Showing posts with label hotel and resort. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hotel and resort. Show all posts

September 26, 2019

Birthday Celebration at Yurakuen Eat-All-You-Can Teppanyaki

I have a long bucket list on my mind and I don’t know when I will be able to finish my list. I hope I have more time to do all of it so I’m praying for long life and of course budget to fulfill my dreams. Last month, I was so happy that I ticked off “Teppanyaki Experience” on my bucket list. It’s on my list for seven years already, finally, the long wait is over.


I’ve been meaning to eat at Teppanyaki restaurant ever since my husband tried it in Shanghai, China. Whenever he is in Shanghai, he makes sure that he will eat at Shanghai Akasantei. It is a Teppanyaki and Yakiniku restaurant which is just 10 minutes away from his hotel. Then 5 years ago, he discovered Edogin; a teppanyaki restaurant in Jakarta, Indonesia. And as expected, he also eats at Edogin whenever he stays at Hotel Mulia Senayan.

Read: Shanghai Akasantei  
Jakarta Eats at Hotel Mulia Senayan  
Hotel Mulia Senayan 

If you remember my birthday post, I wanted to celebrate my birthday in Jakarta Indonesia because we have 4 days FREE and my husband will go to Indonesia too. It is my chance to stay in Hotel Mulia Senayan or eat at Edogin. But unfortunately, the stars were not aligned so my husband went to Indonesia without us because my son doesn’t want to be absent for two days.

So on the day of my birthday, I did not expect any celebration because it was a weekday and my son doesn’t want to be absent. But my husband persuaded me to celebrate at Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant at Diamond Hotel. I was hesitant at first because my son was in school and our initial plan was we will eat at Yurakuen after our Sheraton Manila Staycation. Then I realized na sobrang hina kumain and mabilis mabusog anak ko, my husband is right malulugi kami sa bayad. Hehehe! So I said yes and my husband called Diamond Hotel to reserve.

Eat All You Can at Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant 

Few years ago, I’ve researched about the Best Teppanyaki Restaurants in the Philippines and Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant is on top of the list but when I checked the rate, nakakahimatay ang presyo so I know that we can only eat here if we have something to celebrate. I can’t remember how many times na namin plinano na kumain dito but for some reasons hindi natututuloy so I’m happy na natuloy na rin ang aming food trip.


Since we live in the province, we left the house before 9AM just to make sure that we won’t be late for our reservation. We arrived at 10:40AM and the opening time is 11AM so we waited at the cafe near the Japanese restaurant. At 11AM, the staff let us in and she ushered us to the beautiful garden of the restaurant. May cherry blossoms inside, feel na feel na nasa Japan.


At Yurakuen, you have two options, you can choose a la carte meals or eat all you can. Of course, we chose the Eat-All-You-Can Teppanyaki so she ushered us to the Teppanyaki Room. They have limited rooms so don’t forget to make a reservation.


For P3,300 per person, you can eat Sashimi, Sushi, Makisushi, Temaki Sushi, Salad, Soup, Seafood, Meat, Vegetable, Rice, Noodles, and Dessert all you want. The drinks are bottomless too but you can only choose one type of beverage. I chose mango juice and my husband chose orange juice. Here is the menu.


We all know that you cannot eat everything on the menu so carefully study it and choose the food that will make you happy and satisfied. The staff will ask for your choices and they will serve it for you. I’m not fond of sushi, sashimi or salad so I did not order anything but my husband order a few pieces of it. I can’t remember what he ordered but I ordered Egg Soup. The staff will serve the Japanese starters, salad, soup, drinks, and sauces.



After thirty minutes, our personal sous chef came and we started our teppanyaki experience. What nice about Yurakuen, you have your own sous chef that will cook your food. Unlike sa Shanghai Akasantei and Edogin na open for everybody yung Teppanyaki Table. Here, you have your own privacy, one sous chef per teppanyaki table.


For our Teppanyaki, we ordered Salmon, Squid, Tiger Shrimp, Scallops, US Beef Top Sirloin, US Beef Short Ribs, US Beef Tenderloin, Grilled Beef Shabu-Shabu, Assorted Vegetables, and Mixed Fried Rice. We skipped the noodles. For dessert, we ordered ice cream and seasonal fruits.









