A rich Filipino Chinese culture, a delicious and savory meal in every street and a bustling area of vendors and sellers are some of the descriptions that you can give to Binondo. A day would be not enough if you want to truly embrace and cover all of the things you can do in Chinatown.
Having a nice hotel right in the center of Manila Chinatown can be a comfortable and easy way to roam around Manila and enjoy the charm of the Old Chinatown and Old Manila.
Recently, I had the opportunity to check out The Blulane Hotel which is located at Tomas Mapua St. along the Ongpin area of Binondo. You’ll see it right away once you enter the Fil-Chi Arc in the Santa Cruz part.
The Blulane Hotel is a 17-storey building having 172 rooms. There are 120 rooms dedicated to Superior rooms with a queen size bed. The remaining rooms are summed up to 29 De Luxe, 9 Premier, 10 Executive and 4 VIP rooms. There’s also a VIP floor at the 16th floor that is made for guest to experience the VIP treatment.
Our room for the staycation
The Blulane Hotel also has a place where you can chill and wait while they are preparing your room. Upon entering the hotel you’ll see the Coffee Club and Lounge area, you can order a coffee or a frappe while sitting at the comfortable chairs.
Ordered a Hazelnut Frappe
There’s also a beautiful staircase going to the Mezzanine where you get Western cuisine.
After we checked in at our room, we decided to have a quick Binondo food trip. One thing we like about The Blulane Hotel is that it's in the center of Manila Chinatown.
Checking out the street of Binondo and its charm
Lumpiang Hilaw
Shanghai Fried Siopao for only 20 pesos!
We then came back at the hotel to have our complimentary massage, it was my 2nd time having a massage and their full body massage service although short around 20 minutes was very relaxing. Enjoyed the massage, felt refreshed and relaxed after.
After massage session, feeling good and relaxed haha!
We’re now ready for the Grand Cantonese Cuisine at the Blu Dynasty Cantonese Restaurant. This was the highlight of the staycation at The Blulane Hotel as we get to savor delicious Cantonese cuisine cooked by the Cantonese chef.
Here are the dishes served during the Grand Cantonese Dinner Showcase:
Roast Duck Japanese Maki Combination (Cold cuts selection served with Japanese Maki, Roast Duck was the star of this dish)
Steamed Live Suahe in Bamboo Basket (Poached live shrimp served with Seallion dipping sauce)
Fish Lip Soup (Braised Fish Lip in Chef special broth)
Sea Cucumber with Abalone Mushroom (Sea Cucumber, Abalone mushroom and vegetable in braised sauce)
Dong Po Pork with Steamed Buns (Pork Slices simmered in sweet brown sauce paired with steamed buns)
Steamed Lapu-Lapu in Soy Sauce (Fresh Lapu-Lapu steamed with Blu’s special sauce)
Fried Crabs in Salt and Pepper (Wok cooked fresh crabs with salt and pepper)
Seafood Noodles (Braised soft noodles with assorted seafood)
Buchi and a sweet dessert
All of the served foods were yummy and does not disappoint, my top 3 dishes: Dong Po Pork with Steamed Buns, Fried Crabs in Salt and Pepper and Seafood Noodles. Enjoyed the crabs and I can’t stop eating them. Will definitely go back just for their fried crabs and dong po pork with steamed buns.
We rested for a bit in our room and prepared for the Karaoke night at the 17th floor. Beers and cocktails were served as they sing their hearts out at the stage.
Then it was time to cap off the night and sleep at our comfy bed. Slept well and prepared for their western cuisine at the Grand Ballroom.
Had a fulfilling breakfast with a widespread selection of dishes.
All in all I have enjoyed my staycation at the Blulane Hotel. The main reason to choose this hotel is the location, it is in the center of Manila and just walk outside the hotel, all the attractions and things you need are already in the area. Second is the food they serve which was absolutely delicious. And third is the amenities and service: you got comfortable beds and a clean room, almost the things you need are there in your room and the service they provide is also commendable.
One improvement I can suggest on their part is the addition of elevators especially if there are large groups of people checking in to avoid long queues. And a swimming pool at the penthouse would be cool. But setting those aside, the Blulane Hotel is more than enough and can be your go to hotel when you’re in the center of Manila.
If you’re staying in Manila for a business trip or a vacation, do check out the Blulane Hotel located 609 Tomas Mapua St., Binondo Sta. Cruz, Manila.
You can contact them for inquiries and reservations at (02)777-2258 or email them at reservations@thblulanehotel.com or visit their site at www.theblulanehotel.com
Coverage by: Aaron Nomo
For Azrael's Merryland Blog
