Filipina Soul

Trace Suites – Five star service in a small town

I never thought I’d find a five star hotel tucked in the hills of Los Banos.

The hotel was impeccable and the service was definitely better than even hotels I stayed at in the US. There was a ready smile for us and always a courteous greeting. More than once when I asked the kitchen to heat our Chinese take-out leftover food (bought outside where it was cheaper), it was heated and presented to me like I requested for a room service – in nicer china and silverware and on a tray with linen napkins. Another time, when my hudband after our rented van because he left a suit in it, the consierge immediately called the guard at the gate and instructed the van to turn back. And when we were told the 24-hour security is on-duty round the clock, they weren’t joking. Our vehicles were checked everytime it entered the compound, no matter what time it was.

Trace Suites in Los Banos.

It’s a two-year old hotel built in time for the ASEAN Games held in the Philippines. Los Banos hosted the swimming event and the hotel became home to the athletes for the meet. There is an Olympic size pool and training facility that still operates for the Philippine swim team. Also inside the guarded compound is a booming Trace College that offers elementary to undergrad that has airconditioned classrooms and worldclass facilities.

So look for yourself – here is where I stayed.

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In the foreground is the aquatic sports museum, with a huge olympic size pool, and complete with training rooms and gyms. In the background is the famed Mount Maria Makiling. The photo below shows the school to the right of the pool. The hotel is (off-camera) adjacent to the school.

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