St. Marks Hotel: Home in the City

St. Marks Hotel is the newest hotel in Cebu City, which opened only weeks before we stayed there. Working for a big company now, we have our very own perks, as we have company discounts in major hotels. When our booking coordinator mentioned that St. Marks is a new hotel, I never hesitated to say no to our coordinator, the call of a blogger - in trying out new things, well, this is an opportunity for another blog entry.


Date of Stay: October 24 - 31, 2012
Hotel's name: ST. MARK'S HOTEL
Location: Queens Road, Redemptorist Plaza, Camputhaw, Cebu City
Website: http://www.st-markhotel.com/


The FACADE

Since the hotel is relatively new, Cebu taxi drivers do not know the actual hotel. However, once you mentioned its located near Redemptorist Church, they would gladly bring you there. Upon reaching the church, you can see the hotel right behind it.

The hotel was newly opened, few weeks before we got there. It is still on its construction (I believe to bring more floors and rooms) and cement bags can be found everywhere. Parking space is available, where it was conveniently located near in the actual entrance of the hotel.

The Receptionist (must be shocked) and Dining Staff

THE HOTEL EXPERIENCE

We stayed at the hotel for 7 days, however, this is not a staycation, but it is still work. Anyway, after the usual check in procedures, we were guided to our superior room, which was located at the 3rd floor. The room is really nice, it feels more like a condotel than a hotel. It offers almost everything - free bottled water (yes, every day), ironing board, iron, rechargable flashlight, a safe, a fridge - and our "friend" - the weighing scale. We got so giddly with it, since of all the hotels I have been in, this is the first time I had a weighing scale in the comfort of my hands.

Aside from this, cable television and ipod dock is also available. Lampshades are kinda cool - one tap and it turns on. Another, it dims, last tap, it turns off. I have this certain affection with bathrooms, so after checking out the facilities, I found myself checking out the fancy bathroom. Well, it has two mirrors, fresh towels and toiletries. Hotel staff will everyday change your shampoo, soap and conditioner, eventhough you don't ask for it.

Since we are working during the day, we always look forward coming home to St. Marks since the beds are so comfy. For the last 6 days of stay, we never ate out - we would took "home" heaps of dinner, and eat right there. After dinner, we would sink ourselves to our beds, watch TV and snore through the night. I even had the idea to take the same bed for my future bedroom.

Our room

 

The facilities

OUR FAVORITE MEAL OF THE DAY: BREAKFAST

It was only during the third day of our stay that we managed to take our FREE buffet breakfast. The cafe is located at the second floor of the hotel, so we would take our breakfast before every one else does in our comfy house clothes (in slippers too).

Needless to say, we missed about a third of our lives for missing the first two days' breakfast (thanks to early call times to work/field). Buffet breakfast offers every thing you want - from rice to bacon, chicken adobo and danggit to champorado (yes!) and cereals and fruit loops. They also have a separate area for breads, pastries and pancakes.

We would stay and eat everything we want during breakfast. We often found ourselves digging in rice then pancakes and to cap it off - champorado. That's basically our meal for the next 4 days of breakfast. Coffee is free flowing too, but you can take milk or hot chocolate.

Dining table, "the heavy breakfast" Station (rice, viand, fruits and cereals)

Bread, Pastries, Pancakes and Waffles station

THE VERDICT

St. Marks topped my hotel's list in the Philippines. Though it is relatively new, thus, there is the reason to bring their best foot forward, the smiles and the warm everyday greetings of their staff captured my heart during our stay. Located at the heart of Cebu, about 10 minute walk from Larsian (Grill Houses), Robinsons and Centro and a stone throw away from the Redemptorist Church, St. Marks is definitely a home away from home.

However, their website should be working right now. I find it hard to check on the bedrooms, nor the room rates as you still need to call the reservation hotlines. For Manila-based people like me, the convenience of checking the rates and reserving online is a well planned strategy for the hotel. (PS. Our HR was the one who reserved the room for us, I just visited their website just to check it.)

I would definitely recommend it to my friends and officemates as well, whether you're in Cebu for business or pleasure, St. Marks will surely made your Cebu visit worthy.

I simply hope, when I come back to Cebu, St. Marks' employees decorum hasn't changed. It was, in fact, the thing that will make me come back all over again.



