Marco Polo Ortigas: A Forbes Five Star Rated Hotel

There's something quite exceptional about Marco Polo Hotel Ortigas but I couldn't particularly identify what it is.

I stepped down the car and was welcomed gracefully in such a festive lobby, warm smiles directed me to the 24th floor where the check-in counter was billeted, the entire hall was spacious and packed with guests but not a single moment did it felt chaotic.

Although I was already feeling the sky, we moved a little higher to the 34th floor towards our room and what a bliss it is to step into a room that is the very definition of elegance and the right amount of sophistication. The daylight coming in from the curtain wall and the yellow light that is drawn from the fixtures of the room create an ombre of glow that compliments such a relaxing vibe.

You draw your curtain to the sides and you are faced with a panoramic view of the city in lush greenery and pods of skyscrapers in between. This view is revived in the interiors of the room being accentuated with earth tones to exude a soothing calm ambiance.

The flooring is covered in an entire spread of high quality carpet that makes walking inside the 38-sqm room such a pleasurable mundane thing to do.

Marco Polo Hotel is also just one of the very few hotels in the metropolis that welcomes its guests with a platter of fruits which I felt was an extra touch of hospitality, and a personal Nespresso coffee machine inside the room is definitely a game changer in such a highly competitive industry.

As a Forbes Five Star Hotel, Marco Polo has given so much attention to what could be the room's main feature; the bed. The bed, the linens and the pillows form a tricky part of the entire hotel experience. Too soft then an uncomfortable feeling becomes evident in the next few hours, too firm and it can lead to body aches. And this is why the details of the bed require closely scrutiny, and Marco Polo's version of comfort did not disappoint. The linens were of high quality thread that does not create a static feeling to the skin and the tenderness of the pillows and the cushion were gentle to the body, enough to bring us in a deep slumber.

Dressed in marble, the bathroom and the glass wall that separates it from the bedroom is a unique element that defines a more distinct character of Marco Polo, drapes can be pulled down to keep some privacy but the see-through bathtub crossing over the entire room offers such an alluring experience one shouldn't miss. With complimentary bath salt in each room, taking a dip at the swimming pool is no longer necessary.

But with such a stunning view, why would you miss taking a dip at the hotel's infinity pool? Laid on the 22nd floor, it is an oasis in the sky and as an indoor pool, it is always a perfect time to go on a few laps, pamper yourself afterwards in a locker room that houses a sauna and a salon-like vanity room.

To make a complete remarkable experience, buffet breakfasts are usually the crowning glory of every staycation. Breakfast served at Cucina takes the effort to deliver that kind of experience.

An entire spread of international cuisine awaits the morning person eager to fill up an empty stomach. Each corner has something to offer, Asian, Western and even the more specialized cuisines such as Filipino and Vegetarian. It seems like a soiree but held early morning.

As a pastry lover, it was such a delight to check out the array of sumptuous baked treats at Cafe Pronto. Although the breakfast at Cucina was more than enough to take me on a gustatory adventure, I always have a space for some freshly baked pastries, and Cafe Pronto is exactly what I have in my imagination.

The interiors of Marco Polo is a visual delight where panache and artistry meet together to bring out a stylish and modern appeal. The intricate selection of furnitures, orchids and other floras such as succulents make a subtle and calm sensation rather than an overwhelming vibrance.

After looking closely on every aspect of what Marco Polo has offered, it is still difficult to identify which one in particular sparked that special feeling. When you get the chance to experience various hotels where most of them have the essentials, you have to rely on that feeling you get that ribbons the staycation experience. And that feeling is very apparent in Marco Polo, I'm not able to single out one from the

list of checkboxes I have gathered in my stay because I think that it is the combination of all the remarkable details, from the most profound such as the bed linens to the simplest such as the warm smiles, assembled altogether in a such a way that it feels innate in the Marco Polo culture, and thus, makes the brand worthy of its second name, a Forbes Five Star Hotel winner.

The WanderDan Notes: