ONLY two days to go before the whole world welcomes the New Year, 2015, popping Champagne bottles, blowing horns and sending fireworks up to light the dark night sky with spectacular displays of color and light. Everyone is in a mad race to prepare for the New Year’s festivities to celebrate it with style — and so hotels and restaurants, masters of the trade, have laid out a whole range of food offerings, events and other services to make the New Year’s celebration so much more enjoyable for everyone.
GOURMET INDULGENCES
The countdown is on at Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, which starts the fond farewell to 2014 on December 31, 2014, with Richmonde Café’s New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner Buffet priced at Php1,480 nett, inclusive of entertainment, party favors and a choice of bottomless iced tea or glass of red or white wine. The buffet spread features dishes such as Salt and Pepper Crusted Prime Rib with Sage Jus, Duck a l’Orange, Gianduja Mousse, Pistachio Sans Rival and Buche de Noel.
By 9:00 p.m., the Hotel Lobby gears up for a night of partying at the New Year’s Eve Countdown Party, which welcomes 2015 in high spirits. It’s a choice of drink (beer, cocktail, soda, iced tea or chilled juice) with pica-pica buffet items and an engaging live performance of favorite 70s and 80s retro tunes from the Big Bash Band and, as the year winds down and the countdown to the New Year begins, a glass of sparkling wine with fun party favors for the New Year’s toast. Party tickets go for Php750 nett.
For those who are availing of both the New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner Buffet and the New Year’s Eve Countdown Party, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas offers a discounted rate of Php1,850 nett. Those who want to enjoy their first breakfast of 2015 at the hotel, the New Year’s Day Breakfast Buffet at Richmonde Café is priced at an affordable Php800 nett. And for party animals who, after enjoying an all-night celebration, want to stay overnight and enjoy New Year’s Day with recovery food and a festive breakfast, New Year’s Eve Countdown Room Rates start at Php5,800 nett and include two tickets to the Countdown Party.
Other promotions available are the New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet Room Packages, whose rates start at Php6,500 nett, inclusive of buffet dinner for two and bottomless drinks to go with an overnight stay; and the New Year’s Eve Package Bundle Package, which starts at Php7,800 nett, with buffet dinner and tickets to the Countdown Party for two persons to go with an overnight stay. Both are inclusive of buffet breakfast for two, Wi-Fi access, and the use of the Health Club’s gym and heated indoor pool.
For inquiries or reservations, call 689-8419 or 638-7777 extension 3409.
A LAVISH AND COZY STAY
Crimson Hotel Filinvest City Manila make welcoming the New Year so much more meaningful and with its offer of a 5-star getaway in the Metro South — book two consecutive nights in a Deluxe Room for Php10,000 nett or in a Premier Room at Php11,000 nett, inclusive of buffet breakfast for two at Café Eight, and get a third night free. This promo is good until January 5, 2015.
For those availing of the hotel’s generous buffet spread on New Year’s Eve, the rate is Php1,500++ per person.
Crimson Hotel has also put together a special party to usher in the New Year with a buffet dinner, party favors and entertainment provided by Arpie and the Multivitamins at the Crimson Grand Ballroom on December 31, 2014, at Php2,015++ per person.
For room inquiries and reservations, call 863-2222 or 305-3000.
NEW YEAR’S COUNTDOWN
The newly rebranded Hotel Jen Manila, formerly Traders Hotel Manila, rekindles the Yuletide spirit of merriment with IndulJent surprises and special treats until January 14, 2015.
Style up and mingle all the way for a LeJendary night with the hotel’s countdown to the New Year 2015 party at Jen’s Club Lounge with an amplifying beat of funk, hip-hop, soul and electronic dance music by DJ Aryan Magat, one of the coolest musicians and resident spinners in top bars in the metro. At Php1,188 nett per person, everyone can enjoy free flowing pica-pica, unlimited local beers and non-alcoholic beverages, plus a 180˚ stunning view of the Manila night lights. A New Year Countdown raffle shall also take place, with prizes including overnight stays at Hotel Jen Manila, a two-night stay in Traders Kuala Lumpur, Hotel Jen Penang, Traders Puteri Harbour Johor, Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort and Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa in Kota Kinabalu Malaysia, a two-night stay in Shangri-La Hotel Chiang Mai Thailand, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa Cebu.
