Manila Hotels

[Irony Monger]

Tier 2. The Picasso, The Celeste, Somerset Salcedo, Somerset Milennium, (not Somerset Olympia, it is a dump).

These hotels are only slightly less in amenities than the tier 1 but the prices can be significantly less. Most of these hotels are packeged as extended stay or apartments. All this means is they will have a fridge and small kitchen area. $80-120 per night.

Thanks Devils 1! Of the Tier 2 hotels you listed, do any actually have a functioning kitchen with burners, pots, etc. (more than just a microwave and a counter top) that you can use for actual cooking? While not a chef, I can cook and like to do so. Plus, things can get rather interesting when cute young Filipinas and freshly dipped chocolate covered strawberries are thrown together in the same private room ;)

[Devils 1]

i thought i would try to give a comprehensive report for some of the popular hotels in makati. i have not stayed at all of these but based on other reports and the profile and price of the hotel i have made some assumptions to help out a newbie. please feel free to add info and make corrections. it is hard to use the standard star rating system because the service is so good in hotels in the phils. as a general rule i think you take a true star rating from one of the services and add one star to it for the phils.

tier 1. shangri la, peninsula, mandarin oriental, intercontinental, new world, dusit thani.

these hotels are all great. they will be priced anywhere from $100 to $200+ per night. they all have great restaurants and are located in the best locations in makati. in most cases they are near or next to the greenbelt / glorietta / sm shopping complex. if you want to split hairs maybe you rate shang, pen and mandarin as tier 1 and the rest of them as tier 1a. but not exactly sure.

most of these hotels have good bars ranging from small martini type bars to large dance clubs. the best martini bars are located in the peninsula and mandarin oriental. the new world has a very popular dance club called paladium. the intercon has a similar club called icon. the shang has a large and nice club with a live band. some times the band plays typical pinoy love songs other times it plays good rock and roll. make no mistake, it is not a loud, crowded place full of working girls, so only go there if you byog.

for more info on these clubs do a search, there is much written here. as a general rule dance clubs in manila do not get going until midnite and will easily stay busy until 6 am.

tier 2. the picasso, the celeste, somerset salcedo, somerset milennium, (not somerset olympia, it is a dump).

these hotels are only slightly less in amenities than the tier 1 but the prices can be significantly less. most of these hotels are packeged as extended stay or apartments. all this means is they will have a fridge and small kitchen area. $80-120 per night.

the picasso is a very nice, new boutique type hotel. similar to the hard rock hotel in vegas.

somerset salcedo / milennium is more like an apartment. the rooms are very large and always include a sitting area. there are many families staying in the hotel for business. seems they are very popular with arabs and indians. for the size of the rooms and quality one of the best values i have seen in makati. must book early as they fill up quick during peak season. all rooms are large even if its a studio or a 1 bedroom.

the celeste has an excellent location across from greenbelt 3. i haven't stayed there so maybe someone else can give a true report.

tier 3. st giles, a venue, a venue suites. (probably alot more i don't know of) $50-70 per night.

st giles is a new hotel (opened july 2010). the rooms are small but clean and nice. for the price you really cannot ask for more.

a venue is a high rise with small but new and modern apartment style rooms. most people feel it is too basic and too small, but you get what you pay for. the average room is a 1 bedroom of approximately 400 sq ft or 40 sq meters.

a venue suites is next to a venue. the rooms are nice and larger than the neighbor mentioned above. based on the price and higher standard it maybe more like a tier 2 than a tier 3. i was only there once for a few minutes so i may have mirep001egorized it.

tier 4. clipper hotel, citadel inn, oxford suites $30-50 per night.

all of these hotels are on burgos street. i have only walked by them but they seem modern and clean. i know someone who stayed at the clipper and swears it was clean and modern. you just have to understand what you are asking for when you stay on burgos st. there are every kind of scammer and street seller bothering you 24 hrs a day. there is a lot of very loud traffic and all of the pollution that goes along with it. but there are tons of freelancers walking the street as well as 20 or so very good strip type clubs.

the best way to find your perfect hotel is use aogda or asiarooms and see where the best deal falls for you.

[Soapy Smith]

It appears that the site software continues to try to correct the spelling of a street name for the hotel I recommended. It replaces part of the street name with "have" its an annoying and counter productive piece of software. I'm sure that even with numerous misspellings most of us can make these things out. So those interested can simply go to "booking" website and look up the hotel I previously mentioned.

J, I agree it's annoying. Fortunately, in the near future you will pass some magical threshold (perhaps 50 posts?) and become a senior member. At that point you're able to edit a report for about an hour after you upload the report. Editing to the correct spelling seems to override the automatic spell correcting function.

