cebu/Bohol and everyone else has probably already visited Boracay. Cebu/Bohol has a good mix of everything – history, countryside, beach; and we definitely enjoyed every moment of our 8 days there!
We took Silkair ($774 including travel insurance) because of the flight timings.
It was easy to get around with the abundant metered white taxis (How to get from Cebu to Singapore). Our driver Long (yes, that’s his name!) was friendly and seemed honest. He asked us if we want to book his taxi for a day tour; we negotiated the itinerary and price and arranged to meet at 10.30am the next day at the Castle Peak Hotel lobby.
White Cab at Domestic Departure Cebu Airport
Where to get “white taxis” at Cebu Airport
The room in Castle Peak Hotel was not ready yet when we arrived at 1.30pm but we were pleasantly surprised by the newly renovated Twin Peak Spa. Kate went for a one-hour massage while waiting for the room to be ready. After the massage, we were ready to check out what Cebu had to offer!
Huge bed in Deluxe room of Castle Peak HotelBath Tub in Deluxe room of Castle Peak Hotel
We chose to walk to Ayala Mall (even though our taxi driver mentioned that it may not be that safe) because it was still bright daylight and the mall could be seen from our hotel room so we reckon it is not that far. The walk took us 15 mins and there were proper traffic lights to allow us to cross the roads safely. The only gripe we had was that the pavements were narrow and uneven; and at times we had to walk on the road.
As it was a weekday afternoon, Ayala Mall was fairly quiet. We window-shopped and decided to catch a movie! While waiting for the show, we challenged each other at shooting hoops in the arcade. And of course I thrashed Kate …I am the best! *evil laugh*
Movie and snacks at Ayala MallMovie and snacks at Ayala Mall Snacks stall. hot dog 70 peso. popcorn and coke 100 pesoAyala Mall 4 storeys of shopping
Even though we were kinda full from the hotdog and popcorn, we can’t wait to try the local dishes! We quickly flag down a taxi and soon we arrived at Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant. The food was delicious and the price was reasonable. Washing the food down with cold San Miguel beer made it even better! With our tummy filled, we took a cab back to Castle Peak Hotel and rest for the night; in preparation for the city day tour the next day.
Times fly when you’re having fun and this quickly rounded up our first day in the Philippines. Stay tuned tomorrow for the 2nd day of our Cebu/Bohol Trip!
What better way to kick off the Singapore Staycation series than to find out some of the interesting Singapore Staycation ideas our local hotels have …
From the road junction of our hotel, we can see a low building with a banner that says it is an authentic spanish restaurant. We were glad to find out that it opens at 10am as that would mean we can squeeze in a early lunch because we have to be at the airport by 12pm to catch our flight back to Singapore.
Decorations at Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant Cebu
Decoration of Spanish restaurant Ipar’sDecoration of Spanish restaurant Ipar’s CebuDecoration of Spanish restaurant Ipar’s Cebu Philippines
We love everything about Ipar’s! The decoration in the cosy restaurant, the friendly waitress, the delicious food (the garlic bread! Have we mentioned how much we love garlic because of this trip? Hehe.) and the reasonable price.
Although we were quite full from breakfast, we still ordered starters, mains and a carafe of sangria. As with typical KS Singaporeans, we wanted to make the most out of this trip 🙂
What we ate at Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant Cebu
Starters Churizo 200 peso Garlic Bread 120 pesos Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant CebuSangria Carafe 450 pesos Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant CebuBreaded Pork Chop 200 pesos Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant CebuFillet of fish in famous parsley sauce 350 peso Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant Cebu
Initially, we wanted to try out the roasted pork so that we can compare to the one we tried at Serenity Spanish Bar and Restaurant in Singapore. However, due to the time required to prepare it (at least an hour), we did not have enough time to wait due to our impending flight. We even tried to ask if the wait could be half an hour instead of an hour. But due to the emphasis on the quality of the food, the waitress was quite insistent on saying no to our request. Hence, we settled for the above choices. Still, the food took a while to come, which is why we’re glad that we chose these food instead.
The churizo was a little salty. Good thing that we ordered the garlic bread to even out the saltish taste. As for the garlic bread, you usually have the spreads at pizza hut for their garlic bread? Not so at Ipar’s, you can see actual bits of garlic on the bread and there was a nice crunch with every bit. Like this version compared to Pizza Hut’s.