  • What I love about teppanyaki is you can see how the chef prepares and cooks your food. They serve your food immediately so it is sizzling fresh and hot. At the same time, it is entertaining too, I enjoyed hearing the sizzling sound, watching the food cook on top of the teppan and of course eating the food. We all enjoyed the foods that were served and it is hard not to feel hungry while I'm writing this post.




It was a once in a lifetime experience or should I say eatsperience. Hehehe! The Teppanyaki Rate is quite expensive but I can say it was worth a splurge. We were eating and drinking for two hours. The food and service are very good and they even surprised me with birthday cake and song. I was really surprised na hindi ko na navideo yung performance nila. The chef even prepared a fruit platter for us. After our teppanyaki experience, I know that this won’t be our last, I hope we can go back again pag nakaipon-ipon na. lol

Watch the video here.

Tips 

1. Don’t forget to make a reservation if you want the Teppanyaki room since the tables are limited.
2. Follow the Dress Code; “Guests are requested to wear smart casual attire with appropriate footwear.
3. Forget about your diet. Count memories not the calories.

Yurakuen Eat-All-You Can Teppanyaki Rate 

P2980 - Monday to Thursday
P3300 - Friday to Sunday
FREE - 6 years old and below
Half price for 7-12 years old

Open Daily from 11AM to 2:30PM and 5:30PM to 10PM.

Yurakuen at Diamond Hotel 
Roxas Boulevard cor. Dr. J. Quintos St.
Manila, Philippines

July 19, 2019

Where to Stay in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

There are so many hotels, hostel, AirBnB, and backpackers lodge in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia so choosing accommodation is not difficult. Two things that you should ask yourself are, “How much is my budget? and Which part of Kuala Lumpur is best for my trip”. Knowing your itinerary makes it easy for you to narrow down your choices.


You can stay in Bukit Bintang, KLCC, Chinatown, KL Sentral, Bangsar, Chow Kit, Petaling Jaya, or Subang Jaya. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is famous because of Petronas Tower so if you plan to visit the iconic tower, I suggest you stay in Bukit Bintang or KLCC area because you can visit Petronas Tower by walking.

Read: Petronas Twin Tower 

Anyway, If you are looking for a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, check the following hotels that we have or my husband tried in the past. It ranges from budget accommodation to expensive accommodation. Checking the rates of the hotel, it is quite similar to Philippines rates so it won’t hurt your pocket unlike in other Southeast Asian countries.

1. Sky Hotel Bukit Bintang 

Sky Hotel Bukit Bintang is the first hotel that we have tried in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is a budget hotel that is strategically situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur city center. It is few minutes away from transportation, shopping, entertainment, and even business district.


We booked a room only package so no breakfast for us but since it has a good location, fastfood, restaurants, and even cafes are within reach. If you love street food then visit Jalan Alor where you can eat different Asian cuisines. Petronas Twin Towers, Aquaria KLCC and Menara KL Tower are also walking distances.

Read: Sky Hotel Bukit Bintang Review

2. Saujana Hotel and Resort 

Saujana Hotel and Resort is far from the Kuala Lumpur City center so if you are after relaxation or you just want to have a staycation then stay in this resort. It is a 5-star resort in Malaysia that is ideal for business and leisure traveler.


It sits on 160 hectares so it is really huge, a different type of resort where you can see squirrels, monitor lizards and even monkeys within the resort premises. They have golf course, swimming pool, fitness center, spa and sports area.

Read: Saujana Hotel and Resort Review

3. Sheraton Kuala Lumpur Hotel 

Sheraton Kuala Lumpur Hotel has excellent location in KLCC because it is close to LRT, monorail stations and Petronas Twin Towers. My husband even said that he can see Petronas Towers from his room. It offers a gym, spa and an outdoor pool. My husband likes this hotel because they know how to value their loyal guests. They always upgrade his room to Club room but unfortunately, room only and no club lounge access.


