Baloy Long Beach, Barrio Barretto,
Olongopo City, Zambalas Philippines
Web Addess http://www.wildorchidsubic.com/
Email address http://www.wildorchidsubic.com/contact.html
Tel. front desk
(63) 47-223-1029 office (63) 47-223-8984
16 Beach side rooms
7 Pool side rooms
8 Sea view suites
52 Deluxe rooms
Penthouse
In recent years the Subic area has witnessed rapid development and at the forefront of the areas development is the Orchid Group with their new hotel, The Wild Orchid Beach Resort.
The Wild Orchid Beach Resort is a mammoth undertaking and represents a serious investment of time, money and manpower. From its awesomely massive swimming pool, tropical garden setting, aesthetically pleasing and spacious lobby through to the modernized, luxurious rooms, open air restaurant and giant open air bar it is very obvious that the Wild Orchid Beach Resort represents a new level in accommodation excellence and is setting the standard for others to follow. Their slogan for this hotel is ‘living the dream’ and if your dream is luxury accommodation in a tropical setting then this is indeed a dream come true.
The Wild Orchid Beach Resort is divided into two separate sections. Firstly there is the main hotel area which is a four story building comprising 67 rooms, a massive swimming pool in a tropical garden setting and a large bar / restaurant area which serves as the perfect place to enjoy fine dining or as a relaxing meeting place over a few cold ales.
The second part of the resort is almost like a beach front annex comprising 16 superbly designed luxurious rooms in a beautiful tropical garden setting. The beach front units are literally a one minute walk from the main building’s entrance and are in my opinion the best hotel rooms in the entire Subic area.
As you enter the main gate you drive through a large parking area capable of holding up to 100 cars. After finding your way through the parking lot you are then dropped off at the impressive hotel entrance where the now trademark wooden tigers greet you together with friendly doormen and helpful valets to carry your luggage.
The hotels tropical pacific island theme is created right at the main entrance. The overhanging car port providing shelter from the elements has a nipa roof over firm wooden beams. There are also solid wooden pillars with Polynesian like carvings, tropical pot plants and functional red brick tiles.
The main entrance forms the entry point to the impressive lobby/reception area. The lobby itself is huge with high ceilings, overhead fans, subtle yet effective lighting, comfortable lounge seating, wooden carvings, shiny stained wooden floors, pacific island art, a giant aquarium, large windows which let in the maximum amount of light, and model ships much like those of the Wild Orchid in Angeles. This is an impressive spacious area immaculately clean and always bright and breezy giving visitors the feel of being in a Pacific Island tropical resort.
Of to the right hand side is a wide staircase which leads to a sort of mezzanine area overlooking the main lobby area.
To the left hand side is the main reception area. This is a large area with a long wooden desk behind which sit the friendly and efficient staff. The girls here are excellently trained and always eager to help answer any questions you may have. From travel arrangements, transport to local attractions, hotel bookings or just general information these girls handle it all in their stride with a friendly and efficient demeanor.
On the same ground level but out behind the lobby is Scalliwags the open air restaurant/ bar area. This is a large restaurant with a select menu of reasonably priced cuisine, comfortable cane furniture, wooden carved pillars, spotlessly clean stained wooden floors solid wooden tables which do not rock and a delightful breeze which flows of the pool area throughout the entire restaurant.
The emphasis in the restaurant is on wholesome and hearty food in large helpings. I particularly liked their breakfast selection. The pancakes are huge and perfectly cooked.
And the large breakfasts with Australian sausages, eggs, strips of bacon, and hash browns are very filling and excellently cooked.
To be critical of the restaurant I would say their menu is somewhat limited and whilst there are some very good dishes the food on the whole does not seem as good as the food in the Wild Orchid Angeles.
In between the pool and the restaurant is the main bar area. This is a huge bar which features an extensive range of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, comfortable wooden chairs, wooden ceiling beams, a functional polished wooden bar top, overhead fans, flat screen TV’s broadcasting the latest sporting events, a comprehensive cocktail menu and most importantly very reasonable prices. This is a large semi open air area which can comfortably seat 50 plus people with seating facing the bar and other seating directly towards the swimming pool.
A major feature of all the Orchid Groups hotels, are the swimming pools and in the Wild Orchid Subic they have designed a swimming which is truly world class. The pool literally runs around half the building. At one end it features a sunken bar area where customers can sit in the pool and enjoy a cool drink or a quick snack without ever leaving the pool. This area also features a number of stone stools firmly embedded into the pools floor.
Off to the side are two smaller Jacuzzi type pools which are very popular with the customers and
The pool literally wraps itself around one entire side of the building and is perfectly positioned so hotel patrons staying in the poolside rooms can amble into the pool at any time and enjoy a cool refreshing swim.
A trademark of all Orchid group hotels is to build the pool within a tropical garden setting and the Wild Orchid Subic is no exception. Surrounding the entire pool is a beautiful garden perfect for lounging in the sun or just enjoying a quiet drink with that special someone. The pool is an essential element of this hotel in that it helps create the tropical resort feel as opposed to being just a normal hotel. The garden is dotted with small tables and chairs together with giant umbrellas giving customers and their companions a little privacy and an escape from the elements.
The most important element of any hotel is its rooms and the rooms here are very nice indeed. There are basically three types of rooms
Deluxe rooms Php 3,100
Pool side rooms Php 3,900 and Php 4,500 Friday to Sunday Night.
Beach side rooms Php 3,900 and Php 4,500 Friday to Sunday Night.
