Category: Budget Travel

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 335 – Manila to Dubai – Overnight Long-Haul Flight with the Middle Eastern Global Carrier [November 2022]

Late last year, my friends & I flew to Europe for a 3.5-week holiday. I shared in my 2022 Recap post that we went to France, Italy & Spain. Before I share the details of our visit to each city, allow me to share with you the first leg of my trip to Europe. I took Emirates on their long-haul service from Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) on their flight EK 335. This long-haul flight will be the subject of today’s flight report. Join me as I run you through this overnight flight to the Middle East.

Emirates

Emirates commenced operations in 1985 from its home hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 37 years after, the airline is now one of the world’s biggest airlines. The airline is a subsidiary of the state-owned The Emirates Group. Most, if not all, of its flights depart & arrive from the massive Dubai International Airport Terminal 3.

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.

The airline flies to over 80 countries & 150 destinations in the 6 habitable continents. It has a fleet of over 250 wide body aircraft with 200 more on order. The airline currently operates only Boeing 777 & Airbus A380 aircraft in their fleet; it is also the largest operator of both aircraft types. It makes use of Dubai’s strategic location in connecting people from all over the world.

Apart from its commercial division, the airline also has its cargo & corporate subsidiaries. Its cargo division is called Emirates SkyCargo, while its corporate & private subsidiary is called Emirates Executive.  Emirates’ frequent flyer program is called Emirates Skywards. The airline is not part of an airline alliance but has codeshare & partnership agreements with airlines like flydubai, Qantas, United, Air Canada & a lot more.

Emirates is a full-service airline. This means that the airline offers services & amenities such as inflight meals & snacks & personal entertainment screens on every flight. All Emirates tickets also include check-in baggage allowance depending on the booking / ticket class where the passengers are booked.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Airfare

I shared in my No Travel 2020 recap that I booked a ticket to Europe with Emirates back in January 2020. My previous Emirates ticket had flights from Hong Kong to Munich, Germany via Dubai & back to Hong Kong from Budapest, Hungary via Dubai. Because of the pandemic & the closed borders back in 2020, Emirates gave us the option to keep our ticket & made it valid for 3 years. Also, they allowed us to change destinations as long as the new destination is within the same Emirates region for free. This ticket can be booked anytime as long as there are seats available & as long as the trip is finished before the ticket expiry – in my case, before 3 February 2023. This was probably the best possible airline ticket option in the whole world. Emirates’ competitors didn’t have this flexible ticket option.

Fast forward to 2022, my college friends & I planned to fly to Europe for 3.5 weeks. Borders have been opened & pandemic-related requirements have been removed; traveling to another country has become easier compared to how it was in 2020 & early 2021. After getting my visa from the Italian Embassy, I called the Emirates hotline & requested for my ticket to be issued. I changed the airport of origin from Hong Kong to Manila (both in the Far East) & the airport of destination from Munich to Paris (both in Europe). My return flights were changed from Budapest to Barcelona (both in Europe) & then back to Manila. The ticket got issued in less than 2 minutes after the Emirates agent confirmed my preferred flight schedules & details. The best thing was this new ticket didn’t cost me anything – no additional fees, change fees or airport taxes or whatever. It even included a 20-25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance from previously 15 kilograms.

You will not believe me when I tell you how much this ticket cost me back in 2020. Believe it or not, this ticket only cost me HK$4,039 or ₱27,072.73. Cheap-o, right? This ticket was definitely a steal. Thank you, Emirates, for this once-in-a-lifetime deal back in January 2020!

Travel Requirements

All pandemic-related entry / travel requirements to both France (my final destination) & United Arab Emirates (transit airport) have been removed. France removed these restrictions back in August 2022 while United Arab Emirates phased these out last November 2022.

Please take note that these entry protocols may change anytime. Best to always check with the airline you’re flying to days before your flight.

Before The Flight

Emirates sent an e-mail & mobile application check-in reminder 48 hours before my scheduled flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airline offers free standard seat selection during web or mobile check-in.

I already had my seats pre-booked at the time of booking this ticket so I didn’t bother checking or changing them during web check-in. I checked in for the flights to Paris immediately I received the check-in reminder. Take note that you will need your passport information & other necessary details to complete this early check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Manila to Dubai Emirates flight was operated by a 12-year-old (at the time of the flight) Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The aircraft, delivered to Emirates back in 2010, has 2 cabin classes. The business class section has 42 angle lie-flat seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. The economy class section has 386 standard seats in a 3-4-3 configuration.

Business Class Seats
Economy Class Seats

This EK 335 flight departed Ninoy Aquino International Airport a few minutes before 12 midnight & arrived Dubai International Airport at 4:17am local time. The flight only took 8 hours & 29 minutes in contrast to its 9 hours & 15 minutes flying schedule.

Ground & Airport Experience

All Emirates flights depart from & arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

CHECK-IN

Emirates check-in counters in Manila Airport open at least 4 hours before the scheduled flight. I arrived at the check-in area at 7:52 & noticed 8-10 queues. First class & business class passengers have 2 dedicated counters. Passengers traveling with kids, senior citizens & persons with disabilities have 1 dedicated check-in counter. Passengers who have already checked in online have 2 counters while the rest of the passengers have access to 3 check-in counters. Those traveling in groups have a dedicated group check-in counter.

I already checked in online so I proceeded to the mobile / web check-in queue. The ground staff allowed some passengers (including myself) to check-in using the first & business class check-in counters. The queue took some time, but the counter check-in process took less than 5 minutes. The whole process only took me 20 minutes.

Tip: Check-in online before the flight to have a faster check-in experience. I heard the regular check-in line took almost an hour to finish.

PRE-DEPARTURE EXPERIENCE AT MARHABA LOUNGE

My newly-acquired Security Bank Platinum Mastercard credit card (not sponsored) gives me unlimited complimentary access to the Marhaba Lounge in NAIA Terminals 1 & 3. After passing through immigration & security, I immediately went to the Marhaba Lounge in Terminal 3.

The lounge is separated into 2 sections – one section is reserved for Emirates passengers flying First Class & Business Class & the other section that’s open to everyone. The small lounge has plenty of seats. The food options were limited but tasty. They also have an extensive drink option – they also offer alcoholic beverages at no extra charge. The lounge also has a fast Wi-Fi connection.

I stayed in the lounge for 3 hours & noticed that it got busier past 10:00pm. Around 10:44pm, the lounge staff announced that boarding was about to commence for our Emirates flight to Dubai. Please note that they only make this announcement for Emirates-operated flights.

BOARDING

Upon hearing the announcement, I left the lounge & went to the crowded Gate 111. Boarding commenced at 10:54pm. First class, business class & Emirates Skywards status holders boarded the plane first. Economy class passengers boarded the plane by zone / row. Those seated at the back went in first, while those seated in the forward economy section (including myself) boarded the plane last.

