Marco Polo Davao: The Heart of Davao

I have lots of fond memories of Marco Polo Davao when we were living in the city. It was where we went to gym, swam and had Sunday lunch at Lotus Court regularly. Marco Polo Davao is the premiere luxury hotel in Davao City, nestled right in the heart of the city. It is conveniently located near different tourist destinations, restaurants and other leisure activities.

I stayed in their Deluxe Room for three days, a well appointed room that had been spruced up with new carpets, shower fixtures and TVs.

Opening the windows gave me a view of Ateneo de Davao on one side and Aldevinco for native good shopping.

The best rooms for families are these Cabana rooms located on the 4th floor. Each cabana room is decorated with a “resort in the city” feel. in mind.  Hardwood flooring is used in lieu of carpets and each room has a veranda with easy access to the pool. We’ve stayed here before with Lauren and her friends and all the kids had a blast.

They also have the eponymous Marco Polo Suite.  It has a spacious living area that has an excellent view of Davao City extending to Samal Island.

The 4th floor of Marco Polo Davao is where the leisure amenities are located, including this beautiful pool. A little tidbit, if you like watching Korean movies, the Marco Polo pool was part of the movie “No Breathing”.

The Lazuli Spa is a great place to rest and relax. Choose from their many different massage treatments like their super popular aromatherapy or their native hilot which I can attest to its wonders.

The fitness center is housed beside the spa and was the first in the Philippines to use the Technogym Kinesis machines. The gym is much much bigger than when I was still working out here. I loved the gym because they limit memberships so there’s little to no waiting for using your preferred machine.

For dining, you have 3 main options, the Cafe Marco, Lotus Court and the Polo Bistro.

Cafe Marco is their all day dining destination. Buffet is served during breakfast, lunch and dinner.

My best discovery there for lunch was the Uni (sea urchin) topped cucumber sushi.

For breakfast, you’ll kick yourself if you miss having their bacon.

Lotus Court is the premier Chinese restaurant in Davao City. I have not been back since they renovated so I was so surprised.

We had a sumptuous dinner composed of Lotus Court signature dishes as well as a slew of dishes specially prepared by visiting Chef Arno Huang from Marco Polo Xiamen. My favorites from the dinner were the Yin Yang Grouper, a stunning dish with honey coated fish fillets on one side and fish fillets in black bean sauce on the other. The Fujian Braised Rice is a meal in itself, soupy and full of different toppings.

Here are the other dishes we had that night, from appetizers to dessert. (click each for a larger view)

The last dining outlet we visited was the Polo Bistro, located on the 4th floor, in between the pool and the cabana rooms. The Polo bistro serves continental ala carte dishes with a great view.

We started off the dinner with their fresh baked, crusty Ciabatta rolls.

Fresh seafood is a must in Davao especially tuna served as Kilawin.

The Polo Bistro Baby Back Ribs is one of their signature dishes and is a must order. Smoky tender meat topped with sweet mangoes and a side of their home made bbq sauce.

For a little show, order the Brandied Pepper Steak. The dish is assembled table side in a rousing performance by the chef.

Marco Polo Davao is truly the heart of Davao. It’s the hotel I recommend to friends going to Davao both for business and pleasure reasons. It’s central location makes it a great jump off point for adventures in Samal, Malagos or the mountains of Eden.

Marco Polo Davao

CM Recto St. cor. Roxas Ave,
Davao City, Philippines
Contact No.: (6382) 221-0888

Facebook Page: Marco Polo Davao

Website: Marco Polo Davao

Instagram: @MarcoPoloDavao

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