[Danibbler]

Thanks to Mongerer69 and Asiatravel, I stayed at the St. Giles last week in Makati. It's a very new hotel and I really liked the service there. Really good service with the staff hopping to your requests. The room I got was pretty small but it was very clean, in great shape and quiet.

Location was not so good for me but P. Burgos was right behind the building. Taxi drivers had some difficulty with finding the hotel because it's so new but the building is the tallest in its immediate vicinity and there is a huge sign on the side of it.

Food was decent but nothing to write about. Girl-friendly, for sure.

[Pompolino]

Just back from 10 days in Phil meeting my girlfriend so not looking to monger. As we were flying the next early morning after my arrival to Puerto Princessa, Palawan I booked one night at the Heritage because of its proximity to the airport. What a dump! Misdescribed as 5 star this place was dirty, cobwebs on the wall, noisy as you could hear the street traffic, the water pressure non existent, whilst the temperature fluctuated continuously and the service was pathetic. Next time I think I will look to fly on after arriving or try the Microtel at Mall of Asia 3 star but has got to be better than the Heritage.

After a great time in Palawan. Really worth the trip, I had booked at Linden Suites in Ortigas which is the business district so a long way from Makati or Ermita. We were there because we were meeting a number of friends and family from Mandaluyong which is a neighbouring suburb. This place was fantastic. Described as 4 star it was less than 2/3rds the price of the Heritage and it was immaculately clean, very large really nice rooms with a small kitchen, service was very professional and personable, breakfast was pretty good (not nearly up to Hotel Celeste in Makati) , water pressure and temperature good and overall an excellent well run hotel. Good shopping and restaurants close by helpful security guys to let you know where to go.

For those not needing to be close to the action of Ermita or Makati this is a perfect alternative. I have used Agoda often but using trip advisor gave me some better rates from Hotels. Com and Bookings. Com. Also my girlfriend booked through an agent transport, accomodation and tours for Puerto Princessa at unbelievable prices. Certainly a fraction of what I would have paid and the Legend Hotel (3 star) was clean and everthing worked so we were happy.

P

[Jbiz979]

It appears that the site software continues to try to correct the spelling of a street name for the hotel I recommended. It replaces part of the street name with "have" its an annoying and counter productive piece of software. I'm sure that even with numerous misspellings most of us can make these things out. So those interested can simply go to "booking" website and look up the hotel I previously mentioned.

[Jbiz979]

If anyone is looking for an inexpensive, great location and girl friendly hotel in Makati try Q Residences Salcedo. Its extremly inexpensive I paid about 45 dollars a night and I was 5 minute taxi ride from the Greenbelt. Now the hotel is within another hotel so it maybe difficult to find. The hotel is actually located inside the Somerset hotel, the upper 3 floors are Q residences the rest Somerset. You get free breakfast and internet their is a 711 and a mini stop directly outside your hotel. The manager Ari is a great help he's a Filipino that has worked in the hotel business in San Diego, Ca so he has an idea on American tastes. There are 2 Somersets so you want the one that is off of have Dela Costa and the Corner of Lp Leviste.

have Dela Costa and LP Leviste

[Jbiz979]

If anyone is looking for an inexpensive, great location and girl friendly hotel in Makati try Q Residences Salcedo. Its extremly inexpensive I paid about 45 dollars a night and I was 5 minute taxi ride from the Greenbelt. Now the hotel is within another hotel so it maybe difficult to find. The hotel is actually located inside the Somerset hotel, the upper 3 floors are Q residences the rest Somerset. You get free breakfast and internet their is a 711 and a mini stop directly outside your hotel. The manager Ari is a great help he's a Filipino that has worked in the hotel business in San Diego, Ca so he has an idea on American tastes. There are 2 Somersets so you want the one that is off of have Dela Costa and the Corner of Lp Leviste.

[FreebieFan]

Unless you want / need a specific hotel and can risk non availability, very often the price will drop closer to your travel date.

Http://www.lastminute.com/site/travel/hotels/. Works when hotels are in low demand periods. When theres high demand, as expected, the price increase.

[Mongerer69]

Hey Guys. I am by no means a Shill for this website, however their normal web prices are comparable or better than other travel sites. I used to use Agoda. Asiatravel.com's Crazy Rates are alot better ($94US New World) and if you book a Manila / Makati hotel you get a P3, 000 RESORTS WORLD CASINO match play voucher for each booking. I got 2 for this trip equaling $147US. Not bad. Also, on my way in and out I booked with them for Wanchai in HK Wesley Hotel and they blew away everybody else's price.

