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Showing posts with label Luxury. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luxury. Show all posts

Thursday, November 16, 2017

The Dorsett Wanchai in Hong Kong is a Kid-Friendly Paradise

The hotel's Deluxe Family Quad Room.

During our final two days in Hong Kong, we stayed in a hotel that all the mommy bloggers in the world are gushing about because the staff always goes the extra mile to accommodate guests with little tots in tow. 

The Dorsett Wanchai Hong Kong (formerly known as Cosmopolitan Hotel) is the ultimate choice for group travelers and/or tourists traveling as a family. The hotel promises a pleasant experience despite having the lowest rates in town without ultimately having to sacrifice comfort, luxury, and accessibility.

The Dorsett Wanchai (formerly Cosmopolitan Hotel) in the distance.

The Dorsett Wanchai is just a stone's throw away from well-renowned tourist hotspots like the Happy Valley Race Course, the Hong Kong Racing Museum, Victoria Park, and Hong Kong's answer to Japan's kawaii cafes, the Hello Kitty Secret Garden.

The bus stop across the hotel is where Bus #40 (to Stanley Village) drops off and picks up passengers every 4 minutes to take directly to the beautiful Ocean Park. Should you wish to experience the cool, crisp air and the high-end shopping that Victoria Peak up in the mountains has to offer, there's another bus stop near the Dorsett where Bus #15 (to The Peak, Terminus) makes a stop every 12 minutes.

As a reference to its close proximity to Hong Kong's famed Happy Valley Race Track, the hotel's room numbers were superimposed on horse figurines!

Check-in was a breeze. The courteous receptionists just looked at our travel documents and reservation confirmation and, once satisfied, swiped my credit card for the security deposit and called for a bellboy to take us to the nineteenth floor-- all in a span of less than ten minutes!

The Dorsett's Deluxe Family Quad room as captured by my unprofessional photographer's lens.

Mini-bar, coffee, and tea maker.

What's inside the mini-bar?

Ironing board and flat iron, mini-safe, cotton robes, and indoor slippers.

The bathroom.

Our suite came with a bath tub!

LCD TV.

When navigating in and around Hong Kong, a pocket wi-fi can be your best friend. The handheld comes free to use for Dorsett Wanchai guests.

When Dorsett Wanchai's hotel manager learned that I was traveling with a three-year old primadonna who celebrated her third birthday one day prior to our stay, he gave her two complimentary Dorsett Wanchai teddy bears instead of the usual one teddy along with the complimentary kiddie snack box and complimentary set of Johnson's baby care products! I didn't know who was more thrilled from all the gifts-- me or the little one.

In Dorsett Wanchai, everything is double the fun.

The complimentary kids' snack box. It has a milk drink, a packet of chips, a packet of sweets, and a box of chocolate balls inside.

Johnson's Baby Bath and Baby Shampoo for our little pampered princess.

One of the thrills that comes with being a child guest in Dorsett Wanchai is going "treasure hunting" inside the room. Playing on the fact that kids are naturally curious about opening drawers and peering inside nooks and crannies, the hotel staff hides "treasures"-- little packets of sweets and snacks-- where an exploring little tyke may find it. In my three-year old princess' case, she found one inside our side-table's drawer and another inside a corner of the closet.

Look at what my princess found inside one of the drawers! What a treat!

Should your little one get bored, Dorsett Wanchai also offers a mobile library service upon request (subject to availability). The management at Dorsett believes that empowering children to read at a very young age can make better our world's future, because is there a better way to cultivate fruit than to nourish the soil that binds the roots? 

A tisket, a tasket, the books are in a basket!
(Some pictures from other blogs show the mobile library in the likeness of a big two-tiered dollhouse in wheels filled with books.)

Reading together is a fun way to bond with your child!

"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."

Our stay at the Dorsett Wanchai came with free breakfast buffet for four. The buffet is served daily in the Dining House on the second floor from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM. 

Bread station.

Fruits and vegetable salad station.

Cheese and dried fruit. The kitchen help need to replenish plates more quickly.

Juices and milk.

A table for cereals.


Grilled tomatoes and beef curry.

Chicken sausage and beef burger patties.

Scrambled eggs and Chinese-style sauteed vegetables.

