Manila Bulletin Lifestyle was recently invited to experience Hilton Manila's lesser-known hotel promotion: their Pet Staycation Package. As a new fur parent (or, as some pet parents say, a "meowdy"), this author was indeed excited to grab the chance to experience this unique stay in a hotel.
We were initially anxious about the logistics. Would we need to bring our cat Keanu's kitty litter? His food? But according to Hilton Manila, we didn't need to bring anything for the trip with our cat.
Keanu on his first road trip
Aleah Alam, the country director for marketing and communications at Hilton, assured us that everything would be included in the package. There would be a cat tree, a litter box, and treats for Keanu. She even said that they would serve dinner to our cat.
Even though we were assured that everything would be included, we decided to stay on the safe side and bring our Keanu's favorite snacks, treats, and toys. We even brought his own mini litter box with his favorite brand of litter.
The car trip to Hilton Manila from Quezon City was relatively uneventful. The Skyway made the trip quick, as we traveled from Quezon Avenue all the way to Pasay City. We made sure Keanu went to the potty first before venturing out on his first long car ride. He became a little anxious at first, but our good boy eventually became calm and contented himself with watching the traffic with all its moving (or unmoving) cars.
Keanu at the check-in counter
Next up was our check-in. The hotel staff was clearly used to checking in pets. From the parking lot to the lobby guards to the check-in counter, the staff were all helpful with regard to the pet staycation.
Cat owners who are planning a pet staycation should remember to bring a carrier, harness, and leash. Not all hotel guests are pet lovers, so it is important to be mindful of their feelings. Cats are different from dogs and can be sensitive to new sights, smells, and sounds. Keanu became agitated when he was in the noisy basement parking and when he was riding the escalator.
Keanu enjoying the view from the room.
Keanu is a six-month-old Scottish Straight.
Enjoying the soft bed at Hilton Manila
After checking in, we proceeded to our room. Keanu immediately and confidently went inside and explored his new playground. We were glad to see that Hilton had provided the appropriate accoutrements for the pet staycation room. There was a kitty bed, a litter box, a cat tree, sanitized water and food bowls, kitty snacks, and toys.
For the humans, the room was as you would expect from a posh hotel like Hilton Manila. The bed was feather-soft, the view overlooked the hotel's expansive pool area, and the bathroom was spacious and even had a bathtub.
Keanu had an absolutely fun time exploring every corner of the room and looking for dark corners to hide in. Like most happy cats, he enjoyed spending minutes staring out the window at the other guests swimming in the pool. The huge windows overlooking the hotel swimming pool area were a hit attraction for our Keanu.
The "Vubble Pods" at Hilton Manila
Dinner was at the "Vubble Pods," air-conditioned isolation pods complete with a dining table, snazzy dinnerware, and a butler and chef. Since it was our first pet staycation, we decided to splurge on the Vubble Pods. We had a Caesar salad, ribeye steak, and panna cotta for dessert. The chef prepared a special dish for Keanu as well—ground turkey with spinach.
Keanu dining at the Vubble Pod
Keanu enjoying his snazzy dinner with his fur parent
Ceasar Salad
Rib-eye steak
Blueberry Panna Cotta
After dinner, Keanu returned to our room with a full belly and an itch to explore the room further.
The next day, breakfast for the guests was at Hilton Manila's Kusina restaurant. As the restaurant does not allow pets inside, we had to leave our fur baby alone in his room. We were initially hesitant to leave Keanu on his own in the room, but upon returning after breakfast, we found the little critter staring out the window at the swimming pool.
We had a memorable first pet staycation. We all went home with happy memories, full tummies, and a desire to go back and experience the posh life at Hilton Manila again.
Hilton Manila has dynamic rates for the rooms, but for the pet fee, guests will need to add an additional P7,500. The pet fee is for a maximum of two pets, each weighing below 30 pounds.
The Hilton Manila Pet Staycation brochure can be found here: https://bit.ly/HiltonManilaBringBingo