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[thehungrykat1]

Swissôtel Clark in Pampanga Offers Stylish Swiss Staycation and Hospitality

I had the opportunity last week to have a quick staycation at the newest international hotel brand in the country. Swissôtel Clark recently opened its doors last March at the heart of the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga and it offers such a different atmosphere and vibe from the usual hotel chains we see in Metro Manila. Our overnight stay was provided by the hotel when I attended the media preview for the opening of Ristorante Di Verona, their signature Italian restaurant, so I was also able to try some of their other dining outlets and to experience their unique Swiss Hospitality.

Swissôtel Clark is a part of the new Hann Casino Resort complex located inside Clark Freeport Zone, the bustling economic and tourism center of Central Luzon. Together with Swissôtel Clark in this area are two other hotels, Marriott Clark and Widus Hotel and Casino which are also under the Hann Casino group. It’s just a few minutes away from the Clark International Airport and duty free shops inside Clark. I was here last year for a staycation at Widus Hotel when this new section was still under construction, so I was really surprised to see this beautiful structure now fully operational and packed with hotel guests and casino players.

Guests will have to go around the central casino area to get to the lobby of Swissôtel Clark. All three hotels are connected through these corridors so you can also check out the other hotels' amenities and activities. There is a spacious parking level at the basement which is still free, so there’s no need to validate parking cards for now.

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is one of the best-known Swiss brands in the world, offering contemporary hotels infused with the freshness and vitality of alpine energy, rooted in the tradition of Swiss hospitality. I immediately felt this when I saw their gorgeous lobby lounge and front desk. With the mantra of “life is a journey,” Swissôtel aims to help the guests live well through its vitality offerings in every corner – rooms, food, amenities, and activities around and within the hotel.

After our hearty lunch at Ristorante Di Verona, I checked in to my Premium Room which offers 39 square meters of relaxing space. Premium Rooms come with one king or two double beds that come with posturepedic mattresses and quality linens that guarantee a superb night’s sleep. Each Swissotel pillow features a cotton Swiss-made cover and 100% pine shavings harvested in the Swiss Alps that carries the calming scent of nature to facilitate good rest and feather-light dreams.

There is abundant natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows that come with either city or mountain views. The Ultra-modern furnishings are offset by the understated Swiss style of the room’s blond wood floors and signature Swiss colors and designs. The 55-inch TV is elegantly incorporated into the room’s overall aesthetics. Thoughtful amenities are also designed to keep you connected such as USB charge points and the latest guestroom automation technology.

Just beside the bed is the marble bathroom which has blinds that you can open or close as you prefer. The walk-in rainshower comes with toiletry sets to guarantee a refreshing stay.

The bathroom also comes with a marble sink and illuminated vanity mirror. I was planning to take a dip at the hotel’s swimming pool but since I was still full from our lunch, I just decided to walk around the hotel first.

Located on the fifth floor, Swissôtel Clark’s resort-style infinity pool is a breath of fresh air that comes with sweeping views of the Zambales mountain range.

The children will love the separate kids’ pool, built for splashy fun under the sun. They will also soon be opening the only alpine spa in the Philippines, so that is another reason for me to come back here soon.

There are currently 10 specialty restaurants just within Swissôtel Clark serving everything from Asian street food delicacies to authentic Italian dishes. I definitely don’t have time to try all of them since I’m only staying for one night, but I’ll try to experience as much as I can. The Atrium is Swissôtel Clark’s exquisite lobby lounge nestled beneath the soaring palm trees just in front of the guest check-in area. It’s the perfect spot for a catch-up over a vitality lunch, traditional British afternoon tea, or happy hour drinks as they are open daily from 11:00am until 10:00pm.

The Atrium is particularly known for its artisan gin and tonic selection and I was right on time to have some afternoon cocktails. It is home to more than 40 collections of artisan gin and tonic, making it one of the biggest gin and tonic selections in the country.

They have a Create Your Own Gin & Tonic for only P350 each. Choose your own gin from their selection of fruity, citrus, herbaceous, or fresh and floral gin brands then add your choice of mixer and garnish. You can get creative or you can also choose one of their signature drinks, the Ginpom (P360) which is a homage to the “tangero” or Filipino street bartender. I ordered a Ginpom for myself which is made with fresh pomelo, guava juice, high quality tonic, and Pinoy Pride Archipelago Gin.

They also have signature cocktails such as the Munag Sumala (P350) which combines Plantation Dark Rum, salted caramel, banana and coconut milk, plus a scoop of Vanilla ice cream.

