Seda Vertis North Staycation with Kids

When it comes to staycation places, I personally like being within the comforts of the familiar. Preferably somewhere near, with a supermarket close by (because I don’t know what to do if we suddenly ran out of.. snacks), and in a city we know like the back of our hands. Seda Vertis North definitely falls within my “comfort zone criteria” so we’re happy to finally—finally—have this opportunity to experience what it has to offer.

#WETHENORTH

(See what I did there. No? Ok.) Living in the north side of the metro my whole life, I consider Quezon City my turf. This is where I went to college, settled down as a young professional, and spent the precious first years of our marriage and family life. Trinoma and SM North were like an extension of our home, and the Tomas Morato / Kamuning / E. Rodriguez neighborhoods were basically where our life revolved.

It wasn’t until about 2 years ago when we decided to pack up and move (back) to my family’s ancestral home in Caloocan. Still in the north, but worlds away from the “city life” that we knew. While living in Caloocan comes with its own familiar charm and uniqueness, we do miss the hustle and bustle of our QC life. And so we’re happy to be back, even for just a weekend. :)

Seda Vertis North, Quezon City

A luxury staycation place in the north side of town

Seda Vertis North and Ayala Vertis Mall are the new kids on the block. Specifically that block along North EDSA that’s becoming the fastest-growing hub in Quezon City.

We always wanted to book a weekend at Seda (any Seda Hotel, really!) so when we were planning for one last summer hurrah—slash belated birthday retreat slash mother’s day + father’s day celebrations slash basically any excuse to splurge on a staycation—we know we didn’t have to go too far.

Trivia: Did you know that Seda Vertis is a 5-Star Hotel?

I wasn’t aware of it until I was researching for this post. :)

But it was definitely a 5-star hotel experience for us so I was not surprised to confirm that Seda Vertis is indeed recognized as a 5-star hotel.

The largest Seda Hotel branch in the country, Seda Vertis North boasts of 438 rooms and modern facilities thoughtfully designed for local and international guests, businessmen, families, and staycationers alike.

I’ve always appreciated the way Ayala Land develops its properties, whether it’s a shopping center, a resort, a condominium, a hotel. You can expect each one to be thoughtfully designed with a touch of cozy, style, and Filipino vibe that’s distinctly Ayala Land. So much that you can easily identify an Ayala Land project when you see one.

Seda Hotel branches are no different. You immediately feel the unique Seda vibe the moment you step inside and soak in the details of the place.

Disclosure: This post may have affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Seda Vertis Lobby & Elounge. Photos grabbed from Sedahotels.com.

The cozy vibe of the lobby immediately makes you feel welcome; there’s an iMac station to while away time; the interiors are designed with both modern and traditional Filipino elements.

Once checked-in, you find that

Seda Vertis North is truly a staycation heaven!

It’s impossible to not compare Seda to more established 5-stars like Sofitel, Shangri-la, or The Peninsula. Seda definitely feels more modern and hip, kinda like being the youngest, more stylish, millennial sibling in the 5-star family. And unlike its 5-star counterparts, you’ll also find Seda Vertis rates more friendly and affordable. Not to mention, very proudly Filipino.


Book your Seda Vertis Staycation via Agoda


Seda Vertis Rooms

We stayed in one of the Club Rooms, perfect for our family of four. Naturally, a photo session was the first order of business. These kids grow so fast and we want to remember these little years forever! (Look at how small they were in this Sofitel staycation!)

Seda Vertis rooms

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Seda Vertis rooms[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

Seda Vertis rooms

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

There’s so much to do at Seda Vertis—from recreation and relaxation to good food and nightlife, all within its massive 24-storey complex. But none of these amenities matter to our daughters who only had their eyes set on the swimming pool.

We were checked-in on the 5th floor just 2 floors above the sun deck area. Our room had a nice view of the pool, and you bet, the whole time we were taking these photos, all we could hear the girls say was,

“Are we done here? Can we swim now?”


Book your Seda Vertis Staycation via Agoda


The Sun Deck and Swimming Pool

Seda Vertis roof deck pool and food park. Photos grabbed from Sedahotels.com. 

The 3rd level sun deck is the ultimate bonding place for the whole family. There’s an adult pool and a kiddie pool, a playground, and a pool bar. Recently they also added a mini food park that I believe only opens on weekends. They started serving food at around 5 PM when we were there. You can order from a variety of street food and fast food, from squid balls and nachos, to burgers and pasta.

