I just arrived back from a trip and was feeling a bit under the weather but wanted to unwind with my family. I wanted a staycation a bit away from the buzz of Manila but still within the city—if that makes sense. Alabang is the place for this, and Somerset Alabang Manila (click here to book via Agoda) turned out to be my family’s new favorite staycation place in the South. I just love the quiet and relaxing ambiance here.

Somerset Alabang is The Ascott Limited Philippine cluster’s sixth property in the country, its first foray into the Southern part of Manila, and the third Somerset international serviced residence in the Philippines. It’s located within the integrated business and commercial district development of Filinvest City, Alabang. This great central location has malls, cafes, restaurants, and fitness and wellness parks within its periphery.

Me at the lobby after checking out

Besides its purposeful location, what really made Somerset Alabang stand out for me is the service of the staff, which was warm, genuine, and friendly, yet discrete. They weren’t all over you, yet when you need them, they’re there. The front desk staff in particular gave us a warm welcome, accommodated our requests throughout our stay, and sent us off in a heartwarming way.

Welcome treat in our suite: flavored meringue

This 150-unit development is new—it just opened late July 2016—so it has that new hotel feel. Some areas are still under construction, but you’ll barely notice. Everything feels comfortable, clean, well made, and well maintained.

Two-Bedroom Suite living area

We stayed in a One-Bedroom Suite, which while smaller than those in its sister properties Ascott Makati & BGC, is still bigger than some of the rooms I’ve stayed in at other hotels. It has bright, modern, almost minimalist interiors, which appeals to me a lot, and I was able to settle in and relax immediately—perfect for recovering from the flu. I truly felt at home, and wished I could stay longer than just overnight. Another reason I think I can live here is the amount of closet space—a lot!

And in one of them hangs their plush robes, which I totally enjoyed. I slept in them (my main activity in this stay), and coupled with the wide, comfortable bed, it was all I could ask for. But wait, there’s more: I tried their in-room massage too, and it was the perfect way to ensure a good night’s sleep. If I wasn’t sick, I would have soaked in the tub first (yes, there’s a tub!), but I’ll have to reserve that for when we return. (Speaking of their bathroom, I like how spacious it is—it’s even more spacious than that of Ascott Makati’s one-bedroom suite—and how they offer organic toiletries.)

All spacious units (I was able to check out the studio and two-bedroom as well; I’m still waiting for the three-bedroom apartment to open) offer contemporary interiors with all the conveniences of home, such as a well-equipped kitchen, separate working and living areas, and broadband internet connection. They also have a balcony where you can enjoy the spectacular view of the calming cityscape, but it’s locked, so you just have to request for housekeeping to open it for you.

There’s a dining table set for two right beside the comfortable living area, where there’s one of two flat-screen TVs–the other one is in the bedroom. My parents and brother did movie marathons in the living room, where we had extra beds set up (there’s enough room for two) while I stayed in the bedroom to watch Koreanovelas as I recuperated. Haha.

Work desk and TV in the bedroom

The property caters primarily to long-staying guests, so you can do laundry in the in-suite washing machine, and cook and do dishes in the kitchen, which has cooking and dining utensils (just for a party of two).

Kitchen

There are a lot of restaurants around the area, and there’s a supermarket right across, in case you forgot to buy anything or would like to cook a meal in your suite. But, you don’t really need to leave the property for food, as they have a good in-house restaurant, Cafe Madrigal.

Cafe Madrigal’s bestselling Nasi Goreng

Since I wasn’t feeling well, we just had our meals (except the buffet breakfast) in our suite. I just have to say that another thing I like about Somerset is their F&B, managed by Enderun. Cafe Madrigal serves Asian fusion dishes, some Filipino favorites, and even some international dishes–all of which are comfort food material. Everything we tried for lunch and dinner was delicious!

Baby Back Ribs

We ordered their Carbonara, Beef Salpicao, Sinigang, Buffalo Wings, and Baby Back Ribs, but our hands-down favorite is their sweet-spicy-savory Nasi Goreng. We loved it so much, we ordered it for both lunch and dinner–you have to try it!

Beef Salpicao

When you’re there, make sure to dine at the restaurant itself, with its bright, warm lighting, comfortable seating, and my favorite: al fresco dining spaces. These are the perfect spots to enjoy their dishes when it’s not raining. On one end they also have the pool bar, where I enjoyed two rounds of margarita and some bar chow, like mixed nuts and chips with spinach and artichoke dip–all of which are great for a night cap or when you’re taking a break from doing laps in the pool.

Pool Bar

Speaking of which, their lap pool is my favorite part of the property! It’s long and narrow, and there’s a separate jacuzzi on one side that spans the length of it. It overlooks a great view of Alabang on one side, and on the rest, it’s surrounded by super chic and plush lounge chairs and couches. I can totally imagine myself throwing a party here. Again, I regret that my fever prevented me from taking a dip (even though I heard it’s warm at night). It will just be another reason for me to come back.

Lap pool

Other recreational areas include the fully-equipped fitness center (I was impressed!) and Cubbies Room, a play area for children.

Plush loungers by the pool

My family and I are already planning when we can schedule another staycation here soon. Why don’t you plan a staycation here, too, over the holiday season?

View the slideshow below to view more photos of our suite and the facilities around the hotel. Click the first thumbnail to enlarge the image and launch the rest of the photo gallery.

[wonderplugin_carousel id=”154″]

Somerset Alabang Manila is located at Spectrum Midway, Alabang, Muntinlupa. To book your stay via Agoda, click here.