Facilities and Amenities:
Free Bottled water everyday
Free Wi-fi (strong connection per floor, I managed to go on Skype)
Free buffet breakfast (every day of stay)
With parking spaces at ground floor


Location:
about 10 minutes via taxi from SM Cebu or Ayala Center Cebu
about 10-15 minutes via taxi to Mandaue City
about 30-40 minutes away (via taxi) from Mactan International Airport
10-15 minutes walk to Mango Road, Larsian and Robinsons Cebu
KFC, Yellow Cab and Grill houses can be found around the vicinity
Stone throw away from Redemptorist Church


Website:
www.st-markhotel.com

Facebook account:
www.facebook.com/stmarkhotel

All Expense Paid Trip courtesy of my Job: Market Research

Its been three years. Three years of pure enjoyment and lots of first time. I haven't told my stories of employment - how I managed to tour major cities in the Philippines for free - almost all expense paid. I never told this course I took, my choice of employment - responsibility wise and company wise will give me the opportunities of a lifetime.

I graduated at the age of 23. Yes, 3 years behind my batchmates. It was a long story, but after 3 years of trying and trying as a Chemical Engineering student, I finally gave up. I managed to change course - from Engineering to Mass Communication. I don't have regrets at all. Okay, my only regret maybe is that I should have transferred earlier. But nah, I won't be meeting up the people I have now. 

Anyhow, I am a proud graduate of Communication Research - sounds out of this world. I also find it hard to explain - what did we do, what do we do and where will it take us...took us for us graduate. CommRes, what we call it, is one heck of a course. No course is easy anyway. We were called "Thesis Gods and Goddesses". We breathe and eat research. We are the first ones in the libraries and the last one to leave. We don't have "spare" time - in between subjects were spent reading research journals, understanding people, behaviors, calculating statistics and many more. It looked and felt hard, but, we (as the BestCResBlockEver) managed to pass the course. 

After graduation (literally, days after I got my grades), I landed a job as a market researcher - a research executive to be exact. Working for a small, family-owned company is never easy, but it definitely give you lessons. I learned how to multi-task, how to deal with different kinds of people - clients and co-workers, how to manage budget, how to be a single research agency when all of it fails. My co-workers and I look forward to field research - the time that we will be out for a project, it may be a simple overnight to a province or a week-stay. There, we experienced how to deal with time - that every day, we should rest early and find time to relax. Fieldwork is never easy. 

After two years and more, I decided to change path. I applied for a Market Research Associate (yes, title wise, it was inferior to that executive position I had, but this time, it was for a multi-national company). Now, I am working as a Client for research agency and as an Agency for my Internal client. Responsibility wise, my new job requires more. I should be ready every time the Brand needs input. I should always be available - for a phone call or must answer text messages. 

However, fun will always be there. I just came back from a 6-day stay in Cebu. I managed to visit its major landmarks and crossed out another item in my bucket list - Butanding watching. All of these are all-expense paid. Staying in a hotel that lurks you to sleep (with snoring), a van service ready for your use, meeting new people in the big company. 

For the remainder of the year, I am looking for another experience, a new place to visit, new food to taste. My blog will definitely be revolving around these places. Who could pass it, its all expense paid anyway. :)

Ho Chi Minh, Cambodia and Bangkok Chronicles: Summary and Expenses

Finally, I am at the end of the road. I haven't blogged in a while, too busy on work.

Anyhow, here's the last entry to cap off our Indochina trip.


Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Although we were not able to visit all HCMC has to offer, we really enjoyed our trip there - from understanding their history on war to food trip and shopping. Ho Chi Minh has still a lot to offer and we would definitely be back there (and hopefully, visiting Hanoi too).

Cambodia

Phnom Penh has these sad clouds hovering over it - literally and figuratively. This history on Khmer Rouge is a lot more than what Philippines experienced during the Martial Law. Its saddening, however, Khmers were able to rise above it and they became one of the most hospitable people in the places I have visited.

Siem Reap, aside from Angkor Wat that captured our hearts, has still a more to offer - from its floating villages and food. We made sure that we will visit Cambodia soon again, now on the cultural sides.

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is probably the best shopping destination - without even leaving Khao San Road. Food, dresses and tshirts are everywhere. Khao San Road is definitely the best place to be in Bangkok. Just like the first two destinations, we will be taking another trip in Bangkok, visiting its historical sites.

EXPENSES

I will let the following pictures tell you on how much we spent for each country.

