The Azalea Baguio After Summer Group Getaway (in Retrospect)

My mom is currently in Baguio City right now for a church org conference. I am missing her so much, that it also made me miss my after summer group getaway I had with fellow bloggers three weekends ago courtesy of Azalea Residences Baguio.

I never really imagined I would be part of this getaway. I have followed the first two group getaways and I hoped to be part of one, too, although I felt it was impossible as I closed my travel blog early this year for a number of reasons. Actually, I closed a few of my blogs, but I just couldn't close this blog because I remembered having a long absence from this blog years ago and one person believed in me to follow my blog and since then this blog has been the most successful of all my blogs. Closing this blog would mean letting down that one person (whom I don't know personally) who believed in me and in my blog. Anyway, I first saw Azalea Baguio's Facebook post about cooking up another bloggers getaway, and I remembered telling myself I wish to be a part of it. Imagine my surprise when a blogger friend Azrael (azraelsmerryland.blogspot.com) posted on his Facebook page about this getaway, at which my sister tagged me to. I really wanted to join, but thoughts were debating in my head - if I was worthy to be a part of it and if I could deliver what is asked of me to deliver. Anxiety has been a dark cloud above my head for the past few years, but with encouragement from my sister, I decided to sign up. Imagine my happiness when I received the invitation to be a part of the getaway!



I decided to take the 10am bus trip from Cubao to Baguio City via Joybus, the executive coach of Genesis Transit. I had the solo seat so I was able to recline my seat fully and enjoy the scenery, my book and food. The trip lasted only 4 hours (compared to 6 or more hours to regular airconditioned bus) because it had no stops (it has its own rest room) and if you are traveling to Baguio City, I suggest you take any of these Deluxe buses because it was so comfortable to travel this way.

It was raining when we arrived in Baguio City, but Azalea Baguio took care of us as soon as we set foot in Baguio City. I am not used to this lavish type of accommodation, that the minute I saw how beautiful Azalea Baguio is, I whispered a prayer of gratitude for experiencing this.

Photo grabbed from Angie

One of things I was grateful for was my roomies. I am out of the blogging scene for a long time now that I am not familiar of the other bloggers in this getaway, but Angie and Jing are already considered friends / family because we are part of Max's pool of bloggers for many years now. We were given the two-bedroom suite, and they both occupied the master's bedroom and I chose to occupy the smaller room.


By 6pm on our first day (26 June), all bloggers for this getaway were already present. Some of them I already know, while some are new faces to me. Eating lunch at Café Yagam, we not only shared good food and hearty laughs, I also appreciated Azalea Residences' way of breaking the ice for us, by doing a get-to-know slash talent night. It was just the right way for us to warm up to each other and by then I already knew I am in a company of great, happy people.

Sun says good morning

Second day started great. The warm, fluffy comforters of my bed allowed me to recharge well, and the breakfast served at Tradisyon ensured I have enough energy to carry on with the day.



The Erotica Gallery. Shhhh....

The very first place we visited was the BenCab Museum. I first visited this place last March, but my second visit allowed me to appreciate the museum even more because I had a healthy exchange of views about the artworks with fellow bloggers Kenny and Patty. The museum has a lot of galleries, expect to have a great time while you're there.

Food has been a big part of our day. We had lunch at the Balajadia Restaurant, we had snacks and hot drinks at the Tam-Awan Village, we had a club sandwich while traveling to Tartland factory, and we had food samplings at Tartland as well.

Look up!

I guess all those food was just the thing we needed because we had the Fright Tour next. I don't have a third eye (I don't hope to have one), I still haven't seen any paranormal entities, and I don't really believe in it, but I do respect them. I would be lying if I would say I wasn't scared of this tour, but knowing I have my new found friends by my side and that I have my rosary in my pocket, I was given enough strength to carry on. Sadly, this fright tour wasn't finished - we only got to visit the Baguio Cathedral, the Teacher's Camp and the Laperal White House, we weren't able to visit the old Hyatt Hotel and Loakan Road because one of our companions fainted while we were inside the Laperal House. I actually don't know what caused it - if our companion was too scared, was suffocated inside the small cabinet (she volunteered to try out one of the mini activities), or whatever... but at that moment, I felt it was just right to cut the tour short. It was disappointing, yes (I think all of us were, including our companion who fainted), but like what I said, I respect anything paranormal, so I will just leave it at that.