For the pork chop and the fish, they were both good. Especially the pork chop. Crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The fish was good but because of its quantity and the fact that we already had breakfast, it became a little jerlat towards the end. That’s where your sangria comes into the picture. It refreshes your taste buds and provides a great compliment to the dishes as well.
Menu of Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant Cebu
Menu of Ipar’s and the price of the foods we ate…
Tapas Menu Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant CebuMeats Menu Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant CebuFish Menu Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant Cebu
We were sooooooooooo full when we went back to the hotel to get our luggage and checked out. But we did not at all regret having this meal 🙂
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City Suites Ramos Tower is an apartment building with some units available for guests to book for accommodation while travelling in Cebu. Our first Cebu hotel, Castle Peak Hotel, is on the east of Cebu. So for the second leg of our Cebu trip, we wanted a hotel nearer to the Fuente Osmena Circle; and City Suites Ramos Tower seems ideal. The rates for one night is $73 which may be a little pricey as the unit is small with 2 twin beds and only standing shower but check out the view from the 20th floor!
Sunset and Tops Hill seen from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites
Sunset from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites orangey sky
Awesome view from the balcony of the 20th floor at City Suites Ramos Tower!
City Suites $73 double super single beds
Small but well-equipped room at City Suites Ramos Tower
Video tour of room at City Suites Ramos Tower
We did not want to “waste” the view so we ordered in pizza and beer for dinner and sat at the balcony to enjoy the awesome view and equally awesome food 🙂
Huge all meat pizza and 4 SMB for 448 pesos cheaper than dominoes. Thin crust and yummy!
Turrones De Cebu for 75 pesos but the one at Amorita was better and crunchier
All meat pizza and Turrones de Cebu for dinner while enjoying the sunset view at the balcony
While enjoying the pizza, we also caught a re-run of Matrix Revolution! One of Tom’s favourite movie! (while Kate just doze away in dreamyland) Think the movie bumped up our stay by a notch 😉
City Suites Ramos Tower Cebu
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Do note that there are residents staying at the Ramos Tower. It is like a serviced apartment with some rooms rented out while others have residential occupants.
The awesome thing about our room is its view (overlooking tops and Crown Regency Hotel that offers “sky experience”), room service (cheap and good pizza, with surprisingly tasty Turrones – must try!) and comfort. If you’re here in Cebu on a budget, City Suites Ramos Tower is definitely an excellent choice!
Ayala Mall is a short 15 minutes walk from our where we stayed – Castle Peak Hotel and it is a NEW mall that offers many shops and eateries!
How to get to Ayala Mall
Means of transport in Cebu – White cabs and Jeepney
Means of transport in Cebu – White cabs and Jeepney
Ayala Mall (also known as Ayala Center) is located at Cebu Business Park, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City 6000, Metro Cebu. Besides taking a short walk, you can also choose the various means of transport including the Jeepney (which follows a fixed route but costs only 8 pesos!) or the white cabs (safest form of taxi transport in Cebu)
What to do at Ayala Mall
We spent the evening at Ayala Mall just like the locals. Shopping, played the arcade and caught a movie – the Heat!
Ayala Mall 4 storeys of shopping
Shopping options & Alfresco Dining at Ayala Mall
Movie and snacks at Ayala Mall Snacks stall. hot dog 70 peso. popcorn and coke 100 peso
Movie and snacks at Ayala Mall
Here’s what we did…
Arcade
7 peso per game
For 50 peso, we get to shoot hoops for 30 mins and enough “tickets” to exchange for 2 Hello Kitty erasers! 🙂
Movie
180 peso per ticket
Huge cinema (Hall 4, with toilets inside!)
Snacks for Movie
Hotdog 70 peso
Popcorn and Coke 100 peso
Kate usually needs her snacks to stay awake during the movie but The Heat is hilarious!
After our enjoyable evening at Ayala Mall, we headed next to Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant (arguably one of the MUST TRY restaurants in Cebu) for dinner!
