The Cupcake and I recently had a babymoon staycation in Makati—particularly in The Peninsula Manila. It was something I really wanted to do ever since our trip to Cebu last September got canceled due to the lockdown. That, plus he’s not comfortable with me flying anymore while I’m pregnant—which I completely understand.
And since a lot of nearby beach resorts don’t allow pregnant women at the moment (we fall under people with comorbidities), it was either I booked a hotel or an Airbnb. In the end, after inquiring from different establishments, it was The Peninsula Manila who said via Facebook Messenger that they allowed pregnant women to book a staycation at their hotel.Our Babymoon at The Peninsula Manila
The reason I really wanted to push through with a babymoon is that it’s the last time the Cupcake and I will get to spend some time together before we become a family of three! Five—if you count Booboo and Bellatrix. Haha! The pandemic forced us to cancel our honeymoon last 2020 as well and to be honest, I miss traveling and going on adventures and food trips with my husband. I can’t wait for the day we can experience new things together again!
For now, a staycation was something we were able to do. If you’re wondering what the requirements are, The Peninsula Manila requires all guests to present their vaccination cards. Since the Cupcake and I are fully vaccinated, we just showed them our vaccination cards and valid IDs. Meanwhile, unvaccinated guests (including kids) need to present negative RT-PCR results taken at least 48 hours prior to check-in.
Despite arriving two hours before standard check-in time, The Peninsula Manila accommodated us and gave us our room right away. We booked a deluxe room with a king-sized bed and that had a decent view of the swimming pool. The last time I stayed at Manila Pen was probably in 1999. My family and I checked in to celebrate New Year’s Eve! After that, it was usually just attending events or having dinner with my family at The Lobby.
Food Trip at the Pen During Our Babymoon
Lunch at Spices
For lunch on our first day, we ate in Spices and ordered their Pad Thai, Chicken Satay, and Palak Paneer. I enjoyed the Palak Paneer with rice so much! After lunch, we took a quick walk around the pool area before watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in our room.
Merienda by the Pool
Later that day, we had merienda at the pool bar. We ordered an All-Meat Pizza and shared a mocktail! The tables were well-distanced, and we stayed furthest from families who were eating in the same area. As much as I wanted to swim, I decided not to—since there were a few kids and their parents swimming in the pool.
In-Room Dining for Dinner
Dinner was fun because we ordered from room service instead. I enjoyed the Risotto Alla Milanese while the Cupcake had the Peninsula Wagyu Beef Burger together with French fries. For dessert, we helped ourselves to the Halo-Halo Harana and a Chocolate Decadence Cake. If you want to see the full menu of the hotel’s in-room dining, it’s available on their website!
Breakfast at The Lobby
The next day, we had breakfast in The Lobby since this was included in the room we booked. Fortunately, there weren’t too many people eating so I felt safe. I also knew that the hotel took their guests’ safety very seriously. For breakfast, I had Smoked Salmon Wholewheat Bagel while the Cupcake ordered Eggs Benedict. It came with unlimited coffee, bread rolls, and butter. I only had one cup of coffee since my OB only allows me to drink one cup a day.
A 5-Star Babymoon Experience
Other things I took full advantage of were our room’s bathtub, where I was able to indulge in a bubble bath, and the hotel’s pillow menu. I requested Tempur orthopedic pillows to sleep on! I also appreciated that the reception extended our check-out time the following day to two in the afternoon. So after our late breakfast, we weren’t in a hurry to pack up. Moreover, Manila Pen allows guests to do self-check-out. We didn’t have to line up at the reception anymore. We just called the concierge to inform them we were leaving and left our key cards in the room. I forgot to mention that parking is free for checked-in guests. You just need to ask for a car pass from the reception. We requested one the night before.
A Memorable Babymoon Staycation
So that was our babymoon staycation in Makati to relax and unwind before our baby is born! I hope that more and more people get the vaccine so that this pandemic can end soon. I really want our baby to enjoy and experience the outside world without fear and without me being paranoid and scared.
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