Holidays – Page 8 – The Wknd Travel

Flight Report: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2922 – Legazpi to Manila – First PAL Flight in 3 Years

Last weekend, I had the chance to fly our country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, on it’s Legazpi to Manila service. I booked the tickets last minute & got this Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight cheaper than its major competitor Cebu Pacific Air. Join me in today’s flight report as I share with you my first ever PAL flight in 3 years – with the last one from Bacolod back in March 2019.

Disclaimer: The reviewer is fully vaccinated during the trip. Travel requirements & procedures may change anytime. Everything mentioned below were valid during the day of the flight. For updated requirements & procedures, please check Philippine Airlines’ Travel Rules & Requirements page.

Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines is the Philippines flag carrier. The airline was founded in 1941 & is the oldest commercial airline in Asia. Majority of the airline’s stake is held by PAL Holdings owned by Dr. Lucio Tan – the same owner of LT Group, one of the Philippines’ largest conglomerates. ANA Holdings, the parent company of All Nippon Airways, owns a minority stake in Philippine Airlines.

Philippine Airlines operates around 60 Airbus, Bombardier & Boeing aircraft to over 40 international & 31 domestic routes. Its hubs are located in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Clark & Kalibo. PAL is the country’s biggest full-service airline offering premium experience to its passengers. They offer business class, premium economy & economy class to most of its routes.

PAL is not a member of any airline alliance but has code-share flights with major carriers such as All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Turkish Airlines, Gulf Air & many more. PAL also has its own frequent flyer program called Mabuhay Miles. PAL is also the only Philippine-based carrier to receive a 4-star rating from world-renowned air transport rating organization Skytrax.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare & Inclusions

Ticket prices on both Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air websites have skyrocketed when I checked for flights. I managed to catch a rare return trip deal with a 3^rd party company called Traveloka. The company offered a discounted fare for return tickets on the same airline. I got the ticket for ₱2,277.62 roundtrip including a 10% discount from Traveloka. Note that the ticket prices on the airline websites were double to almost triple compared to the price I paid.

The initial ticket only includes 7-kilogram carry-on baggage but does not include check-in baggage. I called the PAL hotline days before my flight & added 10-kilograms check-in baggage per way. It cost ₱800 return at ₱400 per way. Baggage fees can be cheaper if you book it during the initial ticket booking (which Traveloka didn’t offer for this flight) or more than 15 days before the intended flight.

The return ticket with 10-kilograms baggage per way cost me ₱3,077.62. The airline reflects it as ₱3,372.00 because it didn’t include the 10% discount I got from Traveloka. The all-in ticket price is ridiculously cheap considering it was booked a week before the intended flight & hey, it’s with Philippine Airlines.

Travel Requirements

Metro Manila has one of the laxest travel requirements in the country. The region only requires a valid identification card & a copy of vaccination card or vaccination certificate. Please note a specific local government unit may require additional documents from the arriving passenger. It’s best to always check with the LGU of your destination for the updated requirements.

Philippine Airlines makes sure that their passengers are informed of the latest travel requirements per destination. The airline frequently updates their website with the latest requirements & documents per destination. You may check out this page for more information.

Note: Legazpi Airport still requires all passengers to download the Traze mobile application for contact-tracing purposes.

Before The Flight

Airlines have their own ways of informing their passengers about the requirements for the flight. On my last flight with Cebu Pacific Air, they sent an e-mail with all the reminders days before the flight schedule. Philippine Airlines, on this flight, sent a text message to my registered mobile informing me about my confirmed itinerary, the updated travel rules & regulations & the options in case there are flight disruptions.

I appreciate this gesture to keep their passengers informed of everything about the flight. Kudos to Philippine Airlines!

Flight Information

This Legazpi to Manila PAL flight was operated by a 4.7-year-old Bombardier Q400 or De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 Next Generation aircraft with registration RP-C5901. The plane has 86 seats on a 2-2 configuration. It has 6 economy-plus or extra legroom seats & 80 regular economy seats. The plane left Bicol International Airport at 7:46am & arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 8:32am. The flight took 46 minutes in the air & arrived 37 minutes ahead of schedule.

Airport & Ground Experience

This Philippine Airlines flight to Manila was the first flight that operated out of Bicol International Airport that day.

CHECK-IN

All passengers go through the initial security check & Traze application scanning before going to the check-in counters. All airline check-in counters are located on the ground level with Philippine Airline’s counters found in the right part of the building.

Check-in & bag drop took about 2 minutes. The ground staff asked for my identification & vaccination cards, printed my boarding pass & checked my check-in luggage. The PAL ground staff were nice & accommodating on an early Saturday morning.

BOARDING

After check-in, all passengers proceed to the 2^nd floor where the final security check & pre-departure area is located. Bicol International Airport is relatively new so there isn’t a lot inside. Boarding commenced ahead of schedule. All passengers walked through the jet bridge & then walked out onto the tarmac to head to the aircraft. We all had a lovely view of Mayon Volcano during boarding.

The flight crew checked every passenger’s boarding pass & disinfected everyone’s hands upon entering the plane. The whole boarding process took less than 20 minutes & was completed ahead of schedule.

The Mayon Volcano showed up during boarding! This is the view from the airport boarding gate.