A special New Year’s Eve Buffet is also available at Latitude All-day Dining Restaurant and Kitsho Japanese Restaurant and Sake Bar for Php1,188 nett per person.
For an overnight stay on December 31, 2014, the rate for a Deluxe Room is Php8,888 nett and for a Club Room is Php10,888 nett, inclusive of dinner for two persons at Latitude, tickets for two at the New Year’s Eve Countdown Party at the Club Lounge, all-day non-alcoholic drinks at the Club Lounge, and breakfast for two for guests staying in a Club Room or Suite.
For inquiries and reservations, call 795-8888.
A SPECTACULAR EVENING
As 2014 comes to an end, Eastwood Richmonde Hotel is preparing a spectacular evening to ring in the New Year with sumptuous cuisine, free flowing drinks, lively band entertainment and ecstatic vibes.
The chefs are laying out a delectable array of international dishes in a lavish New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet at Eastwood Café, featuring freshly cooked items from the buffet’s action stations, plus a variety of mouth-watering dishes such as Oyster Rockefeller, Roasted Turkey with Stuffing, Roasted Prime Rib of Beef and Grilled Spiced Salmon for Php1,580 nett. Kids aged 5 and below get to eat for free, while kids aged 6 to 12 get 50% discount.
The hotel’s fun and filling New Year’s Eve Countdown Party, priced at Php1,080, takes place at The Gallery and starts at 9:00 p.m., with a bar chow buffet, limitless drinks from the bar’s selection of local beers, featured cocktails, iced tea and sodas, and awesome covers of the Ammo Band while waiting for midnight. The price is Php1,080 nett.
There’s also Eastwood Café’s New Year’s Day Bubbly Brunch Buffet, priced at Php1,580 nett, that includes a bevy of all-time favorite breakfast and lunch dishes, plus special carvings of Roasted Chuck Eye Beef and Homemade Glazed Ham, and a glass of Moscato and other drinks.
For inquiries and reservations, call 570-7777.
BOUNTIFUL SELECTIONS
Tidings of hearty Fil-Spanish delights await at Casa Roces, as this full-service metro resto-café offers its new and expanded El Bulto del Casa special to-go menu perfect for the rest of the holidays. This menu combines best-selling dishes with new additions for bulk take-out orders, so customers can create their own dish combinations that meet their own preferences for, say, Media Noche on December 31, 2014.
For fresh, crisp greens, El Bulto del Casa Salad (good for 12 to 15 persons) choices include Crispy Lengua Caesar Salad and Russian Salad. Mouth-watering appetizers, such as Choritos en Balsamico, Quezo de Bola Croquettas and Paella Croquettas, can be combined with a Vegetable Lasagna pasta platter. For the main entrée, one can order Oven-baked Wellington, Chicken Galantina, Morcon Estofado, Pescado al Horno, Callos a la Abuelita, Lengua in Mushroom-Cognac Sauce, Cochinillo, Turkey with Stuffing, Paella Valenciana, Paella Negra, Paella con Setas, Roast Beef with Mushroom Sauce and Roast Leg of Lamb with Glazed Camote.
Luscious cakes — Twix Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie, Apple Pie and English Trifle — are just a phone call away.
Also available are Christmas Menu Packages, with each set priced at Php1,200+ per person and includes salad, soup, entrées and beverages. All packages come with Sangria Te and Coffee or Tea as beverage options. Then there are the boxed desserts and pastry selections, such as Holiday Bars, Christmas Pudding and Smores; as well as native Spanish delicatessen, including Turron Almendras, Spanish Sardines Empanada and Gourmet Tuyo in Corn Oil; and bottled delights like citrus vinaigrettes, pasta sauces, salad dressings and coffee beans.
For inquiries, reservations and orders, call 735-5896 or 488-1929.
(Richmonde Hotel Ortigas can be found at 21 San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Crimson Hotel Filinvest City Manila is located at Entrata Urban Complex, 2609 Civic Drive, Filinvest City Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Hotel Jen Manila’s address is 3001 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City. Eastwood Richmonde Hotel is located at 17 Orchard Road, Eastwood City, Bagumbayan, Quezon City. Casa Roces can be found at 1153 J.P. Laurel corner Aguado Streets, San Miguel, Manila.)
