What started as a Monday dental errand turned into the most restorative and humbling 48 hours I’ve had in a while. 

Written from Batangas  ·  Places visited in Ortigas & Makati

I didn’t plan this as a trip. I planned it as a chore. A two-hour drive to Manila for a braces adjustment isn’t exactly a getaway, but somewhere between an onsen I nearly fell asleep in, a burger that made me forget about my teeth, and a spin class that made my knees genuinely question their purpose, it became one of the better 48 hours I’ve had this year.

Here’s everything that happened, what was worth it, and what I’d skip next time.

Day 1 (Mar23) — The Dentist, The Spa, and a Very Good Burger

The Dentist: A Six-Year Story Finally Moving Forward

My braces journey is embarrassingly long. It started in 2019 while I was living in Singapore, and for the first few years, almost nothing moved. I’d come back to the Philippines every six months for an adjustment and leave wondering why my teeth looked exactly the same.

The answer came in 2022 after an X-ray my dentist finally insisted on: one of my teeth was fully impacted: trapped under the gum, refusing to budge. A two-hour surgery later, things started shifting. Slowly, but finally moving.

The real problem after that was me. I was travelling constantly and only managing visits every six months, barely enough to make meaningful progress. This year, that changes. I’ve committed to monthly adjustments, which means a two-hour drive to my dentist in Ortigas every four weeks. It costs ₱1,000 per adjustment. My cracked crown, plastic for now, added another ₱2,000 to today’s bill. Not ideal. But neither is dragging this out another year.

The appointment itself took two hours because of the crown repair. Which meant I had to push my next stop back by an hour. Good thing the place I was going to was worth the wait.

Quick Info
Monthly braces adjustment: ₱1,000|  Temporary crown repair: ₱2,000|Dentist located in Ortigas

Im Onsen Spa, Makati — The Best ₱2,700 I Didn’t Plan to Spend

I booked Im Onsen through ClassPass, an app where you buy credits to reserve classes at gyms, wellness studios, and salons. I technically didn’t mean to subscribe. I forgot to cancel my free trial on renewal day and got charged ₱2,700. So I decided to use every single peso of it wisely.

I’ve been to Im Onsen once before back in 2020, when I brought my sister-in-law as a wedding gift. I remembered it being good. I did not remember it being that good.

I rescheduled from 5pm to 6pm because of the dental overrun, and they accommodated the change without a fuss. The massage itself was deeply relaxing, but the real stars are the dry sauna and the onsen pools. On a Monday evening, I had the entire pool area to myself. I wasn’t just lounging, I was genuinely swimming laps because there was no one else there. I stayed for 3.5 hours. Some reviews on ClassPass say you’re expected to leave after 1.5 hrs but I think that’s a peak-hours rule. On a quiet Monday, no one rushed me out of anything.

I left feeling boneless in the best way.

Verdict
Go on a weekday if you can. The quieter it is, the more you get out of the onsen pools. Booked via ClassPass. Would Return

Zhostel, Poblacion — ₱820 Well Spent

Three minutes on foot from Im Onsen is Zhostel, a hostel in the heart of Poblacion. I booked an 8-bed female dorm for ₱820  which, for what you get, is genuinely impressive.

Check-in was smooth. You leave your ID at the front desk and collect it on checkout at 11am. The dorm has its own bathroom, which matters. Each bed comes with its own charging port, reading light, and locker: bring your own padlock, as they don’t provide one. The beds are comfortable and include towels and a blanket. The only real downside: no privacy curtains on the bunks. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, know it upfront.

What makes Zhostel more than just a budget bed is the location and the extras. Breakfast is included — eggs, soup, and toast served from 7am to 10am. Complimentary drinks at the rooftop bar run until 11pm. The rooftop itself is simple but genuinely cozy, and the drinks are passable even if nothing special. They also have a WhatsApp group for guests if you want to meet people, which is a nice touch for solo travellers.

A few practical notes: there are stairs at the entrance, so if you’re dragging luggage, brace yourself. The elevator goes to the 6th floor; the rooftop bar is on the 8th, so there’s a short climb. No hair dryer provided, bring your own if you need one.