Read: Sheraton Kuala Lumpur Hotel Review

4. Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur Hotel 

Intercontinental Hotel is also located in the heart of the city so it is few minutes walk away from Petronas Twin Tower, Suria KLCC, Bukit Bintang and LRT station. They provide complimentary shuttle services for your comfort and convenience.


The hotel offers fitness center, spa and swimming pool. The rooom looks old but big and clean. I guess, there are already renovated rooms but my husband stayed at the old room. According to my husband, there are a lot of Filipino staffs here and service is good.

Read: Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur Hotel Review 
DIY Kuala Lumpur City Tour 

July 05, 2019

Where to Stay in Jakarta Indonesia

Jakarta Indonesia is not a tourist destination, in fact, it is notorious for having horrible traffic so it is very important to choose a hotel that is near a shopping center or restaurant so you don’t have a problem when you want to buy something or you want to eat out.

But despite the fact that Jakarta has traffic problems, what caught my attention is their hotels. My husband is a frequent visitor in Jakarta, Indonesia and for the past few years he was able to try four different hotels and among of his favorite hotels are located in Indonesia.


So if you are planning a quick visit in Jakarta after your Bali trip, if you want to have a family staycation or if you want to have a relaxed business trip then check these hotels.

Where to Stay in Jakarta Indonesia 

1. Hotel Mulia Senayan Jakarta 

Among the hotels that my husband have visited, Hotel Mulia Senayan is his favorite hotel so far. I have no doubt about that because Hotel Senayan is an award-winning hotel. It was part of the Top 15 Hotels in South East Asia in 2015 and Top Hotels in Asia: Readers’ Choice Awards 2017. Even their hotel in Bali Indonesia is also an award-winning hotel.


They are true to their word “Experience a stay like no other” because when it comes to service my husband was very pleased. Service is excellent, you will feel spoiled and pampered especially for returning guests.

The bed, pillows, and duvet are very comfy that you just want to sleep and sleep. They replenished fruits and toiletries every day. They also give complimentary chocolates every night and sometimes they give a voucher that you can use at their restaurant. They have 5 restaurants, one lounge, a bar and cake shop. For amenities, they have a fitness center, swimming pool, and spa.

Read: Hotel Mulia Senayan Jakarta 

2. Shangri La Jakarta 

Shangri La hotel is located in the heart of the capital of Indonesia. It offers 662 rooms and suites, 7 restaurants, cake shop and bar, health club and spa, fitness centers, tennis courts, swimming pool, and shops. It is 45 minutes away from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and 10 minutes drive from the hotel to Soekarno-Hatta Airport Rail Link.


Shangri La is an oasis in the city, it ideal for business and leisure trip. If you have kids in tow, your kids will definitely enjoy the wet play area. It is quite similar to EDSA Shangri la hotel in the Philippines.

Read: Shangri la Jakarta Hotel Review 
EDSA Shangri la Hotel Review  

3. The Dharmawangsa Hotel Jakarta 

Dharmawangsa Hotel is an award-winning boutique hotel in Jakarta, their Bimasena Spa got an award from Conde Nast Johansens Readers Award 2016. It is 35 km away from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and 5 km away from Central Business District.


If you want to unwind, relax and you want some privacy, then this eco-hotel is a good choice. It offers a minimum of  66 sqm room so it is really spacious. You have a big room, bathroom, and private balcony. The bathroom has two vanity basins, separate shower, and bathtub. The toiletries are from Belgium. It offers restaurants, gym, spa, and an indoor and outdoor pool.

Read: The Dharmawangsa Jakarta Hotel Review

4. The Westin Jakarta 

The Westin Jakarta hotel is one of the newest hotels and located in the heart of JK Business District. It is situated on the top 20 floors of the tallest building in Indonesia which is Gama Tower. It has a 360-degree view of Jakarta city skyline whether night or day.


It offers a fitness studio, spa, indoor heated swimming pool. It is near shopping malls like Kota Kasablanka Mall and Lotte Shopping Mall. There is a bank in the building. If you have kids in tow, Kidzania Jakarta is just 3.4 miles away and Dunia Fantasi is 9.7 miles away from the hotel.

