When I stepped into my standard double room at the brand-new Red Planet Hotel in BGC, I was surprised at how tiny it was — but not claustrophobic.
I was invited, along with a small group of press people, to stay for the night in this Japan-owned budget hotel—its newest and 14th branch in the Philippines. Although they have started accepting guests as early as mid-December, the hotel in BGC is scheduled to have its grand opening later this month.
The 19-storey red-and-gray building is situated in a tranquil, clean and safe neighborhood with tree-lined streets. It’s conveniently located a stone’s throw away from a Starbucks, a 7-Eleven and a McDonald’s.
As I sat on my premium-looking queen-size bed, I imagined I was in Mars (yes, the Red Planet) and this was my small cabin in a futuristic human settlement. Would I survive if I stayed here for a month? I did a mini tour to find out.
It’s modern and minimalist. The room may not be swanky, but it’s definitely luxurious and ultra-clean for a budget hotel. The layout, for one, is clever, which is crucial for a tiny space. Both the floorplan and the furniture were designed to maximize space and comfort — without compromising style.
Two huge mirrors — one above the headboard and the other in the hallway — give the illusion of a bigger room, and enhance the lighting and the ambiance. In the far wall is a single window with a roller shade.
I loved how the bedside tables were crafted like open shelves. No chance of me accidentally leaving behind a laptop charger in a drawer.
But, clearly, the highlight of the room is the bed. Plush, semi-firm and pillowy, it feels like a luxury hotel bed. This was later on confirmed during our casual chat with Red Planet’s French CEO, Florent Humeau.
“We’re using five-star beds,” he explained. “The bedding is, like I said, five-star. Custom and luxury bed. In some budget hotels, you try the bed. It can be (hard) like this table, or extremely soft, because, maybe, it’s overused.”
He’s right. This is the type of bed that Goldilocks slept on — the baby bear’s perfect bed. In fact, I slept like a baby for almost eight hours.
“We’re not cutting costs in terms of building (the hotel), and the efficiency of the hotel. So we are providing the best quality, despite the fact that we are a budget hotel,” said Humeau.
“We are providing high-quality rooms, high-quality bedding, very high-quality service, with also a cleanliness that you may not find in all budget hotels,” he added matter-of-factly.
He’s not hard selling. The room was immaculately clean and so comfortable that I no longer felt the need to go out and explore the outside world.
You see, in the room, there is a framed map of the area, which highlights nearby prime spots for leisure. It says that Uptown Mall is a six-minute walk away, for example. There’s also the Mind Museum, Mitsukoshi Mall and Venice Grand Canal.
Instead of going out to explore, I ended up staying inside my room until my late 5 p.m. checkout the following day — only going out twice to buy food and water across the street. (If you’re staying here, might as well bring your own water bottle. The hotel has a water dispenser in the lobby for your refills).
My only complaint was that there’s no bedside reading light. This was a bummer as I excitedly brought a paperback novel with me for some deep reading. Oh well, I thought. I could watch a movie instead.
The room is equipped with a 43-inch TV, which you can use to watch free channels, like the entertaining senate hearings — or to cast a movie. I recalled Humeau talking about the TV earlier in the day.
“We provide streaming. Google Chromecast. That’s also something that our competitors don’t have yet,” he said. The hotel is also what Humeau describes as “very technology-driven.”
“I think, now, it’s very important to have extremely high-speed Internet. We have Wi-Fi 6, and I don’t think you have that in (other) budget hotels yet in the Philippines,” the CEO added.
I am subscribed to a bunch of streaming apps on my phone (a necessity for a film reviewer such as myself), and so I tested their Chromecast using their Wi-Fi 6.
True enough—no buffering. I watched two movies and a few episodes of a comedy series from three different streaming apps and did not encounter any technical problems.
There’s no telephone in the room — instead, you simply tap your Red Planet app on your cellphone to chat or call the front desk. But, if you’re old school, or your cellphone is dead, you can use the telephone by the elevators.
The bathroom is quite nice, too. Spacious, with a rain shower, a bidet, and an artsy bathroom door. I forgot to bring my toothbrush, and the room didn’t have one. So I had to buy one from the front desk — a P35 toothbrush made from bamboo, and which comes with a paper packet of toothpaste and a pair of disposable slippers. The hotel is eco-friendly and is practicing green sustainability, hence, they are greatly reducing plastic use.
Truly, Red Planet in BGC is designed for a quiet, peaceful stay. A no-fuss hotel designed for sheer comfort. Whether this hotel is located in Earth or on Mars, you can count on it giving you quality sleep.
