Mandaluyong City is not really the place where tourists from abroad and the provinces should be booking for a hotel room because it's not next to the airport. Makati City is even closer in proximity. However, Shangri-La Hotel has made the city a prime destination for a temporary stay. You have four malls that are next to each other and the area has become the access point to anywhere in the NCR region (primarily Makati City, Quezon City, and Pasig City).

This makes the presence of Lancaster Hotel significant for a hotel stay. Another reason to choose Lancaster over other Ortigas Center-based hotels is the price. An overnight stay costs more than Go Hotel or New Horizon Hotel but that's because Lancaster offers more in quality service, perks, and facilities. And with the same amenities of equally plush hotels nearby, you might as well consider Lancaster because they give discounts when you request for it. Tip: call in first to inquire about room rates because the hotel management usually treats callers undecided clients which deserve discounts for even considering them.
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The Mandaluyong City view (Click to enlarge)
As with any hotel room, the breathtaking view makes the difference. Lancaster Hotel is fortunately situated in an area in Crossing, Mandaluyong City where most nearby buildings are not that next to each other. When making a reservation, just make sure to request for a room facing Shaw Boulevard or Manila instead of Makati City because that side of the building is currently facing the construction of the hotel's second high rise.

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The kitchen area
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The lounge area inside the room
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Every room has a bath tub.
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The rooftop pool
 
San Juan, Batangas boasts of a number of beach resorts that line up its coast. One of the location's best-kept secret is Acuatico Beach Resort. The resort is famous for its well-manicured garden landscape, modern villas and lukewarm infinity pool that photographs well with the ocean as backdrop.
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For drinks of the intoxicating kind, the resort has an island bar smack dab in the middle of the infinity pool (photo above).

For food lovers, you need to set at least PHP300 for a delicious meal. Their pasta selection, however, costs less than a hundred pesos than that.

The villa rooms are not that spacious, mind you. Since the resort property is not that vast, the owner probably sought a solution to include all the necessary vacation elements in one place by being conscious of how space is used. This is why the rooms resemble the Japanese approach to living -- having a little bit of everything in its proper place where they should be in the space available.

Click here to reach Acuatico Beach Resort.

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The cute bathroom
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The villa facade
 
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The clean bed sheet was a plus
Being marketed to clients who want to stay in Metro Manila for a night or more on a budget, Go Hotel - Pioneer is both affordable and worth one's money. The 2-month old facility (the place was launched last July, 2010) deserves consideration even by transient locals who can only afford standard motel rates because Go Hotel's rates are basically the same. The difference is the Mandaluyong-based hotel operates with the standard of the typical hotel -- high-grade security, definitely clean room details, smart room interior, among others.

The view is accented by the hotel's high location from the surroundings below because it sits on the Pioneer cliff along EDSA a few meters from the Guadalupe Bridge. And the average hotel patron knows that the higher one goes up, the less the noise is.
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Fabulous rainshower
Another plus factor of Go Hotel is its posh restroom which boasts of a fancy clear glass sliding door and modern shower set design. Unlike other budget hotels, its restroom facilities actually function well. The restroom is spacious and properly ventilated as well.

The only fixture that seems to be missing from the Go Hotel room is a closet.

Booking is done online via its website using credit card, but if you prefer to pay through the bank the booking needs to be done a certain number of days before the actual day of stay.

A key card lock system and energy-saver switch was designed for room access.

Go Hotel is located at Cybergate Plaza, Mandaluyong City Upper Ground, Robinsons Cybergate Plaza EDSA corner Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City.