Read: The Westin Jakarta Hotel Review

These four hotels are not a budget-friendly hotel but if you don’t mind spending more for good accommodation and service, then treat yourself. I’ve mentioned before that Jakarta, Indonesia is not on my bucket list but if ever I will go there, I will have a staycation. Eat, Sleep and Repeat.

June 14, 2019

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel Oslo Gardermoen

I think I have to accept the fact that I always need to stay in a hotel before flying back to the Philippines, just to have peace of mind that we won’t miss our flight. The thing is we need to ride Ferry Boat just to reach Trondheim and boat schedule is unpredictable especially if it is a holiday.

Read: Flying Back Home

So I decided to fly to Oslo day before our Oslo - Doha - Clark flight and booked a hotel near the airport. We did this two years ago, we stayed in Radisson Blu Aiport Hotel in Trondheim day before our flight. After our Scandinavian Trip, I immediately booked our flight from Trondheim to Oslo without checking the rates of Radisson Blu Oslo Airport so I was really surprised when I saw their rates.

Read: Radisson Blu Airport Hotel in Trondheim Norway 
SAS Scandinavian Airlines Experience


Radisson Blu Airport Hotel is so expensive pala, I thought they have the same rate of Radisson Blu Airport Hotel in Trondheim. There are two hotels that you can choose from if ever you need a place near Oslo Gardermoen Airport. You can stay in Radisson Blu or Park Inn by Radisson. I checked the rates of both hotels and there is only minimal difference when it comes to price. I chose Radisson Blu Airport since I already tried their hotel in Trondheim so at least I know what to expect.

Read: Glimpse of Oslo Gardermoen Airport

The price of the room depends on your preference, of course, I chose the standard room because we only need a place to sleep on. Aside from that, you have the options of a room only, room with breakfast, prepaid booking or booking with free cancellation. I compared all the options and I chose prepaid booking with breakfast for NOK1543.50 (PHP9,460.95).

Tip: To save money, I joined Radisson Rewards because there is a different rate for the members. The rate above is already a discounted rate. You can be a member for FREE.


Fast forward to our trip, after getting our luggage, we went straight to the hotel. Radisson Blu Oslo Airport is just in front of Oslo Gardermoen Airport so locating it is not a problem. It is near the bus station, train station and of course the airport. This hotel is a nice place to stay if you have an early flight or late arrival. It offers a conference room, lobby lounge, restaurant, and Fit4Flight wellness center.


There is a covered walkway on your way to the hotel, my booking is prepaid but they still require a guaranteed deposit which will be canceled if you have no additional charges. We arrived 5:30PM and it took me ten minutes to get our room key because of the long lines.


Radisson Blu Oslo Aiport has 500 soundproof rooms and suites so even we are just near the airport, you can’t hear any sound. It makes me paranoid nga kasi wala ko naririnig na ingay, feeling ko kami lang ng anak ko sa hotel. Hehehe!


This is our cozy room and now I know why their rate is different because they have better rooms. My son even said that this is his favorite hotel among the hotels and hostels that we have tried during our two months vacation in Scandinavia. Sa isip-isip ko, dapat lang kasi ito rin yung pinakamahal sa lahat ng pinagstayan natin. Hehehe!



The standard room is 22 sqm, we have King-sized bed, the bed, duvet, and pillows are soft and comfy. There is a desk table, couch, TV, in-room coffee and tea, mini bar, in-room safe, steam iron & ironing board. There is no complimentary bottled water but they have complimentary ice. You can see this ice dispenser outside the elevator.

Trivia: Tap water in Norway is potable.


The bathroom has bath tub but there is no bathtub stopper so my son was sad that he was not able to use it. For toiletries, there is shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, soap, vanity kit, and shower cap. There is hair dryer but no bidet.



If you don’t want to get out anymore, they have room service too. The menu is available inside the room and they have 26 North Restaurant & Social Club.


Buffet Breakfast at 26 North Restaurant & Social Club 

Our room package includes buffet breakfast at 26 North Restaurant. It is open as early as 5AM so even you have an early flight, you can have a quick breakfast before going to the airport. As expected, buffet spread in Europe is limited to salad, bread, cold cuts, cheese, cereals, yogurt and few hot dishes.


