Quarantine restrictions in NCR+ have eased up a bit and part of it means allowing dine in options to be available again. After a temporary suspension of dining services due to ECQ, The Manila Hotel is now reopening its Lobby Lounge, beginning May 24, 2021. 

This is the perfect opportunity for valued guests to enjoy some of its perks again such as great food, meeting and endless conversation with both friends and business partners, excellent service and free Wi-Fi internet connection. 

More than a typical café set up, the Lobby Lounge is quiet, comfortable, and spacious, which also means that guests are kept at a distance from each other and enjoy a bit of privacy with high-backed seats. Cleaned and sanitized daily, the health and hygiene protocols put in place by The Manila Hotel includes fresh air dampers that circulate fresh outdoor air into the lobby, which is also sanitized by air micro filters.

The Lobby Lounge is also a grand heritage setting for a relaxing afternoon, with its white Doric columns, Philippine mahogany furniture with elegant chandeliers made of brass, crystal, and capiz seashells. More than our stellar interior, it serves hot meals like Sinigang na Salmon, Kare Kare, Crispy Pata, and other local delights. 

You can also enjoy the lavish “Merienda Especial” Filipino Afternoon Tea that includes native delicacies like Bibingka and Puto Bumbong paired with our specialty grade coffee beans, hot chocolate, or tea. Try the filling Manila Hotel club sandwich or assorted pastries.And escape the punishing weather outside when you relax in the cool interiors and enjoy fruit teas, or our Halo-Halo.

The Manila Hotel’s The Lobby Lounge is known for its exceptional facilities and warm service. It also gives its guests an assurance that “You are safe here” as we strictly adhere to stringent health and safety protocols.

The Lobby Lounge is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, and dinner from Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm. For more information, call 85270011.

Muslims around the world celebrate the end of the fasting period of Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast this May 12, 2021. It is celebrated through prayer, gifts, and lavish feast. While the country is predominantly Catholic, Islam is the second largest religion in the country. No wonder, Filipinos have become fond of Halal foods.

Halal food is prepared following a set of Islamic dietary laws and regulations that determine what is permissible, lawful and clean. Any dish can be halal, as long as the meat used is religiously slaughtered and no pork or alcohol is involved.

The Manila Hotel’s Café Ilang Ilang has a Halal kitchen certified by the Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board. This kitchen dedicated to Halal food preparation serves Indian and Middle Eastern-inspired halal dishes will whet your appetite and pay homage to its traditional roots.

Designed for proper breaking of the fast, The Manila Hotel’s Ramadan Special Halal Home Buffet set comes with dried dates and juice, chickpeas hummus, Fatoush mixed salad, roti and naan bread, vegetable biryani, tandoori chicken, lamb rogan josh, vegetable samosa, and baklava. The set is just one of the three choices for the Halal Certified Home Buffet.

“Our Lamb Rogan Josh is a must-try. It’s imported from Australia and it has the spices and sharpness that will surely be enjoyed by everyone. We can also customize the food according to our customer’s request. Say you don’t like chili, we can make it milder. We can tweak a dish to please your palate while still being true to its authentic taste,” says Chef Kiran Singh, the hotel’s Halal trained chef. 

Celebrate Eid Al Fitr by ordering any of The Manila Hotel’s Halal Home Buffet sets or dishes, available for Takeout and delivery. Visit https://www.manila-hotel.com.ph/takeout/ for the full menu; or call 8527-0011 or 0998-9501912.

Let's talk online budol! Last year, I saw netizens go crazy for robot vacuum cleaners! Probably because a lot of us have been staying home a lot and because this pandemic has taught us so much about cleanliness that cleaning tools like robot vacuum cleaners have been such a hit. Well, a couple of months ago, I finally decided to buy my very own during one of Shopee's sales. 

This is the BOWAI Upgraded Automatic Robot Vacuum Cleaner and now that I've been using it for a few months now I'm ready to tell you all about my experience. 

This robot vacuum cleaner is available in black or white. You don't get to choose though what color will come to you when you buy. I'm glad I got the black one though. 

A Closer Look Inside the Robot Vacuum Cleaner

It also comes with this wire chargers. Just insert the USB side to a charger head (I use the one from my mobile phone) and the rounded part is inserted to the circular hole near the power button. It's charging when it lights up in red and it's full once the light turns yellow green. This is manually charged. 

The Robot Vacuum in Action