Our cab taxied at the back façade of Crimson Hotel in Alabang and we were immediately ushered into their ground floor lobby. We were a bit unfazed, we thought this luxury hotel south of the metro boasts of five-star amenities but their lobby seemed so-so. That was before we were told to go up the eight floor where Crimson’s real lobby was. And as the elevator door tinged, our mouths dropped wide open. Now this is more like it.

NOW THIS IS WHAT A REAL HOTEL LOBBY LOOKS LIKE

CRIMSON ALABANG’S CHECK IN AREA

Can you spell luxury? Modernist artworks, a stretch of reflecting pool cum fountain, plush furnishing, vast soft rugs, and exquisite light fixtures—that’s how you spell luxury. And Crimson Hotel has all these perfected to a tee; mixed and matched to achieve a classic yet modern look.

I’ve seen hotels like these in Bangkok where the lobby is set at the upper floors—Sofitel So Bangkok and Novotel Platinum, to name a few—but this is the first one I’ve seen in the Philippines.