http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2012-02-14T07:30:40Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/ http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/9/25/12623/0760 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/32083/sonyasgarden.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>We sometimes spend time talking about off-the-beaten-path locales, and we're positive you can relate to daydreaming about getaways that make it feel like you've actually, well, gone away. Call us crazy, but fighting for pool space with families and tanned singles doesn't scream "vacation" as much as it resembles the hotel version of a mall. For the more ambitious travelers wanting to go off-grid for a short while, the Philippines is a destination that may not immediately come to mind, but that doesn't make it any less worthwhile&#151;the opposite, actually. <p>We discovered <a href="http://www.sonyasgarden.com/"><b>Sonya's Garden</b></a>, a lush bed and breakfast, when a local led us into Tagaytay, a small city not far from Manila. The website uses Heidi Atwal 2009-09-25T15:37:58-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/3/24/231455/781 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6193/ShangriLaBoracay.jpg" class="top"> <p>While we think that the <b><a href="">W Maldives</a></b>' removed atoll location and private <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/5/20/221754/578/hotels/Snapshot_The_W_Boat_at_the_W_Maldives">boat</a> are pretty sweet when it comes to remote escapes, apparently resorts continue to push the boundaries of accessibility. <p>This is the case with the newest addition to the <b>Shangri-La</b> hotel family, the <b>Shangri-La Boracay</b> in the Philippines. To reach the 219-room, 36-villa exotic wonderland with 3,800 feet of secluded beach, guests must first fly into Manila, then take a hopper flight 45 minutes south to Caticlan airport, from where another 30 minutes of land and sea transfers launch. Once you hit the sand, however, the Boracay enclave sets out to envelop you in 5-star luxury with one of the Philippines' largest free-form JetSetCD 2009-03-25T13:10:19-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/1/19/231649/517 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/Cacao_Pearl_Island.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>Here are two words we don't usually read in the same sentence: "non-profit" and "luxury". It's a curious idea but that's the idea behind a new eco-resort in the Philippines. We're already <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/2/28/115546/143/hotels/Searching_For_The_Perfect_Overwater_Bungalow_The_Philippines_Shows_Tender_Love">quite enamored</a> with the <b>Palawan</b> region of the Philippines so the planned <b>Cacao Pearl</b> enticed us just from the location--but we're confused about the non-profit luxury idea.<p>The Cacao Pearl will include 60 residences on a private island--think thick rainforest, coconut palms and white beaches--and they're promising both sustainable development and "sustainable enjoyment". Their target market is what they call the "grown-up backpacker", presumably ones who've saved a bit of cash, because you'll be able to buy one of these residences and then either rent amandak 2009-01-20T12:54:44-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/2/19/16930/9396 <![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/regentlogo.png" class="imgborder"> By all accounts, 2007 was a banner year for Philippine tourism, with the number of foreign arrivals topping the three million mark (the previous record for yearly visitors was 1.9 million). According to Department of Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, 2008 promises to deliver even better numbers, with his department focusing on the "opening of new hotel projects and properties."<p> One of the most ambitious of these new projects will be the <b>Regent Manila Bay</b> by hotelier <a href="http://www.carlson.com/brands/hotels.cfm">Carlson</a>, bringing 5-star opulence to the Philippines. <p>The Regent Manila Bay will be part of a unique hotel-within-a-hotel development, offering luxury accommodations within the Radisson Hotel Manila Bay. The hotels will share a common structure but will have NatalieWW 2008-02-19T16:42:04-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/5/3/7239/30266 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/martinis_MoP.png" class="imgborder"/><p> In bar openings this month ... the new <a href="http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/511000386.asp">Martinis</a> bar has opened at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/MANDARIN+ORIENTAL+MANILA/ian/109305"><b>Mandarin Oriental Manila</b></a> in the Philippines. Situated in the Makati area, along with plenty of other nightlife, Martinis seems to be aiming for a pretty upper-class crowd; the General Manager said:</p><blockquote><p>We designed Martinis as a premier bar and meeting place, where customers can listen to light jazz, relax, and enjoy a license to chill</blockquote></p><p>Interior design follows a more or less art deco style and the baby grand piano in the middle is intended to up the sophistication factor. There are plenty of cocktails and of course, in honor of the name, a big variety of martinis--a few interesting sounding ones on amandak 2007-05-03T09:09:50-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/