Pajama night!

Besides, we still had enough fright left - Azalea Baguio set up a film showing and we watched the Korean horror film "Wishing Stairs." It wasn't really scary, but it was really interesting.


Our last day in Baguio City was short, so we had to squeeze a lot of activities. We toured different rooms being offered in Azalea Residences, we ate breakfast...

#BnBTeam

... and as early as possible, we were ready to rock and roll! Biggest gratitude I had for this getaway was being with this group of people, whom I shared the van with. They are just the craziest bunch of people, and our driver Lem (in orange) added more fuel to that craziness, making us the noisiest all the mini-groups on this getaway.

Vegetable shopping with the English-speaking vendor

Our group of 19 bloggers were divided into three vans, and since all of us in the group were already ready as early as 9am, we decided to went on our way to shop. We were grateful that the line at the Good Shepherd / Mountain Maid Training Centre was short the time we got there, that we were able to shop very quick, allowing us to travel to the public market to buy some more. I decided not to buy a lot anymore.

#14 Laperal

We were done with the shopping with more time to spare, so we asked Lem to drive us back to Laperal House for a short photo-op, and we roamed around the Camp John Hay as well, before returning to Azalea Residences for lunch and farewell gathering.

Recalling that weekend, I just couldn't believe my luck for being a part of this getaway. I have traveled to Baguio City countless of times, but this getaway allowed me to experience a lot of firsts. Not only that, this getaway also helped me develop my self-esteem. Coming home, I have new found motivation to carry on with my blogging, and as soon as I transferred the pictures on our laptop, I also looked back on the past food pictures I took, which I am now excited to share on this blog.

To Azrael, Azalea Residences, its staff, and my co-bloggers, thank you for the great weekend. I hope we can do this again.


*** Jenn ***

Buy 6 Pieces Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts for Only 78 Pesos!

It was in 1937 when Vernon Rudolph opened his own doughnut store in Old Salem. It would take many decades before it reached the Philippines, but ever since the first Krispy Kreme shop opened in 2006, the response has been overwhelming, that this year, there have been different outlets in more than 60 locations nationwide. Their newest outlet opened in Rockwell Powerplant Mall last Thursday.




Yesterday (10 July 2015), Krispy Kreme had an early birthday party at the flagship store in Bonifacio High Street. Weather in Metro Manila has been gloomy for the past week, but my sister and I were so grateful that we didn't have to battle with hard rain going to the event and traveling back home.




Like most birthday parties, there were different activities for the attendees. First activity we tried was creating our own doughnuts... I truly enjoyed this because it allowed me to practice on my frosting piping skills, but I gotta admit, thinking of what design to make was the most difficult task of all.


My sister tried having her nails done; she now sports candy sprinkled nail art. Very Krispy Kreme doughnut, indeed. Sweet!


Of course, a birthday party is not complete without parlor games, fellow bloggers had fun joining the KK-Twister game and the Balloon Pinata. As much as it was fun finding for balloons with prizes inside, it was actually more fun popping the balloons. We were transported to our childhood!


Biggest surprise of the night was the "Most Creative Picture," because the winner was given a doughnut party worth 10,000 pesos. I was very happy for the winner - their picture was indeed very creative!


It was a very fun party, yes... but of course the fun didn't end there, because on Monday - 13 July 2015, Krispy Kreme is turning 78, and as a way to treat all Krispy Kreme fans nationwide, we all have a chance to bring home a box of 6-pieces Original Glazed Doughnuts for only 78 pesos!


How?

Download and Register in the Krispy Kreme Mobile App and show digital coupon to redeem Box of 6 Original Glazed. App coupons will be distributed beginning Sunday evening but valid only on Monday from 12am to 11:50pm.

OR, you may print or screen grab the 78th Birthday Celebration voucher from Krispy Kreme Official Facebook, Twitter or Instagram Page and present to the cashier.

For the complete terms and conditions, as well as the complete list of stores participating this party, please check out Krispy Kreme Official Facebook Page.


