Another Lovely Staycation at Fairmont Makati with Tapas Y Vinos
Raffles and Fairmont Makati continues to be my favorite luxury hotel in the city. It is always so refreshing whenever I pamper myself with some quality time at the Willow Stream Spa, even more so when I get to have a relaxing staycation and spend the entire day inside this gorgeous hotel. It had been quite a depressing and stressful month for me as I am still mourning the passing of my lolo, someone who was so close to me and practically raised me from childhood. So a weekend staycation at Fairmont Makati was really a much-needed break to soothe my tired spirit. It was also an opportunity for me to try the new Tapas Y Vinos cocktail night being offered at the Fairmont Lounge.
Fairmont Makati is a five-star luxury hotel located just beside the Glorietta and Greenbelt malls in the central business district of Makati. It shares the same building with its smaller but more sophisticated sister, Raffles Makati, and both hotels also share a few facilities and restaurants found in their common areas. Fairmont Makati is an urban sanctuary where guests can enjoy luxury and privacy at its finest. The hotel offers 280 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites in a tower of 30 floors with unparalleled views of the stunning Makati skyline.
Fairmont is also now part of Accor Hotels, a world-leading travel & lifestyle group offering unique experiences in more than 4,000 hotels, resorts and residences, as well as in over 2,600 of the finest private homes around the globe. I arrived at the hotel lobby at around 12:00nn and was immediately given my room keys. Early check-in is always appreciated!
I stayed in the Fairmont Room which has 40 square meters of tranquil space with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing a stunning view of the Makati skyline. The design features contemporary furnishing with golden hues signifying Fairmont’s elegance and exclusivity.
Each accommodation is remarkably spacious and complete with premium amenities that are essential to both business and leisure travelers including a 40-inch flat screen LED TV, high speed internet connection, and a large work desk for those who need to work on the go. The mini-bar features a selection of premium beverages as well as complimentary tea and coffee making facilities.
I really love the bright and cheerful ambiance inside my room and I’m sure it is going to be a rejuvenating afternoon.
Their marble spa bathroom is also impressive with a separate walk-in rain shower and deep soaker bathtub complete with luxurious toiletries. The bathtub is the perfect size for me because other hotels have small bathtubs where I can’t even stretch my legs. I will be enjoying my warm, relaxing bubble bath later this afternoon.
What makes this staycation even more special is that it is actually our anniversary weekend. Flowers and cute gifts will truly melt any girl’s heart.
It was lunch time and I was getting a bit hungry so I hurried down to Spectrum, the hotel’s all day dining restaurant offering an array of cuisines from across the globe. The restaurant offers elegant breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets for hotel guests and Makati businessmen who may want to have a big fancy lunch meeting.
Spectrum offers a wide selection of international dishes starting with premium hams and cheese. I always start with their sushi and sashimi station that has some of the best salmon sashimi you can find. The cold seafood station is also a good place to start with its fresh prawns, scallops and mussels. You can even have your prawns cooked Gambas style and have it sent to your table.
The main attraction at Spectrum that afternoon was the magnificent Porchetta with its crispy skin and juicy meat. I also had a few slices of their Striploin steak done medium well. Aside from these, they also have an Indian Station, a Chinese station offering dimsum and roasts, a Pasta station, a Filipino station, plus so much more.
The Dessert Station is also quite a treat with loads of cakes, cupcakes, chocolates and ice cream for everyone. One of the highlights here is the Vanilla Eclairs with its creamy Vanilla filling.
Guests of Fairmont Makati have the luxury of staying at the private Swimming Pool area located on the fourth floor. Even if you don’t intend on swimming, you can just lounge around and lie on the sun beds or order a drink or cocktail from the pool bar.
Just beside the pool is the Fitness Center which offers Technogym fitness machines and other state-of-the-art equipment with a panoramic view of the Makati and Greenbelt cityscape. Mr. Jeng of Food in the Bag seems to be taking his workout very seriously. But my favorite place at the 4th floor is Fairmont’s signature Willow Stream Spa. This is among the city’s most luxurious retreats with 1,200 square meters of soothing surroundings featuring 5 fully-equipped treatments rooms, hair salon, full-service nail studio and a mineral pool. I’ll schedule another treatment there soon.
That evening, we had our dinner at the Fairmont Lounge located on the hotel’s ground floor. From September 1 to November 30, 2016, the Fairmont Lounge is offering the Tapas Y Vinos, a Spanish-inspired cocktail night available daily from 6:00pm to 9:00pm for only P1,200 net per person. Indulge in a chef’s selection of tempting savory tapas and delicious bite-size pintxos paired with endless pouring of Spanish red and white wine.
Taking care of us that afternoon and evening was Ms. Margaux Hontiveros, Marketing Communications Manager for Raffles and Fairmont Makati. She also introduced us to the new French chef who will be handling the soon-to-open premium French restaurant of Raffles Makati as well as tweaking some of the menu at the hotel’s other restaurants.
Tapas Y Vinos features a selection of tapas and Spanish favorites starting with this platter of hams including Salami, Chorizo and Air-Dried Beef. The savory hams are soft and a delight to the palate.
Breads are also available with a variety of dips and spreads. Some of the tapas include Salami topped with fried quail eggs and the Tortilla de Patata.
If you love cheese then you will also find what you are looking for with the cheese platter of Tapas Y Vinos at the Fairmont Lounge. They also have bite-sized Croquettas and Ham Croquettes if you want something more savory.
To fill our tummies, the Seafood Paella is exactly what we needed to go with all these delectable tapas. The paella is so flavorful and is surprisingly one of the better versions I have tried. Who knew that this was just hiding here at the Fairmont Lounge.
Another item that went so well with the paella is the Garlic Confit. These big smoky pieces of juicy garlic gives it an extra level of flavors, turning it into garlic paella rice.
Other items on the buffet table include these dried fruits like Apricot, Figs and Cranberries. You can also find the White Fish Ceviche and Tomato Gazpacho for those who like something with a sour base. I prefer getting the crunchy Calamari coupled with the sweet Churros.
But what makes Tapas Y Vinos special is the overflowing Spanish red and white wine made available to all its diners.
Pair your sumptuous tapas and paella with a few glasses of red and white wine to make your evening more enjoyable. I usually choose white wine over red wine and the servers will just keep on refilling your glass as long as you want. An evening spent at the Fairmont Lounge with friends and unlimited wine will always be a memorable affair.
The next morning, a bountiful breakfast buffet was waiting for me at Spectrum. Since it was the weekend, breakfast at Spectrum lasts until 11:00am so I was able to stay in bed longer and just get up when I wanted to. Now that is how I want to spend my lazy staycation.
Aside from the usual breakfast fare like bacon, omelettes, sausages, pancit and cereals, Spectrum also offers a couple of other interesting items like taho and fresh coconut juice off the shell. My favorite at their breads and pastries section are these Cinnamon Croissant Rolls which combines sweet cinnamon flavors on a soft and flakey croissant.
It is always such a delightful experience whenever I visit Raffles and Fairmont Makati. This staycation is exactly what I needed to restart my system and get my energy back to live life to the fullest. Fairmont Makati just had a Flash Sale on their website offering an overnight stay with buffet breakfast for two for only P6,888 nett. So check out their Facebook Page often to get updates on the latest promotions and activities for Fairmont and Raffles Makati,
