Novotel Manila Araneta Center Hotel Review

Conveniently located in the heart of Quezon City’s entertainment hub, just right beside Smart Araneta Coliseum, Novotel Manila Araneta Center is truly a remarkable place to stay whether you’re up for a solo staycation, romantic getaway, family holiday or business trip.
Novotel is a mid-scale brand of AccorHotels, a French multinational hotel group which operates in various countries across the globe. Read the rest of our Novotel Manila Araneta Center hotel review to know more about this new and modern hotel in Quezon City.

Although this is the most basic of all the room types, we still felt like VIPs having the best staycation of our lives. Upon entering our room, we were surprised to find some welcome fruits and cookies, and a letter from the General Manager, Mr. Bernd Schneider. We thought that was kind of sweet!

The entire Superior Room is spacious enough for the both of us. In fact, all room types in all Novotel hotels worldwide can accommodate up to two adults and two kids ages 15 and below – that is their Family & Novotel promise. And when we saw the huge beds with spotless fluffy pillows and comforters, we couldn’t resist but snuggle down in an instant. Ahhh, the comfort was beyond words. We could sleep here forever!

The room is also equipped with all the basic facilities you can find in any hotel room but with ultramodern touches. It has a flat-screen cable TV, tea and coffee making facilities, a minibar with a fridge, and a work desk with various sockets to charge our gadgets with. And, don’t get us started on the bathroom. It has all the high-end amenities including fair trade all-natural toiletries, hairdryer, hot and cold shower, and a separate toilet with bidet. We also couldn’t leave out the fact that the bathroom has glass walls with automated blinds. Upon stepping inside, we felt like we’ve been transported into our own futuristic world!

But the best part? The view from the floor-to-ceiling glass window! Not all rooms have this kind of vantage point though, so we were just so lucky and thankful that we have stayed in this incredible room.

The Executive Suite is truly every staycationer’s dream room, at least for us! Entering this extremely chic and well-designed suite made us feel like instant celebrities. Oh, did you know that Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach stayed in the Executive Suite on her homecoming from her win? Not only her, Miss USA 2015 Olivia Jordan, Miss Universe Myanmar 2015 May Barani Thaw and Miss Universe Malaysia 2015 Vanessa Tevi stayed in this lovely suite, too! With its spacious, well-equipped separate lounge, an exceptionally posh bedroom and a well-appointed bathroom, you could definitely channel your inner Miss Universe here!

Novotel Manila Araneta Center has a wide range of dining options for your gustatory needs. We had a hearty buffet breakfast at the Food Exchange Manila, the hotel’s main restaurant located on the ground floor. It was Mother’s Day when we stayed there so we kind of expected a long queue, but it didn’t take too long for us to have a table, thanks to their very alert and attentive restaurant staff. When we settled down, we couldn’t decide which food to pick first! From Filipino favourites like adobo and danggit (fried fish), down to the Asian and Western delights, we were spoilt for choice! Insider tip: Try their homemade corned beef and Canadian bacon – they’re worth getting fat for, we promise! If you’re not a coffee lover, wash down your hearty breakfast with Novotel’s signature pandan iced tea or guava iced tea.

Guests checked in at the Executive Rooms and Suites get exclusive access to the Premier Lounge on the 24th floor. Here, you can enjoy a more intimate, less crowded breakfast or afternoon tea while taking in the beauty of the city skyline. We did not get to dine here as we were checked in at the Superior Room, but we will surely be back for it.

For dinner, we had our fill at the Gourmet Bar by Novotel, found right beside the Food Exchange Manila. It has a fine, relaxing ambience for an exquisite dining experience. They serve delightful international and Filipino dishes, snacks and drinks. We ordered beef rendang and we can say, it was perfect – just the right taste and tenderness for our liking. For drinks, we did not order anything but you can always ask the bar staff for recommendations. There’s plenty of cocktails and signature mixes to choose from. And for desserts, hit up Ice N Cream just right outside Gourmet Bar and treat your tastebuds to lots of ice cream, cakes and pastries. There's a wide selection of homemade ice cream flavours, along with Carmen's Best artisanal ice cream, and you could even customize your own ice cream dessert.

We wanted to cap off our night at the Pool Bar & Lounge adjacent to the pool and garden area but we were already too late for its nightly happenings. Even so, this is really a good place to order some drinks and chill or party the night away with families, friends or business acquaintances. We heard that the DJ booth on top of the pool turns the area into a party place during weekends. We hope to catch this pulsating party scene next time.

After all the food indulgence, time to burn those extra calories! Novotel’s In Balance Fitness is complete with gym equipment and technology such as treadmills, elliptical trainers, dumbbells, exercise balls and a Kinesis machine to work on your cardio, flexibility and strength. The fitness instructor demonstrated how the Kinesis works, and when we tried it ourselves, we had a hard time pulling the strings up. It’s more challenging than it looks!

Exhausted from the day’s activities? Head to the In Balance Spa and soothe your aching muscles. Choose from their different massage services to rejuvenate your mind, body and soul. But the highlight here is their stylish modern jacuzzi. It’s so tempting, we secretly wished to strip down and take a relaxing dip. Maybe next time when we have a spa-cation with friends.

We were surprised to find out that such a lovely outdoor area exists in the middle of Quezon City’s hustle and bustle. It is located on the 6th floor, right outside the Fitness and Kids Club. Here, both kids and adults will enjoy swimming with their two separate outdoor pools. It was a bit crowded when we went there, again, because it’s a holiday and a weekend, but on regular days, we’re sure anyone can have their own relaxing quiet time at this side of Novotel.

Like us, if you don’t feel like swimming, there’s always the Versailles Garden as an alternative place to simply relax and take in the city views. Tip: The sunset here is worth waiting for!