But the highlight of it all, according to Dawn and Rain: Pool time!

Seda Vertis swimming pool

Seda Vertis swimming pool

Seda Vertis swimming pool

Seda Vertis swimming pool

Seda Vertis swimming pool

Seda Vertis swimming pool

I don’t mind sharing this guy with the little women but, excuse me girls, gotta have some QT for myself too! >.<

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

Swim-friendly earrings from Signetura and swimsuit from Kats Clothing. Thank you! #supportlocal


Book your Seda Vertis Staycation via Agoda


The other side of the pool bar is where the playground and food park are. There was so much space to run around and play! With picnic tables within sight of the play area, parents can take a breather and relax while the kids freely enjoy themselves.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Seda Vertis North Sun Deck[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Seda Vertis Playground[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Seda Vertis Playground[/su_column][/su_row]

As the sun sets, the deck transforms into a completely different place, almost magical with all the string lights lit up. We initially thought of checking out Straight Up, the more formal roof deck bar at the top floor, maybe when the kids had fallen asleep or something.

Alas, we were too tired to get out of the room (story of our life). And so this quick takas-moment by the pool bar, while my brother and nephew, who were visiting, watched over the twins—was all the “Seda nightlife” we got. Parental life, what can I say.

Then again, I’d take any moment with this one!

Seda Vertis at night

This picture though. See the two kids watching from the window, two floors up? Yep, that’s Dawn and Rain right there. :)

Overall, considering that we even managed to capture some token couple-photos while enjoying 45 minutes of quiet—and one round of drinks, thank you—all to ourselves, guys, we shall consider this an absolute win.

Seda Vertis Booking Tips

  1. Check-in early. Take note that Seda Vertis has 438 rooms, which means, LOTS of guests. Checking in early is welcome and leaving your bags with the concierge is a breeze. With Ayala Vertis Mall just right next door, you can while away time, maybe even have lunch, until the standard 2 pm check-in.
  2. Stay on a weekday. Although the hotel staff is well-trained to accommodate hundreds of guests at a time, it’s safe to assume that Seda Vertis gets crowded on weekends. Book on a weekday for a quieter experience if you can, although, to be honest, the weekend crowd was not bad at all too! (We enjoyed our family-oriented crowd when we were there. The twins made a handful of friends while in the pool.)
  3. Best rates. You can wait for periodical promos through their website Sedahotels.com or get the best rates via Agoda. If you’re a regular Agoda user, definitely book through Agoda to collect those points! ;)

Lastly, although we didn’t take photos anymore after the first day, here are a few more thoughts to add:

  • The breakfast buffet was a feast. Aside from brekky food, there was also a variety of Filipino, Asian, American, Continental spread to choose from. In classic pinoy fashion, we intentionally waited for the last hour to have our breakfast so we can eat enough to cover lunch. :D
  • Try booking at Seda without kids too. We wish we tried the spa (only Php 1000 per hour) and the Straight Up bar. They also have a business lounge that looks like a good place to get some work and writing done. Which is why we look forward to possibly going back without the kids—but they don’t have to know that ok?  
  • Scout’s Honor. There’s a great cookie place across the Seda vicinity called Scout’s Honor. If you’re still full from eating too much brekky food, go take out some Scout’s Honor cookies before you go home. I always drop by Scout’s Honor whenever we’re in Vertis because, well, cookie is life.

FINAL VERDICT: Seda Vertis is officially our favorite hotel in all of Quezon City, and maybe all of the north. And now with this lovely experience and all the new memories we gained within its walls, I would not hesitate booking Seda again, not only the one in QC but also if we ever find ourselves in any of its locations.

Highly recommended! ♥


About Seda Hotels

Seda is the Filipino word for silk. It is the symbol of our commitment to weave together seamless service, exceptional value, and exciting destination, for a remarkable hospitality experience. Seda Hotels provide comfort and convenience blended with Filipino talent and creativity — all uniquely Seda.

Seda Vertis is the largest hotel in the north. A 5-star hotel located in the economic hub of Quezon City, the 438-room hotel offers stylish accommodations, exquisite flavors, and grand banquet and meeting venues. It is a few steps to Vertis North and Trinoma Malls with their range of international fashion brands and home-grown dining outlets.

