Good wine and a great view at Hotel Jen

MANILA, Philippines – Surviving the hustle and bustle of the Manila metropolis is a challenging endeavor for many Filipinos daily.

Those looking for sanctuary away from the city’s usual hubbub often resort to farther-away resorts or locations just for a little rest and relaxation.

But what if you could find the perfect city getaway right in the heart of the metro?

Located along Roxas Boulevard, Hotel Jen Manila’s Windows By the Bay Lounge is the perfect chill-out venue on the 19th floor where guests can relax and take in the breathtaking twilight views of Manila Bay while enjoying light gourmet bites with carefully selected wines and mixed cocktails.

“Calming, breathtaking, inspiring and magical. These are the moods that we want our guests to experience the moment they enter Windows By the Bay,” said Hotel Jen Manila general manager Edward Kollmer at the bar’s official opening last March 10.

Guests were encouraged to wear nautical-themed outfits as they were the lounge’s first visitors. They were welcomed into Windows By the Bay by friendly ushers and were given boarding passes, which served as their entry tickets to the event and sailor-inspired props to complete the nautical vibe.

Among the props were blue handkerchiefs, which the lounge-goers were asked to wave to signal the start of the event. Such a scene could be compared to sailors being welcomed by their loved ones after a long period of time being away.

To make this moment more splendid, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra started playing their phenomenal masterpiece. Ms. Earth 2015 Angelia Ong joined Hotel Jen Manila executives.

Hotel Jen Manila executive chef Dirk Fiedler delighted loyal patrons and guests with his light-bite creations such as pizza puffs and a meat feast featuring tasty slices of salami, Parma ham, smoked ham, olives and cornichons. These appetizing nibbles were best paired with Windows By the Bay wines and cocktails, which flowed freely that night.

To add to the excitement, Hotel Jen Manila also raffled off 3D/2N gift certificates from its sister hotels, including Hotel Jen Tanglin (Singapore), Hotel Jen Puteri Harbour (Johor), Hotel Jen Hong Kong, Hotel Jen Penang, Hotel Jen Brisbane, Hotel Jen Shenyang, Hotel Jen Upper East Beijing, and Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

Truly an invigorating experience and an escape from Manila’s daily commotion, Windows By the Bay offers you the opportunity to sit back, have some wine, mingle over some of the signature platters or simply enjoy the scenic view.

Open daily from 7:30 p.m., the lounge also has live entertainment every Thursday —a guitarist playing classic acoustic songs — that will surely kindle the music lover in you, a super-simple formula that will make you experience “That Jen Feeling.”

For reservations, call 795-8888 or email food&beverage.hjm@hoteljen.com. Prices are inclusive of 10 percent service charge and applicable government taxes. Visit Hotel Jen Manila’s website at www.hoteljen.com/manila and Facebook at www.facebook.com/hoteljenmanila for updates and promotions.