Vertis North mall and hotel are new must-visit destinations in QC

Visitors to Seda Vertis North are welcomed by an expansive lobby that features modern interiors, art by Ayala Corp. chairman emeritus Jaime Zobel de Ayala, and furniture from designer Kenneth Cobunpue. Photos: Stanley Baldwin O. See

To borrow a phase from the state of Texas, anything and everything is done on a big scale in Metro Manila's biggest and most populous city, Quezon City. Personally, I get lost whenever I have to veer away from the major streets and highways like EDSA and Timog (where the GMA Network Center is located) to attend an event or run an errand.

At the recent media launch for Ayala Land’s newest mixed-use development, Vertis North, the conglomerate gave yours truly an impression that maybe I should spend more time in the north and get to know its streets, landmarks, facilities, and shopping complexes.

Sitting on 30 hectares along North Avenue, Vertis North currently has two anchor establishments that you can visit: Ayala Malls Vertis North and the 24-storey Seda Vertis North hotel.

At Ayala Malls Vertis North, cinemas featuring "A-Giant" screens and "A-Luxe" seats are already showing major blockbusters.

Though the mall is still in its "soft opening" stages with only a few retail establishments in operation, the cinemas were already showing June’s biggest blockbusters. We had the privilege of viewing a major Hollywood action film on Cinema 2 on what the mall calls its "A-Giant" screen; somewhere between an IMAX screen and a regular-sized screen. For audiences accustomed to having their feet up in theaters, Cinemas 1 and 3 feature fully reclining "A-Luxe" seats.

The cinema, with its movie skyboxes and featured technologies, was top-notch; too bad the film itself was ho-hum.

Sitting right across Trinoma Mall, Vertis North will have tenants that are not found in its older sibling; it aims to cater to the hip and young crowd by having unique concepts like a Japan Town, a Korean Town, an Urban Turf, and a UFC Gym.

Seda Vertis North has 438 guest rooms and is the first Seda Hotel with a ballroom and a spa facility.

Also expected to be operational by the October grand launch are Harlan + Holden Cafe, Pound, Sunnies Cafe, Barcino and Scout’s Honor for dining; an Activity Center for exhibits, concerts, and lifestyle classes; and a garden that gives the mall an al fresco feel and “outside-in” ambiance.

Sixth Seda hotel

Having stayed in Seda Abreeza Davao, I was a bit blown away by how much bigger Seda Vertis North is. It has 438 guest rooms including a presidential suite, a rooftop bar, and a pillar-less ballroom that seats 500 people (700 for cocktails).

With more constructions like office buildings and residential towers still in the pipeline, it will be interesting what Vertis North will look like a few months from now. I hope, though, that this new master-planned development will not add to the traffic congestion plaguing similar central business districts like Makati, BGC, and Ortigas.

Vertis North can be accessed by car from EDSA via an access road before Mindanao Avenue, or by MRT, passing through Trinoma, skywalk, and Mindanao carpark. — BM, GMA News