VIVERE HOTEL ALABANG is About Character, Class and Sophistication

Go to the Sky Lounge (now referred to as "The Nest") of Vivere Hotel Alabang and you can easily pinpoint among the high rises of Filinvest City the three new hotels that has joined the growing list of accommodations in the area.

Vivere Hotel was the first Hotel in Alabang and it has been #1 in the area for five years and running. That, at least, according to Tripadvisor which is the world's largest travel website.It definitely is #1 among the many who have tried the place and that includes myself now.

I call Vivere Hotel, the Queen Hotel of Southern Metro Manila.It is character, class and sophistication.

the elegant lobby of Vivere Hotel Alabang

I am very happy to have added Vivere Hotel among the best hotels in Metro Manila that we have tried.

#Tripadvisor 

MARRIOTT MANILA -- #1 in Pasay

THE BAYLEAF INTRAMUROS-- #1 in Manila

COCOON BOUTIQUE HOTEL --#1 in Quezon City

WIDUS RESORT AND CASINO --#1 in Clark

THE PROUD LOBBY

The lobby is a reminiscent of a proud man who has achieved and proven a lot. It is class and sophistication.The combination of dark hues and white furniture makes for an elegant appeal. Despite the visual feast, they didn't drop guest comfort by putting a lot of spaces with cushy couches.

Preserved Trees painted in white add drama to it. I like how well placed these trees are complimenting the overall appeal of the space and not crowding it.They light at night for a more dramatic feel. I was imagining how they are gonna be decorated for the Christmas. I am sure they will add a festive environment comes Christmas Season. Nung October palang lakas maka-christmas na.haha

OUR ROOM
We stayed in a Premier Penthouse --the best city hotel room accommodation we had to date.A total of 65 sq. m of space divided in four (4) sections. The cozy and spacious living room area, the chick bedroom with a workstation, another workstation with a lovely sofa and wall accent and the  luxurious marble bathroom with lots of mirrors.

"The room has mirrors in all corners, I love it!" my wife remarked.
The room is full of warmth and beaming with details.Comfortable chairs, fully equipped office desk. three flat screen cable tv's, high speed (unlimited)  free wifi, a fully stocked mini-bar, a large refrigerator, an in-room safe, large closets that could fit tons of stuff in case you wanna stay for a month of more and a nice little kitchen with a dining table. What more can you ask for?

I call it 65 square meters of happiness!

We were greeted by a staff upon arrival and were given welcome drinks. The complimentary fruits at the dining table made my wife so happy.

This room for a 4-star hotel? I say it's five star! And is it true? I heard each rooms at Vivere Hotel has a unique interior. Meaning, no rooms are exactly the same. Cool!

We don't usually rely on wifi when we stay in hotels as both me and my wife are on data plans but any mobile network would most likely fail if you stay at the 29th floor. This Asus WiFi router was love.It delivered free WiFi, fast!

The marble bathroom is nice. Modern, luxurious and it comes with a little Pinoy accent with the coconut shell decoration around the main mirror. There's a bath tub too, would have been better if it were a little bigger but important thing is there is a bath tub. You know we love bath tubs. I feel guilty though coz I was too busy with going around different amenities of the hotel that I didn't find time to use it. My wife did while I was at the gym. And as I said, so many mirrors.

Our room was sooooo nice I had to drag my wife to get out and check the amenities.
31st floor --The Nest (sky restaurant)

                --the gym and sauna
29th Floor--Executive Club Lounge
8th floor ---Vivere Spa 

4th floor ---Lama Pool 

Ground Floor --Cafe Arts.

I thought it's a bit confusing where the amenities are. It would have been nice if they can simplify things by bundling certain amenities together.Although, on second thought, each is a unique space and going through different floor to try one after another is like being transported to a distinct place each time. It's a matter of personal preference I guess.

LAMA POOL PLACE

The Lama Pool photo posted on the Hotel's Facebook Page was one of the things which really made me very excited to try the place. I imagined having a romantic dinner here with my wife.Nobody was swimming in the afternoon when I checked the place.Perhaps because of the ongoing drizzle brought about by the storm passing North of Manila. We were supposed to be back for a quick dip at night as the weather has significantly improved but it was closed. I guess nobody was in the mood for a swim so most guest were at The Nest where we headed instead.

The LAMA POOL will have to wait for another visit.Something to look forward to again.

THE NEST

There are only a few sky restaurants in Metro Manila, more so, one that offers round-the-clock dining.The NEST is one of them.Located at the 31st floor of Vivere Hotel Filinvest City Alabang, this restaurant offers a wide-range of food and drinks coupled with a really nice view of Filinvest City, Laguna de Bay, and on a clear day, the skyline of Metro Manila.