They have more options compared to Trondheim branch. They have a menu too if you want to order something that is not included in their buffet spread. We stuffed ourselves with bacon, eggs, sausage, bread, potato wedges and mushrooms.






After check-out, my son and I just stayed at the room, we’re reserving our energy for our flight back to the Philippines. Thank God for FREE wifi so we have something to do while killing our time. Check-out is 12NN so we were so early for our 4:10PM flight.

Watch the video here. 

May 02, 2019

Where to Stay in Copenhagen: Urban House Copenhagen by Meininger

Whenever we travel, most of the time we stay in a hotel because we’re used to it. But when we are planning for our Scandinavian trip, hotel is not an option because I know how expensive it is. So for our Copenhagen trip, we planned to stay in AirBnb or hostel but I chose the latter because most of the AirBnb that I’ve seen is outside the city center.


I'm looking for an accommodation that is near the central station so we can save money on transportation. I searched for an affordable hostel in Copenhagen and among my list, we booked at Urban House Copenhagen by Meininger.

view from our room
Urban House Copenhagen by Meininger 

Urban House Copenhagen by Meininger is only 200 meters away from København H or Copenhagen Central Station. We traveled by Ferry Boat from Oslo, from Copenhagen DFDS Terminal Seaport we took the train From Nordhavn St to Copenhagen Central Station then we just walked from the station. Going to the hostel is not difficult, you can check the map on their website.

Read: Cruise to Copenhagen: Oslo to Copenhagen via DFDS Crown Seaways

Train Ticket Cost 

24DKK - one way/one adult
12DKK - one way/one child


We arrived past 11AM and check-in time is still 3PM. No early check-in but you can stay in the hostel, they have a library, pool table, kitchen, and lounge where you can kill your time.




If you don’t want to waste your time, you can store your luggage in their locker area for 5DKK per hour and start exploring the city. It is quite expensive because the locker can only fit one luggage and we have 4 big pieces of luggage. Lockers only accept coins.


Family Room or Quad Room

Urban House Copenhagen by Meininger offers dormitory, single, double and family room. We are a group of 3 adults and 1 kid so we booked the family room. The rate is 3109.35 DKK for 3 nights or PHP2000+ per person/per night. It has 4 beds; beddings and towels are provided.



The pillows, duvet, and bed are comfortable. There is a small table, bench, side table, and storage.


For the bathroom, it provides toilet paper, hair, and body soap, sanitary bag, and hairdryer. No bidet. The room and bathroom are clean.

Food and Drinks 

Foods and drinks are not a problem because they have a bar where you can eat breakfast buffet, buy snacks or order packed lunches. The buffet breakfast is not yet included in the room package.

Breakfast 6:30AM to 10:30AM
Bar 11AM to 12AM
Check-in is 3PM
Check out is 11AM

Guest Kitchen 

Traveling to Europe is expensive because foods and drinks are so costly. So one thing I like in this hostel is the Guest Kitchen, we can prepare and cook our own food. We saved money because we eat breakfast and dinner at the hostel.


They provide the cooking and eating utensils, cooking stove, microwave, kettle, fridge, and even storage. You can buy your own food and store it in the kitchen but don’t forget to label your food. The most important thing is clean as you go. Yes, you are free to use the kitchen but no one will clean or wash the dishes for you.


You can also check the shelves for FREE FOOD, guests can leave their leftover food like rice, herbs, salt, sugar, cooking oil or other grocery supplies that you don’t want to bring home and you think other guests can use. There are labels that you can put so guests will know your departure date.


Washing Machine and Dryer Room 

If you run out of clothes, they have a laundry room. I just have no idea about the fee since we haven’t tried it.


Overall, we liked our stay in Urban House Copenhagen by Meininger. The room and bathroom are clean, there is a guest kitchen, it is near the Copenhagen Central Station and some bus stops, restaurants, convenience store and tourist attractions like Tivoli, City Hall, Ripley’s and more. The most important thing is FREE WIFI.


Note: They don’t accept CASH payment so make sure you have a credit card or debit card that you can use in Europe. Payment upon arrival. They provide an access code for the door.

Urban House Copenhagen by Meininger 
Colbjørnsensgade 5-11,
1652 Copenhagen, Denmark