YMCA @ One Orchard - No Frills Stay in Singapore

On our previous stay in Singapore, a friend of mine recommended staying at this hotel.  I hesitated because when I think of YMCA, I think of backpackers, young people, dorm type rooms. We stayed at another hotel down the street which turned out to be a disappointment. 

So on our second trip, I decided to take up my friend's advise and stayed at the YMCA @ One Orchard. So here is my review for this hostel. 

RESERVATION / RESPONSE TIME

It was easy and fast. All I had to do was go to their website and picked up a date. There were 4 of us (3 adults and 1 child) and so I opted to get the Jr Suite promo. S$220 for 1 night with free breakfast for 3. I had to pay an additional S$6.50 for the child. It is not the cheapest accommodation but it is one of the hotels that can accommodate 3+ adults in one room. If we go to other hotels, we had to get 2 rooms and would cost more overall. I had some inquiry if I had to pay extra for the child (answer is no). They responded in about a day. Quick and easy reservation but you would need a credit card. 

LOCATION

It is smack beside the National Museum of Singapore in a quiet part of Singapore. In front is the Singapore Management University (SMU). Lots of students, greenery. The Doby Ghaut MRT is a quick 3 minute walk that serves 3 lines, very convenient and one of the things I considered when I was looking for hotels in Singapore. Although you can walk towards the central part of Orchard road (about 20-30 minute walk), you can also ride the MRT. 

There is a food court (Food Republic) a short block away that serves affordable meals ($3-10), a 7-11, some fast food restaurants. Very very convenient. The taxis we used seems to be familiar with the place and we had no trouble getting in and out. 

ROOMS 

The Jr Suite (Rm 713) was big but in all the wrong places. The room had a wall division between the bedroom and the living room. The bedroom space was small while the living room (which did not have much use) was big. There were 2 beds; 1 small double and 1 single rollaway bed. The double bed was firm with firm pillows. The rollaway was much harder and tend to move a bit. There was a reading light on each side of the room (I don't see that often in hotels) but it is too bright if you turn them on. 

small bedroom but functional

TV channels were limited, we didn't bother

There are 2 seats beside the window that can serve as a bed for a small child/person. Jr Suites are usually at the corner of the building so you have double views. 

Window seats that can double as a bed

View on the other side - back of the hostel

View from the side of the National Museum

By the way, we were able to see the Marina Bay Sands Hotel from our window - gorgeous at night. 

there it is! 

The bathroom was small but very clean. My complaint was that the hot water does not work (no matter how many times we fiddled with the knobs/switch) and there is only the small window for ventilation. They provided 3 towels and 3 toilette packs. 

small but clean

liked the fact that they come in packs 

My niece showing the open storage space. On the side is the closet
where you can hang your clothes.

The air con was strong on the side of the bedroom but almost nothing on the living room side. There is a long narrow table you can use for dining. Unfortunately, only one chair. There is a small ref, plenty of storage space, hairdryer. You might need an adapter. 

WIFI 

Wifi was very very strong and free (!) which was a relief because we just came from Hard Rock Hotel in Sentosa and they were charging for Wifi. The signal at YMCA was so strong that at one point, all 4 of us were using the Wifi and we had no trouble even if we were all watching videos in YouTube. 

BREAKFAST 

Breakfast was blah and you are better off getting breakfast at the food court down the street. YMCA offered bread, jams, beans, hotdog, egg, ham, very basic salad, juice, fruits. 

SERVICE 

Nothing really to complain. The service was quick and prompt. Since it is a basically an upscale hostel, there were no bellman to help with the bags which was fine. We were able to leave our bags when we checked out since our flight was at midnight. I requested help in getting a taxi for the airport and they just called one for us (additional charge by the taxi company of S$2-3/trip). I asked for extra pillows with housekeeping and they immediately sent 2 at no extra cost. 