The boarding process only took 30 minutes for such a big 400-seater full plane. The crew closed the cabin doors exactly at 11:25pm.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Manila to Dubai Emirates flight was operated by a 2-class Boeing 777-300ER. It has 42 business class seats & 386 economy class seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 60 inches & a seat width of 20.5 inches. On the other hand, every economy class seat has a seat pitch of 33 to 34 inches & a standard seat width of 17 inches.

Economy class seats feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screen with remote, a foldable table, a cup holder, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a seat pocket with Duty Free magazines & aircraft safety card, a shared universal power outlet (2 in a row of 3 seats), a pillow, a blanket, a pair of headphones & an adjustable headrest. Every economy class passenger also has access to spacious overhead cabins, individual reading lights & air vents.

Emirates provides everything a passenger needs for a long-haul flight like this.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Emirates provides complimentary meals on all their flights. Passengers can access the inflight menu from the airline’s website as early as a week before the flight. They also have the option for passengers to request for or book special meals up to 24 hours before the scheduled flight. The airline doesn’t provide physical menus; instead, they ask passengers to access & browse the menus through their on-board portal.

Emirates offered 2 meals on this flight from Manila to Dubai. The light meal was served 30 minutes after take-off. This meal service only had 1 option – braised rice noodles with stir-fried chicken & vegetables. It came with chocolate mousse as dessert, a cup of water & a drink of choice. I went for whiskey & cola to help me sleep on this overnight flight.

3 hours before landing, the cabin crew started distributing the breakfast meal. They served the special meals first & then gave out meals to the rest of the economy class cabin. Passengers had 2 options for breakfast – scrambled eggs with chicken chipolatas, baked beans & creamy spinach & beef tapa with garlic fried rice & scrambled eggs. These options come with fresh fruit slices, yoghurt, bread roll, a fruit muffin, an energy bar, a cup of water & drink of choice. This time, I opted for the apple juice.

Both meals were tasty & filling. Personally, I enjoyed the breakfast service more than the light meal. The beef tapa was really good.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Emirates is known for its excellent inflight entertainment system called ICE. The entertainment system offers thousands of options ranging from movies, television shows & series, documentaries, songs & even games which you can play together with your seat neighbor. It even has region-specific movies & television shows. ICE also offers live television coverage of news channels like BBC World News, CNN International, Sports 24 & Sky News Arabia.

ICE also offers access to 2 aircraft cameras installed in the front of & under this Boeing aircraft. It also shows the complete flight & aircraft details & even has 2 kinds of moving flight maps. The airline indeed offers the best entertainment system in the skies – a system every airline in the world should copy.

I encountered a minor issue with the personal entertainment screen at Seat 18H. I found the screen not that responsive, but I will give the airline a pass considering how old the aircraft is.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Emirates offers paid inflight wi-fi connectivity on their flights. Rates range from $2.99 – $19.99 depending on the type of use the passengers need. The cheapest onboard internet plan costs $3.99 & is only limited to messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.

I didn’t try this service during this flight; I don’t need to use the internet during this overnight flight. I think it would be nice if the airline offered complimentary but limited connectivity / data allowance at least for Emirates Skywards members like how Singapore Airlines offers to their Krisflyer members.

LAVATORY

The lavatory on the middle economy class section was kept clean throughout the flight. It has hand lotion & perfume available for use. I didn’t see any toothbrush or toothpaste kept in the drawers – it would be nice to have them for such a long-haul flight. I like the wooden interiors added by the airline in their lavatories.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was alright; it’s not something you will remember. They made sure all passengers had an enjoyable flight. The crew assigned to our area was helpful & friendly. She helped passengers put bags in the overhead cabin, answered questions by the passengers & engaged in small chitchats during the meal service.

Disembarkation

Upon arrival at Dubai International Airport, our aircraft taxied to Gate F25 for disembarkation. Business class passengers deplaned first. Forward economy class passengers, including myself, came next & those seated at the rear section followed.

I went to the Connections area & immediately checked the gate for my next flight to Paris, France.

Final Thoughts

This Emirates EK 335 flight from Manila to Dubai was definitely one for the books. It was my first ever flight with Emirates & I can definitely say that their product is worth raving about. I won’t say it’s a perfect flight, but I say it’s still a good flight.

Let’s talk about the great things about this flight. First, the fare was the best part of the experience. Imagine flying to & from Europe for around ₱27,000 – it’s a no-brainer. Second, Emirates is known for serving good food onboard & they delivered. The meals had sizable potions. The beef tapa was the best! Third, their inflight entertainment system, ICE, is just excellent. It has thousands of options from movies, to television shows, music, games & even life news shows. There’s no way that passengers with get bored given the available options. The access to the plane cameras also made the system exciting for aviation geeks like myself.

Fourth, the lavatories were kept clean & tidy throughout the flight. I also liked the wooden finishes used in the lavatory interiors. These details added class to the lavatories. Lastly, the seats have everything a passenger needs for a long-haul flight like this.

The flight also had some misses. First, the personal entertainment screen is no longer that responsive. It worked well using the remote but not while using the touch screen option. The screen is already outdated. Second, the lavatory had incomplete amenities. It only had hand lotion & perfume. I wish it also had toothbrush & toothpaste for passengers to use. Lastly, both meal service on this flight felt rushed. After giving out meals, to all passengers, the crew started to collect meal trays from those they gave out first.

Overall, it was still an enjoyable & memorable first flight with Emirates. I hope they offer the same deal I got for this flight so I can fly with them again in the future. Thank you, Emirates, for such a wonderful flight!

Allow me to share with you the geeky details of this flight:

Airline: Emirates
Flight Date: 15 November 2022
Flight Number: EK 335
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)
Duration: 8 hours & 29 minutes
Seat Number: 18H (aisle)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Aircraft Registration: A6-ECY
Engines: 2 x GE GE90-115B
Age (at the time of the flight): 12 years old
Delivered: January 2010

This ends my flight report on Emirates’ EK 335 service from Manila to Dubai last 15 November 2022. Have you flown Emirates in the past? How was your experience? Will you fly Emirates soon & have questions? Feel free to share your experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you some insights on how it is to fly with Emirates. Make sure to catch the next flight report on another Emirates flight, but this time to Paris, France! 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.

Tuesday Tips for Filipinos / Philippine Passport Holders: Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application with VIA ITALY [now VFS]

Hey, long time no Tuesday tips! Yes, it’s back! I shared in my 2022 wrap-up that my friends & I flew to Europe for 3.5 weeks & explored Paris in France, Rome, Florence & Milan in Italy & Barcelona in Spain. We stayed longer in Italy so we applied for our visas from the Italian Embassy here in the Philippines. Today’s Tuesday Tips post will discuss how to apply for a Schengen Tourist Visa by yourself with VIA Center Italy. [2024 UPDATE – The Italian Embassy in the Philippines has changed their visa processing provider to VFS Philippines. More details below.]

