Marco Polo Davao

After about 8 hours from hotel to hotel, it felt like a reward to be back at the Marco Polo Davao Hotel.

Although, the comfy accommodation caused me to not being able to roam much of this facility to see how it is now! Why? Because I loved being in the room, and, the stunning sunset all the more kept me!

Good I took photos of the room immediately upon arrival. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to!

This is how the room looked upon entry, still untouched.., unadulterated.., by me, myself and I hehehe!

It has been a habit, if you noticed, that I take a picture or two of my room, the first time I enter..,

Best that I do this, because the moment I touch something, the room gets disheveled. Magic hands?!

By the way, I just realized.., all hotel rooms, whether luxurious or not, expensive or not, whether here or abroad.., if they have curtains, blinds, shades or the likes.., they're always drawn closed the first time I enter (after check-in)! Is that a standard? Of what? Of good housekeeping? Hmm, I wonder why it's so.

Not complaining, but I actually don't like it! Am I weird? Like many folks (I suppose), I want my room to look its best when I enter. Pleasantly bright is the best first impression for me. Never dark nor gloomy.

Oh, which reminds me, only at Intercontinental (either at their hotels or resorts) everywhere: 1] there is always someone who accompanies me to my room, aside from the bellhop who (usually) goes ahead of us carrying my bag/s, and; 2] it is usually this staff who says "may I draw the curtains open for you", or "may I open the blinds for you, sir"! They're consistent on this. Of course, I smilingly nod or say yes!

Anyway, back to my Marco Polo Davao Story, lest our topic go astray again 😵

So I parted the drapes open and the room became much lovely brighter. I could see it's still daytime!

I always like the wash of natural light in a room, particularly when working on my notebook or phone.

Curious what's out there, I also parted the curtains.., and voila.., a beautiful view of the city below!

Familiar sights. I think that haze of land is Samal Island, and the hazier farther land must be ComVal!

Ah by the way, in case you didn't know.., Marco Polo Davao was the tallest building in all of Mindanao when this was finished in the late '90s (97 or 98?). Nowadays, I doubt if this will even be 2nd or 3rd in height as there suddenly has been a boom in skyscrapers. Like there already are Abreezas, Aeon, etc. Good there are no taller buildings (yet) facing this way (the sea). But am not sure about the other side.

Look here, I stood by the window and took this picture. Interestingly accidentally nice shot, I must say!

Because it was starting to get dark outside, my room started reflecting bright things on the glass They blended well I guess, and I like the weirdness of the photo! Mind you, I tried, but unable to repeat this!

Intermission.., I went down to attend to some 'papeles' and I saw this while at the elevator lobby!

Yep, the hotel's pool. Come to think of it, I wasn't even able to go to the 4th floor during this stay!

Anyway, back in the room, I enjoyed killing time by taking photos of just about anything around me!

Doesn't the room look better with the curtain open and natural light illuminating it?

Pinag-tripan ang room! Because I thought I didn't anymore have enough time before the meeting.

Photo album na!

While seated at this desk, I wondered why the colors were a little bit more gold than earlier.

And when I turned to look outside.., OMG the skies were painting something magical over Davao..,

Needless to say, this mesmerizing "live" painting kept my undivided attention. I just kept looking at it!

Next I checked, it was already time for my dinner-meeting, da! So I rushed to washup and literally ran to the venue! Fortunately for me.., Filipino Time.., none of my ka-meeting (hosts) were ever there yet!

Late na ako nyan ha?! But I am so used to this uncomely Filipino Trait, I just refuse to succumb to it! It is not that bad though. All who "observe" Filipino Time are usually regretful, even remorseful (I think)!

As a token of apology for being late, they treated me for a "night-cap" at the Eagle's Bar of the hotel!

Romantic enough classics music. But sumablay si manong sa lyrics ng The Nearness of You. Gosh!

Hey I liked this thing, though I can't quite remember what it is called. "Salpicao"? Goes well with SML.

