For me, preparation venue is just as important as the reception venue. As early as last year, I was already on the lookout for the best hotel that will suit our needs. It was only recently though that I turned the research into an active and serious hunt.
Our ceremony will be at Intramuros so naturally my shortlist comprises of the hotels nearby (Intramuros and Roxas Boulevard area). I checked their rooms and published rates online for initial comparison and even went as far as placing a dummy booking online (I'd cancel before the payment part) to get more accurate figures. Some would clearly standout from the rest in terms of aesthetics, but they were equally matched with skyrocketing rates.
Not one for a compulsive booking, I then consulted our coordinator for some feedback. I also turned to the ever reliable W@W to read on reviews. Here's what my list looked like after.
So you see, booking Sofitel will not only make a huge dent on our budget, it will also be more difficult for us to bring in lunch for the family and suppliers. Lest we resort to sneaky tactics, which are not fool-proof by the way, we run the risk of getting hungry and surly even before the ceremony. Handing out supplier allowance is not a good option since we don't want the suppliers to still think of how to get their food when they should be focused on doing their best for our big day. And of course another major minus point is for the outrageous fee you have to pay just to be allowed for some snapshots around the hotel! No way will I shell out that amount just for that. Thus, even if I like Sofitel best, I had to let it go.
Manila Hotel is a good contender except for the same concern of bringing food up the hotel rooms. Plus, I'm not really into its Filipiniana aesthetics. Its interior looks too old fashioned for my liking so it's scrapped off the list. Pan Pacific Manila got average feedback so I took it out also knowing the Diamond and Hyatt Hotels have a better standing.
Seriously considering Hyatt and Diamond, I had an extensive inquiry with their respective reservations specialists. I inquired about room sizes, late check-out policy, maximum guests allowed inside the room, and the like. I learned that Hyatt only has 1 or 2 renovated rooms for each room type. I asked if they can give it to me, but I was told that they can't commit on that and they'll just learn of room assignments days leading up to the actual reserved dates. That is a blow to my scoreboard so I decided not to do an ocular with them anymore.
For Diamond Hotel on the other hand, I explored the Diamond Indulgence membership and looked into the possibility of getting that to save up some bucks for our stay. I was sent the list of privileges and when I computed, it really resulted to some savings for us. Interesting right? After learning that I asked if we can visit the hotel and do an ocular of the rooms. I was told that I can inquire a day before my prospected visit to check if the rooms we'd like to see are available. Now, this we have to squeeze in our schedule real soon. Can't wait!
Cheers!
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