In case you missed it, I’ve been to Europe in 2019 for an 18-day DIY trip & spent less than ₱120,00 all in. Crazy, right? I got my 1st ever Schengen Tourist Visa from the Dutch Embassy through VFS & I did the whole application & submission process by myself. Check out this Tuesday Tips post to know more about the previous tourist visa application.

As someone who wants to avoid ridiculous travel agency handling fees, I always try to apply for tourist visas by myself. Applying for a tourist visa can be both exciting & daunting. I take these visa application procedures as a challenge to my backpacker self & I find it rewarding when I get a favorable application result. This Schengen visa application wasn’t any different. I prepared the required documents, itinerary, accommodation bookings, etc. for weeks; I’m glad I got my visa granted.

A quick reminder – you must apply for a Schengen tourist visa to the embassy of the country you’re first entering to if the number of days of stay in all countries to visit are the same (example – 4 days in Netherlands, 4 days in Belgium, 4 days in France & 4 days in Italy) or to the embassy of the country where you’re staying the longest (example – this trip where we stayed in Italy for 13 days, 5 days in France & 5 days in Spain) during the trip. Now you might be wondering how I did it; here’s how.

[2024 UPDATE – The Italian Embassy in Manila has changed their visa processing provider to VFS as of late last year. In fact, in December 2023, the embassy opened their visa processing center at Ground Floor, One Campus Place, Building A, McKinley Town Center, McKinly Hill, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Metro Manila. The embassy also opened visa application centers in Cebu (Unit 1001C & 1004B, 10th Floor, Kepwealth Center, Samar Loop, cor Cardinal Rosales Ave, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu), Batangas (Unit F01, Block J, Ground Floor, The Outlets at Lipa, LIMA Technology Center, Barangay Bugtong na Pulo, JP Laurel Highway, Lipa City, Batangas 4217), and Davao (FES 07, Second Floor, Alfresco Area, Felcris Centrale, Brgy., 40-D Quimpo Blvd, Davao City, 8000).]

Step 1 – Set an Appointment

[2024 UPDATE – Appointments are now made online via the VFS portal. First, you need to create an account at the VFS Portal. After that, please choose your preferred appointment schedule and time. If I remember it right and am not sure if it has changed, VFS opens visa appointment slots at least a month before.]

The Embassy of Italy in the Philippines has authorized VIA Center to act as the middleman in all visa-related services for the country. All Schengen visa applications & document requirements are submitted to & released by VIA Center for the embassy. Unlike VFS, the VIA Center in Makati City & Cebu City only accept visa appointment schedules via phone call. Here are the contact numbers of the said offices:

VIA Center Makati –Landline: +632 8572 0235 / +632 8572 0238 | Globe: +63 917 576 3103 | Smart: +63 999 889 6021

VIA Center Cebu – Landline: +6332 412 7447 | Globe: +63 945 394 1606

The hotlines are open on regular working days from 8:00am to 4:30pm. These hotlines are busy throughout the day. Please do not give up on your first try. Also, please get ready with the following details which will be asked by the agent when setting the appointment: Full Name of the Applicant, Passport Number, Contact Number & E-mail Address.

After setting the appointment, the customer service agent you spoke to will send a confirmation e-mail including the appointment details, appointment reference number, application form, list of necessary documents to submit & all other details needed for the application.

TIP: Schengen tourist visa applications are accepted as early as 6 months before the intended trip dates. To be safe, I suggest that you schedule your visa application with VIA Center at least 2-3 months before your planned departure date.

Step 2 – Book Necessary Accommodations & Travel Insurance

Schengen visa applications need confirmed accommodation bookings. They ask for the details of your accommodation (name of hotel or hostel, address & contact details) during your stay in Europe. Make sure to book accommodation right before you start with the application form.

TIP: Book your accommodation with Agoda & Booking.com & choose those with free cancellation options. You can always cancel these bookings after & choose your accommodation of choice once you get your visa. I booked all my accommodation with these 2 websites & I didn’t have any trouble during the application process.

Tourist visa applications also require travel insurance coverage for all people travelling to Europe. Applicants must secure travel insurance that will cover the trip (+15 days of allowance beyond travel period specific to Italy Visa applications only), that can cover up to €30,000 in expenses valid within the Schengen zone & that allows cashless settlement of claims. The center includes the list of accredited insurance companies in the visa appointment e-mail confirmation.

I got my travel insurance for this trip from Mapfre Insurance Philippines. I got their Schengen Completo Plan that covers claims up to €35,000. I paid ₱1,969.43 for the whole trip coverage & including the additional 15-day allowance required by the Italian Embassy.

ANOTHER TIP: You can easily purchase this travel insurance from Mapfre Insurance’ official website. Let me know if you want to avail this through an agent. I can share with you the name of the agent I dealt with; I initially got errors when I tried to purchase it online.

Step 3 – Prepare the Required Documents

After booking your trip accommodation & buying your travel insurance, the next step is to complete the list of requirements needed for the application. Here is the list of the documents I submitted. Please take note that these documents need to be in A4 or long size paper & need to be photocopied.

Accomplished Application Form – I will discuss this in the next step.

Photo – The colored photo can either be 2×2 inch or passport-sized. Also, the photo must be taken within the last 6 months & must have a white background.

Current Passport – Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months at the time of travel. It must also have at least 2 blank pages.

Old & Expired Passports – They ask for the old & expired passports of the applicant.

Photocopy of Passport Bio Page – One copy is enough.

Photocopy of All Passport Stamps & Visas – I submitted a copy of all my passport stamps & visas from both my current & previous passports. Please also include the bio & last pages of previous passports.

Bank Certificate & Statement – I submitted both my bank certificate & bank statement for the last six months. These bank documents must be original.

Credit Card Statements – I submitted only a month statement of all my credit cards. This is just a supplementary document.

Proof of Social Security Contributions – I copied & printed the recorded contributions from my online SSS account.

Certificate of Employment & Certificate of No Objection – I submitted my certificate of employment detailing my position, length of employment & my salary. Our company HR officer also gave me a certificate of no objection where it stated that my employer knows this trip & they are not objecting against the trip. It also stated when I am on leave from work & when they expect me to report back to work.

Income Tax Return – I submitted a copy of my 2021 BIR-stamped income tax return.

Proof of Airline Reservation – The Embassy requires proof of airline reservation for the application. Unlike my 2019 Schengen Visa application, I only provided a proof of reservation & booked my ticket with Emirates after I got my tourist visa. I got my proof of airline reservation from GVCA Travel & Tours. Feel free to message them to ask for their services.

Proof of Accommodation – I submitted all the accommodation bookings I had for the trip. Make sure that all details (including the dates) are consistent with that from the application form.