Ayala Mall Cebu
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On the 2nd day of our Cebu trip, we had a private day tour of Cebu City by our friendly local guide – Long. But before we talk about the Cebu City Tour proper, here is a little background on how we got to meet Long
How to arrange a Cebu City Private Day Tour
Our taxi driver, Long, who drove us from the airport to Castle Peak Hotel seemed friendly and honest, so when he asked us if we wanted to book his car for a day tour, we agreed. His first quote for the day trip was 2000 peso, and when we wanted to add Tops into the itinerary, he increased it to 3000 peso. (The market rate for the taxi fare to and fro Tops from Cebu city is 1000 peso, according to our online research 😛 ) When we replied “too much”, he then asked us “how much?”. With our “experience from bargaining in vietnam/Indonesia”, we said “2000 peso”. Long then said “Ohhhh…cannot. Too little. Tops is very far. 2500 peso”. Kate and I decided that we do not really want to see the Mactan shrine and that would also take up some time due to the traffic to lapu-lapu city, we re-negotiated with Long and counter-offered “Okay, don’t want Mactan shrine. 2000 peso”. He turned around, smiled, and said “Okay. Tomorrow what time?” (After chatting with Long for the whole day, we knew more about his family, and decided to treat his family to a box of Dunkin Donuts. A great way to end the day.)
Attractions Cebu City Private Day Tour
Well, the great part of a Cebu City Private Day Tour is that you have the flexibility of where you want to go and how long you want to stay at one place. So these were some of the attractions that we visited in Cebu City…
Cebu Monument
Cebu Monument
Cebu Monument
The Cebu Monument is a structural representation that depicts all the major events that took place in Cebu beginning with the famous event of how a native chieftain by the name of Lapu Lapu killed the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
University of Visayas (Oldest University) & Colon Street (Oldest Road in the Philippines)
University of Visayas Oldest University in Cebu – Owned by a politician
University of Visayas Oldest University in Cebu – Owned by a politician
Colon Street – Oldest Road in the Philippines (Part 1)
Colon Street – Oldest Road in the Philippines (Part 2)
City Hall – Right across from Magellan’s Cross
City Hall – Right across from Magellan’s Cross
Magellan’s Cross
The Magellan Cross
Magellan’s Cross Cebu
It was said that Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, ordered the cross to be planted in Cebu. His quest was actually to prove that the earth was round and could be circum-navigated (i.e. sail round the world in one direction and return home). Eventually, his crew did prove that. However, he was killed by Lapu Lapu and he died in the Philippines.
Basilica del Santo Nino
Basilica del Santo Nino – Short walk from Magellan’s Cross
Basilica del Santo Nino – Short walk from Magellan’s Cross
Fort San Pedro
Fort San Pedro
Fort San Pedro – Entrance fee of 30 pesos
Fort San Pedro, built in 1738 is a small triangular (yes, unique shape for a fort) bastion fort built by the Spanish settlers in defence against Muslim invaders. Cost of entry is 30 pesos and you can also ask a guide to give you a tour of the compound. It takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes to cover the fort.
Miguel Lopez Monument at Independence Plaza (Opposite Fort San Pedro)
Miguel Lopez Monument
Miguel Lopez Monument
Around Independence Plaza
Museo Sugbo – Cebu’s largest Museum
Cebu Museum. 75 peso each.
Entrance of Museo Sugbo – Entrance fee of 75 pesos
Taoist Temple on Beverly Hills
Taoist Temple on Beverly Hills
Taoist Temple on Beverly Hills
Tops Cebu Lookout
Our driver for the day Long with his cab on Tops
Tops San Miguel and our driver Long
View from Tops. Mactan Island
San Miguel at 60 peso each on Tops
View of Cebu City from Tops in the Day and after Sunset
Video from Tops Observation Lookout – Day Time
Video from Tops Lookout – After Sunset
Cebu City Private Day Tour
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The day’s tour was essentially a stop for lunch at CnT Lechon, followed by the attractions above. After Tops, Long actually waited for us when we went to the supermarket to replenish our stock of mineral water and snacks. The great thing about having Long bringing us around is that the timing was very flexible. We could spend however long or short period of time at each stop.
Kate noticed Bo’s Coffee striking logo in the streets of Cebu and decided that we should try the coffee and food there. There is one branch near City Suites Ramos Tower so that was what we had for breakfast on our last day in Cebu. Established in Cebu in 1996, Bo’s Coffee was founded by coffee enthusiast and entrepreneur Steve Benitez. The deco in Bo’s Coffee is warm and inviting; and the selection of food was also fairly extensive. We took some time to decide what to have for breakfast. We were also tempted by the cakes and pastries but unfortunately we were too full after our mains 🙁
Bo’s Coffee
Bo’s Coffee
Bo’s Coffee mushroom and cheese omelette with toast 150 peso
Bo’s Coffee corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancakes 175 peso
Drip Coffee (10 pesos with any order of mains), Mushroom and Cheese Omelette with Toast (150 pesos) & Corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancake (175 pesos)
It was definitely a great place to enjoy coffee and pastries while people-watch as the locals make their way to work and the students heading off to school.
