May your heart find fulfillment in The One who brings you real joy. :) Happy Valentines Day!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Home Away From Home.
This post has been edited (and edited, and edited through the months I was on hiatus) so much so that I decided to just write a new one. My sentiments are the same, however -- Hotel Benito will always be my Hong Kong home.
~~~
A and I were walking back to Ramada (a dinky hotel my dad booked at the last minute - long story!) to meet my folks before they headed out on the A21 back to the airport. We had gone to Mongkok for the day and decided to get out of the B2 MTR Exit. I normally do not look up while walking on heavily-populated streets, but that evening, as I walked down Cameron Road, I decided to stop and look up. On the huge billboard in front of me was a sign announcing a new hotel that had just opened the month before. This was around 4+ years ago. The new hotel was news to me and my friends on the Pinoy Exchange Hong Kong thread (an online thread we help moderate). See, we had been looking for a nice boutique hotel. A number of us wanted to organize an EB in Hong Kong. Many of us budget travelers, we had wanted the comforts of a nice, clean hotel, without the hotel price. Hotel Benito was just that - the location came as a bonus.
Hotel Benito opened in 2007. An IKEA-inspired (well, we all think so, as it smelled like IKEA when we first walked into our room back then) boutique hotel smack right in the middle of busy Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon.
On our next trip to Hong Kong for Holy Week of 2008, my mom wanted no other hotel. It was Hotel Benito for its location! So I called and booked us 3 rooms. Needless to say, the experience was superb! My dad especially enjoyed their business lounge*, with free-flowing coffee, tea, hot choco, water, juice and Japanese Rice Crackers! Haha! My siblings loved the fact that they had laptops available for use at the lounge (if you're the type who hates lugging a laptop when you travel) and free net access** in rooms! We also loved the idea that the hotel was surrounded by bakeries, fast food joints, and shops. It was also a 2-minute walk to the nearest MTR exit; A stone's throw away from the A21 bus stop (DIY travelers know how important proximity to the bus stop is!). My youngest brother loved it that it was next door to Tom Lee Music. My kids and I just loved everything about it.
When I first took my little boy, who was then 6 months old, to Hong Kong, I considered Hotel Benito right away. It was most convenient for kids. Especially when you have to take numerous trips back to the hotel for naps, poop breaks, or just to dump half a day's worth of shopping. Parent travelers would know what I mean when I say: Convenient location is NECESSARY when traveling with kids. LOL!
There was one last-minute trip to the homeland where I didn't get to book with Hotel Benito. We were so last minute then, plus it was peak season, that we decided to book ourselves into a guesthouse to save on budget and the hassle. I felt so sorry for my kids that I allowed them that experience! RL (who was then 1), A (then 8) and I had to squish into a room the size of my bathroom. Heck, even my itsy-bitsy bathroom at home is bigger than that room! Sure, I may have saved half of what I would've spent at Hotel Benito, but I learned my lesson that trip. We were booked for 6 nights - 3 of which we spent in that small hole. A small hole not even worth my 300HKD.
Let me tell you this, nothing is worth the extra moolah when it comes to convenience and the comfort of your kids. When all is said and done, a nice, safe hotel puts a single parent's traveling dilemmas at ease. After that small box of a stay, each Hong Kong trip was planned with Hotel Benito in mind. We haven't stayed anywhere else since. I've probably convinced every aunt, cousin, friend, pastor, officemate, etc to stay at Hotel Benito! So far, we've stayed at this hotel a total of 8x, not counting the separate times my family has booked with Hotel Benito without us.
Of course it's not the Four Seasons nor The Pen. It's a Boutique Hotel.
But the hospitality here beats any 5-star hotel in Hong Kong. Their concierge, Louie, greets me with a "Welcome Back" each time he sees me. But because Hotel Benito is my Hong Kong home, to me, his welcome is synonymous to "Welcome Home."
Hotel Benito is at 7-7B Cameron Lane cor. Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Standard Room Rates are HK$825 and up. Rates vary, so write to them to inquire for rates for your stay.
For inquiries and bookings, email them direct at info@hotelbenito.com or through reservation@hotelbenito.com.
*Business Lounge access is HK$40 for single entry, HK$70 for multiple entry for the duration of your stay - inclusive of free-flowing water, coffee, juice, crackers, and use of their laptop computers with internet access.
**Free wifi in rooms! Wired internet is also available, LAN cables are available upon request.
Check out the Hotel Benito webpage here.
http://www.hotelbenito.com
~~~
A and I were walking back to Ramada (a dinky hotel my dad booked at the last minute - long story!) to meet my folks before they headed out on the A21 back to the airport. We had gone to Mongkok for the day and decided to get out of the B2 MTR Exit. I normally do not look up while walking on heavily-populated streets, but that evening, as I walked down Cameron Road, I decided to stop and look up. On the huge billboard in front of me was a sign announcing a new hotel that had just opened the month before. This was around 4+ years ago. The new hotel was news to me and my friends on the Pinoy Exchange Hong Kong thread (an online thread we help moderate). See, we had been looking for a nice boutique hotel. A number of us wanted to organize an EB in Hong Kong. Many of us budget travelers, we had wanted the comforts of a nice, clean hotel, without the hotel price. Hotel Benito was just that - the location came as a bonus.
 |
| Not the same billboard as this one replaced the one announcing the new hotel. |
 |
| Home away from home - Hotel Benito. |
Hotel Benito opened in 2007. An IKEA-inspired (well, we all think so, as it smelled like IKEA when we first walked into our room back then) boutique hotel smack right in the middle of busy Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon.