One last thing to say -- when you buy your Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnuts for 78 pesos, please do share your picture on your different social media sites with the hashtag #HBDkrispykreme.

Set your alarm, go to the store as early as possible, and don't forget your digital coupon and screen cap. See you all on Monday!

*** Jenn ***

Azalea Residences Baguio is Truly a Stand-Out!

I have always been the frugal traveler. Wherever I go, I have this mantra of saving as much money as possible, and often, the big bulk of budget cut would fall on the accommodation. There is nothing wrong with that, of course... but as I reflect on this post, I have come to realize that a very comfortable bed at night contributes a lot to the overall success of the trip.






Nearly two weeks ago, I was blessed to be part of a group getaway with fellow bloggers courtesy of Azalea Residences Baguio. I have heard of this place prior to the trip, but this was the first time I stayed at this hotel, as I don't usually sleep in whenever I travel to Baguio; I often travel at night and spend the entire day in Baguio, traveling to La Union late in the afternoon where I stay with my aunt.

I think in my whole lifetime traveling to Baguio when time and money allow, I have stayed overnight four times - first was when I was still a child spending a weekend at my cousins's dorm (they studied college in Baguio Colleges Foundation, now called the University of the Cordilleras), then when my British friend K and I traveled to Baguio as part of our holiday, then when I attended a conference with fellow church org members (we stayed at a transient home very far from the heart of the city), and last March, when my sister, mom, and I enjoyed a side trip to Baguio after we visited daddy's grave on his death anniversary.

On the four times I stayed overnight in Baguio, my stay at the Azalea Residences Baguio has been the best - hands down. Here are the reasons why:

Paul Kristian Fil Darang (Guest Services Officer) and JC Moulic (Head Concierge)

The staff were very friendly and very nice.
Wherever I go around the hotel, whenever I cross paths with a staff they would stop, smile and greet me good morning, good afternoon, or good evening.

Not only that, they were quick to respond. When I had difficulty with the television set, I phoned in a request and just two minutes after, a maintenance staff knocked on our door to attend to my query with friendly smiles.


A very warm welcome.
A welcome drink and a fruit basket, plus bottles of water on top of the fridge... me likey!



They simply thought of everything.
I already expected that the toiletries would bear the hotel's name, but I am amazed at how complete their free toiletry kit is. Not only did we get the common items - shampoo, soap, conditioner, shower gel, toothbrush and toothpaste... but we also got a tub of lotion, a small kit containing razor, nail file, a small powder puff and shower cap. Bonus points... there was a fresh set of toiletries (soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush, and toilet paper) come the next day, even if we haven't used the set given the day before.

The towels in the bathroom were complete - there was a bath towel, a hand towel, and a towel to be used to dry feet after using the shower. All of these were also replaced the day after.

Checking the closet in the bedroom, there were pairs of slippers, bathrobe, laundry bag, ample amount of hangers... and there is a small sewing kit. Inside the drawer, there was a hair dryer. Well, I don't use it really, but it was very thoughtful of them to place one in the drawer.

By the way, not only did the shower have hot and cold settings, guests can also control the temperature of the water in the faucet, perfect when washing the face.

Another thing I liked was that there were two key cards - both of which can be used to open the door and to turn on the main power in the room. I appreciated this a lot because a lot of hotels only has one key card - and when you leave your room, the power inside automatically turns off. While this is a great way to save electricity, I am not totally in favor of it because there were instances that camera or cell phone's battery would die down. By having two sets of key cards, I can enjoy roaming outside while I keep my spare batteries charging inside, ready for the next use... and I can keep the fridge on, allowing me to have very cold water to soothe my throat after some time of roaming around the city.

Wi-Fi connection has good reception. Sure, the wi-fi signal is difficult to grasp inside the bedroom, but signal is great in the kitchen and living room area... and guests don't need to switch wi-fi connection per level, once you logged in the password of the wi-fi, you can connect to the internet anywhere in the hotel where there is signal. And yes, it was free.

If you are a light traveler, chances are you will need to have fresh set of clothes. Azalea Residences Baguio offers laundry services at a touch of a button.