Cover Letter – A cover letter is not required but is highly encouraged. I still submitted a cover letter detailing the purpose of my trip as well as how long I will in the Schengen territory.

Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary – I submitted a dummy day-to-day itinerary for my trip. It should include where you’ll stay on the specific date & the contact details of these accommodations. Make sure that the details are the same & consistent with that from the application form.

NSO Birth Certificate – The Embassy requires each applicant to submit a PSA-certified birth certificate.

Travel Insurance – I submitted a copy of the travel insurance I got from Mapfre Insurance Philippines.

NOTE: Certain types of applicants such as minors, those invited by relatives, business owners, self-employed individuals & foreigners may have additional requirements. Feel free to reach out to VIA Center to know more about these additional requirements.

TIP: Arrange these documents according to the order mentioned in the confirmation e-mail. The person who will check your documents may or may not get the photocopies. In my case, they got the old & current passports, the original copies of the following: application form, current passport bio page, bank certificates & the certificate of employment, plus the photocopies of the other documents. On the other hand, my friend told me that the visa center agent got all the original copies of the documents & gave back all the photocopies.

ANOTHER TIP:  You can submit as many financial documents as you can so show your strong ties here in the Philippines. In my case, I submitted statements of all my 4 credit cards, copies of my 2 life insurance policies & 2 certificates of my current stock investment accounts. The agents won’t prohibit you from submitting all these documents.

ANOTHER TIP v2: Make sure your transfers between countries are either booked or indicated in the daily itineraries. I submitted my flight tickets from Paris to Rome & Milan to Barcelona. I also indicated in the itinerary that I will take the bus between cities

Step 4 – Accomplish the Application Form

Fill out the application electronically & print it on an A4-sized paper. You can also print the application form & fill it out manually. The second option is prone to errors, so best to go with the first one. Make sure that all details in your requirements & itinerary are consistent with the one in the application form.

TIP: Fill out each question or option slowly & surely to avoid errors.

Step 5 – Go to VIA Center on Your Scheduled Appointment

[2024 UPDATE – The Italian Embassy in Manila has opened four visa application centers in the country. Here are the updated locations:

VFS Visa Application Center – Taguig
Ground Floor, One Campus Place, Building A
McKinley Town Center, McKinley Hill
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Metro Manila 1634

VFS VFS Visa Application Center – Cebu
Unit 1001C & 1004B, 10th Floor, Kepwealth Center
Samar Loop, corner Cardinal Rosales Ave
Cebu City, Cebu 6000

VFS Visa Application Center – Batangas
Unit F01, Block J, Ground Floor, The Outlets at Lipa
LIMA Technology Center, Barangay Bugtong na Pulo
JP Laurel Highway, Lipa City, Batangas 4217

VFS Visa Application Center – Davao
FES 07, Second Floor, Alfresco Area
Felcris Centrale, Barangay 40-D, Quimpo Blvd
Davao City 8000

Please make sure to choose the visa center near you.]

Head to the VIA Center on your scheduled appointment date. The VIA Center Makati City & Cebu City addresses are as follows:

VIA Center Makati
3rd Floor Allegro Center, 2284 Chino Roces Ave
Brgy Magallanes, Makati City, Metro Manila
Philippines 2284

VIA Center Cebu
1004, Keppel Bldg, Cardinal Rosales Ave
Cor Samar Loop, Cebu City
Cebu, Philippines 6000

I arrived at VIA Center Makati a few minutes past 9:00am & the guard had already allowed me to go inside. All applicants fall in line outside the visa center. The guards only allow 2 people at a time. Upon entering the VIA Center premises, someone checked my appointment schedule & documents. After checking, I was given a queue number & was asked to go inside the document submission room.

TIP: You may arrive at the visa center even before your scheduled appointment. The guard may allow you to queue early if there are not a lot of applicants.

Step 6 – Submit Your Documents & Biometrics

Head to the designated counter or desk once your number is called. The agent will check your application form, documents & all other details. Once done, he/she will ask you to seat down & wait for your turn in the biometrics section.

TIP: The agent might ask questions relating to your application or your trip.  He/she will also confirm your departure date & confirm the mode of claiming the passport – whether by pick-up or courier delivery. Please answer them truthfully.

ANOTHER TIP: Bring a pen with you because he/she might ask you to sign or write something.

ANOTHER TIP v2: Make sure your documents are organized in the order that the confirmation e-mail indicates. This helps the agent check your documents faster. In my case, the agent assigned to me was happy & impressed with my documents. She gladly accepted all the papers & made sure everything went smoothly.

Proceed to the biometrics section once your name is called. The agent will ask for all of your fingerprints. He/she will give you a slip which you will then use when paying for the visa fee.

Step 7 – Pay the Visa Fee

[2024 UPDATE – The Embassy has changed providers to VFS Philippines. Here are the updated fees as of 23 January 2024: visa fee costs ₱4,821 (€80) & VFS handling fee costs ₱1,688.]

After your turn in the biometrics section, you may now proceed to counter 17 to pay for the visa fees. At the time of the application, the visa fees cost ₱5,844. The visa application fee costs ₱4,494 (€80) while the visa handling fee costs ₱1,350 per applicant. The fees already include the courier service fee for those who opted to get their passport results via courier. Once done, you may now leave VIA Center.

TIP: VIA Center only accepts payments in cash. Pay in exact amount for faster transaction.

ANOTHER TIP: Visa application fees change every quarter. Please refer to your appointment confirmation e-mail for the updated visa fees.

Step 8 – Claim Your Passport / Wait for Passport Delivery

[2024 UPDATE – Notifications are now sent by VFS via email. You may also receive a text message if your passport is now ready to be claimed. Applications can now check the status of their application here by putting their reference number and last name.]

The waiting game begins. The Embassy of Italy here in the Philippines’ standard visa processing time is 15-30 days. Those who opted to claim their passports will get a text message from VIA Center once your passports are ready for pick-up. Those who availed the courier service will get a notification from the courier once the passports are out for delivery.

The visa assessment timeframe per applicant varies. I got a text message from VIA Center 16 days after I submitted my application. My friends took nearly a month before they got their passports back. I asked my sister to pick-up my passport (complete with the necessary authorization letter & IDs) & voila, I was told that I was granted a multiple entry visa valid for 25 days.

Do you have any questions about the visa requirements or the process with VIA Center? Feel free to contact them in the details below:

VIA Center Makati –Landline: +632 8572 0235 / +632 8572 0238 | Globe: +63 917 576 3103 | Smart: +63 999 889 6021

VIA Center Cebu – Landline: +6332 412 7447 | Globe: +63 945 394 1606

E-mail Address for both offices: ita_inquiry@via.ph

[2024 UPDATE – The Embassy of Italy has changed their visa processing provider to VFS as of last December 2023. Here are the updated contact numbers of the new visa processing center.

