Hotel Jen Manila is a 312-room first-class hotel located on Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, right across the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), with some of Manila's top historical and heritage sites, as well as entertainment, retail, and conference & exhibition facilities located nearby. Consistent with other properties within the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts group, Hotel Jen Manila offers world-class accommodation through its well-appointed rooms and luxurious suites, but matched with a uniquely Hotel Jen level of service with a more intuitive attitude, and in a relaxed and friendly style.
As soon as we stepped into the hotel's lobby, we immediately noticed the contemporary design of the interior and the casual yet professional approach of the staff dressed in their rather less formal uniform, projecting a friendly, approachable and non-intimidating image. Ria, the front office service manager, assisted us to the Club Lounge for our check-in. Check-in process was uncomplicated and fuss-free. After filling-out our registration form, our electronic key cards were handed to us by the receptionist, finishing our welcome drinks took most of our time at the Club Lounge.
Prior to our visit, we have already seen online photos of the rooms, but seeing the actual room still got us really impressed. It was spacious and bright and the room layout was smartly designed so that every space is efficiently utilized. Rooms are divided into four room categories - Deluxe Room (36 sqm), Club Room (36 sqm), Executive Suite (72 sqm) and Premier Suite (72 sqm).
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| Club Room with a stunning view of Manila Bay |
Our stay at Hotel Jen Manila gave us the pleasure of sleeping in a comfy king size bed with cool crisp white sheets, and under a clean and fluffy duvet. The pillows are cushiony soft and are smelling fresh.
Some of our in-room amenities include an LCD TV with cable channels, an iPod dock, a mini-refrigerator, an electronic safe, and an electronic kettle. Free WiFi Internet access is also available inside the room. Computer data port is also available if you need an uninterrupted Internet connection for your laptop.
Apart from the complimentary bottled water and coffee & tea making facility, this cute plastic container filled with chopped fruits we found inside the mini-ref was a pleasant surprise. The hotel manager then sent a plate of mangoes to our room after knowing that mangoes were my favorite fruit. Such a touch of personalized service.
Every time we stay in a hotel, we always check-out what's available at the minibar, but we seldom consume anything from it. In fact, there are countless occasions only when we did. Hotel Jen Manila has this unique concept of offering minibar goodies as a package. For only P400.00 the Minibar-To-Go includes nuts, chips, instant cup noodles, a can of beer and a can of soda. Such a bargain. But what if you only wan one or two items only? Then you can purchase from the vending machine located at the ground floor with beverages and snacks sold at convenience store prices.
The en suite bathroom is rather small, but efficiently spacious to move around. Most importantly, it was clean and well maintained. The alcove bathtub doubles as the shower area where hot and cold water flows from the rain shower head. The toilet didn't have a bidet installed but I heard that the suite rooms already had bidet installed in their bathrooms, and other rooms will also have it installed, so that's good news.
One thing that captured our attention was this cute re-usable ziplock bag containing the complimentary toiletries. Are you the type of traveler that brings home unused or half-empty toiletries, then you will surely love this ziplock bag. Don't worry, it's free! And it's just one of the many simple pleasures that you can experience at Hotel Jen Manila.
After settling down in our room (and taking some photos), we went down to check-out the pool. It has been recently renovated to match the fresh and youthful image of Hotel Jen. Next to the sun loungers is a mini cooler containing ice-cold bottled water. You can also order fresh fruits and smoothies from the poolside bar.
When staying in a hotel in the bay area, witnessing the Manila Bay sunset is always part of the experience, which you can enjoy at the comfort of your room. Since we were staying in a Club Room, we enjoyed the exclusive access to the Club Lounge located on the 19th floor where we had a 180 degrees view of the whole Manila Bay while sipping on our pineapple juice. Special thanks to Terence of the Club Lounge for giving us the best spot to watch the sunset!
If you plan to stay at Hotel Jen Manila, we highly suggest that you book or upgrade to a Club Room. For an additional of about P1,200.00, you and your companion can both enjoy free unlimited non-alcoholic drinks and snacks from 6:00am to 11:00pm everyday, as well as afternoon tea and snacks served from 2:00pm to 4:00pm, sunset cocktails served from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, and a special buffet breakfast served from 6:00am to 10:30am.
Here are some of the snacks served during the Sunset Cocktails. You can start with fruits, breads and pastries, as well as some gourmet cheeses and nuts. There's also a salad section, sushi an a number of hot dishes to choose from. You can basically have your dinner here at the Club Lounge.
During Sunset Cocktails, guests can also enjoy unlimited wine, beer and hard liquor aside from the non-alcoholic beverages (soda, chilled fruit juices, coffee and tea) available all day long. The Club Lounge is also a great place to watch the city at night with all city lights putting life into the nightscape. Check-out the lightning we captured in one of our photos!
We woke-up the following day feeling well-rested and ready for breakfast. We had the option of having breakfast at the Club Lounge or at the in-house restaurant, Latitude. We decided to check-out both, with me having breakfast at the Club Lounge while Edgar had his at Latitude.
My breakfast usually consists of salad, pastries, cheeses and cold cuts which makes the Club Lounge a perfect choice for me. But first things first! I gotta have my hot cup of coffee. Special thanks to Alex of the Club Lounge for making sure that my cup is full of hot coffee all the time!
I particularly loved the freshly baked croissants and pies which you could smell as soon as you enter the lounge. There's also sushi and a number of hot dishes. In addition to coffee and tea, you can also have chilled fruit juices.
We then went down to the ground floor where Latitude is located. The buffet spread includes the items available at the Club Lounge with more choices of starch such as rice, potatoes, hash browns, pancakes and waffles, as well as a wider selection of hot dishes. There's also an egg station where you can have omelet or friend egg customized to your liking. Special thanks to Kuya Beda for constantly refilling our glass and for clearing our table every time we go for buffet rounds.
Latitude may have a more extensive buffet spread, but the area is also busier, and more fast-paced. So if you prefer heavy breakfast set in a lively and bustling setting, then Latitude is your best choice. But if you prefer a lighter, more continental-style breakfast in a quieter, slow-paced environment, then you'll love it at the Club Lounge, with a morning view of Manila Bay as a bonus!
A very unique feature of Latitude is this section called Breakfast-To-Go. Hotel Jen Manila understands that business travelers may not have enough time to have their breakfast at the hotel. So the hotel provides snack boxes to guests on-the-go so they can take their breakfast with them either to their room or to their office.
For leisure travelers and staycationers, Breakfast-To-Go is yet another simple pleasure offering of the hotel so that guests can bring some extra pastries which they can enjoy inside their rooms, or as breakfast-to-go for guests leaving the hotel for an early morning tour of the city. Buffet breakfast at Latitude is also available for walk-in guests at P830.00 nett.
Overall, Hotel Jen Manila is perfect for both business and leisure travelers who are looking for a value for money first-class accommodation in the Manila Bay area. It is also ideal for small families or friends looking for affordable staycation matched with quality accommodation and service. With the airport located only 20 minutes away, Hotel Jen Manila is also a great option for local and foreign tourists looking for a centrally located hotel to explore Manila and its nearby cities.
Hotel Jen Manila
3001 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, PhilippinesContact: +63 (02) 795 8888
E-mail: reservations.hjm@hoteljen.com
► Book Discounted Hotel Jen Manila Room Rates via Traveloka
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