FYI: No seats at the lobby so if it's useless to hang around after check out while waiting to go to the airport. Since it is YMCA, they are plenty of activities going around their conference/function room so expect a lot of people loitering around the lobby. There is a big weighing scale beside the room where they keep their bags so you can check out your bag's weight before going to the airport - you have to pay S$.10. The taxis don't stop in front of the hotel. They usually go around the back at the parking lot and you have to take an elevator going down. For taking a taxi, you can either ask the front desk to call you one (at a small extra cost) or go down one block and go to a taxi stand. 

Final Verdict

I was very satisfied about the location, the cleanliness, the free Wifi and service. Can recommend this for a no frills stay.

YMCA 
One Orchard Road
Singapore 238824
Tel 65-6336 6000 
Fax 65-6337 3140
http://www.ymcaih.com.sg/

Genki Sushi - Taste of Tokyo

A couple of years ago when I was in Japan, my friends and I ate at this place in Shibuya named Genki Sushi. A laid back, relaxed casual restaurant that nevertheless had some delicious sushi and was very affordable to boot.

Fast forward to today and I was surprised and excited to find that a branch of Genki Sushi has opened at BGC. Of course I had to take my cute and lovable (only) sister there for her birthday lunch!

Located at the 2nd Fl Bonifacio Stopover Bldg 31st cor Rizal Drive, BGC

plenty of booths that can accommodate 4-6 people

or you can sit beside the window if you want to enjoy the view

The waiter oriented us on how the system works. There is a printed menu in each booth so you can see everything. 

Their dishes ranges from P80-P450

 

A small monitor will show you a picture of each dish, name, price and you choose the ones you like. Easy, right? On the bottom of the screen is a picture of a train where you can review, change or cancel the item. However once you press the "order" button, everything is final. 

A couple of minutes later, an electronic train bearing your order zips up to the side of your booth. You pick up your order and press the "return" button so the train can return back to the kitchen. 

bullet train!

Free green tea is available. You get some powder from the container provided, put it in a glass and pour very hot water from the faucet (yes, faucet inside the booth!). We didn't have a spoon so we ended up stirring the powder inside the hot water using our chopsticks - hope nobody noticed :P 

So what did we order?

Spicy Salmon Maki Roll - P150

The Spicy Salmon Roll was very good. The cut was just big enough that you can fit it in your mouth without effort, very nice crunchy things on top - don't know what it was - that added texture to the dish, filling was yummy but too little. It was a little bit spicy.

Seared Shrimp Black Pepper - P120

Seared Shrimp was nicely grilled and tasted fresh but it was super tiny. Well, they did say shrimp, not prawns.

Lobster Salad - P120

 The Lobster Salad had too little meat and was overwhelmed by the mayo (?) mixture. I could have easily been eating crab or shrimp and wouldn't know the difference.

Steamed Egg Custard - P120

The thing is that I am so used to leche flan that my head tries to immediately look for that sweet taste whenever custard is involved. Of course, I know this one is different but still ....
It was a nice enough taste. The mixture was was very soft and egg mixture was cooked enough. There were bits and pieces of mushroom and crab. Not sure if I would categorize as appetizer or soup or side dish?

Chicken Teriyaki Don - P190

The Chicken Teriyaki Don was very crunchy, hot (temperature) and serving was big enough for one person. The sauce was bold in flavor but maybe a bit salty for some.

Agedashi Tofu - P100

Love soft tofu especially when it is accompanied by a light sauce such as this one. 

Salmon Taberu Layu - P120

Salmon was very fresh but a bit bland. The chili sauce on top was a nice touch and added a bit of flavor to dish.  

Seared Crab Black Pepper - P120

Loved this Seared Crab Black Pepper but really, what dish isn't good with Japanese mayonnaise? 

ready to attack!

 

quick, fast and easy 

You can review your bill periodically through the monitor. At least you would know if you can order more based on your budget. Very helpful feature.

my sister asked, what's with the angry logo? 