Contact Number: +632 8528 2520

Email Address: info.italyph@vfsglobal.com

These hotlines are open Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.]

I got super happy & excited when I found out that I was given another Schengen visa. I got a favorable result & everything paid off in the end. I don’t mind doing it again in the future.

Have you applied for a Schengen visa on your own? Which embassy / application center did you go to? How was the application process? Are you applying for a visa soon? Do you have any questions about the application process or requirements? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. I will try to answer them as soon as I can. If you’re shy, feel free to send your questions & clarifications via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for reading today’s Tuesday Tips post. Watch out for my Europe 2022 blog posts coming soon! 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.

2022 Wrap-Up: Reopening, Reunions & Revenge Travel

It’s 2023 – Happy New Year! I hope you had a memorable time welcoming the new year with your families & friends. Before I start planning the year, I’d like to wrap-up the eventful 2022. It was the first year that pandemic-related restrictions had been scrapped, if not relaxed. It was also the first time in a few years that we’ve spent more time physically with our families, friends & colleagues. It was also the first in a long time that we Filipinos were given the hassle-free means of traveling locally & abroad. Join me as I look back on how 2022 went for me & this website.

Flight Reports

The work from home set-up allowed me to pack all my things in the metro & move back to my hometown in Albay. I am currently based here until God knows when. This also meant that I have been flying in & out of Bicol International Airport almost every month. Out of all these flights, 6 of them were featured under the Flight Reports section this year – see list below.

Flight Report: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2922 – Legazpi to Manila – First PAL Flight in 3 Years
Flight Report: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2919 – Manila to Legazpi – From a Crowded Terminal 2 Experience to a Delayed Flight Back to Albay
Flight Report: CEBGO DG 6192 – Legazpi to Manila – Delayed First DG Flight Out of BIA [March 2022]
Flight Report: CEBGO DG 6207 – Legazpi to Cebu – My First-Ever Regional Flight Out of Bicol [May 2022]
Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 325 – Manila to Legazpi – Last-Minute Cheap Jet Flight Back to Bicolandia [May 2022]
Flight Report: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2920 – Daraga (DRP formerly Legazpi LGP) to Manila – Last-Minute Mabuhay Miles Redemption Ticket to the Metro [December 2022]

I also took some flights out of Manila, Davao, Singapore & even Kuala Lumpur. Check out the list of these non-Legazpi flights below.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 971 – Manila to Davao – Excellent ₱872 Domestic Flight on a New Generation Fuel-Efficient Aircraft [March 2022]
Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 982 – Davao to Manila – From a Missing Pre-Booked Seat to a Delayed Late Night Flight Back to the Metro [March 2022]
Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 915 – Manila to Singapore – First International Flight After 31 Months [June 2022]
Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 114 – Singapore to Kuala Lumpur – Delayed Short Hop on One of the World’s Busiest International Routes [June 2022]
Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 107 – Kuala Lumpur to Singapore – First Ever Flight on the Controversial Boeing 737 Max 8 Aircraft [July 2022]
Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 916 – Singapore to Manila – Excellent but Turbulent Flight Back to Manila [July 2022]

These posted flight reports don’t cover all the flights I took in 2022. There are still a lot missing – mostly from Emirates, then Air France & Vueling Airlines. I hope to share them on this website soon!

Hostel of the Day

With travel requirements scrapped & borders now open, I took some trips within the Philippines & even abroad. This meant that I stayed in some hostels & led to these hostels being featured on the website. I wrote about the 2 hostels I stayed with in Kuala Lumpur. I also had my first ever collaboration with our friends at Z Hostel Philippines. They invited me to stay with them for a few days & to experience the Z Hostel vibe.

Hostel of the Day: PODS THE BACKPACKERS HOME & CAFÉ – A True Backpacker’s Home Near Kuala Lumpur’s Central Transportation Hub
Hostel of the Day: THE BED KLCC – Modern & Premium Capsule Hostel in Kuala Lumpur City Center
Hostel of the Day: Z HOSTEL PHILIPPINES – Makati’s Prime & Best Value Hostel in the Heart of Poblacion

I stayed in a few more hostels somewhere far, but I have yet to reveal the details in future posts. Watch out for these 4 hostels! For now, check out the hostel features posted in 2022.

Trips

2022 was another memorable travel year. For the first time since late 2019, I came back to what I love doing the most – traveling. I’ve revisited some local & international destinations & also explored new countries, cities & places I haven’t been to in the past. Let’s look back at the trips I had in 2022.

PS. I will refrain from posting group photos with friends for confidentiality purposes.

HOSTED FRIENDS IN BICOL

After almost 10 years, my college friends (N9) flew back to my hometown in Bicol. I hosted them for 3 days & 2 nights here, took them to a private coastal beach & accompanied them around Legazpi. The last time they visited me in Bicol was back in November 2012.

A few weeks after, my former officemates-turned-friends also paid a visit. I hosted them for 4 days & 3 nights, spent most of the time on the beach & took them around Legazpi on their last day.

It was fun showing my friends around the province. I hope more friends will visit me here soon!

DAVAO

I mentioned in my That No Travel 2020 post that we planned to fly to Davao for a reunion at the same time to celebrate a friend’s birthday. This plan happened after 2 years. Loose inter-regional travel restrictions allowed us to travel from Manila to Davao for 3 full days.

We’ve all been to Davao after our college graduation so we just went around the city & ate. We visited a few restaurants, took a day trip to Samal Island & again eat, eat & eat. We just enjoyed our time together after 2 years of not seeing each other physically.

CEBU CITY & BANTAYAN ISLAND

Last May, my high school friends & I flew to Cebu for a quick weekend getaway. We took the direct regional service from Legazpi to Cebu & immediately went around the Queen City of the South. The following day, we took a 3.5-hour drive up north & rode the ferry to the famous Bantayan Island. We stayed there for 2 full days. We all flew back home from the new Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2.

CEBU-YAS WEEKEND: 4 Days Around Cebu City & Bantayan Island [May 2022]

KUALA LUMPUR

After being on the ground for 31 months, I flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia via Singapore. I used my KrisFlyer miles & got a good return ticket with Singapore Airlines. I stayed in the city for a week, temporarily worked from the hostel & went to meet people from Couchsurfing hangouts.

Friends from the Philippines followed to Kuala Lumpur after a few days. They joined me for 3 full days around the city. I took them around KLCC, Bukit Bintang, Batu Caves, Chinatown, Masjid Jamek & Genting Highlands. Check out the full Kuala Lumpur blog list below.

