Visions of Vida

MANILA, Philippines - Just seeing Pinoys travel around the country makes us proud. It used to be that when someone would go on tour, it would mean out of the country. That alone would spark envy among those who would not be able to do the same. It made us think, our attractions can single-handedly compete with the best of them!

Thankfully, times have changed. Locals now actually plan and save up for local travel. Read blogs and you will come across Filipinos who take pride in showing off the natural wonders and local colors of this country. Now, if that is not a good thing, then we don’t know what is.

What we do know is that local travelers and foreign guests have been doing domestic travel more often because accommodations are available, among other reasons. Provide a good place to stay and you attract visitors who want to explore the destination longer.

One such establishment that does that is Hotel Vida at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga. Those who prefer to go out of town without having to endure hours of driving (or riding) will consider the nearness of Hotel Vida. It is, after all, 90 minutes away from Metro Manila via the North Luzon Expressway and a 40-minute drive to Subic via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

That means the short travel time can accommodate more activities and sights to see in the itinerary. Don’t you just hate it when you cannot visit enough attractions because “our hotel is too far”? Hotel Vida’s location is convenient for guests who are getting their tourist act together. In a place like Pampanga, not only are there places to visit but also glorious food to enjoy. You really cannot afford to miss out on them.

On the other hand, guests have enough time to take pleasure in the hotel’s accommodations and amenities. Indeed, we take to heart Hotel Vida owner Daesik Han’s declaration: “We have pretty much everything here, from the pool to the bar. We do take pride in our hotel’s features.”

Describing the rooms as “spacious,” Han shares that Hotel Vida has 125 rooms consisting of deluxe, junior suite, one-bedroom suite, and a presidential suite. He says, “Each room has complete amenities that will provide comfort and relaxation to any guest who is here for pleasure or for business.”

Indoor fun can be had at the gym or at the Ylang Ylang Spa where various treatments and massages are offered. In-room massage is available, too. For those in an outdoorsy mood, Hotel Vida’s swimming pool is the place to be with its rolling slides, waterfalls, alcoves, and sunken bar.

The hotel has two food and beverage outlets: Salt Coffee Shop and Malt Bar. Salt boasts of a wide selection of local and international dishes and seats up to 110 diners. Its trellis area overlooks the pool and can accommodate 45 guests. Malt, meanwhile, is great for nightcaps and barkada gimmicks with its cool interiors and assortment of drinks. Catch a live acoustic set for a more relaxing evening.

Guests who do business in the area can turn to Vida’s business center and conference rooms. It even has an air-conditioned tent that is perfect for meetings and special events such as product launches and media presentations. Soon, a 700-seater convention center will rise in front of the hotel. It will house function rooms and a ballroom.

Han discloses that more is in store in the coming months. He says, “This hotel structure right now is the first of three phases. We are planning another asymmetrical tower just like this. We are going to build 20 villas and a water theme park.”

He shares that since Hotel Vida opened in July last year, the reception exceeded their expectations. He says, “The great thing about this is, we have regular guests who keep coming back. To be successful in this business, facilities should be really good. We also need variety and provide quality service. Those kinds of convenience are what guests are looking for, and we are only happy to give it to them.”

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Hotel Vida is located at 5414 M.A. Roxas Highway, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga. For more information, call (632) 840-1430 (Manila office) or (045) 499-1000 (Clark office). Visit its website at www.hotelvidaclark.com or e-mail at [email protected].