#thatjenfeeling

Upon entering the hotel lobby, you are immediately greeted with their Arrival and Departure counter, more commonly known as the Concierge. You can leave your luggages here and they will take care of it while you check in at the front desk. They also have free scheduled shuttle services to Mall of Asia during the day. But in the meantime, why not grab a cup of Artisan Ice Cream?

I got my keycard and entered my Club Room on the 18th floor. This is a spacious 36-square meter room with a comfortable king-sized bed and a sofa chair by the window. You also get a bathtub inside the bathroom so you can relax and meditate all by yourself without leaving the room.

People always love to take selfies against beautiful backdrops and you can do a lot of those Instagram-worthy snapshots right here. Everything is so colorful and pretty, plus since Wifi is free everywhere inside the hotel, it’s so easy to upload those videos and photos.

All around the hotel and even inside your room, you will find these short notes and quotes from Ms. Jen who makes her presence felt through small items here and there. I found this complimentary cup of fresh fruits inside my minibar and small tokens such as these are always appreciated by guests.

Exploring the rest of Hotel Jen Manila, you can take a refreshing dip at their outdoor swimming pool on the second floor with overhead views of Roxas Boulevard and Star City below.

They also have a small 24-hour fitness center where you can work out those excess pounds.

Hotel Jen Manila has several dining restaurant and lounges so I did not even have to leave the hotel during my stay. I have heard a lot about their authentic Japanese restaurant located on the ground floor, Kitsho, so this is where I had my lunch.

Kitsho Restaurant and Sake Bar has an elegant dining space with classy wooden tables and interiors condusive for those impotant business meetings or small family gatherings. During weekends, they offer a special A La Carte Buffet for only P988+ that includes a selection of Japanese favorites which you can order as much as you want.

Fresh sushi, sashimi and maki are also included the buffet including salmon, tuna and lapu-lapu sashimi. I just love their salmon sashimi which are so fresh and fatty.

You have a variety of seafood and meat dishes to choose from like the (clockwise from top left) Shrimp Fry and Oyster Fry, Salmon Teppanyaki, Tempura, and Pork Tonkatsu. I recommend you try the Shrimp Fry which is honestly one of the best versions I have ever tasted.

My favorite was the Beef Teppanyaki with its tender beef cubes grilled at the teppanyaki station. Japanese Executive Chef Masahiro Mizumoto, with his 30 years of experience, has been at the kitchen of Kitsho for the last five years and has been providing high quality authentic Japanese cuisine at this hidden gem.

I heard from Chef Masahiro that Kitsho is currently being renovated and it will soon feature a live teppanyaki station so that guests can see their orders being prepared by the chefs. Chef Masahiro will also become a concessionaire of Kitsho itself so that will give him more leeway and creative freedom to present even more outstanding dishes. I am really looking forward to their re-opening and will be giving them another visit soon.

Guests staying at the Club Rooms also have free access to the Club Lounge on the 19th Floor. You can actually have your check-in and check-out procedures done here instead of the lobby front desk if you want a more private and VIP experience.

The Club Lounge is your own spacious private living room and office. You can read newspapers and magazines while getting complimentary beverages like sodas and juices all throughout the day.

From 2:00pm to 4:00pm, the Club Lounge has an Afternoon Tea where you can get snacks and desserts like sandwiches, canapes, cupcakes, sweets and other treats. No need to go outside for merienda when you have a spread such as this. I had just finished lunch but I still had room for a light snack with drinks.

After I took a short nap at my Club Room, I went back to the Club Lounge for their Evening Cocktails from 5:00pm to 7:00pm daily. Here, you can order from their beverage selection which includes cocktails, wines, beers and other bubbly beverages. I got a glass of sparkling wine and sat by their panoramic glass windows.

Other cocktails you can order include the Long Island Iced Tea (left), Tequilla Sunrise, Rhum Coke and others. You can also opt for juices like their Mango Juice (right) or something I usually order, Cranberry Juice. Enjoy sipping these drinks while gazing at the gorgeous view below.

The Evening Cocktails also come with food and pica-pica items like (clockwise fro top left) Assorted Cheeses, Baked Seafood Wakame Pasta, Malaysian Steamed Fish, and Grilled Chicken with Peanut Sauce. These dishes are actually good enough for dinner so there’s no need to go to another restaurant.

The view from the 19th Floor Club Lounge is really spectacular at night with all the lights and colors from the streets. You will appreciate being in such a relaxing and comfortable place when you see all the busy traffic in the city. I would definitely rather be here at the Club Lounge with the overflowing food and drinks.

The next morning, guests at the Club Rooms can have their breakfast buffet at the private Club Lounge. But if you prefer a bigger selection, you can also opt to have breakfast at Latitude on the ground floor.

Latitude is the all-day dining restaurant of Hotel Jen Manila offering a wide variety of Asian and international buffet selections and a la carte menus in a casual and friendly environment.

I enjoyed my buffet breakfast at Latitude before I cheked out later in the afternoon. It was a refreshing staycation at Hotel Jen Manila highlighted by that authentic Japanese lunch and overflowing bubblies at the Club Lounge. If you are looking for a delightful and relaxing staycation in the city with an affordable price range, visit Hotel Jen Manila and experience That Jen Feeling!