3-Day Kuala Lumpur Weekend: Do-It-Yourself Below 20K Trip Around Malaysia’s Modern Capital City [July 2022]

EUROPE 2022

In late 2022, my friends & I flew to the other side of the world & spent 2.5 weeks around Paris, Rome, Florence, Milan & Barcelona. I used my Emirates ticket credit that I booked back in January 2022. We spent the first 5 days in Paris, then we flew to Rome & explored the city for another 5 days. The remaining 12 days were spent equally between Florence & Milan in Italy & Barcelona in Spain.

France
Italy
Spain

I haven’t posted anything about this Europe 2022 trip on the website, but I will start in the next few weeks. I have over 20 planned blog posts for this trip alone. Watch out for the Emirates flight reports, new hostel of the day features, city itineraries & day trip photoblogs – everything about this trip to Europe – in the next few weeks & months.

Wrap-Up

2022 was definitely a year for the books. The world has reopened & people have started to move around places. People went out & spent quality time with families & friends. The same people also restarted travelling. Revenge travel is real.

Personally, I am thankful for all the times I got to reunite & spend time with my family, friends & colleagues. I am delighted that I got to see most of them in person after numerous times of seeing them virtually. Hopefully, the worst is over for the pandemic. There is no other way for all of us but to learn from & to move on from the lessons of this historical event.

What’s In It for 2023

You might wonder what my plans are for this year. Unfortunately, I am unable to share everything until all plans are finalized or until everything has happened already. It is still risky to plan far ahead given the possible global economic crisis. I do hope that everything pans out well.

One thing is for sure – I will share every detail of my recently-concluded trip to Europe. Please expect more itineraries, budget travel posts, flight reports & hostel of the day features.

Thank you for being with me in 2022. I hope all of you stay & even invite more friends to join us on this journey called 2023.

Wishing you, your family & friends a fruitful & meaningful new year. Take care!

Regards,
Paolo 🙂

Flight Report: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2920 – Daraga (DRP formerly Legazpi LGP) to Manila – Last-Minute Mabuhay Miles Redemption Ticket to the Metro [December 2022]

Hey, long time no post! Not many of you know, but I recently finished a 24-day trip around Paris, Italy & Barcelona. Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to start writing about the trip. I’ve been busy with Christmas festivities & reunions since I arrived back from Europe. Don’t worry, I will start writing about them in the next few weeks.

For today, I want to share with you my recent experience with Philippine Airlines on their PR 2920 flight from Daraga, Albay (DRP – formerly LGP Legazpi) to Manila (MNL). This flight was unique because it happened during the 1st day of using the new 3-letter DRP airport designator code & it was booked using Mabuhay Miles – Philippine Airlines’ loyalty program. Join me in today’s flight report & find out how this flight went.

Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines, commonly known as PAL, is the Philippines’ flag carrier. The airline started operations back in 1941 & is currently the region’s oldest commercial airline. Majority of the stake in PAL is owned by PAL Holdings under Dr. Lucio Tan – also the owner of one of the country’s biggest conglomerates – LT Group. World-famous ANA Holdings, the parent company of All Nippon Airways, also owns a minor stake in the airline.

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

It’s not a secret that airfares are more expensive during the festive season. Many people take advantage of the Christmas holidays & go home to their respective hometowns. The demand for plane seats is higher than usual. I didn’t have a fixed schedule at that time, so I had no choice but to book the ticket last-minute. The one-way bare fares for both Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air at the time of booking were at around ₱4,000 to ₱5,000 without baggage. On the other hand, there were no available CEB Super Pass seats on my preferred flight.

I checked my Mabuhay Miles account & saw that I have enough miles to use for a one-way ticket to Manila. I immediately redeemed these miles using the airline’s portal & booked this PR 2920 flight from Daraga to Manila. I used 4,500 miles & only paid ₱870 for taxes & fees. The redeemed Mabuhay Miles ticket included 7-kilogram carry-on baggage, 20-kilogram check-in baggage allowance & a free standard (non-aisle & non-exit) seat.

I may have used up most of my Mabuhay Miles, but I believe I got a good deal with this ticket. I booked it 9 days before the intended flight date during a peak travel period. I was also happy that the ticket included a free check-in baggage allowance. This ticket was definitely a steal!

Travel Requirements

There are no COVID-19 related travel requirements between Albay & Metro Manila. These requirements were abolished a few months ago. The process & requirements are back to the old times where passengers were only asked to bring a valid ID during counter check-in & sometimes, boarding.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Before The Flight

2 days before the flight, I received an e-mail from Philippine Airlines that Bicol International Airport’s designator code will be changed from LGP to DRP effective December 15, 2022. This e-mail required passengers to accept the said changes. Unfortunately, it resulted in an error on the Philippine Airlines website. Minutes after the initial e-mail, I also received an email from the airline containing the official announcement of changing the airport designator code to DRP. I immediately called the airline & had my ticket sorted.

24 hours before the flight, I received another airline from Philippine Airlines informing me that online check-in was already available for my flight. I checked in right away for my flight. The new Philippine Airlines mobile application displayed my mobile boarding pass & the flight details on the homepage.

Flight Information

This Daraga (DRP) to Manila (MNL) flight was operated by a 15.2-year-old Airbus A320-214 aircraft. The plane was initially delivered to Philippine Airlines in November 2007. The plane was initially configured with 12 business class seats & 144 economy class seats but was reconfigured to 180 all economy class seats in May 2022.

PR 2920 took off from Bicol International Airport 22 minutes behind schedule at 5:17pm. The flight took 50 minutes & landed smoothly at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 6:07pm. The flight landed 12 minutes behind schedule.

Ground & Airport Experience

CHECK-IN

I arrived at Bicol International Airport 2 hours & 45 minutes before the flight & I was surprised to see the check-in counters open that early. I went to the counters to drop my luggage & get my paper boarding pass. Check-in process took less than a minute – no queues, no whatsoever.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I went up to the pre-departure area & waited for the flight. Bicol International Airport’s pre-departure area has more food & pasalubong store choices now compared to when it opened back in October 2021. There’s a dedicated laptop area for those who need to do some work while waiting for their respective flights. There are charging stations on both sides – provided by Smart & Philippine Airlines; there are a lot of seats to choose from.

The Philippine Airlines ground staff informed passengers of the expected aircraft arrival time after it departed Manila. The plane touched down at 4:25pm.

BOARDING

Boarding process started at 4:42pm. Priority passengers, senior citizens & those travelling with kids boarded the plane first. Regular passengers followed. Everyone boarded the plane using the jet bridge & only through the front door. The boarding process finished at 5:07pm.

Please note that face masks are mandatory on all flights within the Philippines. The ground staff announced this during the boarding process.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Philippine Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft has 180 seats in an all-economy class cabin configuration. Each row has 6 seats divided into 2 by an aisle. According to SeatGuru, all seats on this Airbus A320 aircraft have a seat width of 19.7 inches. Economy plus seats have a seat pitch / legroom of 34 inches, while standard economy seats have a legroom of 29-30 inches.

