Next week marks the entry of another luxury hotel in our metropolis – Lanson Place Mall of Asia Manila will officially open its doors to the public, which will surely delight discerning travelers who embrace the finer things in life especially when they are away from home.
The Lanson Place brand, which came about in 1995, is a subsidiary of Wing Tai Properties, a publicly listed company in Hong Kong. The brand proudly banners its personalized approach to service, as its guests are pampered by the dedicated staff, while paying much attention to detail in providing the best experience, easily distinguishing it from similar establishments in the hospitality sector.
Lanson Place Mall of Asia Manila has 200 hotel rooms, and 150 serviced suites, and is owned by SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation. Its location gives it very easy access to the SMX Convention Center Manila, and extensive retail, food and beverage, and entertainment facilities.
When I saw the building in the early part of its construction, I immediately became curious as to what it had to offer guests. My curiosity was finally catered to when I got to stay in one of its suites during its soft opening. I enjoyed my stay to the max so I immediately booked a suite for my Seattle-based daughter and her family when they came to Manila for a visit.
Its Cyan Modern Kitchen, on the third floor, is an all-day dining venue that serves modern interpretations of traditional international cuisine prepared with fresh, seasonal, and sustainably sourced ingredients. This is where all guests enjoy their buffet breakfast daily. It also serves buffet lunch and buffet dinner. For those who prefer light meals, like I do, the restaurant offers an a la carte menu. Its location gives it a panoramic view of Manila Bay and the colorful esplanade alongside. Cyan also has an al fresco veranda for guests who want to enjoy the cool sea breeze while having their meal.
My favorite facility in the hotel is its Infinity Pool up on the roof deck on the 11th floor right after the Fitness Center. Because it offers a 360-degree view of the metropolis, naturally, it displays a panoramic view of Manila Bay and its awesome, world-famous sunset. It has a bar that offers every cold drink or cocktail mix you can ever think of. I like swimming up there because I hardly feel the scorching sun, as the cool breeze from the sea continuously blows from every direction.
There is one other facility for guests that I haven’t tried yet, which I plan to do next time I get the chance. Focus is a 24-hour comfortable workspace for busybodies who need some peace while working on some important office documents or projects. It has ample natural light during the day and bright incandescence at night making it easy for anybody who needs to focus on the details of what he or she wants to accomplish.
Right next to this area is Bytes, a grab-and-go station that offers snacks and coffee breaks, which is perfect for today’s busy executives or entrepreneurs who need to spend more time on work documents while seeing to it that their daily sustenance is being attended to.
But what is really memorable about a stay at Lanson Place is its guestrooms. The contemporary design of its interiors, its stylish furnishings, and its functional layout make it very easy for guests to experience the warmth of home, while the relaxing view of the bay soothes the senses and lets any jaded traveler wind down to a stress-free environment.
I am so happy that we now have another bayside haven to add to our treasure trove of luxury hotels, the better to welcome more tourists to our country. When you get the chance to experience this affordable luxury, you’ll agree with me…Lanson Place is beautiful!
For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com
