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| Acacia Hotel Bacolod (Photo- Acacia Hotel Bacolod) |
Bacolod. The City of Smiles. Perennially beaming smiles on the vibrant MassKara Festival masks, and the smiles behind the mask is as captivating, if not more. It has nothing to do with the sugar. Or does it?
Just as popular as the celebrated October fiesta is Bacolod’s cuisine—the sweet and the savory that everyone can feast on all year round. What’s on your list of favorites? Is it the napoleones, piaya, guapple pie, the numerous confections of the desert houses? Does it include the local dishes that lure everyone back to the city for a taste of authentic preparations of the batchoy, cansi, KBL and chicken inasal?
Whatever the season and reason, be it a leisurely paced vacation or work-related assembly, Bacolod lands on top of the destination list. Where to stay? For sure, you have marked your favorite hotels as well, some of it you discovered by chance, and found its locations mattered.
My latest discovery is this port-side "porada" in Bacolod, the Acacia Hotel. Once the Bacolod Pavilion Hotel and now part of the Acacia hotel chain, the renovated and refurbished five-storey edifice with 86 rooms was launched in 2019. While the hotel boasts of its rooms with wide floor area (from 25 square meter deluxe suite to twice-larger Presidential Suite) is designed in earthy palettes, the appointment that stood out for me is how hot water flows quickly in the shower. That’s quick relief after an entire day of exploring the city.
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| Deluxe Queen Suite (Photo- Acacia Hotel Bacolod) |
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| Sunset seen from the hotel's wave pool (Photo- Acacia Hotel Bacolod) |
Acacia Hotel Bacolod will score high when it comes to location. Here’s five reasons why you should stay here:
1. Touring the Bacolod-Iloilo tandem? Whether it’s business or leisure, you can navigate both cities with ease. A few steps away from Acacia Hotel Bacolod is the Simplicio Palanca Seaport where ferries depart and arrive from Iloilo, which is less than two hours away. After an entire day of frolicking in the City of Love, staying at a port-side address in the City of Smiles means you’re back to home base to relax and rejuvenate in a jiffy. It’s like having a marina as a garage where you can effortlessly walk to your vehicle.
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| The Simplicio Palanca Seaport, a gateway to Iloilo City, is steps away from Acacia Hotel |
2. In town for a convention? Acacia Hotel Bacolod is positioned as a MICE destination and it has become a preferred hotel for it. The hotel’s Convention Hall can accommodate up to 800 guests for round table setup and 1,500 guests for theater-style, perfect for hosting large-scale conventions, industry exhibitions, and extensive social functions.
But if the affair is in the other large convention hall, the SMX, worry not, that’s right next door and an easy 5-minute walk.
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| Acacia Hotel's Convention Center (Photo- Acacia Hotel Bacolod) |
3. Shopping? Where the SMX is is where the SM Mall is as well. You can shop for your Bacolod pasalubongs in this mall. You need not travel far for it.
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| SM Bacolod is next door |
4. What is a visit to Bacolod without feasting on chicken inasal? Where else would you search for your best chicken inasal other than the Manokan Country? With more than a dozen stalls grilling the delicacy, there will be few you can mark as your favorites. Manokan Country is right beside the SM Mall. You can navigate through the mall to this must-dine spot.
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| Manokan Country is easy to reach from Acacia Hotel Bacolod |
5. When in Bacolod, do your touristic duties and visit the must-see historic spots. The closest to Acacia Hotel Bacolod is a place of Catholic worship (lucky for those who hear mass regularly), the 19-century built San Sebastian Cathedral is an easy 14-minute walk away, just past the Manukan Country.
A couple of good spots to check out as well are the Negros Museum and the Capitol Park and Lagoon, Both are 15 minutes away from the hotel.
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| San Sebastian Cathedral |
After bouts with cansi, batchoy, KBL, cakes at Calea and Felicia’s and Bacolod’s gastronomic delights, walking off the excess calories is a great idea. And that’s just what I did.
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