MEDIUM RARE
The sun also shines in the north, now that Solaire the Second is on our soil, all 30-plus stories and a high-end hotel (cum casino), at that, in Quezon City.
The original Solaire in Entertainment City, Parañaque, now has a twin, but if you know its owner, Enrique K. Razon – EKR to you – you know that EKR never repeats himself. Why, this new Solaire could give any of the hotels in Las Vegas a run for their dollars. Neither are there any half measures with EKR. It’s the full Monty or nada.
After work on a weekday, me and my partner in crime ventured to the brand-new Solaire QC, not far from my house. There was no problem finding a parking slot – with four floors to choose from, should there be? In addition, parking was free and traffic was two-way.
On foot, the first thing you notice upon entering the two-stories-high lobby is how bright the lights are and how much space there is, all around. The sight of little old ladies younger and older than myself was another good sign: it’s safe here. The food court was busy at 5:30 p.m., with restaurants offering Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Tex-Mex, and more. A big bowl of noodles with soup cost ₱360.
The best news I got was provided by a service worker wearing a white uniform, who asked if I’d heard that someone had hit the jackpot at the slot machines: “Fifteen million!” she exclaimed.
The sun shines on Solaire, so do the moon and stars. Outside, there was no traffic along the bend that curves into the parking building. Inside, the architecture and interior design emitted a relaxed vibe, unlike the under-the-skin excitement that Vegas is expected to stir up. Here, Solaire’s escalators looked playful, the twisted shapes of their muted lights changing colors. The ballroom was closed, no event scheduled.
It’s early days to compare this Solaire with its older sister, whose daily budget for fresh flowers cost a cool million. Here, I did not see that many floral arrangements — did I look in the wrong places? What I did notice was the carpets — spotlessly brand-new, clean, thick enough to make your heels sink into their plush, lush softness.