Lastly, they have an on-call doctor 24 hours a day. I pray none of its guests would get sick, but should they encounter a medical emergency, it is comforting to know that there is a doctor ready to offer first-aid help.






Delicious buffet.
Everyone checked in at the hotel were given free breakfast at the hotel's in house restaurant, Tradisyon. I love that the buffet offered a wide array of choices - soup, salad, cereal, bread, rice meals, pastries and fruits. My days in this getaway started on a very good note because of the sumptuous breakfasts I had here.

Azalea Residences Baguio is not located at the heart of the city. On my holiday with my friend K in 2010, we also stayed at a hotel along the Leonard Wood Road (of course I won't mention the name), and it was difficult to go out and find a restaurant to eat at night. I was happy that when I stayed at Azalea Residences, they also offered buffet dinners at Tradisyon, as well as phone-in food orders delivered to the guest's room. One may be "detached" to the center of the city, but that doesn't mean one would hail a taxi and look for a restaurant just to have dinner.

They also have a bar, should one fancy a drink.

(Since this a food blog, do watch out for a separate post about the food I ate while I was at Azalea Residences)

Athena Atria of The Lifestyle Avenue

Magnificent view.
Currently, there are 99 suites in Azalea Residences Baguio - 46 deluxe rooms, 17 one-bedroom suites, 33 two-bedroom suites, and 3 three-bedroom suites...and I heard they are offering presidential suites as well, though I am not sure how many there are at the moment. With that many rooms, view will differ, but should you stay at a room at the front area of the hotel, this will be your view. You can view sunrise from here, a very great welcome for another day at paradise. I also love it that the rails at high enough to hinder children to climb on, but low enough to still enjoy the wonderful scenery. You may say Baguio City is now congested and urbanized, but seeing this view gives that assurance that the city still has some greens too boast.

Deluxe Room

Dining Area and Living Room of the One-Bedroom Suite

It sure felt like home.
May it be deluxe, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, or the three-bedroom suite, each room has its living room and kitchen - complete with microwave oven, electric kettle (with bags of tea, coffee, creamer and sugar), as well as cooking and dining utensils. This gives the guests the freedom to eat their choice of food, but of course they strongly prohibit cooking dried fish/seafood and those with very strong smell. Should you want to eat danggit, I suggest you eat a lot during breakfast (at the buffet) or ask them to cook it for you for a minimal charge.

My companions and I stayed at a two-bedroom suite. My companions Jing and Angie stayed at the master's bedroom with en-suite bathroom, while I stayed at the other bedroom with single-sized bed. Although there were two rooms, there was also a common bathroom, so in a way it also felt like I had my own bathroom. The bed was warm and comfortable, and I super duper loved it when I saw that there were extra pillows in the closet. One of the things I hate in my hotel stays is the lack of pillows as I use about three pillows - two for my head and one to hug while I sleep.

Another noteworthy thing to share was that our suite had three TV sets - one in the living room, and one on each of the bedrooms. This is a very clever thing for them to do, because they market the suites for families and big groups, and I am sure you will agree with me, that sometimes people fight over television. This way, everybody will be happy.

Now I fully understood the difference. It is true, you really get what you pay for... and while I admit the rates of Azalea Residences Baguio is a little too much for my usual budget, I am thinking of staying there again on my next travel to the City of Pines, simply because of how well rested I was during my entire stay, even if my companions and I had a very long Saturday doing all sorts of activities. I highly recommend this place, and if you are a big family or a big group, feel free to contact them for rates (they allow extra people in the room) and other services (like van service and the likes).

To know more about Azalea Residences Baguio, here are their contact details:

Address: #7 Leonard Wood Loop, Brgy. M. Roxas, Baguio City
Reservations Hotline: +63 2 579 4894, +63 2 579 4890 Mobile: +63 917 861 1641, +63 919 994 4140
Hotel Trunk Line: +63 74 424 8716, +63 74 424 8166
Manila Sales: +63 2 925 8352 Mobile: +63 917 861 1642 +63 919 994 4143 Fax: +63 2 655 1162
Email: reservations@azalea.com.ph
Website: http://azalea.com.ph
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+AzaleaPhBaguio/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AzaleaResidencesBaguioCity
Twitter: @AzaleaResidence

*** Jenn ***