On our next trip to Hong Kong for Holy Week of 2008, my mom wanted no other hotel. It was Hotel Benito for its location! So I called and booked us 3 rooms. Needless to say, the experience was superb! My dad especially enjoyed their business lounge*, with free-flowing coffee, tea, hot choco, water, juice and Japanese Rice Crackers! Haha! My siblings loved the fact that they had laptops available for use at the lounge (if you're the type who hates lugging a laptop when you travel) and free net access** in rooms! We also loved the idea that the hotel was surrounded by bakeries, fast food joints, and shops. It was also a 2-minute walk to the nearest MTR exit; A stone's throw away from the A21 bus stop (DIY travelers know how important proximity to the bus stop is!). My youngest brother loved it that it was next door to Tom Lee Music. My kids and I just loved everything about it.
 |
| Watsons Personal Care Store right below the hotel, the famous dessert place - Hui Lau Shan, right across. |
 |
| McDonald's 24-Hour store, KFC, Yoshinoya and Burger King right outside your hotel! Look! A Crocs store! |
 |
| 6-month old RL, looking out the window at Hotel Benito. |
 |
| No way we're staying at a guesthouse again! |
Let me tell you this, nothing is worth the extra moolah when it comes to convenience and the comfort of your kids. When all is said and done, a nice, safe hotel puts a single parent's traveling dilemmas at ease. After that small box of a stay, each Hong Kong trip was planned with Hotel Benito in mind. We haven't stayed anywhere else since. I've probably convinced every aunt, cousin, friend, pastor, officemate, etc to stay at Hotel Benito! So far, we've stayed at this hotel a total of 8x, not counting the separate times my family has booked with Hotel Benito without us.
 |
| RL checking out our Deluxe Twin Room. Nice! |
 |
| Mounted LCD TV that shows Cartoon Network, National Geographic, HBO, etc. |
 |
| Book Direct and get welcome fruits and a note from their manager when you arrive. You also get a daily supply of bottled water (2 bottles/ room) if you book directly with the hotel. |
 |
| Nice, Clean Bathroom. |
 |
| Shower enclosure, with Shampoo and Body Wash. |
 |
| Coffee, Tea, and Bottled Water! Personal ref inside the cabinet to the left. |
But the hospitality here beats any 5-star hotel in Hong Kong. Their concierge, Louie, greets me with a "Welcome Back" each time he sees me. But because Hotel Benito is my Hong Kong home, to me, his welcome is synonymous to "Welcome Home."
 |
| Perfect location! Click on the map to enlarge. |
For inquiries and bookings, email them direct at info@hotelbenito.com or through reservation@hotelbenito.com.
*Business Lounge access is HK$40 for single entry, HK$70 for multiple entry for the duration of your stay - inclusive of free-flowing water, coffee, juice, crackers, and use of their laptop computers with internet access.
**Free wifi in rooms! Wired internet is also available, LAN cables are available upon request.
Check out the Hotel Benito webpage here.
http://www.hotelbenito.com
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
What Blog?
Yes, I've been snoozing. The blog has been off the radar for quite some time now. I am sure many of you are wondering why, as I've received many a tweet and comment on this as well. I always give the same answer: life got in the way...
But here's the real deal.
The past year has brought many realizations. One of which is connected to the underlying purpose of this blog - which was a document of sorts for myfight quest to save my marriage. I know I write about other stuff, but this was how the blog name came about, and the rest, as they say, is history. Along the way, however, I've come to realize that it was a tiring, tiring journey. And I was losing momentum, if not losing direction.
So because I did not want to come across as a hypocrite, I decided to stop blogging. For a while. Get my thoughts together. Get back my fervor. Get back my stride.
2011 sure wasn't my year. I ended it with a bang (well, sort of) and found myself searching my innermost thoughts and scouring my soul over the Christmas-New Year holidays, only to come out more confused, and undecided as to which path I really wanted to take.
But God has been good. He remained faithful, even when I didn't. He never did let go. While I... well, I barely hung on.
So excuse the absence and expect a comeback. For finally, I've realized that my path isn't to work on something that I cannot fix. But to trust that God has something great in the end, whether the outcome is to my liking or not. I cannot predict a happy end to my quest. I trust God knows what's best for me, and that He will deliver. What that may be... well, I am excited to discover.
Will you still join me on my journey? See you around!
But here's the real deal.
The past year has brought many realizations. One of which is connected to the underlying purpose of this blog - which was a document of sorts for my
So because I did not want to come across as a hypocrite, I decided to stop blogging. For a while. Get my thoughts together. Get back my fervor. Get back my stride.
