A much-needed rest at Blue Lotus Hotel

I was not able to return home during the holidays because of the Covid-19. To celebrate it and also as a gift to myself, I decided to spend two nights at the Blue Lotus Hotel.

This is not the first time I spent the holiday at the hotel. The last time I stayed here was on January 1, 2020. I never got to write my thoughts about my stay there because of the pandemic. But the experience was good and it was a pleasant stay in their superior room.

BOOKING and CHECK-IN

For my recent stay here, I booked a Deluxe Room for two nights from December 24 to 26.

I booked my room a day before my intended date. The hotel was kind enough to accommodate my booking a night before my stay.

The process of booking a room through email was smooth. The reservation officer was very responsive and was able to give me a proper rundown about the room I am staying at and the amount I will be spending.

When I checked in at the hotel, I was informed by the front desk officer that I can book their two-nights promo instead. This promo includes breakfast and a plated dinner for one night. I took the offer at it was value for money and I will still be booked in the same room type.

THE ROOM

At around 30 square meters, the Deluxe Room was spacious.

When I entered my room, to my left was the closet and mini-bar while on my right was the bathroom.

There was a work table near the window. Unfortunately, when you look out the window, you do not have a view of the city but instead, you have a view of a hallway and the firewall.

Across the table is the queen-sized bed with four soft pillows. I love their bed and their pillows. I had a very comfortable and relaxing sleep on the bed.

On both sides of the bed are nightstands and reading lights. On one side is where you can find the wireless phone while on the other is the remote control for the Smart TV. You can access their digital room service through the TV.

The bathroom was clean and spacious. Blue Lotus Hotel has also prepared basic toiletries for their guests that include shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, hand soap, dental kit, and sanitary kit.

Another neat feature about the room is the responsive touchpads that you use to control the air conditioning unit and the lights.

At the area of the minibar, you can find complimentary tea and coffee, bottled water, a safe, and mini-fridge.

I also liked the finishings in the room like the blue carpet, blue headrest, and the pop of color from the painting on top of the bed.

It is also good to note that the room has been sanitized before they let guests spend the night here.

SERVICE

One stand-out feature of staying at Blue Lotus Hotel is their digital room service that you can access through the Smart TV. You can order food, request water, and check your bill through their digital room service.

*^{(This photo of the TV was taken during when I stayed at the hotel in January 2020)}*

The only time I used the phone was when I needed to ask for something that cannot be requested from the digital room service like an extra spoon or for room service to get my used plates.

Unlike my previous stay here, breakfast was plated instead of a breakfast buffet. The front desk officer sends you a text message a night before for your order. You can either dine at the Skyview Restaurant.

As for the minimum health protocols that are being implemented, I think Blue Lotus Hotel went the extra mile. For example, you do not need to press the buttons in the elevator. The hotel has put in place a footswitch that has been linked to the up, down, ground floor, and 7th-floor buttons on the control panel of the elevator. You can also use the tip of your key card to press the buttons.

Alcohol dispensers were also strategically placed around the hotel. Plastered around the hotel are reminders of wearing face masks and observing social distancing.

Digital services have also helped minimize human contact, lowering the risk of transmission.

During check-in, there was also a barrier at the front desk.

THE FOOD

Surprisingly, the food had been consistently good during my stay.

As I mentioned earlier, the promo came with dinner for one of the two nights. I opted to have mine on the first night since it was Noche Buena. The front desk provided me with a list of set meals that I can choose from.

I selected the chicken teriyaki wings with mushroom soup and buttered vegetables. It came with a side of garlic bread, chips, and a serving of pineapples. The chicken teriyaki was delicious. I liked that the chicken was juicy and the glaze was very tasty. The buttered vegetables were also good. The mushroom soup was just fine.

On my last night, I had their spaghetti bolognese and beef burger for my dinner. Both were quite good. Among the two, I enjoyed the beef burger the most. The beef patty was well seasoned and juicy.

For my breakfast here, I ordered the chicken tocino and the longganisa on the first day. I had breakfast at the Sky View Restaurant and enjoyed the cool breeze at the restaurant. I had to order the longganisa because I wanted to try more of their breakfast meals.

For my last day, I had the pork teriyaki on my last day. It came with a hot bowl of sotanghon, which was also quite good.

Overall, I was happy with the food they serve. It was tasty and satisfying.

SKY VIEW RESTAURANT

One of my favorite aspects of the hotel is its Sky View Restaurant. Located on the 7th floor of the hotel, the restaurant gives guests a scenic view of Davao City and the Davao Gulf.

At the restaurant, you can dine either inside the restaurant or at the outdoor dining area. In the evening or when the weather is good, I would recommend enjoying a meal in the outdoor dining area.

Buffet breakfast was served here pre-pandemic. The food served during the buffet was good overall based on when I stayed here before the pandemic happened.

*The set-up of the outdoor dining area during the pandemic*

BOTTOMLINE

I find it amusing that I started 2020 with an overnight stay at Blue Lotus Hotel and ended the year at the same hotel. The experience has been different.

One big difference is the presence of the buffet. During my first stay here, I was able to enjoy their breakfast buffet and a special dinner buffet.

Another big difference is having less interaction with the staff and not seeing their smiles.

While there may be some changes because of the need to adapt to a new normal, I still enjoyed my stay here during the holidays. The room was spacious, the bed was comfortable to sleep on, and the food was delicious. I was able to have a much-needed rest after a stressful year.