Inflight Product

SEAT

Philippine Airlines’ Q400 aircraft comes with 86 seats in a 2 x 2 configuration. Each row has 2 window & 2 aisle seats. Each seat features a seat pitch of 29 inches & a seat width of 16.92 inches. Each also features a tray table, individual air nozzle & reading light. The seat also features a decent recline, which the competitor doesn’t offer. The seat pocket in front of every passenger contains the aircraft safety card. Inflight magazines have been removed because of the pandemic; unsure if it will be back soon. The aircraft also features spacious overhead compartments – bigger than the local competitor’s overhead cabin.

Tried to open the tray table. It was spot clean! The crew made sure it was cleaned after the 1st leg.

I got window seat 11A for this flight. I was seated near the propeller so I experienced an extra neglectable noise during the flight. The legroom was alright for such a short flight.

INFLIGHT SNACK

Shortly after take-off, the crew handed out snacks to all passengers. They gave out complimentary chocolate oatmeal cookies from Figaro & a 350mL bottled water. The crew finished the snack service in less than 10 minutes.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Philippine Airlines Q400 aircraft doesn’t come with personal entertainment options & screens. Planes with personal entertainment screens are mostly available on their international routes.

LAVATORY

The aircraft’s lavatory was located in the front part of the cabin. I did not have the chance to visit the lavatory on this short flight.

Cabin Crew Service

Philippine Airlines brands their service as the ‘Heart of the Filipino.’ The cabin crew on this Legazpi to Manila flight embodied that way of service & gave their best in catering to the needs of the passengers. They welcomed all passengers with their best smiles, helped in putting passengers’ bags in the overhead compartment & constantly reminded the passengers of the safety protocols. The cabin crew service on this flight was top-notch, probably one of the best I’ve experienced on a domestic flight.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

This Legazpi to Manila PAL flight landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport & headed to Terminal 2 for disembarkation. Terminal 2’s structure does not cater to propeller planes thus requiring us to have a bus gate. Passengers left the aircraft in an unorderly manner (not by rows) & rode a bus to the airport arrivals area. Checked luggage arrived in less than 10 minutes – quite rare these days!

Final Thoughts

It was an excellent flight with Philippine Airlines; it was probably one of the best domestic legs I’ve had in a while.

A few things made me happy with this flight. First, the aircraft & seat features were at par with industry standards. The cabin temperature was cool & comfortable. The crew kept the air conditioning on even before the engine started. Second, Philippine Airlines maintained their reputation of being the country’s sole full-service airline & offered snacks to all passengers during a pandemic. Third, the flight operated ahead of schedule. Lastly, the ground & cabin crew service made the flight extra special. I’ve felt & experienced PAL hospitality from the time I checked in for my flight up to when I disembarked from the plane.

This flight was my first PAL flight in 3 years & this won’t be the last. This flight with Philippine Airlines proved that they are still the country’s best airline in terms of service. They may not have the cheapest fares, but they still have the most premium service.

Curious about the technical details of this flight? Check them out below:

Airline: Philippine Airlines
Flight Date: 5 March 2022
Flight Number: PR 2922
Route: Legazpi (LGP) to Manila (MNL)
Duration: 46 minutes
Seat Number: 11A
Aircraft: Bombardier Q400 / De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 NG
Aircraft Registration: RP-C5901
Aircraft Engine: 2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A Engines
Age: 4.7 years
Delivered: July 2017

Have you flown with Philippine Airlines recently? How was your experience with the country’s flag carrier? Feel free to share your personal experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about flying into Manila or anything about flying during the pandemic? You may post them below or you may send an e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s flight report. Stay tuned for the next one coming in shortly. I also have a few flights lined up in the coming weeks & months. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

P’s List: 5 Philippine Destinations I Won’t Get Tired of Visiting

Before I started flying to different international destinations, I’ve been going around different Philippine destinations. I remember in 2012, I had 4 trips in 4 consecutive weekends – I went to Cebu, then to Bacolod, Legaspi & Puerto Princesa. I may not have been to all 81 Philippine provinces, but I can say I’ve been to some of them.

Falling in love to a place you’ve been to maybe a cliché but it really happens. I enjoy every single place I visit but I don’t necessarily fall in love with it. It takes jaw-dropping views, fun & exciting inland & island tours, great company & tasty food for me to fall in love with a place. Today’s P’s List will feature 5 Philippine destinations where I can say I fell in love with & I won’t get tired of going back again & again.

Boracay

It may be the most touristy & commercial island destination in the country but it is still Boracay. The island’s white sand beaches, spectacular sunset & relaxing holiday vibe make it a unique beach destination. The island isn’t famous for nothing. I’ve been to the island a couple of times & I keep on coming back. It’s one of those islands where you can fly in, lie down in the fine white sand & just relax thinking about nothing.

Palawan

Continuously hailed as one of the world’s best islands, Palawan stole my heart since I visited the island in 2012. I’ve been to Puerto Princesa once, Coron once, Port Barton twice & El Nido four times & I still look forward to visiting the island again. Palawan has pristine beaches, world-class islands, stunning views & rich marine life. My favorite spots / activities in Palawan include Iwahig firefly watching activity in Puerto Princesa, Malcapuya Island & Kayangan Lake in Coron, Nacpan Beach, Big Lagoon & Entalula Island in El Nido & Turtle Point, Twin Reef & Maxima Island in Port Barton. It has everything an island destination can have; it is hands down my favorite domestic destination next to home.