Each seat features a tray table, a small pocket with the aircraft safety card, individual air vents & reading lights. The seats don’t feature personal entertainment screens because this type of aircraft is only used in domestic short haul services.

I got window seat 54K for this flight. The seat had a decent recline & a clean tray table. The seatbelt needs to be replaced since it’s already worn out. In fact, most of the seats on this flight are already worn out. These are still functional but would need some refit soon.

INFLIGHT SNACK

After take-off, the crew went around & gave out a pack of green peas & dried mangoes with a cup of water. Philippine Airlines is the only domestic major carrier that offers complimentary snacks on board. Better than nothing.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Philippine Airlines did not offer inflight entertainment options for this flight & aircraft. The flight only took 50 minutes & this additional feature isn’t essential.

LAVATORY

I didn’t get the chance to visit the lavatory on this Airbus A320 aircraft. The 3 lavatories were occupied throughout the flight. Some even queued for a few minutes just to use the lavatory.

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. They gave passengers the best possible service they could provide. Kudos!

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

The cabin crew implemented an organized disembarkation process for this flight. They called 5 rows at a time & asked passengers seated on these rows to stand up, get their bags & disembark. All passengers followed & got off the plane in an orderly manner.

Baggage claims didn’t take long. Our check-in bags were already at Carousel 4 a few minutes after we arrived at the baggage claim area.

Final Thoughts

It was another excellent flight with Philippine Airlines. The positive points outweighed the negative points by a mile.

Let’s start with the positive points. First is miles redemption & value for money. This flight only cost 4,500 Mabuhay Miles & ₱870 worth of taxes & fees. This was a steal considering the redemption ticket was booked 9 days before the intended flight date & during peak travel season. The original flights were priced at 4.5x the fare I paid above. Second, the redemption ticket already included 20 kilograms of check-in baggage allowance. This allowance could easily cost ₱500 if you booked the regular ticket. Third, the check-in counters opened earlier than the usual 2 hours before the flight schedule. This made the check-in process easier & faster as the ground staff didn’t have to deal with a lot of passengers at a time.

Fourth, Philippine Airlines still gives out complimentary snacks on a short domestic hop like this from Daraga to Manila. I flew with Singapore Airlines on their Singapore to Kuala Lumpur & Kuala Lumpur to Singapore routes & I was only given a drink of choice – no nuts, crackers or whatsoever. Props to PAL for keeping the onboard service. Fifth, it’s been a while since I experienced an orderly disembarkation process on a plane. The crew on this flight managed to ask all passengers to follow the disembarkation process they organized. Lastly, the cabin crew on this flight was excellent. Their quality of service was top-notch – indeed the Heart of the Filipino.

This flight wasn’t perfect. The flight left Bicol International Airport 22 minutes behind schedule & landed 12 minutes after the intended schedule. These delays are inevitable in a congested airport like Ninoy Aquino International Airport, but it still somewhat affected the whole flight experience. Second & finally, the seats on this Airbus A320 aircraft need some refit. The seatbelts are already worn out & could use some replacement.

Will I fly them again in the future? Definitely – it’s a no-brainer. I hope I can also fly their international sector in the future.

For those interested in the nerdy details of this flight, see below:

Airline: Philippine Airlines
Flight Date: 15 December 2022
Flight Number: PR 2920
Route: Daraga, Albay (DRP) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 50 minutes
Seat Number: 54K
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Aircraft Registration: RP-C8610
Engines: 2 x CFM International Engines
Age: 15.2 years old
Delivered: November 2007

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 Philippine Airlines? 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.

Hostel of the Day: THE BED KLCC – Modern & Premium Capsule Hostel in Kuala Lumpur City Center

A few months ago, I flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a week. I was joined by my friends for 3 full days & I took them around the beautiful city. I already posted about this 3-day budget Kuala Lumpur – check out this blog post to know more. After they left, I moved to another hostel named The Bed KLCC. This capsule hotel is the topic for today’s Hostel of the Day review. Join me as I share with you my experience & some facts about this modern & premium capsule hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

In case you missed it & aside from the KL on a budget post I mentioned above, I’ve also shared details about all my flights to & from Kuala Lumpur on Singapore Airlines – Manila to Singapore, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & Singapore to Manila. I also shared details about the 1st hostel I stayed with in KL – PODs The Backpackers Home & Café. Don’t forget to also check them out!

The Bed KLCC

The Bed KLCC is a modern & posh capsule hostel that opened in 2017. The property’s goal is to provide comfortable & affordable accommodation in the Kuala Lumpur City Center. The hostel occupies part of the ground floor, 1st & 2nd floors of the famous Vortex Building. Reception is found in the ground floor with The Bean KLCC Café. The communal lounge & dining area is found on the 1st floor. The private & dormitory rooms are found on both the 1st & 2nd floors.

In case you don’t know, I’ve featured the hostels I’ve been to since 2017. I already wrote about hostels from Asia, Australia & Europe. Check out all these hostel of the day features here.

Location & Access

The Bed KLCC is located at No 12, Jalan Sultan Ismail in Kuala Lumpur City Center. It is accessible to major train lines – a short walk from KJ12 Dang Wangi Station of the LRT Kelana Jaya Line, MR8 Bukit Nanas Station of the KL Monorail & SBK18A Bukit Bintang Station (nearest Exit 7) of the MRT Sungai Buloh – Kajang Line. The GoKL City Buss Blue & Green Lines also stop near the property.

The property is about 25-30 minutes walk & train trip to KL Sentral – the city’s central transportation hub. From there, passengers can take the bus or the express train to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The airport is an hour away by car or private transportation.

The Bed KLCC is pretty much near everything in KLCC. The nearest convenience store is literally opposite reception & The Bean KLCC. There are a handful of restaurants nearby such as Hard Rock Café KL, McDonalds, Gravy Baby & Healy Mac’s Irish Bar & Restaurant. Suria KLCC & the iconic Petronas Towers are 10 minutes away by foot.

The Bed KLCC’s location is easy a 10 out of 10. It is located within the city center & is near almost everything a visitor needs.

Private & Dormitory Rooms

The Bed KLCC has numerous types of rooms that can cater to all types of travelers. Those travelling on budget can stay in their dormitory rooms while those who are travelling with their friends or partners & want privacy can opt for the private rooms.

A bed in a dormitory room costs RM55-RM65 per night. The front entry bod costs RM55 while the side entry & female-only pods cost RM65 per night. A night stay in the dormitory room includes access to free Wi-Fi, air-conditioned rooms, roll-down partitions per bed, unlimited drinking water refill & shared bathrooms. The bed also includes a pillow & blanket, towel, reading light, power socket & a clothes hanger.