2011 sure wasn't my year. I ended it with a bang (well, sort of) and found myself searching my innermost thoughts and scouring my soul over the Christmas-New Year holidays, only to come out more confused, and undecided as to which path I really wanted to take.
But God has been good. He remained faithful, even when I didn't. He never did let go. While I... well, I barely hung on.
So excuse the absence and expect a comeback. For finally, I've realized that my path isn't to work on something that I cannot fix. But to trust that God has something great in the end, whether the outcome is to my liking or not. I cannot predict a happy end to my quest. I trust God knows what's best for me, and that He will deliver. What that may be... well, I am excited to discover.
Will you still join me on my journey? See you around!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Richwell Kids Craze!
Guess who got a sneak peek? Well, moi, of course!
Richwell's Annual Warehouse Sale kicks off later today at exactly 1PM. My aunt and godmother Becca, knows MY, so I asked if she could get us invites to the strictly invitational preview yesterday. Thank heavens for my aunt, who knows practically everyone (actually, it's more like everyone knows her), she got us on the guest list! Love! Joy!
So KY and I went to check out the sale over lunch yesterday. No lines. No crowd. No fighting, shoving nor pushing. Just a handful of people shopping peacefully.
The warehouse this year is smaller than the one at Libis. So watch out for crazy lines (and crazy people!) and do come early.
Richwell's Kids Craze happens on the following dates:
November 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
December 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Their warehouse sale hours are as follows:
Saturdays and Sundays -- 9:00am to 6:00pm
Weekdays and Fridays -- 1:00pm to 6:00pm
How to get there:
The warehouse is at #34 Scout Torillo cor. Scout Limbaga, Quezon City.
From EDSA, get to Timog Avenue going to the Scout area (GMA 7 side). Head down towards Rotunda/ Timog-Tomas Morato intersection. Left on Scout Torillo (intersection where you see Metrobank), which is about a block away from the rotunda. Go down the length of two blocks until you reach Scout Limbaga. Tall warehouse building on the left before Scout Limbaga is your final destination! Entrance is on Scout Limbaga.
Bring baby wipes and hand sanitizer! If you're planning on scouring the shelves for seconds/ display units, it might be a wise idea to wear a mask (read: dusty). Oh, and don't forget to bring a helper so he/she can line up for you.
Expect long lines! And bring moolah as the sale is CASH BASIS ONLY! Good luck, and enjoy shopping! I know I did. :)
Know more about this sale and other Richwell events, "like" them on Facebook here.
Richwell's Annual Warehouse Sale kicks off later today at exactly 1PM. My aunt and godmother Becca, knows MY, so I asked if she could get us invites to the strictly invitational preview yesterday. Thank heavens for my aunt, who knows practically everyone (actually, it's more like everyone knows her), she got us on the guest list! Love! Joy!
So KY and I went to check out the sale over lunch yesterday. No lines. No crowd. No fighting, shoving nor pushing. Just a handful of people shopping peacefully.
 |
| Special Guests arrive to check out hot buys for this year's annual sale. Photo by: First Wives Club; Please leave me a note should you wish to use this photo. |
 |
| View from Right-End of store. Photo by: First Wives Club; Please leave me a note should you wish to use this photo. |
 |
| Scaffolding/ Racks of seconds or display units. That Art Master activity table is only P2000! No chair, accessories (lights and screws). I wanted to get it, but we don't have the space. Photo by: First Wives Club; Please leave me a note should you wish to use this photo. |
 |
| Check out the seconds racks for great, great deals. Barbie w/o box, P100 each! Photo by: First Wives Club; Please leave me a note should you wish to use this photo. |
 |
| View from the checker's area/ exit. (It's a small warehouse) Photo by: First Wives Club; Please leave me a note should you wish to use this photo. |
 |
| Four Cash Counters to serve you (photo shows three, I was at the fourth)! Look Ma, no lines. ;) Photo by: First Wives Club; Please leave me a note should you wish to use this photo. |
Richwell's Kids Craze happens on the following dates:
November 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
December 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Their warehouse sale hours are as follows:
Saturdays and Sundays -- 9:00am to 6:00pm
Weekdays and Fridays -- 1:00pm to 6:00pm
How to get there:
The warehouse is at #34 Scout Torillo cor. Scout Limbaga, Quezon City.
From EDSA, get to Timog Avenue going to the Scout area (GMA 7 side). Head down towards Rotunda/ Timog-Tomas Morato intersection. Left on Scout Torillo (intersection where you see Metrobank), which is about a block away from the rotunda. Go down the length of two blocks until you reach Scout Limbaga. Tall warehouse building on the left before Scout Limbaga is your final destination! Entrance is on Scout Limbaga.
 |
| Gigantic Banner on the warehouse facade, Scout Torillo side. Photo by: First Wives Club; Please leave me a note should you wish to use this photo. |
 |
| Scout Limbaga entrance. Photo by: First Wives Club; Please leave me a note should you wish to use this photo. |
Bring baby wipes and hand sanitizer! If you're planning on scouring the shelves for seconds/ display units, it might be a wise idea to wear a mask (read: dusty). Oh, and don't forget to bring a helper so he/she can line up for you.
Know more about this sale and other Richwell events, "like" them on Facebook here.
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