Contact and Location details

Seda Vertis North

Astra cor. Lux Drives, Vertis North, Quezon City, 1105 Philippines
+632 739 8888 | +632 739 8891 | vertis@sedahotels.com
Instagram | Facebook

Book your Seda Vertis Staycation Today

 

Disclosure: This post comes with Agoda referral links, which means I may get points or commission if you ever book through these links, at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting ChasingDreams.net by using my affiliate links to purchase. :) Read my full disclosure policy here.

Club Balai Isabel Weekend with the Whole Family

This Club Balai Isabel review is based on our experience in April 2019. 

It was a last minute trip, just like Baguio. Two days before Holy Week, we still didn’t have anything planned. In retrospect, we didn’t really mind just being within Metro Manila because have you experienced Manila traffic during Holy Week?? (It’s nonexistent.) Sometimes you’d really rather stay within the city when everyone else is out there!

Just the same, in between Viber messages with my brother, I aimlessly browsed my Agoda and AirBnb apps to see if there’s anything worth snagging without really expecting anything. Everywhere else was booked, naturally, so what were the chances that I’d find a room big enough for a family of 10, in a place such as Club Balai Isabel, at a discount, during the busiest time of the summer? Slim!

To think Balai Isabel is booked out months ahead, let’s just call this impromptu trip meant to be. 

Let’s call it #familytravelhacks too. Because I was definitely surprised to know that there are Club Balai Isabel loft rooms at AirBnb. And now you know it too. You’re welcome. ;)

Anyway, photos!

Lunch & coffee stopover

I don’t know about you but this family enjoys the road trip (and the stopovers) as much as the destination.

Disclosure: This post may have affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Stopping for a quick lunch at an SLEX stopover and some coffee to go, we made it to Balai Isabel in Talisay, Batangas in less than 2 hours. No traffic, hooray for us!

Usually, when you’ve booked through Airbnb, you have to deal with meeting up with your host to get the room keys and to check in. Seems not the case at Balai Isabel. I only had to show up at the lobby with my ID and was checked in quite easily.

Exploring the place

The entire club was booked out but thankfully, our loft was located in the less crowded and the farthest area of the club, with a nice view of the Taal Lake and the Aqua Park.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]

Events Place

Our loft had a really nice view of this new event place they’re opening soon. It’s sooo pretty and overlooking the Taal lake, we just had to take a lot of photos in front of it. I’d get married here again in a heartbeat!

Aqua Park

We were also very close to the Aqua Park and although it looks very tempting, I don’t think the facility is very inviting to younger kids. The kids were more than happy to just lounge in the pool.

Swimming Pools

There are 3 swimming pools at Balai Isabel. We were able to use two of them. Although we enjoyed the big pool, it was also very crowded at the time. We mostly stayed in the smaller pool, the one that’s a bit hidden behind the trees (cozy!!), which we pretty much had to ourselves.

[/su_column][/su_row][su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

The highlight of the trip, according to the kids

They can literally swim all day.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

How do kids grow so fast again?

Crew

6 adults, 3 kids, all comfy in this loft type room, thanks to our kind AirBnb host.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row][su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

Club Balai Isabel Review

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Club Balai Isabel Batangas

A shoutout to my crew, who I’ll never get tired going places with! [/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

I can’t believe we almost spent the entire Holy Week at home flicking through Netflix. What a better way to spend a holiday for sure. This one’s for the books!


Club Balai Isabel, Talisay Batangas

For years, Tagaytay has been made famous by its view of Taal Lake and its volcano. However, the lakeside towns never became tourist destinations due to the lack of resort facilities, until Club Balai Isabel was developed. Today Balai Isabel’s amenities and facilities make it an excellent choice for holidays, corporate events, and special occasions. With lots of water activities such as kayaking, sailing, banana boat ride, and a tour to get a closer look at Taal Volcano’s crater on horseback or on foot.

Website: www.balaiisabel.com


Get P2,200 off your first AirBnb

This is the exact room we stayed in. If you enjoyed this post and you haven’t tried Airbnb yet, you might want to use this link to get 2,200 Php discount on your first Airbnb booking. :)

Save $40 on your first AirBnb Stay

Our First Airbnb Tagaytay Experience

I’m a late bloomer when it comes to AirBnb. It was 2016 when I downloaded the app out of curiousity, but it wasn’t until 2017 when I started actually using it.

I’ve read articles about how using AirBnb isn’t fun anymore, and how the whole concept of apartment-sharing has lost its appeal. I wouldn’t really know the difference to be honest. As someone who’s only started using AirBnb recently, I’m happy with all of our AirBnb experiences so far and will keep on using it for sure!

We recently stayed at this AirBnb Tagaytay 3BR Penthouse Suite with a nice view of the Taal Lake, which would have been so nice if we were able to take photos of the view. Lol. Saving the photo sessions for last, we couldn’t have predicted how much fog there would be in the morning of our last day!

Still, the feeling of being on top of the clouds (no visibility whatsoever) was an otherworldly experience we will never forget too. All is well. 😉

We sure love the hotel-like amenities of our AirBnb—the crisp sheets, the coffee (French press and freshly ground coffee ftw!), the board games. The space was big enough to accommodate all of us, 7 adults and 3 kids. Three bedrooms, 2 baths, and a kitchen with basic utensils and equipment.

Don, our host, responds pretty quickly and knows well how to take care of his guests. (Thanks, Don!) 

Although Don’s place is located within the vicinity of everything Tagaytay has to offer—the tourist spots, restaurants, nightlife, etc—you wouldn’t really mind staying in on this one if staycationing is your thing.

A quick guide at booking an AirBnb

  1. Photos matter! When choosing an AirBnb, I like choosing interiors that fit my aesthetics. Just keeping it real guys. I’m most definitely going to take photos after all. If I don’t like how the place looks like in photos, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like it all that much in person.
  2. Take time to read the fine print. Because of AirBnb’s apartment-sharing nature, every host has his own house rules that you’d want to be aware of beforehand. Be responsible enough to read through everything before booking.
  3. Past customer reviews are there for a reason. Let actual customer reviews be the judge!

Get up to 2,200 PHP discount on your first AirBnb stay using this link! 🙂

And now, some photographs with my favorite people!

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]

[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]

Bag of Beans, Tagaytay.

[/su_column][/su_row]

Disclosure: This post might include affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

One for the road! Stop over at Bag of Beans to take out some barako and raisin bread because that’s just what you do #whenintagaytay

It sure was a lovely weekend spent with my favorite people.. which reminds me. I could use some staycation just about now!


Get P2,200 off your first AirBnb Tagaytay stay

This is the exact room we stayed in.

If you haven’t tried AirBnb yet, sign up using this link to get 2,200 Php discount on your first trip! 🙂

Save $40 on your first AirBnb Stay

Cocoon Boutique Hotel for our 4th Year Anniversary

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row]

This post might contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

Our fourth wedding anniversary celebration was our first night away from the girls since they were born. Now that I think about it, I don’t know why we waited this long! It’s not like the girls wouldn’t let us go—my Mom, who spent the night with them, reported that they didn’t even notice we were gone.

I realized that it’s mostly us (fine, me), and not the girls, who couldn’t get over the idea of spending one single night away, worried about what might happen, like, what if they looked for their Mommy and Daddy while we were away right? (Apparently NOT!)

Just us two

It’s funny how much thought went into planning this one-night getaway, to think we never even left our neighborhood! I realized that this decision-making exercise was a good reminder to us that as husband and wife, no matter how important the children are, marriage still ranks higher than parenthood in our list of priorities. 

Spending extended quality time with each other is a necessary investment, not just for our relationship’s sake, but also for the kids—they are, after all, the recipients of our overflow of love for each other. 

So off to our 4th wedding anniversary getaway we go, and thankfully, there’s a place we’ve always wanted to check out that is very close to our home.

4th-anniversary

cocoon-boutiquehotel-breakfast

Photographs from my phone’s camera, we didn’t bother bringing a big camera!

Cocoon Boutique Hotel

Hotel service and amenities

The Cocoon Boutique Hotel is as quaint as can be, something you’ll never expect to find in the chaos that is Quezon City. We’ve always eyed this place, having “toured” it the first time when we were helping a friend look for a hotel for their wedding. The interiors are thoughtfully decorated and carefully maintained, even the hallways smell good. :) The staff are very well trained and we felt treated like we were in a 5-star hotel!

Rooftop pool

We spent a few hours of the afternoon in the rooftop pool—my husband taking laps and me reading a book, later on joining him in the pool myself. D is a really good swimmer, and every time we look for a place to stay in, we always make sure to inquire about the pool. Cocoon’s swimming pool is not that big, only about 4 feet deep, with a small pool area for kids. It gets crowded easily, but we were delighted to have it all to ourselves while we were there. At night the pool lights up beautifully; in fact we planned to go back for a night swim, but with a nice little bath tub in our bedroom, we decided to just stay in.

