Iniwanan at iba'ang pinuntahan
Parang bababeng ang hirap talagang malimutan
Ikaw lamang ang aking laging binabalikan
Manila
I keep coming back to Manila
Simply no place like Manila
Manila, I'm coming home”
I’m a Manila Girl. Born and raised in the streets of Blumentritt and Santa Cruz, educated in Manila High School and the University of the East.
And as they say you can take the girl out of Manila, but you can never take Manila out of the girl
So yes even if I haven’t been to the streets of San Francisco—yet.
I’ve already been to several countries and as much as I don’t want to admit it—despite the chaos, the dirty old city streets, and its fall from glory-- Manila has and will always have its unique charm that will keep you coming back.
Of all the cities in the Philippines, I think of Manila as the rebel, the underdog who wont go down and the ultimate personification of what it is to be Pinoy.
So Whenever there's a special occasion to celebrate, like Christmas, New Year or a Birthday—just like the song says I keep coming back to Manila.
Unfortunately, its really hard to find a decent hotel in Manila. You either have to go for the ones in Chinatown, or go all the way to Manila Hotel or all the way to Roxas Boulevard to find the good ones. So if you were living in Blumentritt area—we have no choice but to go to Quezon City or Makati.
But that was then as I have discovered recently, the San Lazaro area has a not so hidden secret—and its called Winford Manila Resort and Casino.
Because of the word “casino” I never thought of it as a family friendly place. After all, who would want to bring their kids to a casino. But as I found out last week, the casino is just one of the many attractions of Winford Manila.
It was actually my grandkid Finn who first told me how much he loves their “staycations” at Winford Hotel together with his other grandparents from his father side. He couldn’t stop talking about the big beds in their room, the spacious lobby and of course the swimming pool that never gets cold (as I would later find out, it’s the only heated pool in Manila).
So when I got invited to the Winford Sunset Cocktail party and get the chance to spend a night at the hotel, I immediately said yes!
I always get a glimpse of the hotel facade whenever I was at since it was just across Winford and I couldn’t help but be impressed at its towering structure and how it has made the area a modern landmark. It was beautiful outside but as I entered the lobby, the interiors were even more elegant.
It’s as if you’ve left old Manila and transported to a different place. It was comparable to the new hotels in Makati and Ortigas. The ambiance and structure was classy. No wonder, its classified as a 5-star hotel. Mind you, you dont want to go out, once youre inside.
And as I would find out later, there really isn’t any reason to go out.
We checked in at a De Luxe Room with separate beds. I chose a pool view so that If I decided to swim I could check first if there were lots of people in the pool.
We were invited to celebrate the Winford Sunset Coktail Party at the 21st floor where the Helipad is located. But since it was raining during daylight, the Winford management decided to transfer it at the Winford Ballroom. From there, we were formally welcomed by Winford Manila’s President and COO Jeffrey Evora. We were served sumptuous food from Choi Garden Restaurant and cocktail drinks from the Hippodrome Bar.
We went up to Helipad the highlight of our tour, the rooftop of the hotel—The 21st floor where the helipad is located. We took pictures of the sunset and our #ootds.
The heated pool is open from 8am to 10pm. We had our night dip. It was good. Pool water is warm enough . We swam for 30 minutes and then transferred to SM Kenko Spa for a 1 hour night of relaxation. I guess I slept 30 minutes during the massage. I would recommend this spa if you want to feel relaxed.
The De Luxe Room is quite big, 4 persons could fit in without bumping each other. But I guess, they only allow 2 guests. I love their beds and pillows. They have some of the fluffiest pillows around. The bed I should say is one if not the best I’ve slept in, as I was immediately in LaLa Land the moment my back touched the bed.
If you want to try your luck, the Winford has two casino floors, one is for the slot machines and Bingo while the other floor is for card games. There is also a bar beside the casino where you can watch mini concerts featuring some of the best OPM artists. For one Saturday every month, Winford Manila treats its guests to an evening of free entertainment from some of the country’s finest acts at the Hippodrome.
They have 128 stunning rooms and suites each room boasts sleek décor that incorporates subtle colors and themes for an Asian-inspired touch.
Breakfast is served at Copa De Manila one of Winford’s dining options where they serve ala carte meals as well as lunch and dinner buffet.
You can choose between the well-appointed Deluxe Rooms or relish in the extravagant, up-market design of the Executive Suites. The Deluxe Double (smoking and non-smoking rooms available) and Deluxe King (smoking and non-smoking) depending on your bed preference has a size of 29 sqm. It has all the amenities you need from a 40” Flat Screen TV with cable, a Safety Deposit Box, Room telephone, Bathrobe and slippers, Minibar + fridge, Working desk, In-room Iron Board and Hair dryer.
Winford Manila Resort and Casino (beside SM San Lazaro)
Address:
San Lazaro Tourism & Business Park,
MJC Drive, Sta. Cruz, Manila
Guest Services Hotline:
(02) 528-3600
For reservations, please contact:
reservations@winfordmanila.com
For queries:
guestservices@winfordmanila.com
sales@winfordmanila.com