12 for 12: Makati Shangrila and Circles Buffet Breakfast

Jan 8, 2016. It's Chea's 40th birthday and as birthday treat for herself on her 40th year, she wants to celebrate each month with a staycation at a hotel within the Metro. For her first hotel, she chose Makati Shangri-La.

Thirdy on Shangri-La's iconic staircase

Makati Shangri-La's one of the oldest 5 star hotel in the country and still considered to be number 1. I've been here once or twice, but only as a visitor. So this is my first time to stay here overnight.

Thirdy at the lobby

What I do remember about the place is that the lobby is huge, and could fit thousands of people. There's two grand staircases that leads up to the second level. And it's always busy with people fleeting around all the time, while others lounge in the chairs.

Thirdy and Nanay Chea checking in

Thirdy in the lobby

Chea, Thirdy and I were a bit late as traffic was horrendous on the way from QC. We had lunch first with Chea's parents at Fairmont Makati before checking in. We were parked at the basement levels which is connected to the different malls in the area.

View of the reception desk from the elevator area. The lobby is really huge

The lifts

As we went into Shangri La, the place has barely changed. You still had the very spacious lobby and the grand staircases. The reception desk was to the far right of the main doors. The place is very imposing so it exhuded that sense of luxury.

So many options

Window by the floor lobby area

Our room for the night

Our room. It's a bit small

Chea checked us in and we then went up to our single room with two beds, number 702. The design of the room looked a bit dated, even if it looked like they renovated the place. Instead of the usual wallpaper you see with newer hotel rooms, here, you had wood paneling. Is it more regal? I actually felt like I was inside a big cabinet. Hehe.

The beds

Thirdy testing out the beds

Yes, he likes it

The ceiling

The ceiling had a recessed circular area so again, it has more detail than the newer hotels in the Metro. The entire room was carpeted, so it's nice even if you walk barefooted the entire time. Just don't walk into the bathroom as it's marbled, and cold.

The toilet bowl and the shower to the left

Small bath tub fronting the toilet bowl

The bathroom is average in size, and all marble tiles (I think). You have a separate shower enclosure but it's besides the toilet bowl. Fronting the toilet bowl is a bath tub. It comes with the basic toiletries.

Cabinet

The wardrobe cabinet has the usual hangers and a couple's robes, along with an ironing board, a flat iron and a safe deposit box.

Since it's Chea's birthday, we got a birthday treat in the form of a cake, and some pastries.

The bed is in a corner of the room and a bit small

A counter bar. Fridge is in the bottom cabinet.

Chea gets a cake and some bread for her birthday

The desk and mirror. I'd rather have the TV at the foot of the bed than the desk

Cookies!

At the foot of the bed is a desk and a mirror, and to the left of it in a corner is a TV, while on the right side is the fridge and counter.

On our way to the pool

It's a long walk. You could get lost around here.

There's a garden outside

Walking past the gym

Later, we went to the pool area so Thirdy could take a dip. There's two pools: One is for the adults, and one for kids, which is up to Thirdy's waist.

In front of the kiddie pool

That's for the adults

Thirdy really enjoyed himself even if it's cold since he can wade around.

Thirdy enjoyed wading in the pool followed around by his grandpapa since I hate pools. After an hour or so, we went back to the room.

Chea's first cake

And she gets another one!

As my other blog entry discusses, we're having a secret birthday party for Chea, so we're just trying to waste time until 7pm when the party starts. So around 4pm, we went back to the room, and while the time there.

Chea's parents along with Tita Fe, Cedric (chea's brother) and his girlfriend Rose (who both dropped by) then left to "go home", but were actually just headed to the party venue.

At around 6pm or so, Chea, Thirdy and I decided to leave the hotel, and "meet" her cousins for dinner. The party lasted until 12mn, but Chea and I decided to leave at around a quarter before. We had to drag Thirdy back to the hotel or he'd be up all night partying. Crazy kid.

After the surprise party, we drove the way back to the hotel but decided to stop by at a McDonald's first to buy a burger. Usually at parties that I'm part of the planning, I never get to eat and enjoy myself since I'd be too concerned about the party being successful. So a McDonald's cheeseburger was my prize for a party well done.

Since Thirdy was tired from the party, he was tossing and turning the entire night. So Chea and I barely slept as well.

Sunday morning view. Isn't that relaxing?

Makati's empty sunday morning streets

Ready for breakfast, waiting for out turn.

Still waiting

I took this picture while waiting. That's pretty cheap

Finally

Soon, it was morning already (around 7am), so it's breakfast at Circles cafe. There's a receptionist outside the place to confirm your room, and someone will calling to escort you to a table.

Small table for two (and a half)

Place is pretty dimly lit

Glare everywhere

The place is pretty big but not as big as Spiral Buffet Restaurant in Sofitel (I think). Still, there's a lot of selections (again, not as many as in Spiral), and most of them are delicious. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

Noodles and dumplings

Im not sure if that's duck. Never tried it out

Oooh dried seafood!

That's a lot of heavy dishes

Flat bread

Eggs and omelette

More heavy dishes

Sausages, ham, oh my!

Fruits and Filipino kakanin

I forgot what those are supposed to be

Cereals

Pancakes and waffles

Donuts!

So many bread

Mooaaarr bread

More, you say?

Too full to bother with cakes

Juice and SMOOTHIES!

This is champorado I think

Freshly made 

I dare you to eat all of them

All that food and I go with bacon and eggs. Go figure.

Thirdy prefers youtube over breakfast

Very saucy palabok

These two are quite delicious. 

After eating, we went back to our room and waited until noon to check out.

What did you say about all good things in life are free?

So how's our stay? It's pretty ok. It really feels like a 5 star hotel, except when you stay in your room and it's not one of the bigger ones. Lol.

Buffet breakfast was great. I have no complaints. Lots of selections. Most, if not all, tasted great. If you ever get a chance to eat at Circles, you should go for it.

There's a lot of amenities. There's a kids pool so that's nice of them to think about the kiddies. I wish they had a playroom for kids and a game room for adults. I'm sure they could spare some space for those.

The location is excellent as well. Right in the middle of malls and tons of other establishments. You'll never run out of places to go and sights to see.

So if you're a tourist and want to splurge a bit, Makati Shangri-La won't disappoint. And if you're a staycationer (let's make that a word), it's still one of the best 5 star hotels in the Metro. So if you haven't tried it, you might as well stay there just for the experience.