Siquijor

I went on a spontaneous weekend trip to Siquijor with friends in July 2017. I feel in love with how simple & untouched everything is in the island. The island is relatively unknown compared to its neighbors but has the beautiful Paliton & Salagdoong Beaches, the one-of-a-kind Cambugahay Falls, the interesting Balete Tree & the old but preserved Lazi Church. I instantly feel in-love with the island on my first visit & I want to go back & explore it again.

Siargao

I may not be a surfer but I surely fell in love with Siargao on my first visit. The beautiful tour locations (in the morning) & the crazy party vibes (at night) made this Siargao a great place to visit. I fell in love with Sugba Lagoon, enjoyed Magpupungko’s tidal & rock pool & liked the tour around Sohoton. The jellyfish sanctuary visit was really cool. I also loved Cloud 9’s island vibe. Ahh, I want to go back to Siargao soon!

Albay

Nothing beats a place called home; Albay will always be my favorite. You may find it biased but hey, you can’t blame me for being one. It’s where I grew up & where my family is. Add to it the spectacular view of Mayon Volcano, which I can see from our house’ gate. I miss home, I can’t wait to go back when this pandemic is over. Albay is the place which I’ll never get tired of visiting.

I honestly can’t wait to visit these places again. I know international travel won’t be allowed in the next few months but I hope the government will allow domestic tourism as soon as it’s already safe for everyone. How about you? Which Philippine destinations do you always keep on visiting & why? Share your own list in the comments section below!

Do you have any questions about the destinations mentioned above? If yes, you may send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Feel free to follow me on my social media channels for more information on cheap fares, thrift hacks & fun lists & itineraries – Facebook & Instagram. Thank you for joining me in today’s list. Until the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11 & HTC Re.

A Dream Come True: 19 DAYS Around NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, CZECH REPUBLIC & DENMARK for Less Than ₱120,000 – Airfare, Accommodation & 12-Hour Singapore Stopover Included

Last October to November 2019, I flew to Europe all by myself for 19 days & went around Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark. I never thought this trip that took 7 years to plan would finally happen & that I would do everything alone & DIY – no help from any travel agency, consultant or whatsoever. If you’ve been following me the last few months, I’ve shared every single detail of this Euro trip from city itineraries, flight reports, to hostels & even local food. You can find all posts under the Going Solo in Europe category.

Going to Europe for a long trip like this is not a cheap trip to do. Some people spend hundreds of thousands on airfare & accommodation & add probably another hundred for food, pocket money & tours. I didn’t have that much savings for this kind of expensive trip so I did a lot of research to make it happen in a relatively affordable budget. AND I DID IT! I flew to Europe for 19 days around 4 countries including airfare, accommodation & a 12-hour Singapore stopover for less than ₱120,000 all in. Let me share with you how I made this trip of a lifetime possible.

Disclaimer: There are ways to make this trip even cheaper than what I spent – staying in cheaper hostels, taking low-cost carriers / buses with cutting trips, etc. – but I wanted to make it special (as a first time) & splurged a bit on some parts like food (& beers), high-rated hostels & better transportation options. Also, I only chose to visit 4 countries instead of hopping on from one country to the other after a day or two to have a better appreciation of every country / city. I am not a fan of rushed trips; I enjoy staying longer in one place or country.

In case you missed it last week, I posted an article on 11 Europe thrift hacks that I did on this trip. These thrift hacks helped me save on some expenses like food & tours. Check out that article here.

Air Tickets

I took the risk & booked a return ticket to Europe with Singapore Airlines during their January promotion with BPI Credit Cards. I got the economy class ticket from Manila to Amsterdam via Singapore & Copenhagen to Manila via Singapore for only 719.23 USD. The ticket includes 30-kilogram baggage allowance on all sectors, in-flight meals & snacks, personal entertainment screens & their 5-star Singaporean hospitality. My BPI credit card charged me ₱37,669.40 including foreign transaction fees. Not bad for a ticket to Europe considering it’s with Singapore Airlines, right?

Months before the trip, I figured out the route I’ll take & the countries I’ll visit. Then, I booked air tickets for my inter-European transfers. Train tickets were more expensive & would take a few changes while bus trips, even if cheap, will take ages & a few transfers before you reach the next city / country. I paid €67,40 for a plane ticket from Brussels, Belgium to Prague, Czech Republic on Brussels Airlines. I booked another ticket from Prague, Czech Republic to Copenhagen, Denmark on Czech Airlines for 1,588 Kč. Both tickets include 23-kilogram check in baggage. I got charged ₱4,000.85 & ₱3,658.88, respectively for these 2 tickets.

I booked these 3 tickets without a Schengen tourist visa. Some people don’t recommend this, but I took the risk & did it. I was confident that time that I will be granted visa for this trip & luckily, I got one.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Europe is not cheap. A dormitory bed in a hostel costs about €30 to €40 a night, depending on the room configuration & location. Hotels & private rooms are more expensive. I can’t afford them. I booked my hostels 4 months into the trip. All these hostel bookings had free cancellation options if I don’t push through. I became picky with the hostels I’ll stay with since it was my first time in Europe. I stayed in popular & high-rated hostels found in central & well-recommended locations.