Quick Info
₱820/night · Includes breakfast + complimentary rooftop drinks · Own CR in dorm · Bring your own padlock and hair dryer > Would Return

Smash Burger Joint — Order the Burger. Just the Burger.

One minute from the hostel. That’s all it took for me to end up with one of the better burgers I’ve had in Manila.

The staff were warm the moment I walked in. I ordered the bacon smash burger, small size, at ₱340. The bun is soft reminiscent of Shake Shack but without the grease and the patty is properly juicy. I couldn’t eat much of the bacon because my freshly adjusted braces made chewing anything tough genuinely painful, but even at half capacity, I enjoyed it.

Here’s my honest advice: skip the fries (₱160) and the Fog City vanilla shake (₱290). Neither adds much. The burger is the main event, and the sides just dilute the experience and your budget. I ended up giving my fries to the security guard at the hostel because food isn’t allowed inside. Lessons learned the hard way.

Order This
Bacon Smash Burger (small) — ₱340  |  Skip the fries and shake. I would return.

Day 2 (Mar24) — Coffee, a Spin Class, and the Long Road Home

Saglit Flower and Coffee Shop — For When You Need to Slow Down

After breakfast at the hostel: two sunny side up, one slice of toast, I walked seven minutes to Saglit Flower and Coffee Shop. It was exactly the kind of place I needed before getting back to reality.

The space is quiet and unhurried, full of fresh flowers that make the whole room smell gently alive. There’s a resident cat. The staff are quietly kind. I ordered a lemon espresso tonic for ₱180 — cold, sharp, and refreshing in a way that actually woke me up. They weren’t serving pastries that morning, which was fine. I wasn’t hungry.

I overheard someone at the counter asking about the flowers; stems range from ₱250 to ₱800, and arrangements start at ₱1,000. Everything looked fresh. It would make a lovely, slightly unexpected gift stop.

I didn’t want to leave, but I had a spin class to catch.

Order This
Lemon Espresso Tonic — ₱180  |  7 min walk from Zhostel. I Would Return.

Ride Revolution, Shangrila — Humbling in the Best Way

I booked this through ClassPass too. My last spin class was in Singapore in 2019, six years ago. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this.

Ride Revolution is a proper boutique cycling studio inside Shangrila Mall in Ortigas. Clean, well-lit, good lockers, shower facilities. They provide cleated shoes and towels, and you can buy water at the front desk. Registration is done through their website before your first session, so sort that out in advance.

The staff walked me through everything patiently, it was clear I was new. The 12:15pm session with Coach Roco was high-energy, loud music, and absolutely no mercy for someone who had just come off a 72-hour fast. The cleated shoes are no joke. Every time I tried to stand up on the saddle, my knees started shaking like they were trying to resign. I stayed seated for most of the class. During the weights segment, one of my dumbbells actually rolled off. Not my finest athletic moment.

And yet, I had so much fun. The room energy carries you even when your legs won’t. I’d go back in a heartbeat, ideally after eating a real meal first, and ideally with a friend so there’s someone to witness the suffering alongside me.

Heads Up
Register on the Ride Revolution website before your first visit. Cleated shoes are provided. No cameras during the session, and once it starts, you’re in it until the end –  no stepping out. Most importantly: eat something first. Trust me on this one. I Would Return.

The Ride Home

The bus stop back to Batangas was walking distance from the mall, one of those small Manila miracles. The bus took a while to leave the station, but I didn’t mind. I was too tired to mind anything.

I arrived in Batangas around 5pm, dropped my bag at the package counter, and grabbed two pieces of Chickenjoy from Jollibee. Then my brother pulled up with our two dogs — chaotic, tail-wagging, completely unaware that I’d been gone for two days.

We walked along the outlets until it got dark. The dogs had the time of their lives. So did I.

Manila doesn’t have to be an event. Sometimes it’s a dentist appointment that turns into a long soak in an onsen pool, a burger you didn’t plan on, and a spin class you survive by sheer stubbornness. That’s more than enough reason to go back.

Always,

Maria