The food is good enough but not as good as the one I have tasted at the Genki Sushi branch in Tokyo. The portions and ingredients were smaller but perhaps this was an effort to make the dishes more affordable. Nice enough flavor in their dishes but of course there are better sushi restaurants out there if you want to pay more. 

The price is a little above average but after all, you are eating salmon, shrimp and lobster. You have to pay attention since those little plates can pile up as well as your bill if you're not careful. The interactive part of choosing the menu items was a big hit with my sister who is still a little kid at heart. 

Final Verdict

Fun, casual, affordable sushi place that's worth a try. Kid friendly. Expect to shell out P300-600 for each person. 

Genki Sushi
Bonifacio Stopover
2nd Floor
31st St Cor Rizal Drive (near St Luke's Hospital)
Tel : 6242867

Balay Indang : Perfect Quiet Weekend Getaway

Tagaytay is usually the first place I think of when I want somewhere to relax. I find its proximity to Manila and vibe perfect. So when I wanted a quick getaway after my birthday, it was a no brainer that I started looking for a place in Tagaytay or somewhere near it.  I read other blogs for ideas and found Balay Indang.

Not sure if you can strictly call this a bed and breakfast place since they do not only serve breakfast but all the meals as well during your stay (package deal). 

                    felt a little bit like the grounds of Sonya's Garden         

Second floor of the main house
where they thoughtfully put a water cooler

plenty of daybeds to relax

... and magazines to read!

playground for kids

A short walk off the main building is the swimming pool and pavilion.The swimming pool was very simple. We didn't try it but the deep end looks like its about 4-5ft. 

The pavilion was really nice with several seating areas. At that time, there was a cool breeze and we didn't have to open the electric fans or big air coolers. 

 

super comfy sofa

Perfect for scrabble !

Inside the main house ...

view from the staircase 

The dining area had quite a number of mirrors (not sure why). The high ceiling made the area seemed large and airy.
                 

                                               

love the color pattern of the ceiling

                                                       

you can also dine outside 

I've read positive reviews about this place. Most especially about the food. The rate that was quoted for us which was P2700 (exlusive of service charge) / person includes the overnight stay and 5 meals (3 main and 2 snacks). 

Dinner 

Our first mistake was we stopped by LZM first in Tagaytay for a super late lunch before coming. By the time that they announced the final call for dinner at 7pm (dinner service 6pm-8pm), we were still feeling quite full.

Fresh salad 

Mushroom soup

The salad was very fresh and the dressing they used tasted a lot like the one at Sonya's. The mushroom soup was tasty but a bit clumpy. However, I didn't see that as a minus because it really tasted like they used actual mushroom and not the one from the can/packet. Wished they would have added a bit of cream though on top to make it more creamy.

Fried rice 

The Baked Salmon, although cooked well, lacked the creamy cheesy topping which I'm used to from Conti's. The Spareribs was really good. tender, juicy with the right amount of sweetness. Unfortunately, since we were still feeling full, we only finished half. Every other table finished theirs and requested for more.

Oh by the way, I didn't tell you the best part about this place. Although not buffet (food is served at your table), you can request for refill (!!!)

Barbequed Spareribs 

Baked Salmon

The shrimp balls below may not look appetizing but believe me, this is the dish. At her first bite, my friend raved about how good it was. When I expressed doubt, she bet me a dinner at Spirals (yes, Sofitel Spirals) that I would love it. Upon tasting, all I could say was Sayang naman yung Spirals ko. It was THAT good. Perfect blend of sweetness and crunchiness of the cereal with the savory shrimp. I ate these until I couldn't anymore. 