[Bonker04]

Unless you want / need a specific hotel and can risk non availability, very often the price will drop closer to your travel date.

If I know when I am returning I just book my next stay direct with the hotel. Invariably that gets a better rate than booking through the online sites.

B04

[Doggage]

Guys.

The additional charges are standard for all hotels in the Phils and are not Agoda specific.

They are very good and I have now used them throughout Asia and agree that the loyalty program is also good.

Having worked out an Agoda price, I would suggest checking out the hotel reports on Trip Advisor and then doing a double check on the hotel's direct website too and if you feel up to a bit of bargaining. This worked out for me recently in Phuket, where the hotel (La Flora) matched the Agoda rate. The benefit to me was that I didn't have to pay for everything upfront.

I've just got a nice rate from them for the New World in Makati and will be staying there over New Year.

Happy travelling.

Skip Kost,

Yes Agoda is good but just watch they put a per night fee on your room at the end which isn't disclosed until you get to the end of the transaction so whilst the daily rate is better than the others it sometimes exceeds the others when the fee is added. I generally find Agoda is best for Thailand but have found it varies with the other for Philippines. What is good with Agoda is the loyalty program which they have honoured each time I have sought to use it. I also find that the reviews about the hotels are generally accurate. Tripadvisor is owned by Expedia and so I am sceptical about some of their reviews and about their rating system.

Happy Easter,

P

[Asianatic]

Yeah. I used Asiatravel. Com for all hotels on my upcoming trip. Very good service. PLUS they sent me a voucher for P3, 000 for the Resorts World Casino that I always visit. They have the prettiest Dealers, and Hostess' in the world there.

Based on your advice I have succesfully booked the Crazy Rate hotel in Makati, came out to 91 Euro because I am staying there midweek which seems always more expensive then a weekend. Plus the crazy rate room itself was'nt available. However got a Deluxe Room for that price including breakfast for 2. It resulted indeed into the New World of which I am very happy with it. I like Dusit Thani too as the rooms are nicer in my opinion but the location of the New World is unbeatable.

Thanks for the link Mongerer, it is much appreciated.

[X Man]

I've never stayed at either place after inspecting the rooms. That doesn't' mean all rooms are bad, maybe I was there at high season and I was shown the most pitiful room available. For example, across the street from Southern Cross is Slouch Hat which has pitiful rooms, and nice rooms. The nicer, larger, quieter rooms are on the third floor.

I guess newbies should know that both of the hotels are a few minutes walk from each other and there is convenience store in between. Both offer buses to AC and Subic bay and last time I checked Southern Cross had the superior bus, but only once a day. Swaggie has three a day. Both are a short walk to Manila bay and the US embassy.

Southern Cross has a more lively bar atmospher, while Swag has more of a restaurant atmosphere. They have a breakfast buffet which I've enjoyed a few time while waiting for the morning bus to AC. The cook is very friendly and helpful, but this is not high cuisine.

QUOTE=Skip Kost; 1193274]One or two guys posted some negative experiences at Swagman back during the Spring, and, despite its low star rating, as WC points out, it's more expensive than some of the other places nearby. Southern Cross somehow lost my reservation for the night I arrived in Manila in June. Second time I visited they did better by me. Rooms on the front side are a little noisy, elevator is slow, walls seem to be thin, and the furnishings are a little primitive. But service is good, the bar is lively and has continuous pool games, and the food is reasonably priced and has a mix of Filipino and Western dishes. Laundry, money changers. 7-11, fast food restaurants, bank ATMs, and Ermita Church are all close. Waitresses appear to be hired for their looks, dress accordingly, and the Aussie owner seems to like to handle the help.[/QUOTE]

[Mongerer69]

Mongerer69 should get a referral, I had almost always used Agoda, but have booked twice now with Asia Travel. First I tried the Mystery 5 star in Pasig, (didn't realize how far out it was) , got the Crowne Plaza, great hotel located adjacent to the Robinson Mall. Unfortunately not the one I thought. Oh well no worries. On Thursday, booked the Mystery 5 star in Makati for Sat. Night, expecting the New World, but turns out it was the Dusit! I couldn't be happier as I really like the Dusit. So tonight I am off to Havana Cafe to see what's available and then a nice breakfast tomorrow morning before heading back to HK.

Also saw some info on Booking. Com, that said their cancellation policy was the best around. May have to take a look.

Yeah. I used Asiatravel. Com for all hotels on my upcoming trip. Very good service. PLUS they sent me a voucher for P3, 000 for the Resorts World Casino that I always visit. They have the prettiest Dealers, and Hostess' in the world there.