During the afternoon and evening, the Dining House reverts back to being Dorsett Wanchai's Chinese/Seafood Restaurant. Taking pride in serving only the freshest seafood, there are rows upon rows of glass tanks where customers can just pinpoint what they want served to their table.

My sweetheart probably wants to play with them more than have them buttered with garlic and chili.

Are these sea cucumbers?


Clams are surprisingly cute and stretchy!

Overall, we had a wonderful time at the Dorsett Wanchai and would like to stay again if we were to return to Hong Kong with a much older (but still little) travel-savvy baby girl. The service and the warm, hospitable staff were the best! 







Friday, October 20, 2017

Spending the Last Few Days of Summer at the World-Famous Villa Escudero Plantation and Resort

The stunningly-beautiful infinity pool at Villa Escudero.

I'm not usually one to visit an attraction that I've already gone to in the past unless (1) some part of it was revamped in a major way, or (2) it was designated as a place where I need to go to celebrate something. In the case of my second visit to Villa Escudero, it was for both aforementioned reasons: their swimming pools were newly-renovated and my father booked us a room for Fathers' Day.

And so, we drove to Tiaong, Quezon province in the middle of June for a family staycation where we expected to be free from the stresses that came with living in a generation where dogs eat dogs.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Reliving the Spanish Era in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Bataan

Old Heritage Houses standing on the edge of a canal in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.

There's something fascinating about old architecture.

I remember writing a 300-word essay explaining my stand on a question that went, "Should old heritage buildings be kept as they are or demolished to give way for progress?" It sounded like it was an easy question  wherein any immediate opinion could easily be formed, but it was not.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

The Ultimate Macau Vacation: 8D7N in the Las Vegas of the East!

The Cotai strip in Macau, all lit up at night.

When people hear the word "Macau", they take it as one of China's special administrative regions (SAR) and just a popular side trip from its sister SAR, Hong Kong. Macau is relatively small, about 29.5 square kilometers in area size, so it comes as no surprise that potential travelers just assume that activities and attractions there will be little to none. This entails the possibility that even when they do decide to visit, they just allocate a few hours or days.

This will prove to be a travel faux pas, as any non-Tripadvisor subscribing traveler would later find out.

Friday, February 19, 2016

10 Romantic Honeymoon Hotspots Around the Globe

Where better to celebrate your love for each other than in a Royal Caribbean cruise ship? (Photo courtesy of Root Photography).

NOTE: This post has not in any way been influenced by the coming and passing of Hearts' Day about two days ago. (Just kidding!)

Everyday, when I open my Facebook, about two-thirds of the news in my feed are about lovey-dovey couples going out together, getting engaged, or already enjoying the bliss of being hitched. Don't get me wrong, though. I'm absolutely happy for all of them and I would wish them all the luck in the world if I were given any opportunity to personally talk to them. Still, being single for some time already doesn't stop me from dreaming that one day I'd find Prince Charming again, fall in love again, and finally have that epic fairytale garden wedding and honeymoon that I've been dreaming of since I was fourteen.

And speaking of honeymoons-- here are ten places from around the world where I dreamed I would spend my honeymoon (if I ever get married). This list is based solely on my opinion, by the way.

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Be A Dragon Warrior At Dreamplay By Dreamworks (After Eating Like a Viking)!

The facade of Dreamplay, a one-of-a-kind theme park produced by Dreamworks Animated Studios in the City of Dreams, Manila.

I'm featuring two attractions in this post: the first being Vikings Luxury Buffet at SM Mall of Asia followed by Dreamplay by Dreamworks in the City of Dreams, Manila. We went to these establishments to prematurely celebrate my brother's 12th birthday one day before the actual date.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Sunshine and Tequila! A Night's Staycation at Wild Orchid Resort, Pampanga

The Wild Orchid Resort: a beautiful retreat in the midst of Angeles City.

As is customary for me before embarking on any kind of trip, I take to the internet to read about the place, where to stay and eat, and the stuff outside the hotel that we could do and then try to create a detailed itinerary.

Eat like a Viking (Vikings Luxury Buffet, SM BF Paranaque)

The carving station at Vikings, SM BF.

Claiming to be not only one of the Philippines' biggest buffet (300-400 seater) but with an added perk of luxury and comfort, Vikings has made a name in the buffet industry with over 8 branches throughout the country.
Copyright © 2015 Travel Hard, Hannah!