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| Deluxe Room with a queen-sized bed at The Blulane Hotel. |
Chinatown.. a bustling district one can find in major cities around the world. But did you know that Chinatown in Manila is the oldest in the world? Our country takes pride in this recognition since 1594.
Even though it is the center of trade and commerce for many years, a luxury hotel with the vision to cater to travelers -- local and international alike, was not a major concern, well, not until last year, when The Blulane Hotel seem to grow out of nowhere right in the heart of crowded Binondo.
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| The popular Ongpin St. in Manila's Chinatown is just a stone's-throw away from The Blulane Hotel. |
Weaving our car through the maze of tiny streets with the reliable Waze to guide us through, my partner, Monch Henares and I actually welcomed the charming chaos that is Chinatown Manila.
Popular all over the world for its colorful street markets, cheap food, plus the great deals one can find from the smallest of shops to the bigger and new malls emerging in the Binondo area, we were actually looking forward to discover a new transition of Chinatown's economic history.
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| The Coffee Club at the lobby of The Blulane Hotel. |
Building a luxury hotel in the heart of Chinatown is an indication of development, both in the business and economic sectors. When there is a boom in various industries, tourists and visitors flock in droves, whether alone, with family, or business associates, Chinatown is another district to do business, and at the same time be in the center of one of the exciting shopping areas you can find in the country.
First Impressions
The Blulane Hotel lobby was grand... and spacious.. and it commands a feel of luxury. High ceilings, a grand marble staircase, crowned by an elegant, glittering chandelier caps the look of what The Blulane Hotel wants to do -- impress and make their guests feel welcome. There is no doubt, we did feel welcome, and the warmth of their greetings immediately put us at ease.
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| Grand lobby of The Blulane Hotel. |
The Guest Room
We were billeted at a Deluxe Room with a queen-sized bed. The room was spacious with amenities one would expect at a 3-star hotel. We were particular with comfort, for at the end of the day, we would like to just plop in bed, and sleep. And sleep comfortably, we did.
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| Comfortable queen-sized bed. |
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| Deluxe Room amenities. |
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| Toilet and shower area with basic amenities. |
The only down side for us was that it was a smoking floor. We failed to inform the front desk that we preferred a non-smoking room. But, no biggie... we did not request to move to another room anymore, as we figured we are just staying for one night, and will be out most of the time. So, just take note that smoking rooms start from the 11th floor to the 16th floor. The hotel has 17 floors with 172 rooms divided into Superior, Deluxe, and VIP Suites.
Dining
The food served at The Blu Dynasty Restaurant on the 3rd floor of the hotel was superb. The Lauriat menu was handled by Cantonese Chefs who flew in to Manila, giving that dash of authentic dishes. I would rather post the photos to whet your appetite. Here are some of our favorites.
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| Pork Asado that comes in with steamed buns. |
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| Tiger Prawns. |
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| Mixed appetizers composed of Roasted Duck, Hainanese Chicken, Fried Pork Belly, Soy Chicken, and California Maki. |
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| Salt and Pepper Crabs. |
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| Buchi rice cake with bean-paste filling. |
Do you want to try The Blulane Experience? Grab this Rainy Day Promo.
It is the hotel's soft opening, so do not expect a swimming pool, nor a fitness gym. But, if you are looking for a place to eat delicious Cantonese cuisine, and sleep at a comfortable room in the middle of crowded Chinatown Manila, The Blulane Hotel is the charming sanctuary for you.
The Blulane Hotel is located at 609 Tomas Mapua St.,Binondo, Sta Cruz, Manila. For inquiries and reservations call (02)777-2258, or email at reservations@theblulanehotel.com, or visit www.theblulanehotel.com
Photos by Monch "Monchster" Henares.
About Arabelle Jimenez
