One of our grandest and most memorable hotel stays happened last year. It was my husband's 41st birthday and we opted to celebrate it in one of Dusit Thani's Grand Rooms. We were so excited, that a week before our scheduled check-in, everything was planned. Our 3 daughters couldn't keep their excitement as D-day grew nearer. As I was packing their small tent and few of their toys, board games and favorite stuffed dolls inside our big bag, I knew in my heart that our one-night stay in Dusit Thani would be a blast.August 28, 2010- Upon our arrival in Dusit's busy but impressive hotel lobby, we were greeted with warm smiles. A lady in Thai national costume accompanied me towards the line to the registration while my kids roam around. I was glad my request for an early check in was granted! Weeeee! Happy, indeed! Oh, we felt so at home right away.
As soon as we opened the door to our Grand Room #1105, my kids immediately looked for the bed and jumped on it, while my hubby checked the TV channels, haha!
The view from the entrance door. Straight ahead is the bedroom. A wall separates the bedroom and the living area. The Grand Room has a separate living area which is simple but elegantly designed.
The living area
The pantryThe bedroom is spacious with a designated work station. And oh, there's an LCD flat screen TV in both rooms so there's no need to fight over the remote control. There were two of them, anyway. It proved to be very ideal for us since my hubby is such a basketball freak while my kids are into Playhouse Disney.
Family picture in the bedroom
The view from the bedroom and look at the red thingy there, it was the kiddie tent our kids set up. Ain't it cute?
Just as we were about to check out the pool, the food that we ordered arrived while my hubby's family was also waiting for us to fetch them at the lobby. Everyone was excited, I could tell!
Picture taking at the spacious living area after my hubby's birthday merienda celebration. See, the Grand Room could fit us all!One of the things that I consider important whenever we stay in a hotel is the pool and everything around it. We have 3 kids who love swimming and really enjoy playing by the pool (in fact, one of them even wants to be a mermaid), so much so that whenever we pack our bags, I do make sure to pack their water toys. Well, not really water toys but toys which they can play with while in the pool.
All dressed up for the afternoon's highlight -- SWIMMING fun! Dusit Thani's pools are lovely. Months before we checked in, I already checked out the pool area and I fell in love with it. I went home that day telling my kids how nice and lovely Dusit Thani's pool area is. I guess, it's like seeing a glimpse of Thailand, although I haven't been to Thailand yet.
Dusit Thani has 3 pools. One very shallow pool more for toddlers, one less shallow pool for kids and one adult pool. Those three were all very inviting. The very shallow pool with a nice little mermaid sculpture is not limited to children, by the way. I stayed there the entire time with and without my kids.
They also have an area, like a small pavilion, where you can chill out, relax and just spend time reading, reflecting or taking an afternoon nap. There were thin mattresses lying around the wooden floor. I was really tempted to get one for myself and take even just a 15-minute power nap. But I was too busy taking pictures to capture those wonderful moments my family was having.
See, much of our family bonding time during our stay there was spent in the pool.
An oasis that was Devarana Spa
Stepping into the Devarana Spa was like stepping into an oasis. The mood was just so relaxing and the ambiance was so light and tranquil.
My hubby related to me step-by-step how he spent the most luxurious time of his life when he experienced the Devarana Spa. How I envied him for that. But it was his birthday and he deserved a day of pampering, free of stress and just enjoy living the life!
The lobby
It was late at night when we sneaked out of our room and hubby brought his camera and tripod along. We took the liberty of posing at the grand lobby of Dusit Thani while everybody was asleep. See, nobody's around....
Feeling like a queen and king Going loco over coco at Dusit Gourmet
I discovered something delicious at Dusit Gourmet - their Coconut Bread! Their mongo bread was also good but it was their coconut bread that made me go loco, hahaha! I took home two loaves of this.
I was looking 
for a cake that night for my hubby. He doesn't have a sweet-tooth nor is a cake-lover like me, so I wanted to give him a treat that wasn't too sweet. I thought the Apple Tart would be perfect. I brought it into our room and we had it as midnight snack together with the Coconut Bread. And yes, that was what we served when 2 more guests arrived that night. Lovely!
for a cake that night for my hubby. He doesn't have a sweet-tooth nor is a cake-lover like me, so I wanted to give him a treat that wasn't too sweet. I thought the Apple Tart would be perfect. I brought it into our room and we had it as midnight snack together with the Coconut Bread. And yes, that was what we served when 2 more guests arrived that night. Lovely!
and much more at BASIXAt Basix was where we had our complimentary breakfast buffet. There was a variety of food which could satisfy different tastes - Asian, Western, Indian, Continental.
I love their fruit and bread selection --- abundant & fresh! It was where I headed first. And then after finishing my fruits and breads, guess where I headed next -- the BACON section! I just had a few pieces, mind you.
Lots and lots of bacon! I love! Weeeee!My hubby was so happy with his breakfast. He had a plateful of his favorite breakfast fare - tapa, tocino, corned beef, bacon and a lot more. My daughter on one hand, who was the only one who joined me and my hubby (our other 2 daughters were still asleep) at that time, was happy with her fruits and some freshly baked pastries.
A donut for breakfast? Well, why not, donut?After having breakfast at Basix, all our kids were up and were raring to explore the rest of Dusit Thani. We went to the koi pond and Zen garden where the kids enjoyed feeding the fishes.
A must-see for the whole family - Dusit's Koi pondThe Koi pond, Zen garden and the mini bridge are not to be missed when visiting Dusit Thani. It was so refreshing to see these koi fishes swimming in the pond. Being here gave me a feeling of serenity maybe because of the zen-like atmosphere. I felt like a Japanese girl in a Japanese park :-)
A great place for the whole family, I swear
Everything is great at Dusit! - location, food, service, staff, ambiance, amenitiesOur stay in Dusit had been very pleasurable and most memorable. I, my husband and our 3 daughters couldn't wait to go back here. My husband wants to celebrate his birthday here every year. How I wish we could afford it... (sigh).
This place has left a lasting impression on us. It has left a soft spot in my heart. Truly, it was a delight to experience Dusit.
Dusit Thani Manila website:
http://www.dusit.com/dusit-thani/dusit-thani-manila.html
3 comments:
Looks like you all had a blast. Congrats Vivian!
Yes, Jenny, my family and I had so much fun. Thanks!
Great review.....glad you all had a great time :)
My wife and I are booked into the Shangri La again, but I'm tempted to book the Grand Room here, as its better value than the Shangri La.
Is the security at the hotel as good as the Shangri La?
Thank you :)
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