Cereal Shrimp Balls 

We had dalandan juice and dessert (forgot what). They also served tarragon tea but when my friend asked for coffee, the server could only give us the 3-in-1 pack because it was already late and apparently the person in charge of the supplies had already gone home. 

super happy friends

Breakfast 

Adobong chicken - nicely done with plenty of garlic 

Pipino (cucumber) in vinegar 

Ampalaya (bitter gourd)  - not as bitter as others I have tasted

Kaya Toast (toasted bread with coconut jam) - Loved it!

Danggit - Perfect with the sunny side egg served

Breakfast was also quite good. I like how they try to also serve vegetables to give balance to the meal. I don't recall if they asked us how we liked our eggs cooked but I liked mine the way they cooked it - sunny side up with the edges a little burnt. 

After breakfast, we went to the pavilion to have another round of scrabble.

:)

places to explore

AM Snack 

Morning snack was supposed to be something like sapin- sapin but  but it had coconut meat. So it was a hybrid between kakanin and buko pie. Weird but in a good way. We didn't really intend to eat because we were still full from breakfast so I didn't bring my camera. But then ....  :)

Lunch

Seriously, I feel like they are just fattening us up. I am still full from dinner (!), breakfast and snack and they were already announcing lunch. 

Tuna Pasta

Salad

The tuna was just okay, nothing special. 

Mechado

Creamy Seafood 

Of all the dishes I've tasted so far, I liked the mechado least. I felt they added ketchup? The creamy seafood dish was very good. I think they have fish fillet, squid and mussel (?).  You can't go wrong with cheese anyway.

Fried Chicken (yey)

Skewered Shrimp Marinated in Mango

The fried chicken was crunchy, juicy and heavenly. The white gravy was just okay. The skewered juicy, plump shrimp were fantastic with the delicate sauce. I think we asked for more.

Lunch 

After lunch, we went back to our room to rest. Who would've though that eating can be so tiring? Happy problems :) 

The "Isabel" room was located at the main building on the 2nd floor. It has 3 beds; 1 Queen Size bed, 1 double bed and 1 single bed. Has aircon, private toilet and bath, one chair and no TV. The sheets were clean and the pillow fluffy but firm.  

If there is one complaint I have about the room is that although there is a partition for the bathroom, the upper portion is hollow. Meaning that anyone in the room can hear or smell everything. Kaiirita (no english translation).

 

Since we came in very late in the afternoon the previous day, they allowed us to stay until 2pm the for our last meal. 

PM Snack 

Afternoon snack was a simple toasted ham and cheese sandwich with chips and coke. The ham was actually excellent as well as the cheese. The chips seems like the local kind. We really couldn't eat this anymore so we just took it home. 

Direction and Reservation

Reservation was a bit iffy. I called the number on their FB site a couple of times but nobody was picking up. I sent a text message and waited for about a day or two but there was no reply. I called again and finally able to talk to someone to request for the reservation which they verbally approved. They didn't ask for a deposit but I wanted to make sure so I asked that they confirm via text. No response. I sent another text reiterating my name, date, number of person and amount and asked for confirmation. They just replied the price per person. We went on the date I reserved and happily I did not encounter any problem with check in. 

picture sourced from another site as part of their wedding invitation - sorry 

The place is accessible to public transportation. I saw the San Agustin bus (I see these along Roxas Boulevard) terminal in the town itself and Balay Indang is just a couple of minutes outside the center. It's along a a busy road where Jeepneys and tricycle passes by. 

Final Verdict

Loved the ambiance of the place and I loved the food! Not only is the food really good but more than enough that I felt I got my money's worth (shrimp ball I miss you !!!)  The place is really relaxing and they provided enough places for guests to relax that you don't feel crowded. There is no TV and no Wifi but I don't feel that is a minus since it's kind of nice to just read, talk with friends and relax. The only negative is the not-so-private bathroom. 

Anyway, highly highly recommended!

ahhhh ...

Balay Indang

Address: 88 Mahabang Kahoy Cerca, Indang

Tel: 0917-8374261 / 0917-8665825 / 775-6886 

Email: bookings@balayindang.com