I stayed with Generator Hostel in Amsterdam (₱8,885.82 for 4 nights – paid in Philippine Peso), Sleep Well Youth Hostel in Brussels (€122 for 4 nights – paid during check-in), DREAM Hostel in Prague (1,790 Kč for 4 nights – paid via credit card on check-in) & Steel House in Copenhagen (US$ 116.24 for 4 nights – paid via Agoda). I paid ₱26,117.54 for 16 nights in these 4 countries – roughly ₱1,632.25 per night in Philippine Peso or €28,49 per night in Euros. I think I still got a good deal from these hostels! It would’ve been cheaper if booked my stay at least 8-10 months before.

Travel Insurance

Schengen tourist visa applications require a travel insurance with up to €30,000 medical coverage for the duration of the trip, some even up to 15 to 30 days after the trip. I got my travel insurance coverage online from Standard Insurance; I got their Travel Protect Policy which covers up to €37,500 medical coverage for 19 days. I paid ₱1,918 for the 19-day coverage.

Tourist Visa

I applied for my own Schengen tourist visa with VFS Netherlands. The visa fee cost €60 (₱3,420) + ₱901 VFS handling fee. I opted for the passport delivery service instead of picking up my passport in the VFS office. I paid a small fee for the courier service. I previously shared in this website how I got my Schengen tourist visa without the help of any tour agency. Check out that Tuesday Tip post here.

Internet Sim Card

Traveling around Europe alone isn’t easy. I made sure I was connected to the internet for the whole duration of the trip. I bought an internet sim card from Pinoy Traveler’s Unlimited Data Sim Card on Facebook. The sim card was operated by Three UK & it included 12 GB of 3G/4G data & unlimited call & text in Europe & UK & 9 GB of 3G/4G data outside Europe & UK for 30 days. The sim card cost ₱1,600 with free shipping. The data, call & text services worked well during my stay in Singapore, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark.

Travel Tax

All Philippine passport holders are required to pay a travel tax of ₱1,620 before going out the country for holiday. I paid the travel tax right before I checked in for my flight from Manila to Singapore.

Daily Budget & Unexpected Expenses

I mentioned in my Europe thrift hacks post that I set a daily budget of €40 for food, transportation & entrance fees. I spent more in some days but I was traveling on a €30-€35 per day budget. There were days where I had to buy last-minute museum tickets (Heineken Experience & Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam), join guided tours (Canal Tour in Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam & Marken in Holland & Kutná Hora in Czech Republic) & go on side trips (Utrecht, Bruges, Ghent & Český Krumlov) which cost me more. I also bought last-minute train & bus tickets in Belgium & Czech Republic – the downsides of not following an itinerary.

I splurged on beers in all 4 countries; I paid more for food in Denmark (food there is expensive) but I’m happy I still had about €120 cash left at the end of the trip. I counted all my expenses from pocket money, to credit & debit card transactions & debit card withdrawals for 19 days. I spent ₱34,327.78 (around €600) for 17 full days (travel days not included) on food, transportation, walking tours, entry tickets, guided tours & beers – about €35 per day on average.

Singapore Stopover

My flight from Manila to Amsterdam had a 12-hour layover in Singapore. I took this time to meet 2 friends – one for lunch + milk tea & one for early dinner. I also used this time to walk around the beautiful city, check out a city library & walk around The Jewel at Changi Airport. I spent around S$50 (₱1,859.4 conversion that time) on this 12-hour stop – food, drinks & transportation included.

Summary of Expenses

After all the costs & numbers mentioned above, let’s see how much I actually spent for the trip.

Exchange rate at the time of trip: €1 = ₱57.3 Exchange rates of purchases & withdrawals vary. There you go! I spent ₱117,092.85 pesos for a 19-day trip around 4 European Countries – Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark – with air tickets, accommodation costs & a 12-hour Singapore stopover included. If you’ll include the transportation expenses during the visa application process, to & from the airport when I left & arrived, it’ll be somewhere around ₱118,500 – still less than ₱120,000!

Don’t get me wrong, ₱117,092.85 is a very big amount but we’re talking about a 19-day trip to Europe here flying with one of the world’s premium airlines – Singapore Airlines & visiting first world & expensive countries like Netherlands, Belgium & Denmark. I couldn’t believe this when I listed all my expenses after the trip. I wanted this trip to be fun, memorable & spontaneous & I’m happy it turned out to be a trip of a lifetime. This solo trip to Europe is so far my longest, most expensive & most memorable experience I’ve had in my life. Every single peso spent was worth it!

Blog List

In case you’re interested in the posts about this trip, check out the blog list below.