Bath tub!

A deluxe room comes with a bath tub, something you won’t see in the usual hotels. Encased in a glass booth, you can either close down the blinds or pull it up so you can watch TV while in the tub. Such a treat!

Breakfast

The food is not bad at all, either. Once again, something you won’t really expect from a “small” hotel. We had our breakfast in the rooftop, al fresco style, with a generous buffet of salads, sandwiches, pastries, DIY omelette, and a selection of rice meals.

We definitely enjoyed our stay, and while we missed the kids, it was a much-needed time for both of us, to enjoy each other, a king-sized bed to ourselves, soft 600-threadcount sheets that didn’t smell like milk, and oh my goodness, a full 8 hours of sleep!

Every year is a milestone and therefore worth celebrating

Marriage is a lot of work. It takes a lot of work reconciling differences, attending to each other’s needs, planning your life around each other’s lives and your children’s lives, and making time for each other when 24 hours is barely enough for everything else that has to be done in a day. D and I have our share of misunderstandings and lack of time for each other, but being married to him is an undeserved favor and a great blessing in every way.

He makes me happy no doubt (and you know I don’t use the word “happy” lightly), he makes me want to become a better person, he inspires me to dream bigger dreams for our little family, he keeps me grounded and draws me ever closer to God.

Marriage may be a lot of work, but for every good thing that this marriage has added to my life, the effort to make this work is, unequivocally, worth it. In hindsight, working this out with D is, I must say, relatively easy. I couldn’t have asked for a more understanding and kind-hearted and good-smelling partner (that’s right, he smells really good, and trust me that makes a lot of difference, LOL!) and I couldn’t be more grateful to God that I get to do life with this guy.

Happy 4th anniversary, Dear David. Four years down, forever more to go. Let’s do this! :)


About the Cocoon Boutique Hotel

Cocoon Boutique Hotel takes pride in its its environment-friendly interiors and amenities. Complimentary water for guests, for example, are stored in sealed mason jars instead of plastic bottle containers. The interiors are constructed with reclaimed wood and recycled materials. The roof deck houses potted plants and organic herbs both for sale and for use in cooking the restaurant’s food. These, on top of the top-class service and unique amenities you won’t find anywhere else, Cocoon Boutique Hotel is definitely worth taking a trip to the north. :)

I suggest booking way ahead of time. Cocoon Hotel only has a handful of rooms, and reservations run out fast.

Location and contact details
61 Scout Tobias corner Scout Rallos Streets, Bgy Laging Handa, Quezon City 1103, Trunklines: 632- 9212706 to 08 / Fax Number: 632- 4137281 / www.thecocoonhotel.com

For best rates, book The Cocoon Hotel via Agoda.

Sofitel Manila Staycation with Kids

sofitelmanila08

sofitelmanila01

sofitel-manila-05

This post may have affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

We couldn’t have booked a staycation at a worse time. The weather was horrible, a typhoon just entered the country, classes were suspended, and many parts of the metro were flooded.

We got ourselves booked at Sofitel a few weeks ago, long before weather forecasts showed signs of a typhoon. We looked forward to take a dip in the pool, enjoy the outdoors, maybe even watch the sunset by the Manila bay. None of these were possible during our stay, and yet somehow our Sofitel experience couldn’t have been better still. It was a bed weather kind of week anyway, and staying in is definitely a good idea inside Sofitel’s luxurious guest rooms and indoor facilities.

The story of my life—everything worked out together for good after all.  Continue reading “Sofitel Manila Staycation with Kids”

The Paradise that is Ephrathah Farms

Ephrathah Farms

Ephrathah Farms

Summer has long been over but we still keep looking back and reminiscing our time at Ephrathah Farms. Located in the quiet town of Badiangan, Iloilo, the farm has been there for a while, growing organic produce that are sold at SM Iloilo Supermarket.

With hectares of land and natural resources, it makes sense that the family who owns this piece of property would develop it and welcome others to enjoy this paradise; after all, you won’t really keep a place this beautiful to yourself would you? :)

And so early this year, the hotel and the resort were opened to the public; and in May, just as summer was about to end, we had the privilege of coming over to stay there for a couple of days.  Continue reading “The Paradise that is Ephrathah Farms”