Somerset Alabang, Your Home Away From Home.

One thing that makes me look forward to weekends is spending it with the family. Once in a while, we indulge ourselves in mini vacations in different parts of Metro Manila, and this time it brought us to the south, in the beautiful Somerset Alabang Manila. Found in the vibrant area of Filinvest City in Alabang, Somerset is close to offices, retail outlets, restaurants, shopping malls, supermarkets, and others.

Perfect for business travelers or just for a quick leisure getaway, Somerset Alabang Manila is very accessible from the airport and also linked to other destinations in the south via the exit of the South Luzon Expressway.

Checking in was a breeze and I'm loving the vibe of their lobby. It's spacious and has some very comfy sofas where you can enjoy a glass of refreshing drink or just chill with the available reading materials they have. While they were getting some of my details for the room, I signed up for their ASR, or Ascott Star Rewards Programme. Where you earn reward point when you book and stay at any Ascott brands. Some benefits of this are that members can enjoy the lowest rates, exclusive discounts and perks! Oh, and signup is free! Their lobby was decent and spacious, I guess in a way it impressed me a bit because of the high ceiling and classy design.

After a short while, our room was ready and we headed up. I wasn't really expecting much from the 1-Bedroom Deluxe which we got but I was hopeful. I wasn't able to see photos of the place online prior to our check-in so I had no idea. Check out the place!

First impression when I opened the door and I stepped in, I silently said, "wow". My daughter heard me say it and she also said "wow."

As you can see, even before I had the time to put down our stuff, Riley was already halfway around the place, jumping, running and opening some doors & cabinets. It was like home. Somerset is a serviced apartment, and each apartment offers stylish furnishing and fittings, they have a very comfortable bed, fully functioning modern kitchen, spacious living & dining areas and a really nice bathroom. Interiors are nice and classy. Every part of the room also has some really nice touch of convenience making your stay as comfortable as possible.

One thing that's also worth mentioning is how creative & thoughtful their guest service is. This gesture wasn't requested but it's actually something that they do to make their guests feel even more at home. When I had the chance I asked their staff if this is something that they do regularly and she said that they do their best to get to know the profile of their guests and offer something more on top of the usual service. Riley sure did enjoy a lot of ice cream that night.

Aside from the awesome surprise, Somerset also equips guests with enough amenities that you can enjoy for free. Enough water & some treats. The room comes with plates, utensils, glass & event soap and sponge to wash your dishes.

Another thing that I appreciated in the kitchen is the oven/microwave and the washer/dryer. Definitely a big plus on points. Here I was able to was & dry some clothes too! This will definitely come in very handy for those who travel for leisure or for work. They can easily wash their clothes and do their own laundry inside the comfort of their own room.

The bed is in a separate room and there's another TV inside. Their king size bed is one of the softest bed we've been in. Even if all the three of us lie down, the bed is still big for us. Their pillows and sheets are just so comfortable to lay in. One reason why we were quite late to go down for breakfast. Ha Ha!

Somerset Alabang Manila has a home entertainment system and a very good broadband internet connection. You will also notice that there are some details conveniently placed inside the room making your stay even more convenient and homey. The small things really does matter.

Let me show you the bathroom. This particular room comes with a spacious place for your bathing rituals. Some necessities are also in place for your use. Nonslip mat, handles, bidet, towel rack, retractable clothesline and other complimentary items for your cleansing needs.

Staying at Somerset sure is a unique experience. Here, guests can enjoy the residence's recreational areas like the swimming pool, fitness center, resident's lounge and also playroom for kids!

Riley Cate, Papa Myke & Riley's friend Iya!

My kid loves staying at the dipping pool where she gets to freely play with her new friend Iya. There's a short lap pool where guests can enjoy a few laps in and also an area where you can have your tan on. Their gym is where I stayed a bit longer. Their free weights and machines will sure get you working on those muscles. There's also an open area there where guests can do yoga or pilates in the open. One place I also enjoyed is inside the kids playground. It's nice that there's a spacious area where you can leave your kids to just be kids. Some puzzles, toys, balls, slides and many others. I think we stayed here for a good 30 minute because I too played with the kids. Oh and there's a TV there where parents or guardians can watch the kids and catch up on shows at the same time.

Also in the property are business support facilities like function rooms and a boardroom which is very ideal for business travelers.

Mornings start at the level 4 of Somerset where guests can partake on breakfast. Being the most important meal of the day, their breakfast selection is quite basic. The usual rice, bacon, eggs, sausage, bread, spreads, fruits, and others. It wasn't a wow experience and the taste of breakfast food is average & then I found out that their F&B is managed by a different operator, a concessionaire. Personally, I just think that their breakfast selection & taste can be improved. But hey, food seems to run out so I guess it's acceptable/good to most people.

Riley & Iya during breakfast.

We also had lunch at the same restaurant and the experience was better. There were more flavors and dishes had better taste. We had salad, gambas, rendang, seafood pasta & ribs! Their drinks & desserts weren't bad either!

Here's me trying to enjoy my coffee & newspaper on a separate table, but let's face it, it's not going to happen when the kids are around so.... we decided to step out for a bit. Their breakfast area also has alfresco dining for those who prefer open air during breakfast.

Our afternoons during our stay were spent chilling inside the room and watching TV or taking a nap.

There are some restaurants near Somerset where you can dine. You can have food delivered to your room and even cook it in their fully functional kitchen but we decided to try the other side of their restaurant at the 4th floor for dinner. The one with the view of the pool, you also can't miss their bar where you can see that it is filled with a lot of spirits. From Remy Martin Cognacs to Islay Whisky like Bruichladdich and Islay Gin, The Botanist. We found a cozy spot and we ordered food for dinner.

We ordered Callos, Ribs, Salmon and another round or Beef Rendang. (you can never have enough rendang in my opinion ha! ha! ) and they were good! Hits the craving at that time!

Eric, their bartender also offered us a really good cocktail that has tea in it! Refreshing, light and easy to drink! If ever you decide to get a drink, look for their bartender Eric, tell him I sent you and you might even get an extra shot on your drink. The restaurant also has some acoustic nights on select days right at the pool area giving off that chill vibe. Pretty nice actually. Imagine sipping cocktails in their dipping pool and enjoying the music. Perfect!

Somerset Alabang sure did exceed our expectation. We had an amazing stay and just wished that we could have stayed longer. Their living spaces are designed to accommodate families and even professionals traveling for work. I do recommend that you stay for at least two nights to fully enjoy the room and their amenities. But! May it be a short or an extended stay, you'll feel their signature touches and presentations like you're being welcomed home.

Our checkout was also a breeze and their staff & housekeeping were also efficient, warm and friendly. Their facilities and services offered made our stay very easy. When we were about to leave, one of their staff even made a balloon toy for Riley! Pretty cool of them to have something like this! Overall, the experience of our stay was very good! We felt rejuvenated and just happy with the whole experience.