FLIGHT REPORTS

SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 915 – Manila to Singapore – 5-Star Economy Class Experience In A New Generation Boeing Dreamliner
SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 324 – Singapore to Amsterdam – My First Ever 13-Hour Flight That Didn’t Feel Like One
BRUSSELS AIRLINES SN 2811 – Brussels to Prague – Belgium’s Flag Carrier & My First Ever European Airline Experience
CZECH AIRLINES OK 502 – Prague to Copenhagen – Czech Republic’s National Carrier & World’s Fifth Oldest Operating Airline
SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 351 – Copenhagen to Singapore – Cozy & Enjoyable 12-Hour Window Seat Economy Class Flight Back to Asia
SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 912 – Singapore to Manila – 3-Hour Remarkable Economy Class Experience Aboard A 15-Year Old Aircraft

HOSTEL FEATURES

GENERATOR AMSTERDAM – An Old University Building Turned Award-Winning Economy Accommodation
SLEEP WELL YOUTH HOSTEL BRUSSELS – Eco-Friendly City Center Hostel with Excellent Free Buffet Breakfast
DREAM HOSTEL PRAGUE – Stylish & Budget-Friendly Backpacker Hostel in New Town
STEEL HOUSE COPENHAGEN – 4 Nights in Danish Capital’s New York-Inspired Industrial Style Luxury Accommodation

VISA APPLICATION & TIPS

Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application With VFS NETHERLANDS
11 EUROPE THRIFT HACKS You Should Know
10 THINGS TO KNOW Before Traveling To Europe

NETHERLANDS

AMSTERDAM – Beautiful Canals, Colorful Houses & Interesting Museums In A Bustling City
UTRECHT- Unplanned Afternoon Visit To Netherlands’ Underrated Canal City
NORTH HOLLAND COUNTRYSIDE – A Day Trip To The Cheese Farm & Clogs Factory, Windmills & Waterlands
6 Dutch Delis I Enjoyed

BELGIUM

BRUSSELS – Belgium’s Center, Europe’s Capital & Most Boring City?
BRUGES – Cobbled Alleys, Gingerbread Houses & Pretty Canals in Belgium’s Picture-Perfect City
GHENT – Belgium’s Underrated Port City
5 Must Try Belgian Treats

CZECH REPUBLIC

PRAGUE – Europe’s Most Beautiful Capital City
KUTNÁ HORA – Day Trip To Central Bohemia’s Medieval Silver Mining Town
ČESKÝ KRUMLOV – Czechia’s Quaint Fairy Tale Town
4 Czech Eats To Savor

DENMARK

COPENHAGEN – Walking Around Denmark’s Wonderful Capital City
7 Danish Delicacies Not To Miss
7 Interesting Observations About Denmark

Thank you for joining me in today’s Euro trip summary. I’ve made use of the pandemic to finish all the posts about this trip. It’s a shame that my next planned trip to Europe this October won’t push through, but it won’t stop me from planning my next trip to this beautiful continent. We may all be stuck in our own homes but we’ll surely go back to the time when travelling is safe & sound. It’s never too late to give up on your dream trips to Europe! Make use of this downtime to research about the cities & countries you want to visit & plan out the route you’ll take.

Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Is there anything you want to ask how I planned the trip in general? Or maybe how I did it? Feel free to post your questions in the comments section below. You can also send it via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Feel free to follow me on my social media channels for more information on cheap fares, thrift hacks & fun itineraries – Facebook & Instagram. I’ll finish the post with this.. I DID IT – 19 DAYS AROUND NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, CZECH REPUBLIC & DENMARK FOR LESS THAN ₱120,000 ALL IN & I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel of the Day: STEEL HOUSE COPENHAGEN – 4 Nights in Danish Capital’s New York-Inspired Industrial Style Luxury Accommodation

After landing in Copenhagen Airport from that Czech Airlines flight from Prague, I claimed my luggage, took the train to the city & went straight to Steel House Copenhagen – my hostel in Copenhagen for my last 4 nights in Europe. This New York-inspired industrial style luxury accommodation will be today’s hostel of the day feature. Find out in the post below how this hostel differs from DREAM Hostel Prague, Sleep Well Youth Hostel Brussels & Generator Amsterdam, the other hostels I stayed with throughout this trip to Europe.

In case you didn’t know, I went on 19-day trip around 4 countries in Europe late last year. I started my trip in the Netherlands & went around Amsterdam, Utrecht & North Holland. From there, I took the bus & went to Belgium. I stayed in the country for 4 full days & walked around Brussels, Bruges & Ghent. I flew to Czech Republic & settled in Prague for another full days. I also took day trips to Kutná Hora & Český Krumlov. I finished my trip in the beautiful city of Copenhagen (blog to follow) in Denmark. The details & posts that talk about this Europe trip of a lifetime can be found under the Going Solo in Europe category.

Steel House Copenhagen

Steel House Copenhagen is one of the city’s newest & renowned hostel properties. The hostel sits in the former Danish Union of Metalworkers building which has been transformed into a modern & well-designed luxury hostel accommodation. The hostel lives up to its luxury hostel vibe by providing hotel-like amenities & extraordinary shared facilities which you will know more about later in the post. The hostel has 253 rooms which are divided into dormitory & private rooms.

The hostel is owned & managed by Arp-Hansen Hotel Group – Copenhagen’s biggest chain of privately-owned & centrally-located hospitality properties.

Location & Access

Steel House Copenhagen is located in the hip neighborhood of Vesterbo, next to Nørrebro, Frederiksberg. It is in Herholdtsgade 6 & is 2-minute walk away from Vesterport Station of the Boulevard Line. It is also 10 minutes away by foot from Copenhagen’s main train station known as Københavns Hovedbanegård or København H. It is also 10 to 20-minute walk to most of Copenhagen’s tourist spots.

