This love hotel is now for family, friends and tourists too

Down the street and around the corner in Pasig City, a different kind of sign language is communicated most days—but especially the day before and after Valentine's Day. The huge signboard says five fingers for the Super-Suite, four fingers for the Mini-Suite, three fingers for De Luxe, and two fingers for the Standard room.   Large-you-can't-possibly-miss arrows lead the visitors to the parking bays of choice. There are bays for motorcycles. The garage doors close and enable the guests to disembark from their vehicles in privacy. Stairs lead up to the door of the room above the bay.   What happens beyond such doors and what the rooms look like have long been the stuff of urban legend and some viral videos, but on the weekend just before this year's Valentine's Day, one intrepid and overly curious writer of GMA News Online dared go where few who have gone before would care to admit under oath, or even torture.   Curiosity was sparked a few days before the expedition when pictures of some of the themed rooms of Victoria Court appeared on Facebook. Whoa! Some of the interiors were mock-ups—not replicas—of movie franchises with a cult following like "Austin Powers" and "Star Trek." There's also an Oval Office, a "Moulin Rouge" suite, and a Venetian pad.

Another huge billboard on the sidewalk was indicative of the lodging establishment's efforts to attract a varied range of clients. In so many words, the sign said the hotel is open for all occasions including despedida, birthday, and stag parties.   On a cool and drizzly Sunday afternoon, the courtyard of the lodge was quiet except for the sounds of utility workers going about their chores, making some improvements and cleaning the rooms. Slow jazz tunes filled the air. Mood music perhaps?   Ryan Regio, the duty manager, was a gracious host and allowed GMA News Online a peek through the private confines of their rooms. He explained that their online exposure is a fairly recent development and has become a growing means of contact with new clientele.   Regio, who has been with Victoria Court for seven years now, said that unlike before, they now have more bookings from tourists, families, and groups of friends because of the themed rooms, which are designed to fit up to 30 guests maximum and can be rented for at least five hours. Rates vary.   “Group parties often last seven hours,” the duty manager said. “We've had families come over for reunions and anniversaries and they often choose the 'Moulin Rouge' room. Some couples celebrating special anniversaries get the Venetian, which has a gondola right next to the bed. A hit with groups of men are the 'Star Trek' and 'Austin Powers.'”   The oldest of the themed pads—at five years—according to Regio, is the psychedelic "Austin Powers" room. You can't miss it – it’s the one with the overly colorful garage doors. Upstairs, beyond the door to the left, there is a metal cage with shiny bars. A very pink jacuzzi is in the bathroom.   Geeky guests would opt for the "Star Trek" room. None of the techie-looking panels on the walls or the navigation console are for real, but they are—as Spock would say—fascinating. The blank wall serves as the main viewer, on which guests may watch their favorite "Star Trek" movies and television episodes. Just press some of the buttons, flip some switches, and remove the center navigation panel to access the controls for the disc player. The Gleek types are likely to choose the "Moulin Rouge" room, which has nooks and crannies where guests can huddle. Some of the furniture can be moved to create space for musical production numbers.   Regio said foreign tourists often choose "The Oval Office." There are no cigars on the desk, which bears little resemblance to the real Resolute desk in the real White House. Again, there are no cigars, so bring your own.   Cash is the preferred mode of payment. Cash customers can expect fast response times from the staff: Fifteen minutes' waiting time for a clean room; 30 minutes for food; and 15 minutes for the bill. It says so on the “Service Challenge” sign in the parking bay.