The Poblacion District of
Makati is quickly shredding the infamous red
light reputation. Thanks to a fast growing number of trendy bars, quirky
cafes and a roster of restaurants serving various global cuisine, Poblacion has
become a mini traveler’s hub in Makati. Coupled with this development are the
existence of hip budget hostels and classy accommodations ranging from 2 star to 5-star hotels.
One of the leading 5-star
hotels in the area is the towering 24-storey I’M Hotel standing at the corner of Makati and Kalayaan Avenue.
Do not let the low-key
name of this hotel fool you, because once I stepped inside its well-lighted and
capacious lobby – my attention was instantly arrested by the lavish set of
stunning interior. Every inch of the walls and square meter of the floor space
appeared to have gone through a detailed design planning.
My check-in process went
smoothly as the friendly front desk staff mirrored the attractive visual vibe
of the hotel. The pretty and charming lady gave me a waiver to be signed; “We have an open balcony so we just like you
to sign this up”. I joked at her “I
have no plans of jumping, so don’t worry”. She smiled back at me as I
handed her back the waiver.
As the bellboy ushered me
to the elevator and into my one-bedroom suite I finally realized the scope of stellar
preparation and scheming that transpired during the construction and finishing
phases of the hotel.
Spending
a Few Good Nights
In fact, it was more than
good. My room – which measures 57 square meters, screams of post-modern
movement without stepping out of bounds by remaining within a minimalist
concept. The brown wooden floors appeared perfectly bared against a few other
well-chosen furniture consisting of; a dark brown dining set for four, a
spacious couch, a wall mounted wide screen LCD TV, another table set and a standing
lamp. The walls are perfectly adorned by wide framed artworks said to be
painted by resident artists.
Because it was
conceptualized to echo a living apartment elevated by five-star hotel features,
it has also a counter-top sink, a complete set of cooking ware and utensils with
a tall refrigerator and a washing machine to boot. I am only describing the
living room and adjoining kitchen.
Inside my room another LCD
TV is mounted on the wall fronting a king-sized bed covered with a 500-thread
white linen and a mound of pillows. The light colored theme of the room is a
contrast to the dark marbled wall of the bathroom. Separated by a sliding door,
it leads you to the shower room and bathtub bordered with the toilet and the
sink by a tall clear glass.
Anything I need to hole up
for a few days is right inside my room. I told myself.
Wait,
there’s more
While I’ve decided to
become a prisoner inside my suite for the duration of my stay, I was forced to
come out to check out the other promising features of the hotel.
I’m
Onsen Spa and Massage
Travelers who have been to
Japan or South Korea must have been familiar with the Onsen Spa concept. In the
Philippines though, it hasn’t much touched the regular consciousness. Enter the
first Onsen Spa in the country.
The I’m Onsen Spa is also the
largest urban spa in the Philippines measuring 3,800 square meters of floor
area and spread over 6 floors of the hotel. Using Japanese-proven carbonated
bath technology; one can instantly achieve a super high – of the relaxing kind - right here.
Options such as couple rooms, communal beds or en-suite steam rooms and hot
tubs as well as VIP and executive rooms are also available.
I invited a friend Milky
to also try out the Onsen Spa and the massage. Afterward, she was all too
thankful as she describes the treatment she received as “Just what the doctor ordered to cure all of
the stress I incurred this week”
Capping off our soothing
experience at the Onsen Spa, was a buffet meal at the Bloom restaurant of the
hotel. I’m Hotel currently offers an all-inclusive spa treatment with a buffet
meal at a very reasonable rate.
In-House
Physical Fitness Gym
The hotel’s gym also met
my expectations because as a gym buff for the last year or so (a ‘moving-on’ therapy
that became a daily habit for me), I always look forward to working out
even during my travels or staycation in the city. Because of the coziness of the room though, I wasn't able to go for a proper workout during my two-night stay at the hotel.
The
Instagram-Friendly Swimming Pool
The swimming pool that made quite a
buzz in the Instagram world a few months back. Yes, thanks to its inventive
acrylic-bottomed infinity pool, swimmers can do laps and survey the busy
Poblacion Street below at the same time.
Giant cage-like lounge
areas are decked over and at the side of the pool, giving you a perfect spot to
chill after an hour of swimming.
Going Chinese at Empress
Jade Restaurant
Aside from the
aforementioned Bloom Restaurant, I also tried feasting on a few mean tasting
Oriental dishes (mostly Chinese) at the hotel’s Empress Jade. Along with
another friend I invited – a certified foodie because of her job as a food and beverage
consultant, we feasted over dim sum to an array of sumptuous Chinese dishes,
including my favorite; the Triple Cooked King Crab with Bee Hoon.
Wondering about my friend’s
verdict? – Well, she loved it and gave Empress Jade a high mark.
I’M
Impressed at I’M
Having stayed at many fine
hotels here and abroad as part of my job as a travel writer, I could say I’M
Hotel can hold its own candle against the others.
Location – check
Rooms – check
Onsen Spa – check
In-house dining options –
check
Swimming pool and gym –
check
The check marks goes on
and on. I hope the management keep up the good work and maintain the high
quality of service so I can continue recommending this hotel to friends looking
for a place to stay in this bustling and happy part of Makati.
