City Garden Grand Hotel offers guests a cozy retreat in the heart of Makati City, making it the perfect place to book your next weekend staycation a cool escape in the metro.

THE WELCOME

While standard check-in time at City Garden Grand Hotel is at 2 PM, the hotel has been known to allow early check-in depending on room availability, and I was lucky enough that the two rooms I had reserved were both available for check-in at 12 NN.

After filling up all the necessary paperwork (and after being told that valet parking was complimentary), I was introduced to Public Relations Manager Ysabelle Evangelista, who personally escorted me up to my rooms located on the 30th floor.

THE ROOMS

My companions and I were booked in two Junior Suites, and while it wasn’t available during our stay, I was glad to discover that guests staying in adjacent rooms have the option to connect their rooms, just by simply opening a connecting door on both rooms. Both suites were spacious, as they offer around 50 square meters of room.

Each comes with a receiving area and a small kitchen, which are fully equipped with a microwave, and even a large refrigerator (not those usual mini hotel ones).

The best part of the suites are the bedrooms though, as each has a king-sized bed with four plush pillows and a thick duvet. We were thankful to be granted late checkout (as late as 5 PM!) as we wanted to stay in those beds the whole day. The bedrooms also have their own bathroom (aside from the one in the receiving area) and both have a big bathtub.

Both are bigger than the usual hotel bathtubs I’ve seen—I’m a tall person, and yet I was able to fit in the tub comfortably.

THE SCENE

As the hotel is located in a busy area, there are many nearby places to explore. Century City Mall is just a short walk away, as well as A.Venue Mall. Several restaurants are also near the area, so guests won’t run out of food options.

THE FOOD

You can’t go wrong with dining inside the hotel too. The Spice Café, located on the seventh floor, has Asian and Western offerings, all available for buffet or a la carte. My favorite dish would have to be their Quattro Formaggi Pizza! The cheeses just really mixed well in my mouth! The best part is, you may order anything from the Spice Café menu for Room Service at no additional cost. For dining with a view, head on up to the Firefly View Deck Bar at the 32nd floor.

AT CHECK OUT

As we were allowed late check out, there wasn’t a long line when we arrived at the reception. We had a fun staycation (even though there was a typhoon when we stayed) that all of us were tempted to extend our stay.

THE VERDICT

A stay at City Garden Grand Hotel is recommended for friends or families who want a quick break in the metro. You get the comfortable and peaceful escape you need, all without really leaving the comforts of the city.

City Garden Grand Hotel is located at 8008 Makati Avenue corner Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City. For bookings and reservations, phone (+63 2) 888 8181, (+63 2) 835 3535, email <reservations@citygardengrandhotel.com>, <sales@citygardengrandhotel.com>, or visit