The nearest convenience store is 2 minutes away; the nearest supermarket is 3-5 minutes away. There are many pubs & restaurants near the hostel. Copenhagen Airport (CPH), Københavns Lufthavn in local language & Denmark’s main airport, is 30 minutes away from the hostel & can be accessed via the train (walking included). The journey from Copenhagen Central Station to Copenhagen Airport Station takes about 15 to 20 minutes. The hostel’s location is perfect. It is within the city & is walkable to almost everywhere in the city center.

Room Options & Rates

Steel House Copenhagen has a total of 1,154 beds in 253 rooms which guests can occupy in 1 night. These rooms are divided into private & dormitory rooms. The property has 64 private rooms offered in single, double & twin bed (with & without balconies) configurations. It also has 54 rooms with 4 dormitory beds each formatted in 2 semi-private bunks. The largest type of room they have is the 6-bed dormitory rooms in 135 rooms. The dormitory rooms are configured into mixed or female-only rooms. Nightly rates vary per room, bed & season. The beds in the 6-bed dormitory room are usually the cheapest. It can go as low as 125 DKK (Danish kroner) per night.

Private & dormitory rooms all have their own shower & toilet areas with quality shampoo, liquid soap & conditioner. Rooms have enough storage space (lockers for dormitory rooms) for luggage. All rooms have air conditioning. Each dormitory bed has a luxurious mattress with fresh linen, a personal power socket / outlet, a reading light & a small pouch or storage space by the bed. Private room guests have access to televisions in their rooms plus the option to upgrade to rooms with wooden terraces. The hostel provides towels to all guests free-of-charge.

I stayed in a 4-bed mixed dormitory room for 4 nights. I booked my stay with Agoda & paid $116.24 for all 4 nights – later charged as ₱6,210.98 by my bank. The rate didn’t include breakfast. The dormitory beds are semi-private with unique design. The mattress was comfortable to sleep with & the facilities are clean & well-maintained. The hostel provided towels & big lockers which fit my medium-sized luggage. Our room had a nice view of Sankt Jørgens Sø (St George’s Lake) in Copenhagen.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

Steel House Copenhagen offers a long list of facilities & amenities which all guests can enjoy. This is by far the longest list of amenities I’ve had in all hostel of the day features in this website.

Free Wi-Fi – All guests have access to ultra-fast Wi-Fi connection inside the rooms & in the common areas.

Café & Bar – The hostel has an in-house café & bar where guests can grab something to eat & drink. They have a happy hour promo of 1+1 on Carlsberg & Tuborg beers every Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Breakfast Bag – The hostel sells breakfast bags every morning for 49 DKK. They don’t have breakfast buffets or breakfast meals; these healthy breakfast bags will do. It has a bun, a small bottle of juice, a fruit bar & a cup of coffee or tea.

Free Unlimited Water Refills – One of the best things about Steel House Copenhagen is the free unlimited water refills from the tap in the common area. Tap water in Denmark is clean & potable.

Communal Lounge Areas – The hostel has spacious communal lounge areas beside the café & bar. Guests can choose from the comfortable couches to the wooden tables & chairs.

Night Concerts & Jamming Sessions – The hostel hosts small concerts & jamming sessions in the communal area beside the café & bar. They invite local artists to perform in the lounge area & to serenade or jam with the guests.

Private Amenities & Communal Toilets – All rooms have their own private hot & cold shower & toilets complete with complimentary shampoo, conditioner & liquid soap. There are also communal amenities in the basement for those who are in the common areas.

Self-Service Kitchen – The hostel has a luxurious & fully-equipped kitchen which guests can use during their stay. Access to this kitchen costs 20 DKK for the duration of stay. Guests who buy access to this kitchen can store food in the fridge & cook their own food. This kitchen room is open daily from 6:00 am to 12:00 am.

Fitness Center – Steel House Copenhagen has a small gym or fitness center with limited equipment. Access to this fitness facility costs 20 DKK for 2 hours per session. The fitness center is open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm daily.

Swimming Pool – Guests can enjoy a bath in the hostel’s 40 sq m swimming pool for 20 DKK. The pass is good for 2 hours. The swimming pool is open daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Games Room – Guests can kill time by playing pool, table football or shuffleboard in the games room.

Cinema Room – The hostel has a small cinema room that can accommodate up to 25 people. They show movies & sports games in this communal room found in the lower ground floor.

SoMe Garden – Steel House Copenhagen has set-up 12 communal & free-for-all tablets where guests can browse the internet, open their social media accounts, catch-up on YouTube videos & plan the next leg of their trip. It is also the perfect place to do some work if you are working in between holidays.

Venue Area – The hostel has a multi-purpose venue or space in the lower ground floor for small events like comedy shows, band concerts & presentations.

Television Room – Guests who want to catch-up on shows & news they’re watching can do so in the television room found in the lower basement level.

Paid Luggage Storage – Guests who need to leave their luggage before check-in & after check-out can store them in the storage room for 20 DKK for 3 hours, 35 DKK for 6 hours & 50 DKK for 24 hours.

