Vacations are always more fun when there’s a coastline in view, or at least so say Tripadvisor. They’ve come up with a list outlining their top 10 favourite beachside destinations:
What places would be in your top 10 that are not in this list?
The Peninsula Manila, which was the scene of a dramatic siege last week, has re-opened. In a statement on their website, they simply write:
The Peninsula Manila is now open and fully operational, and The Peninsula’s management and staff look forward to welcoming guests and patrons once again.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez is requesting that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) reviews the hotels CCTV footage in order to determine the possible involvement of others that were involved in last week’s stand-off which was allegedly led by former Navy Lieutenant Senior Grade Trillanes.
There have been dramatic scenes at The Peninsula Manila today, situated in the Makati financial district. The hotel was stormed by rebel members of the Philippines military who had broken out of court where they were on trial for a mutiny in 2003. Armed guards have been posted on stairways from the hotel’s lobby, protecting a command centre that was established on a second-floor function room where demands were made for President Gloria Arroyo to resign. 310 out of the hote’s 497 rooms were occupied before the drama began to unfold, and around 200 guests led the inevitable massive check-out, lining up in the reception area with hastily packed bags. The hotel was later stormed and the soldiers arrested. A statement on the hotel’s website reads:
The occupation of the Peninsula Manila by a group of anti-government rebels has ended, and the rebels have left the hotel. The matter is now being dealt with by the relevant Philippine authorities.
Hotel guests are currently being accommodated at neighbouring hotels. The Peninsula Manila takes the safety of its guests, patrons and staff extremely seriously, considering it to be of paramount importance, and the hotel will continue to liaise and work closely with the Philippine authorities.
The Peninsula Manila is now closed until further notice.
Spare a thought for Ryan Montano and his wife-to-be. They were due to get married and hold an evening reception at the hotel, but had to move to a nearby hotel.
Banyan Tree’s first foray into the Philippines will come about through a joint venture with Mr Salvador B Zamora II, a prominent businessman in the mining and real estate industries. Together they will develop and operate two luxury resorts on Dinaran Island. Completion of the projects is slated for 2010, at a combined cost of $70 million. The island is south of Manila in Palawan Province, and is currently uninhabited but will be just 15 minutes by speedboat away from the town of Coron.
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has opened its first dedicated spa training centre - the Shangri-La Spa Academy - in Manila, Philippines. The Spa Academy will train therapists to meet the demands of the rapid expansion of CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La - Shangri-La’s signature spa brand. Five CHI spas have so far opened: in Bangkok, Cebu, Shanghai, Penang and Muscat, with 22 more scheduled to open in premier city and resort locations over the next five years.
Escape for 5 minutes into the world of the Philippines… this is a beautifully-done video.
This is post one of twelve in our daily look at the best islands in the world to visit, when to visit them and where to stay (where individual recommendations are made). For January, the following are recommended:
Revitalise at The Heritage Hotel Manila deluxe five-star hotel, conveniently located at the crossroads of Metro Manila’s main thoroughfares, Roxas Boulevard and Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue. Relax and enjoy the hotel’s range of facilities at US$99 per night in a Superior Room, including breakfast for two, 15% discount at Restaurant Riviera, 10% discount at the famous luxury departmental store Rustan’s and Executive Club upgrade at US$48.
Boracay Island in the Philippines could be welcoming more luxury hotels to its shores before long. Representatives of both Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons are said to have been looking for a site, according to Samie Lim who is Chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce. The island is already seeing the construction of a Shangri-La Resort & Spa which is due to open in the middle of 2007.