The Bed KLCC has 5 types of private rooms. The single pod suite costs RM100 per night & includes a single bed, a working table with mirror plus all the amenities found in the dormitory bed / room. The private twin pod & queen pod suite cost RM130, while the family & travel buddy rooms (all for 4 people) cost RM170 per night. All these private rooms have access to shared washrooms & toilets per area / group of rooms. The room rates mentioned above are the rates published by the property on their website. Please take note that other booking platforms such as Agoda, Booking.com, Hostelworld & Traveloka have their own promotional rates.

I booked my stay with Booking.com & paid RM270 for 3 nights in a private single pod suite. I got the room for RM90 per night. Thanks to my Booking.com Genius Level 2 loyalty status, I got a 10% off per night. This booking also had a flexible cancellation term which was perfect for travelling these days. My bank charged me ₱3,455.56 including the foreign currency conversion fee for all 3 nights. That translates to around ₱1,151.85 per night. It’s expensive for a city like Kuala Lumpur but I believe the cost is worth the price given the property’s facilities & amenities. You can get cheaper hotels or hostels than this,  but you can’t match the premium experience The Bed KLCC gives to their guests.

In case you haven’t read it, I also post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

The Bed KLCC has a long list of facilities & amenities available to all guests. Check out these facilities & amenities below:

Fast & Free Wi-Fi – All guests have access to fast & free Wi-Fi. Their internet connection is perfect for those who want to work remotely from Kuala Lumpur.

Daily Breakfast Service – The property offers daily breakfast service to those who availed of this option at the time of booking. Unfortunately, I did not avail of the hostel’s free breakfast.

Aesthetic Communal Lounge – The Bed KLCC has one of the most aesthetic hostel communal lounges I’ve seen in my years of travelling. It is at par with the coziness of Steel House Copenhagen’s communal lounge.

Spacious Dining & Food Preparation Area – The hostel has a spacious dining & food preparation area for guests who want to eat or prepare their food in the hostel.

Complimentary Tea & Coffee – Guests can make their own coffee or tea in the dining area as long as the common area is open.

In-House Café – The Bed KLCC has an in-house café called The Bean KLCC. The café offers coffee, tea & some snacks & sandwiches.

Well-Maintained Communal Shower & Toilet Areas – The property has clean & spotless shower & toilet areas. These common areas are found on the 1st floor & are well-maintained.

Private Room Amenities – Private rooms have amenities that are not found in dormitory rooms. The rooms have working tables & chairs, toiletries (including toothbrush & toothpaste), storage spaces & reading lamps.

Private Wash Rooms – Guests in the private rooms have access to clean private wash rooms. These wash rooms are complete with toilet papers, hand soap, shampoo with conditioner & liquid body soap.

Travel Desk – The Bed KLCC also has a travel desk for those who want to avail of local tours & airport transfers. Feel free to approach the hostel staff to find out more about this service.

Luggage Storage – Guests who arrive earlier than the check-in time or those who will leave hours after the property’s check-out time can store their luggage with the property. Don’t hesitate to ask reception where you can leave your bags.

Laundry Services – The property also offers laundry services for those who need their clothes / belongings washed during the stay. Please ask reception on how you can avail of this service.

Communal Powder Room – The Bed KLCC also has a communal powder room for those who need to use it. It is located near the communal shower & toilets.

Hair Dryer & Ironing Facilities – The hostel also provides hair dryer & ironing facilities. These are found inside the powder room.

Unlimited Drinking Water Refill – The Bed KLCC offers unlimited drinking water refill to all its guests. The water dispenser is found near the sink in the communal food preparation area. Don’t forget to bring you own water container.

Shoe Storage Areas & In-Room Slippers – Guests need to leave their shoes in their respective shoe lockers. All rooms should be accessed using the in-room slippers provided by the hostel.

Centralized Air Conditioning System – The property has a centralized air conditioning system. This means that air conditioning is only open at night (I think at 8pm) until 8am. The communal areas remain well ventilated throughout the day.

24-Hour Reception – The property’s reception is open for 24 hours. No need to worry if your flight or bus arrives after midnight or if you need to leave for the airport in the wee hours of the morning.

Boardgames / Puzzles – There are boardgames & puzzles which guests can play with during their stay.

Printing & Scanning Services – The hostel also offers printing & scanning services for a fee. Feel free to approach reception to avail of these services.

Friendly & Multi-Lingual Staff – The Bed KLCC has friendly & multi-lingual staff. They have staff who speak Malay, English & even Filipino.

Secured Hotel Access – Only guests have access to the dormitory & private rooms. Guests are given key cards during check-in that work on their assigned floor / level.

Lift Access – Guests who have luggage & big bags need not worry about bringing their bags to their rooms. The hostel has 2 lifts which can be accessed using the hostel key cards.

Hostel Experience

I had a lovely & quiet stay with The Bed KLCC. I arrived around 8:00pm & was greeted by one of the Filipino staff at reception. I was even assisted by one of the staff & helped me bring my bags up to my private room. Great welcome from the staff!

The single pod suite was decent, neat, but didn’t have much space. The room layout was alright. The room gets super cold at night; guests do not have the power to control the in-room temperature. The thick comforters somewhat help ease the super cold temperature. I hope the property management can find a way to have the best possible temperature at night or at least improve the room ventilation systems. 

The property’s highlight for me is its communal lounge & dining area. This communal space is very aesthetic. It looks & feels very cozy, modern & premium. I initially planned to work in my room for 2 days but ended up doing it in one of the high chairs & tables in the common area. The area was quiet & perfect for work.

The Bed KLCC pretty much remained quiet throughout my stay. I didn’t get the chance to meet some co-travelers / guests. I hope or wish the hostel can organize activities for those who want to join & meet other people. It doesn’t have to be a loud and noisy party; it can even be just a community dinner or game night or other social activities. I’m sure there are guests who will join.

Will I recommend The Bed KLCC? Definitely! It’s a premium, modern & cozy property found in the middle of Kuala Lumpur City Center. It is at the higher end of the affordability range in Kuala Lumpur but it surely lives up to its price. If only I knew that I’d be working most of the time from the common area, I should have stayed in one of those dormitory beds instead. Anyway, I still had a great stay with The Bed KLCC!

Do you have questions about The Bed KLCC? I’ve listed their contact details below. Feel free to reach out to them on the following platforms:

The Bed KLCC
Address: G1 @ Vortex KLCC, No 12, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Phone Number: +60 3 2715 2413
E-mail Address: booking@thebedklcc.com / thebedklcc@gmail.com
Website: www.thebedklcc.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thebedkl
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebedklcc

Have you stayed with The Bed KLCC? How was your experience? Share your experiences in the comments section below. By any chance, are you planning to book your stay with The Bed KLCC? Do you have any questions about the property? Feel free to post them in the comment section. You may also send those questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature. I cannot wait to share more hostels to all of you. Please also take time to check out my previous HOTD features by clicking this. Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.