Upgraded At Waterfront Mactan

I reserved a room here 4 days ago for an overnight stay (today until tomorrow). Why so? I can't recall anymore. Mind you, I was just here exactly a week ago, on my way to Manila remember? Earth Hour?

Ah okay, now I do remember.., very early departure tomorrow morning going to Tacloban. Thus, dating gawi. I had to stay here overnight - for the convenience! So, arriving from Tandag, I came to check-in.

Surprise. The clerk was all smiles telling me "Mr. Pinoy Traveler, sir, you reserved for a da da da room, but we have upgraded it to da di da di da room". I asked if the upgraded room was also on the second floor. She said yes, so I took it, even saying "sus bakit ngayon pa when I'm leaving very early morning"!

So okay, I was checked-in, I went up to my room (at the end of the hallway, gosh) and this is it..,

Pardon the expression, but first thing I said was "syet tangina, bakit ngayon"! Yea, why now when I was to stay at this room for just a few hours?! With a big, bright and stately simple room like this, I could've at least called the Mango Green Village Boys to come and have a "bored-meeting" or a round of "gulp"!

Look! A dining table for eight, eh there's only me myself and I for the whole stay of just 13 hours!

Yeah, I was laughing and cursing.., check-in at 3PM.., check-out at 4AM.., so 13 hours.., only! Haruuy!

Over at the end is my bedroom. I said "what will I do with this dining room and sala eh uuwi pa ako"!

Dating gawi di ba? I had to go home to get new clothes and dump the used ones! Useless nice room! Couldn't I at least wallow around this nice 'strip' of real estate? Namnamin man lang ng sandali di ba?

On return from home, I had to immediately hit the sack for I must already walk to the airport at 4AM!

I at least have pictures to document my outrageously big upgraded room. That at center, is the suite's main entrance. The door at right is to the pantry (kitchen actually), there's an exit door there too. While the door at left is to the comfort room - other than that big one inside the bedroom. Pang-bisita baga!

Another look at the living and dining areas. This comprises about two-thirds of the total floor space!

My bed. Total 'body time', if I may call it that (chillax + sleep), was only about 5 hours (or less)..,

From the closet beside the bed, with bedroom door open, I could see all the way to the dining table..,

It's a king size.., I don't have anything else to say.., let this be another "photo-album" hahaha!

The 'tub with a shower' beside the 'shower stall'. OMG goodness me that's my... reflection on the wall!

All above is only the "bath" area. That door? In there is the toilet and my ashtray. So, lets go elsewhere!

Well, I said there's also a toilet over at the living room area, right? Here it is..,

Remember I mentioned the pantry earlier above? That is inside this door..,

The coffee and tea whatevers plus the ice-bucket and the omnipresent dried mangoes are in there!

They're all by the lababo! But under them is the fridge, and the cupboards above have cutlery etc.,

Here's a collage of portrait oriented pics. Rightmost is the exit door that leads to the hallway..,

You see the fire extinguisher? That's already in the hallway. And the door across is staff service area.

Ah, since we're outside the room, this is the hallway. Far from the elevator as the suite is at the end!

Yes I also went down to lower ground floor (lobby is upper ground)..,

From the elevators it is also a long walk to the pool area at the end of the building!

At one time many months ago when I was walking down here, I overheard some kids say this hallway was eerie. I would tend to agree as the place is a little bit on the dark side as there are few light bulbs.

The third picture shows one of the tables at the poolside restaurant that has a nice ambiance. Behind it is already the pool itself and to the left is the hotel's little fitness gym. There are resort-like rooms on two levels at the left end of the pool itself! Why don't I have pictures of the area? Ahm, this time I didn't feel like snapping any shots as there were so many local folks all over the place and all looking at me!

Holy Week break! Ah, I instead went up to upper ground using the stairs at right end of the restaurant!

This is on upper ground at the far right end of the lobby when you enter at the hotel's main entrance.

Behind the camera would be the stairs going down to the swimming pool area. I am not a fan of spas, but the name of this one tantalized me. I know a village in Bali named Jimbaran too. It's a resort town!

Emerging from the spa and the stairs to Aurora KTV Bar, I was back entering the hotel's main lobby!

That corner at left, before the main entrance, is where the musicians play and perform every evening.

Over at the far end is Uno their buffet restaurant. Argh! Because I'm writing this, I just got reminded by my sometimes faltering brain, that my room rate today includes a free buffet breakfast. Which, again, I can't have because I leave at 4AM, my flight's take-off time is 5AM, the restaurant opens only at 6AM!

Why can't I seem to remember that when booking my rooms at this hotel? Hay naku!

Anyway, I found out I had no more cash in my pocket (kulba!), so I went to the ATMs. There are 4, and they are all located at the casino lobby - at the other end of this hotel - which meant walking the other half of the length of this building! But no complaints, walking is exercise and I got to take a pic of this:

I have seen this restaurant many times (this is where I always pass walking from/to the airport), but I have never tried eating there. It is always devoid of diners. I haven't even seen it with at least 2 tables occupied though I have seen it refurbished and so on! So, I naturally doubt if this place is worth trying!

Anyway, I went back to my room and called to order my afternoon snacks room service..,

Why room service? I don't know. Maybe I just wanted to make use of a dining table good for 8 people!

So okay, after that breakfast, aw hehe afternoon merienda I mean, I went home and came back a few minutes ago, way after dinner. It's almost midnight, I need to wake up 3AM, let us better end this now!

See you in Tacloban tomorrow. Oops, I'm going straight to Eastern Samar pala! That would be next!