Bo’s Coffee Cebu
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Lechon (pronounced as lay-xi-on) is simply roasted pork and the most famous of them all? CnT Lechon!
Females chopping up whole pigs at CnT Lechon
CnT Lechon – Best Lechon in Cebu
According to locals (including our driver Long), CnT Lechon is arguably one of the best Lechon in the whole of Cebu. When you even mention Lechon, everyone will point you here…
CnT Lechon beside SM Mall. best pig ever according to anthony bourdainOther side dishes at CnT Lechon
For us, it was actually quite surprising to see only ladies at this joint. Have you seen how big the pigs are? They actually start with whole pigs and chopping them up according to the weight that customers want…check out this video of the strong women chopping up the lechon! In the video you may also notice this rather impatient guy standing in front of us whose head kept popping up because he wants to know if his food is ready! 🙂
We decided to go for the half kg (for only 200 pesos – $6 SGD!) for the 3 of us to share (including our driver Long). Not too much else we would have to run many hours on the treadmill to burn off the fats! Worst of all, we may have to rename our site to 2fatbears.com! Haha!
And here’s our half kg of lechon!
Half kg of lechon. crispy skin.juicy meat. 200 peso at CnT Lechon
As the caption says, the skin was so crispy! It’s actually Tom’s favourite part. Crispy and slightly saltish, goes really well with plain rice and a dash of the sauce provided. The meat was also tender and juicy. It was good. However, not the best for us. The best pig? If you’re referring to pork knuckle, it has got to be the pork knuckle from Hofbrauhaus Munich. As for roasted suckling pig, the one at Serenity tops our list.
Nonetheless, for the value and quality, it is still a must try when you’re in Cebu!
What else to eat at CnT Lechon
CnT Lechon mixed veg at 30 peso per servingCnT Lechon Fresh lumpia or popiah at 12 peso each
In addition to the lechon, we also had mixed vegetables (30 pesos per portion) and fresh lumpia (12 pesos each)
The lumpia is a little like our popiah in Singapore. Vegetables wrapped in a fresh flour based sheet. Not too bad.
Receipt for lunch at CnT Lechon
Location and Opening Hours of CnT Lechon
CnT Lechon is located at V. Rama Ave, Cebu City and its opening hours are from 8am to 6pm. Be there early as the lechon often gets sold out by mid-afternoon!
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The sun rises fairly early in Cebu and we were up by 6am. After washing up, we strolled around the neighbourhood to look for breakfast. We wanted something local but weren’t sure what to eat. Not far from Castle Peak Hotel, we chanced upon Alberto’s Pizza. The menu was decent and the price was reasonable. And although it was Alberto’s Pizza, we went for the local breakfasts instead! We choose the Hungarian and Cheese Krainer, each at 75 pesos (about $2!).
Alberto’s Pizza HUngarian and Cheese Krainer with garlic rice and egg for 75 peso each
Breakfast at Alberto’s Pizza Cebu!
Each set came with a sunny-side up and garlic rice! Yum! However, the Hungarian sausage was a little too salty for our taste.
Alberto’s Pizza Breakfast Set
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The title of this post speaks for itself 🙂 We walked to the Fuente Osmena Circle from City Suite Ramos Tower and shopped in almost all the malls around it. Some of the buildings looked rundown and we did not dare to enter. Oh! Did we mentioned that there are security guards checking your bags when you enter the malls? We were not used to that. We also ate at Jollibee and KFC to see if there is any difference in the food served here and in Singapore.
Shopping at Fuente Osmena Circle
KFC in Cebu Philippines – 150pesos ($4.5)
KFC in Cebu Philippines – 150pesos ($4.5)
For KFC, the price is definitely cheaper as compared to Singapore. They do have unique items such as the cookies and cream drink which we tried on the hot afternoon. The not so good thing? The chicken was pretty small!
Our first visit to Jollibee in Cebu!
Spaghetti meal with one piece chicken and coke at Jollibee
Jollibee in Cebu Philippines – 108 Pesos ($3?!)
The standard of Jollibee in Cebu is pretty much the same as in Singapore (yes, we got to try the Singapore one after spending much time in the queue). Portion was quite generous as well. The only difference we thought was that the spaghettic sauce was a tad bit sweeter than the Singapore version. Perhaps they changed it a little to suit the local taste.
Shop Eat Cebu
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You may wish to note that there are several shopping centres such as the Robinsons Cybergate as well as Robinson’s place around Fuente Osmena Circle. Tell us more about your experience at Cebu in the comments section below!
One of the best restaurants in the Philippines is the Golden Cowrie Restaurant. Known officially as the Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant, it serves up authentic Filipino food at a very reasonable price in a restaurant setting…
Interior of Golden Cowrie
Inside Golden Cowrie Restaurant
Golden Cowrie Restaurant – Best Filipino Restaurant Cebu
Touted as the best Filipino restaurant in Cebu, Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant embodies the pride in filipino cuisine and is one of our must-try when you visit Cebu (pronounced as SEE BOO). The funny thing was that although there was a Golden Cowrie Restaurant at Ayala Mall, we did not know about it at that time (so near and yet so far)! Therefore, we took a 10 minutes taxi ride from Ayala Mall to the Golden Cowrie Lahug @ Salinas Drive…
Our server Precious at Golden Cowrie
As we pulled up at Golden Cowrie, we were ushered by a security guard (meaning its a decent joint) who opened these big wooden doors for us to enter into the restaurant. The deco was nice, warm and inviting. Much like coming home. It has an alfresco dining area outside as well.
After being seated, our server Precious (see inset above), asked us politely if it was our first time here. She was friendly and patient in explaining the various local dishes (some of the dishes had Filipino names) while recommending some of the best sellers. Good service is always a great start to a meal isnt it?
What to eat at Golden Cowrie Restaurant
Precious then recommended for us to have the crispy pata (pork knuckle!!), squid in coco sauce, kang kong and shrimps with garlic. This was accompanied by garlic rice and free flow white rice! Oh, every order of normal rice is free flow. And you know what? We don’t usually eat that much white rice, but surprisingly, the rice was especially fragrant while the texture of grains full of goodness! No wonder even ladies pile up on the rice while eating at Golden Cowrie Restaurant! Yes, even Kate!
Golden Cowrie Squid in coco sauce 179
Crispy pata and Squid in coco sauce – Must try from Golden Cowrie Restaurant!
Golden Cowrie Cebu Kangkong 79
Kang Kong and Shrimps with garlic Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant
Golden Cowrie Cebu Garlic Rice 39Golden Cowrie Cebu Shrimps with garlic 89Golden Cowrie Small crispy pata 295
Guess what? EVERY DISH WAS GOOD!! The serving of the crispy pata was HUGE and when you take in a piece of meat together with the crispy skin, accompanied by the garlic rice? Simply SHIOK! Now we understand why many Filipinos enjoy garlic rice. It’s not only the fried garlicky taste that attracts you. When mixed in, it gives a different mild crunchy texture with every mouth. Yum!
Served sizzling hot, the squid in coco sauce was fresh and succulent, not the rubbery kind but the Q type with a refreshing taste of spices and charred taste. With a little chili on the side (not too much cause their version is actually quite spicy), it was just a perfect combination with the fragrant white rice.
The kang kong and shrimps with garlic also accompanied the rice really well. After typing for the last few paragraphs, we’re starting to wonder if dishes revolve around the rice? Because they complemented each other oh oh oh so well! Haven’t had this much rice in such a long time – SERIOUSLY!
Okok, here comes the best part. Our total damage? Only 824 pesos (including drinks) which is about $25 SGD!! This is less than a third of what you would have paid at a zi char stall in Singapore!
Where to find a Golden Cowrie Restaurant in Cebu
Here is a list of Golden Cowrie Restaurants in Cebu.
Ayala Terraces
Cebu Business Park, Biliran Road
Cebu City
Golden Cowrie Lahug (The one that we went to!)
Salinas Drive, Lahug
Cebu City
6000
Parkmall
Ouano Ave. North Reclamation Area
Mandaue City
Cebu, Central Visayas
Golden Cowrie A.S. Fortuna
A. S. Fortuna St
Mandaue City
Cebu, Central Visayas
Golden Cowrie SM Cebu
Lower Ground Floor, SM City
Cebu
Golden Cowrie Cybergate
Robinsons Cybergate, Fuente
Cebu City
Cebu, Central Visayas
Mactan Marina Mall
Lapu-Lapu City
Cebu
Golden Cowrie Restaurant is opened at lunch from 11am to 2pm and for dinner from 6pm to 10pm.
