EVERY now and then, we need to break away from the routine of our everyday lives to relax and recharge and not fall into the trap of feeling burned-out. Just recently, I did just that – take a break from work and go out-of-town for some much-needed R&R. My husband Raff and I hied off to Clark, Pampanga, with good friends Lualhati Fausto, Fernan Nebres and Lester Hallig of Philippine Star and Manila Bulletin’s Joseph Gonzales, Maan Pamaran and Noel Pabalate for an overnight staycation at Widus Resort and Casino. Well, it was still work-related, since we were doing a hotel and food feature on Widus (*pronounced “with us”), but it also afforded us some hours of leisure and relaxation away from the concrete jungle that is Metro Manila.
Widus is a de luxe class hotel accredited by the Department of Tourism, and it has earned the distinction of being named as one of the Top 13 Luxury Hotels and Top 25 Hotels in the Philippines by the prestigious travel website Tripadvisor.com. With a façade and interiors that reflect a refreshing ambiance inspired by the simple yet elegant characters of modern Asian design, Widus is a good place to go because of its proximity and accessibility from Manila. It’s just a two-hour drive from Manila, which means it’s very near, and yet it’s far enough to put you in a relaxed vacation mode. The resort hotel houses 119 rooms, 80% of which are suites and 20% are de luxe rooms designed to cater to the international market “required” by its strategic location, being just five minutes away from the Clark International Airport, where there are direct flights to and from Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and other key cities in Southeast Asia.
SUMPTUOUS MEALS
No, we didn’t go to the casino and gamble. We spent our time enjoying ourselves within the confines of the hotel because. Arriving in time for lunch, Widus general manager Alfred Reyes treated the group to a delightful sitdown lunch at Salt Resto, which is the main dining outlet of the hotel located at the lobby level. It has just been renovated and with its contemporary look, spacious dining room and live-kitchen concept and a wide selection of local and international dishes on its menu, Salt treats guests to a whole new dining experience.
Our awesome lunch consisted of five courses: Mussels Kilpatrick (four pieces of baked mussels with bacon and cheese on half shells); Seafood Chowder (a rich and creamy seafood chowder soup that in itself is already filling); Salad Nicosia (salad greens with green beans, cherry tomatoes and black olives with balsamic vinaigrette and a generous chunk of pink tuna that has been seared on the outside); Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Red Wine Gravy Served with Cucumber, Mashed Potato and Sticks of Baguio Veggies for the main course; and a big Fruit Tart for dessert.
After lunch, we took a tour around the rooms of the hotel, visiting a De Luxe Room, a Family Junior Suite, a One-Bedroom Suite and the Presidential Suite. The rooms total 119 for now, but by the end of the year, it will shoot up to 233 rooms with the addition of 114 rooms from the new wing of the hotel, Tower 2, that is already under construction.
The additional rooms are necessary, not just to support the number of casino players that visit Clark, specifically the Widus Casino housed in the building right across the hotel, but also in anticipation of the higher traffic of travelers coming in via Clark International Airport, which is slowly but surely turning out to be the gateway to the North. Clark Freeport Zone itself is steadily gaining popularity with more duty-free shops opening and the presence of golf courses, wakeboarding facilities and Nayong Pilipino in the area. The additional rooms in the new wing of Widus will also come in handy once Widus’ new convention center is fully operational. The convention center is also being built at the moment and will be formally opened to the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) market. The convention center should also be perfect as a venue for weddings, birthdays and other big celebrations.
The casino itself is always abuzz with activity, so that a restaurant, Malt Bar and Coffee Shop, can be found right inside the casino and it is open 24 hours daily to serve snacks, lunch , dinner, coffee and cocktails. To cater to the mid and upscale market of the casino, Widus is likewise putting up a steakhouse on top of the casino, and it will not just serve exquisite steaks but also offer a picturesque view of the golf course nearby.
Towards the end of the room tour, we got to take a peek at Aisia Spa, where highly trained therapists massage guests’ stresses away using elite natural skincare products. Guests can either book a massage in the spa or opt for room service for the ultimate in comfort. We also paid a visit to the Gym, which occupied the room next to the spa. It was fully equipped with state-of-the-art gym equipment.
After a short rest in the room, where I got to check my email, write a blog post and finish two articles for FLAVORS Magazine while Raff went for a swim in the Pool with Noel and Maan, it was dinner time.
We headed back to Salt Resto, where Alfred had his chefs prepare another sumptuous meal for us. We had Caesar Salad for starters, followed by a delightfully light but flavorful Egg Drop Soup that set the tone for a Tenderloin Steak for the main course, with the waiter asking each of us how we wanted our steaks done. With an apologetic look at Alfred and a heartfelt “Sorry,” I said “Well done.” I know steaks are best enjoyed medium rare, but I can’t quite acquire the taste for it. If I must eat steak, I still prefer it fully cooked. We capped the meal with a platter of Fresh Fruits, with pineapple, melon and watermelon slices artistically arranged together on the plate.
GLOW-IN-THE-DARK COCKTAILS
What’s a night out of town without a cool night out? Well, we decided to proceed to Widus Resort and Casino’s Prism Lounge that stood next door to Salt at the lobby level. It’s a sophisticated and upscale bar and a perfect chill-out spot for guests who want to share a drink or two with family or friends, chill out and relax over good music and good company before retiring for the night.
There’s live entertainment, and we enjoyed the songs performed by the duo on stage on that day. We sang along to some of the songs while taking a sip of Prism Cocktail Madness. It’s a whole range of colorful and delightful cocktail drinks that had glow-in-the-dark ice cubes in them. We had the whole range – red, blue, green, yellow, orange and violet – and after having a feast taking pictures of them against a backdrop of darkness, we each reached for a cocktail, took a sip and compared notes of their taste profiles. By the time we were done with the drinks, we fished out the glow-in-the-dark ice cube in each glass and got to keep it. Alfred said we could. Guests who order these cocktail drinks do get to keep the ice cube.
A bit tipsy and gay, we called it a night and slipped into our own rooms to retire for the night.
RISE AND SHINE, BREAKFAST IS SERVED
The next morning, members of the media group trickled into Salt Restaurant for breakfast in twos or threes. It was an easy morning, and breakfast was at everyone’s leisure. Salt served buffet breakfast until 10:00 a.m., laying out a buffet spread of salads, cold cuts and appetizers, fresh fruits, eggs cooked any way you liked at the Egg Station, hot dishes off the chafing dishes, steamed dumplings and siopao from the Dimsum Corner, and hot and savory noodle soups from the Noodle Station. Because Koreans formed a huge percentage of Widus’ clientele, the breakfast buffet selections also included a number of Korean dishes, such as Kimchi, Kimbap and Jeyuk Bokum.
The bread and pastry section also laid out a generous spread of Hard Rolls, Wheat Rolls, Ensaymada, Pan de Coco, Chocolate Chip Muffins and Widus’ specialty, Ube Ensaymada.
With a full and satisfied tummy and renewed energy, we hit the road and headed back to Manila after a much enjoyed out-of-town staycation in Clark. We all need to take a much-needed break every now and then, and I’m glad I had one well-spent break in Widus, a de luxe staycation destination in Clark, Pampanga.
I shall be back.
(Widus Resort and Casino is located at Bldg. 5400 M.A. Roxas Highway, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, with telephone number (+63 45) 499-1000. The Makati Sales Office can be found at Unit 2311, Cityland Herrera Tower, 98 V.A. Rufino cor. Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati City, with contact number 840-1430.)