With its tagline "Dining in the Sky", it is open to in-house and non in-house guests of the hotel.

The Nest is a semi-open air dining.Inside are classy and comfortable dining setups while chairs and table at the exterior have this resort feel.

It's awash with diners round the clock, proof of its popularity.In the morning, for breakfast buffet and at night for fine dining. We had a drink here the night before and the ambiance makes for a perfect romantic date ---candle lights and mellow music playing.Perfect.The mini-pool ads to the fresh, resort ambiance.

CAFE ARTS

If you are into a quieter, more intimate space, heed to Cafe Arts at the ground floor.Nice atmosphere.A classy space with arts accents all over. It's open until 12 midnight. How I wish I live or work in the area so that I can just drop by here for a few beer before going home.

I planned on going here at night to have a few drinks but I already had beer 1. at the executive club lounge and again at 2. The Nest. We had an appointment for Spa next so Cafe Arts should have to wait for another visit.

AT THE CENTER OF BUSINESS AND SHOPPING
The hotel is strategically located at the heart of business and shopping. It's a few blocks away from Northgate Cyberzone which is recently seeing high concentration of offices and contact centers and a few meters away from Festival Mall. Alabang Town Center is only five minutes away by car. For business or shopping, this is the place to be in Alabang.

Festival Mall from The Nest at the 31st floor.

Since my wife forgot to bring some essentials, she asked me to go to Festival Mall for a quick shopping. We enjoyed walking from the hotel to the mall despite the occasional drizzle. My was was very proud to flaunt Vivere Hotel's umbrella along the way. Haha!

EXECUTIVE CLUB LOUNGE
Thanks to the short walk back to the hotel, we burned a few calories from those giant burgers. That means we had a little space for some cocktail food at the Executive Club Lounge.

The Executive Club Lounge is an exclusive lounge for guests staying at Penthouse Levels on the 29th and 30th floors. In short, VIP's. Cocktail buffet with free flowing drinks is served from 6pm-8pm.

A cozy, exclusive space with comprehensive facilities and a personalized butler service. This is where high-level meetings are made.

We felt like a member of an exclusive club that night. My wife and I stayed mostly at the small balcony of the lounge for a more surreal view of the city while we partake on the cocktail food. Free flowing drinks? I guzzled four bottles of sub-zero San Mig Light. Love it!

outdoor setting at the Executive Club Lounge

THE NEST at Night

Sa Executive Club Lounge pala solve na.
But we wanted to experience the night ambiance at The Nest so we transferred there for a few more drinks. The Nest transforms into one romantic space at night. It was full of people during our stay, evident of its popularity. The crowd was a mix of locals and foreigners, many of them are Koreans. Family, friends , lovers, this is where they go. 

Luckily, the storm has gone out of the Philippine area of responsibility that night so we were able to enjoy the city lights and the chill vibe at The Nest.

VIVERE SPA

It's one massage experience that would certainly land in my #2 list when it comes to the massage treatment itself. My #1 would still be Aum Spa in Crimson Mactan. Ahavia Spa would have to move to #3 and Luljettas Hanging Garden Spa to #4 although I would still rank Luljettas 2nd when it comes to the overall experience.

The Spa is fully owned and managed by Vivere Hotel which is an indication of the good reception the Spa receives. We often encounter hotels with their spa section in concession, which could mean that segment isn't profitable so they pass it on to a private operator.Makes sense right?

Services at Vivere Spa includes:

Aromatherapy Baths

Body Scrub & Polishes

Facial Treatments

Aromatherapy Massages

Click on the link below to check their

Complete SPA offerings and Prices

http://viverehotel.com.ph/menu_of_services.pdf

 The Spa is open daily from 9am-3am  which meant we didn't have to rush dinner and we could opt for a later time as my wife and I prefer going straight to bed after a relaxing massage. We booked for 10pm schedule so we had ample time to unwind at the executive lounge and had a few drinks at The Nest later on. The night was nothing but about chilling and relaxing.

The massage was excellent!

"Despite medium pressure, I was surprised that she was hitting pressure spots that made me realize that my leg muscles are also tired and tight. A few minutes after she started, I already knew that the massage is gonna be great. These are moments when you remind yourself that massage is art. It is about understanding the process and the body of your client.It is about feeling where the tight muscles are and hitting those spots with the right pressure.It should not be rushed and it should not be just same stroked with the same intensity.It takes a seasoned masseur to know that."

----- read the rest of my review on Vivere Spa >>>>here

BREAKFAST BUFFET AT "THE NEST

We had for breakfast beef tapa, kielbasa, fabada, roasted herb chicken, baked penne in tomato sauce,Spanish style grilled vegetables with breadcrumb picada.

