Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center

Oakwood accidentally became part of the Philippine military history. When the 321-armed Magdalo soldiers led by then Lt. Sg. and now Senator Antonio Trillanes IV staged a mutiny in 2003 against the corrupt practices in the administration of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, they chose not EDSA, but a posh serviced apartment hotel in the heart of Makati.

But that was the thing of the past. More than a decade later, I guess everybody has moved on. Senator Trillanes just lost the Vice presidency race. GMA was just re-elected as Congresswoman of Pampanga. And Oakwood has relocated to a neighboring central business district of Ortigas in 2009, six years after the que horror incident, for a fresh start.

I can feel there is no more trace of the dark past as I stepped inside Oakwood. With a prestigious “Deluxe” classification it got from the Department of Tourism, only joy and nostalgia seem to linger in the air.

The lobby looks chic, elegant and majestic, as if touched by the hands of King Midas. I was amazed by the chandeliers and statue of Chinese Dragon Warrior Guan Gong Yu.

Oakwood boasts of its 230 fully furnished serviced apartments equipped with hotel-like amenities and modern home conveniences. The one bedroom suite is beyond lovely. The expansive living room with dining table, sofa, and state of the art home entertainment system could hold an intimate party. High speed broadband Internet is also guaranteed. The earth-tone color of the master bed with plenty of pillows is simply beautiful. The bathroom has a steam bath and tub with water-proof flat-screen TV. I was even surprised to find a washing machine and dryer. But above all these, the suite is every baker or chef-wannabe’s dream studio kitchen. It was well-stocked with pots, pans, five kinds of knives, kitchenware, coffeemaker, refrigerator, stove, conventional and microwave ovens, and even dishwasher.

Oakwood’s classy in-house restaurant, Nostalgia Dining Lounge, offers delectable food in a cozy and relaxed setting. I enjoyed my solitary late lunch with their signature dishes of bacon-wrapped Marsala chicken and tortellini filled with smoked salmon, and summer mango cheesecake.

Amenities that guests could freely use include an indoor heated lap pool in an all-blue color scheme and piped with underwater music, Jacuzzi, sauna, and fitness center. Since the pool is always full of raucous children, I just sneaked and played in the children’s playroom. I’m still a kid at heart, after all.

Despite a lot of things people complain about Metro Manila, it still looks peaceful and progressive from up my room. I just don’t know when the crazy traffic will end but I’m certain my heart knows when it is time to finally close a chapter.

And open a new one.

Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center

#17 ADB Ave. Ortigas Center

Pasig City

Tel. No.: 637-7888