Laundry Facilities – The hostel has a laundry room in the lower ground floor. Access to these self-service laundry facilities cost 20 DKK per guest.

24-Hour Reception – Steel House Copenhagen’s reception area is open for 24 hours. There will always be someone who will smile & welcome you every time you arrive at the hostel you.

Express Check-in & Check-out – The hostel has a cool express check-in & check-out system. Guests who will check-in need to complete the guest form in one of the computers in front of reception then just claim their access cards from the staff. Guests who will check-out only need to drop their access cards in the drop box by the reception area.

Welcoming & Friendly Staff – The hostel’s staff are very welcome & friendly. They greeted me with a smile when I arrived from the airport. Those in the reception smile to everyone going inside the hostel. They even engage guests into small talks. These lovely people made my stay memorable.

Daily Activities – Aside from the night concerts & jamming sessions, Steel House also hosts other activities with guests such as games & quiz nights, yoga & capoeira sessions, running activities & pub crawls. Schedules vary per week so it’s always best to check the weekly activities posted inside the elevators.

Free Walking Tours – The hostel has partnered with the touring company to offer a free (well, tip-based) tour around Copenhagen. This walking tour happens every day & starts at 10:20 am in the reception area.

Basement Car Parking – Steel House has 60 car parking spaces underneath the hostel. Guests can park their cars in this parking facility for 210 DKK per 24 hours. Car parking spaces cannot be reserved & follows a “first come, first serve” policy.

Bicycle Rental – Copenhagen, just like Amsterdam, is a great city to cycle around. The hostel offers bicycle rental for 125 DKK for a day until midnight. I didn’t have the chance to cycle around the city but it’s something I’ll do next time.

Lift Access – Hostel guests have access to lifts up to their rooms. This makes luggage easy to be brought up to & down from the rooms.

Secured Hostel Access – Steel House gives their hostel guests a key card or access card that only works on your specific level & room. Only guests can go up to & down from their rooms.

Experience

My 4-night stay in Steel House Copenhagen & around Copenhagen was the perfect way to end this 19-day Going Solo in Europe trip. To be honest, there were other relatively cheaper hostels around the city. But I opted to treat myself by staying in this hostel. I paid more to stay in Steel House Copenhagen & I had no regrets. Who would ever think I’ll stay in this luxury hostel for 4 nights in such an expensive country like Denmark?

This hostel impressed me from the time I arrived in the hostel up to check-out. The staff welcomed me with their best smiles, pointed me to the express check-in kiosk then gave me my key card afterwards. They also granted my request of staying in a lower bunk bed. They have small chitchats with the guests every time they order in the bar & café.

The room size was enough for 4 people to stay in. The lockers were big to fit my medium-sized luggage. The semi-private bunk beds had a nice design; the bed was comfortable to sleep in. I like that each room had a private toilet & shower. The rooms are cleaned daily. My only issue with the bathroom & toilet is its automatic lighting system. The bathroom lights turn off when they do not detect any movement for a certain time. I always need to go out of the shower area to activate the lighting system.

The hostel makes sure that all guests have a good time by organizing daily activities from walking tours, to daily exercise sessions, games & quiz nights to jamming nights & pub crawls. The weekend happy hour 1+1 promo on beers is a big plus for me. Beers in Copenhagen or in Denmark in general are expensive compared to Prague’s so these promos are much appreciated. It came to a point (during my last night in Steel House) where I ordered for 4 glasses of Carlsberg & got 8 because of the happy hour. Don’t worry, I only had 4 & the other 4 was for my friend Mads.

One thing Generator Amsterdam, Sleep Well Youth Hostel Brussels & DREAM Hostel Prague had which Steel House Copenhagen didn’t is buffet breakfast. I know they have breakfast bags for 49 DKK but it would have been a full-package if they had this kind of breakfast option for guests. I guess I only expected them to have one because all my 3 past hostels had it. However, it’s not a major issue for me. I still enjoyed the treats inside the breakfast bag.

Steel House also made up for the breakfast part by having an unlimited free water refill option for guests. The other 3 hostels I stayed with didn’t have this option. In a continent like Europe where is more of a luxury, having the unlimited free water refill feature is such a lifesaver. Thank you, Steel House, for this amenity.

Steel House Copenhagen has the best range of facilities & amenities in all the hostels I stayed with so far. Imagine a hostel with a fitness center, a swimming pool, a self-service kitchen, games room, lounge area, television room, cinema, events space, café & bar? Even though access to some of these facilities come with a price, I still can’t over the fact this hostel has these amenities which are mostly found in hotels. Take note, all these areas are all clean & well-maintained. Steel House Copenhagen is one of a kind – they live up the expectations of being a luxury hostel.

Overall, I had an excellent stay with Steel House Copenhagen. This was the best hostel among the hostels I’ve stayed with in this trip & probably in the top 3 hostels I’ve stayed with in my life. The hostel has been superb in all aspects – from the rooms, the beds to the communal facilities, amenities, staff & guest activities. I realized I got so much more than the ₱1,552.75 (roughly $30) I paid per night. Will I go back to Steel House? Yes. Will I recommend this hostel to everyone? Hell yes! Look no further, book your stay with this hostel when you are in Copenhagen. Oh, book early as they sell out all 1,154 beds on some days.