I would have liked this place more if it were on a high floor with a view of the city, not at ground floor :)

Okay.., that was my "today" at Marco Polo Davao. But I am not quite done just yet!

In the morning when I woke up.., (teka, kanta yun ah).., this was my view - at 5:55AM. Whoa!

I went out for a walk. When I returned I saw this.., I mean the cat, yung pusa. Pusang ina o!

Plus that very first picture above. Then I went for a shower before coming back down for breakfast.

The free buffet breakfast? Aw, a plethora of choices compared to Bukidnon Business Hotel's hehe!

Like at many good hotels in this country, their "tableya" hot chocolate is also too thick, in at almost the consistency of a "sauce"! Just like the "tsokolate" when you visit your relatives' house. They say that is how real "tsokolate" should be. But it gets me dizzy like drunk! Solution: I add more milk or even water.

After breakfast, I went to check the best time I should hie off to the airport for a 3:30PM departure.

I had discoveries here! Like, I did not need to pay P150, as it was already part of the room rate I paid. I was a bit happily shocked too, as that P150 is probably even cheaper than riding on a regular taxi. Da!

Since when have 5-star hotel amenities been cheaper than public rates, 'no? Well, sa Macau libre yan!

I also realized 12NN is check-out time - that meant I would have to wait it out at this lobby for an hour until the shuttle departs. Otherwise I would need to take the 11AM schedule. The staff told me to tell front desk I want to come down at 12:30! So I did, and the girl there said "no problem" just that easily!

Understanding? Caring? Accommodating? Ah, let me say "all of the above"!

Still at the hotel lobby, in the very middle of it, I saw this dainty shelf of souvenir items on sale..,

Even from a distance, I could tell those were/are local products. But one thing was like waving at me..,

THIS!

The cute and cuddly stuffed toy rendition of the Philippine Eagle that was on the news lately! On sale here, still as part of the hotel's fund campaign to help the Philippine Eagle Foundation in Davao. Well, not anymore clad in the Renee Salud created tribal inspired wardrobe at P10,000 a pair, as auctioned.

They come in "bare" original brown-and-white color at just P600 apiece (eggs and nest not included)! I was told by hotel staff that if you are going to give tis cute little thing to a lover (lover talaga? can it be loved-ones or loved-once?), it's better in pairs to symbolize "lasting love" as eagles are monogamous!

FOREVER kumbaga! Okay, one closer look at this little thing's cuteness! Look at the eyes, its begging!

This made me popular at the airports (DVO, CEB, TAC). It won't fit in my backpack, so I carried it as is!

Back at my room, the views just even got clearer and better as the morning got brighter..,

That nearer darker peninsula that juts from left edge of photo to center, is Brgy. Catagman, now with a lot of resorts with white sand beaches that weren't there when we started coming to Davao in the late '80s. There was only "Paradise" across "Insular", di ba doktor? If you know those, you are aged like me!

By the way.., those buildings on foreground are of Ateneo De Davao.

Here's a better look at the main building, still from my room. This campus has also grown!

Decades ago.., to the left was a bus terminal (I think terminalS even). And to the right.., see below..,

Aldevinco! It is just across Marco Polo, and look.., from above the building is shaped like a letter A!

This time though, I made sure NOT to visit the place haha! My problem with that shopping center is: it has virtually everything that a tourist "will buy" from Davao - banig to t-shirts, durian candy, marang, or even pomelo! I always end up carrying many things! This time I said "backpack has no more space"!

Anyway.., time to go came, and here was my last look at the hall way near my 16th floor room..,

Can't compare with the previous hotel. This is probably double in size than Bukidnon Business Hotel's.

I waited to be called for the shuttle boarding.., here.

The Lobby Lounge, a nice cozy place.

About 12:55PM, a staff approached me, telling me it was time to board the shuttle, and that I was the only passenger this time! I said "may I please sit in front?", he said "yes". So I threw my backpack unto one of the coaster's seats, and sat out front! And, off the shuttle went, with just me and my backpack!

Let's talk about that ride to the airport and my flight.., in the next story!