The higher rate mentioned here is applicable on the weekends Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The lower rate is applicable on the week days Monday through to Thursday. All prices quoted here are VAT inclusive. Check in time is 2pm and check out time is 12 noon.
The Deluxe rooms:
The so called deluxe rooms are the standard room in this hotel. To get to them you can either take the stairs or use the elevator.
The rooms start on the second floor and even as I type this report are undergoing their final finishing’s. The rooms are a decent size with excellent air conditioning units, large and very comfortable beds, nice curtains for those of us who like to grab 40 winks during the day, clean and cooling floor tiles, spacious cupboards, very clean and modern bathroom facilities including a hot and cold shower with strong water pressure, WiFi connection,room fridge with mini-bar and a large wall mounted flat screen TV with full cable access. I particularly liked the color coordination in these rooms. Sticking with the theme of stained brown wood contrasted by pristine white the rooms are pleasant on the eye and very tastefully designed.
The Poolside rooms:
The poolside rooms are more expensive yet undoubtedly they represent a level of luxury hitherto unseen in Barrio Barretto. The rooms are huge and incorporate a giant and comfortable bed, comfortable furniture, spacious cupboards, bed side tables, cable ready flat screen TV, WiFi connection, efficient air conditioning, overhead fan, large bathrooms with hot and cold water showers and Jacuzzi, subdued but efficient lighting, in room refrigerator, mini bar and personal safe.
They also have family poolside rooms with an extra bed
When they say poolside they mean poolside. Each room has a sliding glass door which when opens leads directly into the garden area and swimming pool. The doors are also heavily draped for those of us whose habits are more nocturnal. These rooms are more like a luxury tropical villa than a hotel room.
The large Jacuzzi is an added attraction in these rooms.
The Wild Orchid also has on the 4th floor Executive Jacuzzi rooms and on the 5th floor a Penthouse. At the time of writing this report these were still under construction. It is projected that the 4th floor rooms will be completed by the end of August and the 5th floor Penthouse completed by late October. These rooms are destined to be something special offering luxurious fittings, a complete range of modern facilities and panoramic views of Baloy beach and the entire surrounding area.
The Wild Orchid Subic is situated on a huge block of land offering massive potential for future development. The rooms from the 4th and 5th floors offer splendid views of the land and its future development will no doubt place this hotel even farther ahead of its competitors.
The beach side rooms:
Just across the road from the main building are the beach side rooms. These rooms are in my opinion truly world class and herald a new level of excellence in accommodation for the Subic area. There are 16 beachside rooms all in a beautiful tropical garden setting that is fronted by the beach and gently lapping waters of Subic Bay. Each room has its own balcony with table and chairs. These make an ideal spot to have your breakfast from or to sit and watch the sun go down as it majestically sets over Subic Bay.
There are 16 beachside rooms and like the poolside rooms, these are more like luxury villas than rooms. Each room is large and features a big comfortable bed, spacious cupboards, a personal safe, efficient air conditioning, a huge wall mounted, cable ready, flat screen TV, bedside tables, plenty of lighting, a sliding glass door leading onto the garden and beach area, a large Jacuzzi and ‘rain water’ hot and cold shower, refrigerator and mini bar.
There is also a restaurant and bar area in the beach side compound however this is still in the process of being constructed.
Summary of the resorts amenities:
*16 Beach side rooms
*7 Pool side rooms
*8 Sea view suites
*52 Deluxe rooms
*Penthouse
*Non Smoking rooms available
*Beautiful lobby with Scalliwags restaurant poolside
*Barefoot bar and bbq located on the beach
*The Famous 65m Pool with 14 seat swim up bar
*Outdoor and Undercover Pool Jacuzzi
*Happy Hour starts 3pm daily 50 pesos drinks
*Free High-Speed Wireless Internet Access in all rooms
*WiFi throughout the resort
*24 Hour Room Service
*Full service Travel Agency onsite
*Airport and Local Transport Service
*Passport Visa Extensions
*Business centre facilities
*Conference room
*24 Hour Security
*Foreign Exchange
*Laundry Service
*Back Up Electrical Power Generator
The Wild Orchid Subic heralds a new era in accommodation and is truly a first class hotel offering a level of luxury hitherto unseen in Subic. Following in the footsteps of The Wild Orchid Angeles the hotel is designed more as a high class tropical resort with an emphasis on light breezy design, and a majestic swimming pool in a tropical garden setting. When staying here it really is like living the dream of another day in paradise.
The Wild Orchid Subic is an interesting concept in that it offers a new level of luxury previously unheard of in the Subic area. Some people have said Subic is not ready for a classy resort hotel such as this but the boys from the Orchid group have taken their experience gained from their hotels in Angeles and are applying the same principals to this development.
When gathering material for this review we asked what is their projected occupancy rate for the high season and we were told 80%. Knowing Subic fairly well I questioned if they could really achieve this pondering the fact that the rooms here are more expensive than their competitors. I was told they are expecting a lot of customers from Angeles and weekend customers making the trip up from Manila. Secondly they expect to receive a large amount of patrons from the various Korean owned businesses that seem to be developing everyday out on the Subic Base.
The Wild Orchid is slightly more pricy than other Subic hotels however it is also a higher standard of accommodation and best of all it is part of the Orchid Group and as such AE friendly. Wild Orchid Subic offers a 10% discount of the total bill to all AE members making this a very reasonable alternative in the luxury accommodation market. If you feel like a holiday by the beach but want a little bit of luxury at the same time we thoroughly recommend the Wild Orchid Subic.