Just beside The Atrium is Oma’s which is a love letter to grandmothers everywhere. Oma’s is a nostalgic corner café in the lobby with a grand dessert bar at its heart. Bring your kids for a memorable treat, or come for some nostalgic reflections of your own as you select your favourite from the display case filled with cakes and pastries.

You can order a ganache-topped cupcake or a slice of fruit-glazed cheesecake. If you’re in the mood for some showmanship, opt for the teppanyaki ice cream prepared live before your eyes. Drink options are just as multicultural, with everything from bubble teas to artisan coffees and mouthwatering milkshakes.

After our afternoon cocktails, we went right next door to MARKT, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant. MARKT embraces the Swiss heritage with a tribute to the atmospheric marketplaces of Europe through its open-plan, plaza-style dining concept. It is open daily from 6:00am to 10:00am for breakfast then 11:00am to 10:00pm for lunch and dinner.

The plaza-style dining space is fringed with nostalgic storefronts, complete with striped awnings and chalkboard menus as the stained-glass ceiling casts a colorful glow on the diners below. I was expecting this to be a buffet style restaurant so I was surprised to find out that they actually serve a la carte for lunch and dinner. But instead of just ordering from a menu, guests go around the different themed stations and choose what they want to order.

There are several dining areas, each offering their own lovely vibe. The restaurant is quite spacious and it can probably accommodate around 150 guests.

I walked around the different stations to see what was available for me. Each one offered their own specialties, from salads and healthy fares at Orchard to Asian and Western barbecue staples at The Grill. There’s also Italian slices with homemade crêpes and waffles at Pizzeria and Pastry.

Just order your desired item at the counter and give your table number. The servers will then bring the item to you once it is cooked. I ordered the Fish and Chips (P400) which comes with a huge serving of deep-fried fish coupled with French fries.

For our main course we had the New York Angus Ribeye (P1900). This is a very juicy 300 grams of meaty and flavorful ribeye steak served with mushrooms and veggies.

There are also many beverage options at the drinks station from juices, shakes, sodas, and even wine and spirits.

We finished our dinner with a scoop of Gelato (P130) that comes in flavors such as cheesecake, pistacchio, mango, nocciola, matcha, vanilla, blueberry, oreo, and more.

The next morning, we opened the automatic curtains to reveal a wonderful view of the Zambales mountains from our room. This side of the Clark Freeport Zone is a bit more peaceful and serene compared to the busier areas near the Clark Airport and Angeles City.

Our stay comes with complimentary buffet breakfast for two so we headed back down to MARKT. This time, guests can explore all the buffet stations and eat to their heart’s delight. The salad and charcuterie section is a healthy way to start the morning.

I went straight to this station to get my fill of bacon and sausages. They also have an egg station that can prepare your choice of eggs including these deep-fried Scotch Eggs enveloped in sausage meat and bread crumbs.

Juices, milk, coffee, hot chocolate and other beverages are included in the buffet so it was really a very filling breakfast. We really wanted to stay longer at Swissôtel so we even asked for late checkout and they granted our request.

After extending our stay just a little longer, we had one more agenda before we checked out. We had late lunch at Spice, the hotel’s homage to the street food stalls of Asia. This restaurant is located inside the Hann Casino area itself, so minors will not be able to dine here. But the great thing about it is that it is open 24 hours a day so it is never too late for hungry guests and casino players.

They have dimsum like the Har Gow (P252) which is always my favorite item at Chinese restaurants. Another dimsum worth trying is the Fried Shrimp Balls (P216) with its crispy coating.

For main courses, go for their rice toppings such as the Coconut Shrimp Curry (P540) with big pieces of shrimp cooked in a curry sauce and piled on top of steaming white rice. There’s also the Beef Salpicao (P540) with tender beef cubes served with chili garlic flakes and mushroom gravy.

We ended our short but sweet staycation with the Ube Halaya Milk Tea (P180) which is a great local flavor combining our familiar ube with pearls and milk tea. They also had the Melon Shake as a specialty drink that afternoon. We would like to thank Alex Aquino, Head of PR & Marketing Communications at Swissôtel Clark for hosting our very lovely stay and for showing us the warm Swiss Hospitality and Swiss Vitality that the brand is known for. Check out the ongoing promotions on their Facebook Page and enjoy the same wonderful experience at Swissôtel Clark.

Swissôtel Clark

5400 Manuel A. Roxas Highway, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga

[phone]

www.swissotelclark.com

www.facebook.com/swissotelclark

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