Contributed by On The Jo
Imagine this scenario: You and your barkada have not seen one another for a long time. On top of your full-time jobs, there are million other things keeping you away from simply getting together again – family time, post-grad studies, or more work! You finally decide and agree on a weekend, everyone’s excited and there’s nothing more to stop you… except for the venue that is. You then come up with possible options:
Restaurant? May be expensive, too crowded you may need to cut your bonding short since it's almost closing time. Nah.
One of your apartments? Roommate’s an early sleeper. Not enough space. No food.
To the nearest province! Yup? Only none of you has a car no one wants to commute.
Sounds familiar? You’re not alone. Hey everyone’s got their priorities and preferences, right? I’ve been through this so many times with my own friends. So have you. Don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world, nor your friendship. Think harder.
A hotel! A cheap and close one. Just add your allowances together and voila!
Image credit: Golden Phoenix Hotel ManilaI’ve seen them on my social media feeds. One or two of them did it for birthday parties. About a dozen with their families for a home-away-from-home vacay. So why won’t it work for barkada bondings? So there we were, finally, on our first staycation together. So if you think you’re out of reasons to just push through with those reunion plans, hear me out as I list down reasons for you to choose spending them in a hotel instead.
Also read: 17 Coolest Staycation Ideas in Manila
It won’t be as expensive as you imagine
Has anyone ever told you that you don’t need all that money to have a blast time with your friends? Most likely, and they’re probably right. Now let’s think of a different story: Minsan lang naman ‘to. It’s OK. You should be willing to spare a few fifties or hundreds this one time. Yea? Well, they’re also probably right. After all, they’re your friends and they do deserve that kind of treatment from you. Nonetheless, somewhere in between those sentences is an overrated word that perfectly addresses your dilemma: budgeting. It’s not always about finding the cheapest possible hotel even if it works for you. Want to experience luxury still? Why not go for it? With your barkada to share the costs with, you’ll be surprised how much you can save without having to compromise quality.
Time will not matter
I know what you’re thinking, of course, time will matter! Bookings are obviously time dependent. But, imagine how much of it you will be able to control versus the unpredictability of road traffic or how long you will be waiting for your food in a restaurant. Quite literally, YOU, have the time on your hands. It becomes an internal factor where the duration of your stay efficiently complements how exactly you are going to use that period. You can pretty much just stay inside your room, lie on your beds and chat for the next 24 hours with packed or pre-purchased food from a store just a few feet away.
Also read: Rainy Day Staycations in Manila: 8 Hotels to Keep You Warm During Bed Weather
Accommodations are almost everywhere
And they are, trust me. And no one says anything about not choosing to stay in a three to five-star hotel right? Depending on your location, you and your friends can have the easier time of having a few options to choose from or go crazy with at least a dozen lodgings in a single stretch. Like restaurants, you can go right ahead and choose one with the best overall reputation, or one closest to everyone and with the best deals, or simply experiment and pick whichever you feel like it. If you’re planning to spend a few hours outside, book one with the most options of activities to do within the premises or its proximity. If you haven’t brought enough food, get one that’s nearest to a food market or restaurant. If you want to be in peace as much as possible, then, by all means, choose one that’s farthest from the busiest road.
You get a lot of privacy
Image credit: Armada Hotel ManilaHow many times have you gone to a hotel and worried about your privacy?
Not much, right? Exactly. One of the coolest things about staying in a private hotel room is the very little distraction you will get from the outside world. Crack the craziest jokes, talk about the most personal topics you can think of, or even use your bed sheets for a do-it-yourself couture photo shoot. Who cares?
Bask in special treatments
When travelling to remote places, I normally prefer going solo in order to have things exactly how I want them to go without anyone else dictating. You don’t easily get the same personal freedom when you go with four or 10 other people, where it is usually best to just hire a tour operator for everyone’s convenience. Feel me? The same goes with staying in a hotel, except it wouldn’t matter whether you are alone or not. It’s not everyday and everywhere you and your friends get to be treated like royalties even for a weekend. Hotels are known exactly for these things.
Depending on your budget, you can go as far as booking breakfasts on bed, then you wouldn’t have to worry about cleaning up later on.
Also read: Hotels in Manila for Your Ultimate Barkada Spa-Cation
Enjoy complimentary facilities
Image credit: Lancaster Hotel ManilaAgain, depending on your budget, along with your preferences, you can choose to pick hotels or other forms of accommodations with fewer or more facilities to add to your activities as a group. Try getting in shape at the gym or loosen up in the swimming pool together. If you’re too lazy to go out of your room, watch a movie or series on your television or take turns preparing a midnight meal. Some lodgings now even provide libraries and entertainment areas to keep the group busy.
It strengthens your friendship
A little cheesy but it definitely counts. Each group has their own ‘clique’ personality. While some friends get along better by partying or travelling to faraway places together, some have it different and enjoy just a quiet, intimate opportunity to sit down and open their hearts out in a closed space. You may be locked up in a room but the opportunities are vast. One day you will wake up and feel a sense of honesty with your friendship just by being able to spend a staycation with them.
Whichever part of the Philippines you are, you are surely bound to find that perfect staycation with your circle of friends. Do visit TripZilla Stays for top hotel picks in the Philippines.