Ho Chi Minh City Expense Summary

Phnom Penh Expenses Summary

Siem Reap Expense Summary

Bangkok Expense Summary

YES! WE DID IN ON OUR PHP 25,000.00 budget. Our total pocket damage: Php 21,542.00. 

This includes the roundtrip tickets (MNL - HCMC, BKK - MNL) at P5,700.00, Philippine Travel tax of Php 1620.00 and Terminal fee of Php 550.00.



International trips will be next year, however, I have few more local trips for the last quarter of the year. :)

Day 8. Leaving Bangkok and Arriving in Clark

August 26, 2012
Day 8.


Its the FINAL day. It simply means we would be stuck to our 9am-6pm work when we get back to the Philippines. However, it also signifies that we have another few months to plan for our next getaway.

GETTING IN and STAYING AT SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT

Good thing we decided to stay in Khao San Road because tourist offices are everywhere and they provide your options on how to get to the airport. Rates are between 100 to 150 Baht, but I believe they give almost the same service.

Although our flight is 7:00 in the evening, we decided to book a pick up schedule of 1:00 in the afternoon, to have time for the traffic or many other circumstances that we may encounter on our way to the airport. The service picked us up at the hotel and by 1:10, we are bound for the airport.

Suvarnabhumi airport is about an hour (or an hour and a half) away for Khao San Road, depends on how fast your driver is. The trip was smooth and you will not feel that it was an hour drive.

The service van will drop you off at the departure area and you will have to fine which gate your airline is. We appreciated this very much, since gate was not indicated in our flight itinerary. We saw where Tiger Airways (Seair) is and we entered the boarding gate.

Departure area

Airport Floors

After having our bags checked, we looked for our flight lanes. We arrived pretty much early and check in gates are not open yet, so we decided to walk around and buy dinner for us (with the last Baht that we have on hand). Food centers are located at the second floor, wherein the departure area is at the third floor. First floor is for the arrivals.

Check In Gate for Tiger Airways - Seair

Our favorite: Walkalator!

Suvarnabhumi is huge... really huge. Call counters are located everywhere, where you can make international calls. Though wifi is not free, we were still amused on how big the airport is. After checking in and passing through the immigration counters, we walked for almost 20 minutes before we finally arrive at our boarding gate.You'll pass by the Duty Free shops and the main airport lobby before you get to the boarding gates. Second floor is reserved for the waiting passengers, while the lower floor is for the boarding passengers. I simply hoped we have the same for our airports. But I still love ours, since we offer FREE WIFI.

The little Girl we met at the airport

Airport landscaping

A lady backpacker doing Yoga while waiting for her trip

ARRIVING IN CLARK (DMIA Airport)

The flight is quite rough, since we had ITCZ in the Philippines when we arrived. Coming from an convenient airport and experiencing several immigration points, long immigration lines greeted us back. Well, they simply made sure that we are in the Philippines. Only two counters were open and there were 3 flights arrived then.

Since it was late at night, we decided to check in at a Clark Hotel (TUNE HOTEL) and spend the night over just to be safe. After staying for almost 12 hours in Clark, we spent the same budget as our Ho Chi Minh trip for 2 days. Sad but we learned a lesson. Do not take a late night trip arriving in Clark, or else. :)

Food Trip in Bangkok, Thailand

Food is always a part of our itinerary. For the past 6 days, we have tasted the best of the Indochine cuisine - from Viet to Khmer to Thai.

These three countries offered food much like what the Filipinos have, what we have, but more tasteful in their own way. Thai food is not an exception. Though I am not a fan of spicy food, I really had the best time of being a street foodie in Khao San Road.


FOOD IN KHAO SAN ROAD

Food is everywhere. Most of our remaining money was spent on food alone, because we can't simply avoid it. And because we are in Bangkok, PAD THAI should be tasted.

Let me show you what we had.

The famous MANGO STICKY RICE

Their Crepes

Noodle selection for PAD THAI

PAD THAI again

Barbeque everywhere

ROTI (IS LOVE)

adding bananas in your roti

Then, "frying" it.

Add chocolate - LOTS OF IT

FOOD IN MBK

Though MBK offer the Taste of Asia food center, we decided to visit another food store because we wanted to try authentic Thai food.

Stir fried Pork

Fish cakes

Chicken with Apple Rice

Very Spicy Thai Noodles

Thailand may not have the best restaurant food, but we really enjoyed what its street offered to us. For sure, when we get back, we will come back to Khao San just for the food alone.