Staycation near Mall of Asia: RG Shell Residences [Review]

This 40 degree summer is giving me nasty migraines and there’s no sign this would be ending anytime soon. I’ve been wishing that I could just take a dip in a pool somewhere. Thankfully, the staycation gods heard my plea. I have been given the opportunity to have a staycation in RG Shell Residences.

Shell Residences is one of the condominiums inside the Mall of Asia (MOA) complex and was developed by SMDC. It was completed last December 2015 so it is still fairly new. There are several hotels near Mall of Asia but they can be really expensive so another option is to avail of the condo rentals being offered directly by unit owners or through Airbnb. Since there are many events happening in this part of southern Metro Manila, some people would consider a staycation near Mall of Asia as a great way to save on time on traffic and explore this area further, especially if you live in the north.

Location

Shell Residences is just along the EDSA extension going to MOA. It is about 5-10 mins away from the mall. It is across Sea Residences (another SMDC development) and Blue Bay Walk.

Places of Interest

Aside from the many dining and shopping options at the ground level, Shell Residences is also conveniently located near commercial establishments, recreational facilities and government institutions:

Shopping: SM Mall of Asia, Baclaran

Casino: City of Dreams, Solaire and Heritage Hotel

Dining: Mall of Asia, Seaside, City of Dreams, Solaire,

Recreation: SM by the Bay, SM Ice Skating Rink, Mall of Asia Arena, Dreamplay, SM Cinema

Government Offices: Department of Foreign Affairs

Churches: Shrine of Jesus, Baclaran Church

Nightlife: Pangea, Chaos, Blue Bay Walk

Amenities

Shell Residences just opened last year so everything is new and clean. I hope they can maintain it that way. But so far, looks like the property management company maintaining it is doing a great job.

As I entered the building, I was greeted by their courteous staff. (No kidding! During my stay, the staffs never fails to greet me). The lobby looks so elegant and have a nice citrus-y smell. It really feels like you are in a luxury hotel. It has many lounge areas too wherein you can meet your guests.

Pool

The pools are shaped like semi-circles. One for kids and the other for adults. The kid’s pool has a play area with slides and coconut trees squirting water form their leaves. The water level is just shallow so it is perfect for kids.

The pool for adults have cabanas, gazebo and beach chairs. The water is not that deep – only 4ft.

Once you are inside the pool area, it feels like you are in a resort. You won’t be hearing the traffic noise on the adjacent main highway because the surrounding buildings helped buffer the sound. The buildings’ shadow also provides a nice shade during early morning and late afternoon.

 

A photo posted by Staycation Philippines (@staycationph) on Apr 22, 2016 at 7:46pm PDT

Gym

They have a little gym equipped with all the basic necessities for a good workout. You can avail of this if you’re a long staying guest of RG Shell Residences.

The Room

The building has 16 floors and there are five elevators servicing these floors. I haven’t seen it get busy and when I was there I can always get an elevator within a few seconds which is good. As some units are still being designed/constructed by the owners, you can hear some hammering during the day but that won’t be a problem once everyone gets settled.

RG Shell Residences is just a one-bedroom unit. It can comfortably accommodate 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 kids. It has all the basic things that you need in a house: a living and dining area, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.

The bedroom is not facing EDSA so there’s no traffic noise that would be disturbing your sleep. The bed and pillows are so fluffy which makes for a goodnight sleep.

The unit is fully air-conditioned. It has a large TV with TV Plus (no cable TV yet as they’re still waiting for SkyCable to service the whole building) in the living room. There’s also wifi available. Currently, they’re just using LTE pocket wifi but the owner mentioned that they’ll be soon upgrading it to a DSL. They’re just sorting things out with the service provider. Again, this unit is just new so it is understandable.

Unlike some cheap hotels near Mall of Asia, what I really like about RG Shell Residences is that the owner really paid attention to small details like providing toiletries, dishwashing liquid, hand soap, and towels. Oh, they have hot shower too! Plus, Grace, the owner, would text you every now and then to make sure that you are enjoying your stay.

Who’s this ideal for?

This condo rental from RG Shell Residences is ideal for:

• Small groups (families or friends)
• Attendees to trade shows and other events in SMX Convention Center
• Businessmen who have appointments in the many office buildings nearby
• OFWs waiting for their flights out of the country or to other domestic destinations
• Club/Concert goers who’ll be attending concerts in MOA Arena and those who are partying in the clubs near the area. Don’t drink and drive!

How to Book

Since this is a private residential condominium, you can’t just walk-in and book a room. You have to deal with individual owners that are offering their rooms for short term rent. But how can you contact these owners? So what you can do is:

1. Go to airbnb.com
2. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create here. You’ll receive P1,642 if you use that link (you’re welcome!), that you can use for your first booking.
3. Then, just go to this link to select this particular property of RG Shell Residences.
4. Set your dates and number of people.
5. Click Book Now

Alternatively, you can book directly with RG Shell Residences. Just contact Grace on 0919 698 8728 or email rg.smdcunits@gmail.com.

You can also send her a message through their Facebook Page and Instagram.

Overall, my experience with RG Shell Residence was positive. It was stress-free staycation just like what I’ve expected. The place is very accessible and the facility is spotless. I’m surprised that a ‘cookie-cutter’ developer like SMDC made this.

If you have other questions, just leave a comment below.

Also, please feel free to send me a message if you have a recommended place for staycation that you want to be reviewed.