Since Tristan was born, Carlos and I have never gone on a vacation. We are usually just home, and when we do go out we need to be back by 8pm to get ready for bed by 9, because that’s Tristan’s bedtime. The few times we go out during the day is when we do the grocery, pay the bills and attend short events and meetings. We haven’t had time apart from him (ever), which is really fine because we like spending time with him. There are some days though when I wish I could revert to my old self and not have a care in the world. And then I see my Tristan smile or laugh and I forget all that nonsense. Having Tristan is the best thing that’s ever happened to us.

This got me thinking: there has to be a way to balance baby-time and me-time (some parents recommend date night, which we’ve never done). Then I thought: STAYCATION! I got an invitation from Discovery Primea awhile back but I was so exhausted from giving birth and doing cluster feedings that I requested we do it at another time. A few weeks ago that time had finally come and I actually couldn’t believe we were ready for our first out of house trip. I got our biggest suitcase and filled it with Tristan’s things. We had to pack so much, which I don’t regret because we really used everything. Diapers, baby wipes, his non-slip bath seat, towels, his swimming diaper, sunblock, a water temperature meter, a first aid kit–that all went in that suitcase, as well as his extra muslin cloths (or lampin), grooming kit, my Medela breast pump, storage bags, and the list goes on. I’ve never packed so many essentials in my life, and I still needed another bag for my clothes and toiletries. I think it was the excitement that fueled my crazy packing–we were finally getting out of the house and yay, no cooking and cleaning for me for three days (that’s a HUGE deal). It shouldn’t be surprising that I had a silly smile plastered on my face that entire weekend. I was calm, cool and collected, and not the frazzled, tired and frantic woman I have come to be since Tristan was born. Now, to find a way to live like this permanently haha.

When we arrived at Discovery Primea, we were surprised to have the staff and the General Manager himself welcome us, complete with a bouquet of flowers for me. What a lovely welcome! I also couldn’t help but admire their gorgeous lobby, which had Asian design influences, but was very chic and modern. As I found out later on, Discovery Primea was designed by leading architectural firms Tange Associates of Tokyo and Jorge Y. Ramos & Partners of Manila, as well as celebrated design companies Texeira, Inc. of Los Angeles and Anna Sy of DWP-Design Worldwide Partnership in Bangkok and Hong Kong; and landscape designer Paulo Alcazaren.

We headed to our room immediately after arriving, and I couldn’t have been happier–it was spacious, luxurious and homey. There were more flowers, a beautiful platter of dessert with our family milestones printed on them, and framed family photos were placed on every tabletop. It truly felt like our home away from home.

Discovery Primea gave us their one bedroom suite, which had a kitchen, a dining area and living room apart from the bedroom. We had everything we needed, including extra plates, flat wear and cooking utensils (but no cooking for this momma, so we didn’t use them). The elegant room came replete with modern luxuries such as High Speed Internet Access for multiple devices, a Nespresso machine, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), an additional LED television by the bathtub and complimentary PressReader, which gives guests digital access to newspapers and magazines worldwide.

One thing I particularly love about this hotel though is that they made sure Tristan had a comfortable stay with us. Tristan had his own crib (with an attached changing table and musical mobile), his own mini tub for bathing, and a diaper cake (for those of you who don’t know, it’s a cake made out of diapers, so cute). I was so touched that the hotel went through great lengths to make our stay pleasant and restful. It really meant a lot since we don’t have a nanny and it was our first family staycation.

This deserves a special mention: when you’re at Discovery Primea, order the Turkish coffee. Carlos must’ve had five or six of this during our entire stay. I couldn’t have it because I’m breastfeeding, but my husband says its the best so I believe him (he’s a big coffee drinker). Oh and yes, he brought his Playstation with us–that didn’t come with the hotel room.

I just have to stress how much I love hotel beds. This is one of my favorite things about staying in a hotel. I love the silky soft sheets and fluffy pillows. We usually blast the air-conditioning and hide under the comforter–it’s the best!

So for breakfast, we didn’t feel like going downstairs so we ordered room service instead. This proved to be a better option for us since I am breastfeeding and I didn’t want to have to do it at the restaurant. And we love our room so we had our breakfast prepared in our dining area. This spread was just two orders, btw. What an amazing breakfast!

That afternoon we wanted to go for a swim with Tristan (his first-time), so we slathered sunscreen on our babe, put his red swimming diapers on and headed to the 20-meter heated infinity pool. Carlos and I have been itching to introduce our little guy to swimming so this was so exciting for us. We swam  for only 10 minutes though because it got cool and windy, but this momma was able to take some nice photos.

After swimming, we each got a massage at Terazi Spa (we had to take turns because someone had to watch Tristan)! What a treat! This was my first massage after giving birth so I was in heaven. We tried Discovery Primea’s signature massage, which relaxed my tired muscles and put me to sleep. It is so worth visiting Terazi Spa because it has an authentic Turkish bath–the only spa in the metro with a hammam. For fitness buffs, it is good to know the hotel also offers the spacious 37 Degrees Gym with state-of-the-art Technogym facilities.

We enjoyed the rest of our stay in bed relaxing and ordering room service. What a life! We are so grateful to Discovery Primea for taking such good care of us. The room, food, facilities and service were all excellent. I cannot wait to go back there again soon! THANK YOU, Discovery Primea!!!