Golden Cowrie Restaurant
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Although we have already seen dolphins during our trip in Perth/Bunbury, we were excited to go for this dolphin and island hopping tour as we will be able to see the dolphins swim care-freely in the sea. We paid 2,900 pesos ($85 SGD) per pax for this 9hr tour (i know….many of you would comment that it is pricey. And I have read blogs written by the locals that they only pay probably the same amount for a 3D2N itinerary but we liked the fact that there’s only 2 of us in the boat, and the timing is very flexible. We can stay however long we want at each stop.) And anyways, we would like to think that we have boosted the tourism economy of Philippines 🙂
The day started early at 5.30am. The hotel staff at Amorita Resort greeted us at the beach gate with our packed breakfast for the journey which included a gourmet sandwich and a bottle of chilled water. The staff also carried our snorkeling equipment and life vests to the boat. We were then introduced to our boatman and his helper (who is his younger cousin). Not long after, we were ready to go look for our dolphins!
Headed towards Balicasag island catching the dolphins first then going to the island for snorkeling followed by sand bar at Virgin island
Leaving at 530 for dolphin watching!
Video taken from boat enroute to “Dolphin Hunting”!
We were one of the earliest boats to arrive at the location where the dolphins are frequently sighted. However, we were not so lucky this morning. After an hour of waiting, more boats joined us and we were all eager to see who could spot the dolphins first. Suddenly, like an action-packed movie (along with amazing race theme song), the boatman skillfully made a sharp right turn, gained speed, and told us where the dolphins were! It was initially hard to differentiate the reflection of the morning sun on the waters and the movement of the dolphins. But soon we were experts 🙂 We managed to spot more dolphins, including the spinner dolphins as we were making our way to Balicasag Island.
Finally! Whole school of dolphins sighted!
Dolphins sighted!
First glimpse of the dolphins at Bohol! Notice how our boatsman uses whistle to attract their attention
Clapping works too…
Snorkeling in the waters around Balicasag Island was next on the itinerary. The guide recommended that we rent the waterproof cover for our camera for 300 pesos ($9 – Quite ex for a cover no?). Initially we were reluctant but well, we had already come all the way here, why scrimp on this and miss the chance to take photos underwater? Our guide was very hardworking and was on a lookout for turtles for us. Twice he shouted “Turtle! Turtle!” and we could see the turtle but was not fast enough to take a photo of it.
Our Guide at Balicasag who worked very hard to steer our boat and look for interesting fish turtles at the edge of the corals
Our guide who fixed the waterproof casing for us and points out all interesting sights to us!
Clear blue water at Balicasag Island
Balicasag Island where we got to snorkel and see fish and turtles!
Snorkelling off Balicasag Island – Corals
Tom with corals and fish!
Snorkelling off Balicasag Island
More corals and fish at Balicasag Island!
We were soon hungry and was informed that there is no food on Virgin Island (our next stop), so we settled for a cold bottle of Coke and a plate of fried bihoon (but it is actually our “dang hoon” – green bean vermicelli) at Balicasag.
Small shops on the island
Fried Bihoon at 200 pesos and coke at 30 pesos
Shops selling trinkets and beach wear / HUGE plate of Bihoon
Virgin Island has very fine soft white sand and clear waters. One can just sit/lie on the sandbar and not worry about a thing in the world. Once again, we were one of the first few to arrive at the sandbar. This was good because we left before the place got really crowded with tourists.
Virgin Island Sandbar
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin Island
Virgin Island Sandbar with locals selling coconuts and sea urchins
Bohol Island Hopping Snorkelling and Dolphin Watching
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The day trip was about $200SGD in total. But was it too expensive? For us, it was a tad on the high side. But the exclusivity, privacy and convenience we got was certainly quite worth it. Our guide took us wherever we wanted to go and allowed us to stay however long (or short) we would like at all the spots. This allowed us to stay longer for the dolphins and sandbar while shorter for the snorkeling (cause Kate did not like snorkeling – leaving earlier meants she “tanned” for a shorter time). If you ask us if we would do it again? We certainly would!