I expected a lot from the beef tapa but I was disappointed because it was a a little salty for me.The roasted herb chicken was nice and the Spanish style grilled vegetable with breadcrumb picada too. My favorite is the seafood stew.Just the right spice for me.I remember going back for a second serving.

It was a delight to see a section with a few East Asian food including Macau Lechon, gomuko fried rice, kutchay with chicken and fried Japanese noodles.

I like the Macau Lechon the most.It's a respite from Pinoy lechon. This one is more similar to lechon kawali but with a richer flavor and its sauce is thick and a bit salty for my liking. That's how it is originally and this one is a must try. It's just me being a typical Pinoy with a sweet tooth. haha

While having our meal, one of the attendants approached us to ask if there is anything he can get for us. I said we are fine but he offered us their signature beverage ---TROPICAL TASTE.It's a concoction of fresh mango, banana, papaya and orange enriched with low fat milk plus yogurt for a healthy feel.

And I was surprised when he said I might want "taho". I thought I heard it wrong so I asked again.He confirmed it is "taho".I almost jumped out of my seat in joy.My love for taho a few months ago when I realized how good it could compliment my workout.I enjoyed a mouthful of it.

Our breakfast buffet at the nest was satisfactory. The place is now among my favorite sky restaurants in the Metro.I would love to go back one time to try their ala carte offering.

Read my review on our breakfast buffet at "The Nest"here: http://www.pusangkalye.net/2013/10/the-nest-dining-in-sky-at-vivere-hotel.html

FITNESS EDGE GYM and SAUNA
Yes, I still managed to go to the gym after that sumptuous breakfast buffet at The Nest.Not immediately of course. Time to burn some of the excess fats consumed. I was still a  bit full 20 minutes after the meal so I decided to use the Sauna first. It is located at the corner of the gym. You have go out of the sliding door leading to a small balcony of some sort. Nice little space for fresh air. A plant on the corner, pebbles on the floor for a more outdoor feel, a shower and the sauna on the corner and you are all good.

The sauna room is pretty small and can accommodate only around 4 pax at a time. Temperature inside was consistent. There are two small wooden benches outside where you can rest after few minutes inside and leave your towel if you are not using it. It was just me and my wife who used the sauna that time so it was all good. I reckon it would have been a little uncomfortable should there be other people coz the shower is outside so others can see you when you wash. For thorough washing, there is a bathroom inside the gym complete with basic toiletries.

I stayed in the sauna for around 45 minutes then I was off to my workout. The gym is not that big but way better than the other 4-star hotel gyms I have seen. Best of all, equipment / machines are sufficient for whatever workout routine you would like to have. I was disappointed with some of the hotels we tried one time when I realized that they have limited equipment for chest workout. Not here.

The gym is open daily from 6am-8pm and a licensed gym instructor is available from Monday to Saturday. You might notice that they close it on Sundays but you can call the front desk to have it opened should you want to use it.Unfortunately, gym instructors are also off on Sundays so you have to rely on your personal workout regimen.

Vivere Hotel (right) from Festival Mall 

COMPLIMENTARY HOTEL CAR SERVICE

Commuting to and from Vivere Hotel is never a problem. It takes only 15 minutes from the airport. Even taking the bus from Makati only took us 20 minutes to the South Terminal in Filinvest City. Thanks Skyway. So this breaks the popular misconception that Alabang too far South.

Hotel Car Service to Alabang Town Center, Festival Supermall and Madrigal Business Park is complimentary. No need to hire a taxi if you want to go around. How cool is that!

AUTHENTIC HOSPITALITY

Some hotel staff are polite only for the sake of being polite. I don't take it against them as long as they give what is due to guests. Some on the other hand are "naturally hospitable". They take service at heart. I can tell if people are authentic in their smile and actions. It takes time to cultivate and becomes part of a hotels culture. I have seen this in a few, select hotels. Vivere Hotel staff are authentically nice. They are helpful, polite and service oriented and at the same time they are ordinary people who you can talk to casually as if talking to your buddies. I like that.

I uploaded 100+ photos on this post.That's a visual feast -----indicative of how much I love this place.I know it's only November and a surprise could still come up but I am already calling this my 

BEST STAYCATION FOR 2013. Can't wait to go back to Vivere Hotel Alabang!

Do Follow them on FACEBOOK
for the latest Promos and Discounts
https://www.facebook.com/viverehotel

_______________________

VIVERE HOTEL is located at

5102 Bridgeway Ave.cor Asean Drive,

Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang Muntinlupa City Phil

Tel No: (+632)771-7777

Email: info@viverehotel.com.ph

http://www.viverehotel.com.ph/