In case you have questions to Steel House Copenhagen, you may reach them on the following platforms:

Steel House Copenhagen
Address: Herholdtsgade 6 DK-1605 København V
Number: +45 3317 7110
E-mail Address: reservations@steelhousecopenhagen.com
Website: www.steelhousecopenhagen.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/steelhousecopenhagen
Instagram: www.instagram.com/steel_house_copenhagen

What do you think of Steel House Copenhagen? Have you ever stayed in a hostel that has hotel-like facilities like this? What & where is this hostel? How was your stay? Share your luxury hostel experiences in the comments section below. Do you have questions about my experience or about the hostel? You may also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I will try my best to answer these questions as soon as possible.

Thank you for joining me in today’s hostel of the day feature. I think this has been my longest entry so far. Steel House Copenhagen offers so much to its guest. This also marks the last hostel to feature from my Going Solo in Europe series. I hope you enjoyed this & my other features on Generator Amsterdam, Sleep Well Youth Hostel Brussels & DREAM Hostel Prague.

Please don’t forget to follow me on social media – Facebook & Instagram. Have a nice day & please stay safe!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Going Solo In Europe: UTRECHT- Unplanned Afternoon Visit To Netherlands’ Underrated Canal City

Sometimes, the best things happen when unplanned. True enough, this happened to me when I took an unplanned afternoon visit to Utrecht, Netherlands last October. Yesterday, I shared with you details about my few days around Amsterdam. In those 5 days, I took trips to different cities & towns outside the center – Utrecht being one of them.

I messaged my Europe-based friends weeks before the trip & tried to set-up meet-ups during the trip. As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I caught up with my Amsterdam-based friend Tobias on my 2nd day in Amsterdam. I also got a reply from Megan, another Dutch friend I met in Krabi in 2015. Megan & I didn’t plan out where & when we’ll meet until when I was already in the Netherlands. We then decided to meet in Utrecht, the city where she’s based. This resulted into an unplanned afternoon in another canal city; perhaps a more beautiful & authentic one than Amsterdam.

PS. Did you know that I applied for my own Schengen visa? Yes! The Embassy of The Netherlands gave me a multiple entry visa valid for 45 days. Know more about this DIY Schengen Visa application process here.

utrecht

Utrecht a city found in the very center of Netherlands. This populous city used to be the city center of Netherlands during the Middle Ages. The city lost its center to Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. Currently, Utrecht houses Utrecht University, the largest university in the Netherlands. The city has other academic institutions making it an important city for Dutch education. People normally come & live in Utrecht to study & finish school.

Found this uniquely-designed building outside Utrecht Centraal, near Hoog Catharijne in Utrecht.

Utrecht is 25 to 30 minutes away from Amsterdam via train. I took the intercity train from Amsterdam Centraal & arrived at Utrecht’s main station, Utrecht Centraal. Tickets cost €19 return. From there, I walked around the city, went in & out of different shops & passed by the Oudegracht, the city’s old canal. I met up with Megan after 2 hours of exploring & enjoyed some Dutch snacks over beers.

Let me share with you photos I took during the walk around the city & meet-up with my lovely friend, Megan. This entry will be more of a photo blog – don’t forget to check out the captions to know about the sightings.

The view outside Utrecht Centraal – the left side is modern; the right side view is old & traditional.

TivoliVredenburg is one of Utrecht’s modern buildings. It is a music complex, concert & events hall.

Oudegracht – Utrecht’s old canal which runs through the center of the city. Beautiful sighting!!

One of the few favorite photos I took in Utrecht during that afternoon visit to the lovely Dutch city!

St. Martin’s Cathedral, Utrecht is under renovation during my visit last October.

The world’s biggest bicycle parking garage is found in Utrecht under Utrecht Centraal. Cool beans!

I love how Utrecht’s weather is different from that of Amsterdam’s. It was a clear sunny afternoon!

Tried a Dutch local snack called *Olliebollen* (translates to oily ball); their local version of doughnut.

I also tried other local snacks – bitterballen (deep fried meat balls), cheese sticks & fried shrimp.

A photo with my friend Megan – the reason why I visited Utrecht. Had a great afternoon with her!

That ends my short but enjoyable visit to the city of Utrecht. It was not in the plan but I didn’t regret any time or money spent in this beautiful city. Amsterdam’s canals are beautiful; but from what I saw in this brief visit, Utrecht’s canals are way better. The canals give a certain local & unique Dutch vibe than that of Amsterdam’s. For sure there were other nice sightings or places to visit in the city but I had to go back to Amsterdam before the dark.

Hold it right there. In case you missed it, I also shared details about my flights to Europe from Manila to Singapore & Singapore to Amsterdam on board 5-star carrier Singapore Airlines. Check out these posts (MNL-SIN & SIN-AMS) to know about my flight experiences.

Have you been to Utrecht before? What do you think of the city & its canals? Which one do you prefer? Share your thoughts & experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any question about Utrecht? Feel free to shoot an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

One last photo of Utrecht – look at that peaceful canal & the colorful & tall old houses around it.

Thanks for reading up to this part. I hope you enjoyed the beautiful photos of Utrecht. Watch out for the next post on this Going Solo In Europe Series. I’ll take you to the Dutch countryside next time.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.