I used to think Hotel
Benilde was simply a high-rise playground building of culinary and HRM students of College of Saint
Benilde. I am guilty of downplaying the
establishment as merely having the basic necessities needed for elevated
education yet still not up to par with industry standards. Oh man, how mistaken
I was—when after stepping foot inside its lobby—I quickly noticed how
everything is ran professionally, just like other fancy hotels I’ve been to.
A
4-Star Hotel for Business and Leisure Travelers
Apart from realizing Hotel
Benilde Maison De La Salle isn’t just an expansive workshop venue for students,
I was also pleased to learn that it is a 4-star rated hotel. Situated right
smack at the busy Taft neighborhood of Malate, Manila--the hotel enjoys a very
strategic location. In fact, prior to my checking-in, I just came from
exploring some of Manila's museums: the National Gallery, the National Museum
of Natural History, Intramuros Museum and the Destilleria Limtuaco Museum.
Going to the hotel took only about ten minutes by Grab car.
The check-in process concluded
very clockwork with the young receptionist thoroughly explaining to me all the
amenities the hotel provided, the time of breakfast and check-out time, before
handing me my keycard.
The reception desks stands
right in front of the main entrance. It is flanked on both sides by the small
lobby and the restaurant Cafe Romancon—known for its delicious medley of fusion
cuisines (thanks to the world-class
culinary program of College of Saint Benilde)
Modish
and Spacious Accommodations
Hotel Benilde Maison De La
Salle offers five different type of rooms: dormitory room, superior twin room,
deluxe queen, deluxe king, one bedroom suite and the presidential suite. I was
billeted at the 30-square meter Deluxe Queen room—which I find roomy enough even
for two people.
 |
| The Deluxe Room where I stayed. Behind me is a floor-to-ceiling mirror, the closet and the entrance to the bathroom |
Everything I look for in a
hotel room are inside: a working station, large LED-screen TV, a mini-ref, a couch
for reading a book, a soft queen-sized bed, spacious closet and an airy
bathroom (with complete toiletries and
vanity kits plus it has the right water pressure and a bidet). The warm
colors and the various locations of lighting fixtures gives you many options for achieving warm illumination inside your room—or otherwise, the perfect
combination of lights that are not too dark and not too bright.
 |
| Dorm rooms for budget travelers can sleep 8 people (with individual working spaces) and measures 61 sq-meters. |
Their other rooms: the
Deluxe King also measures 30 square meters while the One-Bedroom Suite spans 61
square meters and the Presidential Suite covers 90 square meters.
Cafe
Romancon
Highly rated in all
user-submitted ratings in various travel websites, Cafe Romancon has earned a
reputation as a place where culinary students of Benilde show off their cooking
skills. True to it, just one bite from the salmon dish I ordered, and I already
understand all the raves.
Cafe Romancon is located
at the ground floor of the hotel where non-guests can also dine in and enjoy
the restaurant's international dishes menu.
The hotel's breakfast
inclusion is also served at Cafe Romancon. Not to be outdone by other leading
hotels in Manila, they serve a more-than-modest array of breakfast choices
catering to both Filipino and Foreigner tastes.
Other
Amenities (Gym, Rooftop Swimming Pool & Vatel Restaurant)
Since a TV crew from GMA
coincided with my stay, I wasn’t able to explore the other amenities of the
hotel like the physical fitness gym, the rooftop swimming pool and Vatel
Restaurant—which offers a more fine dining vibe, also located at the rooftop.
It’s not that the crew caused a disruption but rather each time I would step
out of my room, I always would chance upon them interviewing someone. They were
there to feature the hotel for a TV show showcasing the best places to stay in
Manila.
Summing
up my Stay
On the rare times I feel
glad at being proven wrong, this is one of it. I am pleased to discover another
fine hotel in Manila that I can recommend to families and friends who are
looking for a place to stay in the city—whether for business or for leisure.
Being this sprawling “laboratory”
for students of College of Saint Benilde to hone their skills in
cooking and hotel management, has also given the establishmenta young and
fresh vibe very much welcome—especially in the hospitality industry—as
this brings new concepts in elevating guest experiences.
If given another chance to
explore and do business again in Manila, I will surely
give myself another go at staying at Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle.
Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle
address: Arellano corner Estrada Street, Malate, Manila
Instagram: @hotelBenilde
To Book a Room click the image below
