Manila Hotels

[Cebu Steve]

I stayed at Hostel1632 for 2 nights about 6 months ago. I was with a girlfriend (and checked in with her). So can't confirm for sure that the place is friendly to bringing a hobby date back. I think if you reserved for 2 persons at check in you would not have any problems. My observation was that security was not too strict.

The name hostel1632 is just a name, it's a hotel.

One interesting point, the rooms are really small, more like a long walk-in closet. The place was fine for the low price, I didn't have any complaints.

CS

[Pussy Luver]

A buddy of mine wants me to stay at the Manila Hotel when we get to the land of LBRPFM. Anyone know if the place is girl friendly. Another friend told me the place is not overly excited or cooperative with guests bringing girls back to their rooms. Any feedback would be appreciated.

[Professional]

I know there was some talk about this hotel back in June and it was suggest to be not GF friendly but that was just a guess. Can any one comfirm or deny whether or not it is guest friendly?

Also the name reads hostel but from looking at there website it looks more like a hotel does anybody know if this is a hostel or hotel? Also it is a member of these three hotels (executive plaza, palm plaza, and las palmas) all of which are GF friendly hard to believe this is not. Any thoughts?

Here's the website

http://www.hostel1632.com/

thanks!

[Notanocker]

This two year old hotel is about 150 - 250 metres down Pedro Gil Street from Robinsons Place Mall in Ermita (on the other side of the street: it is also close to the Pedro Gil LRT railway station).

I didn't avail myself, but it appeared the hotel was totally GF. Staff were friendly but not overbearing. I did not test for WiFi, as there are two Internet cafes at 20 or 25 pesos an hour within 150 metres in Pedro Gil Street.

It was clean, comfortable, quiet and spacious, with quite good aircon, though a tiny bit too noisy. Breakfast was OK but not exceptional.

It is about a 400 metre walk from G Point and similar to LA Cafe, or a 37.5 peso (less than US$1) taxi ride to or from either.

May be worth a try.

[Joe Arugula]

I will be going to manila in a couple of months. In the past, I have always stayed in Makati. I am feeling a bit more adventurous this trip and would like to try a hotel in malate. Since I will be traveling with my laptop, are there any decent hotels with free broadband access in the rooms (or WiFi)?

Basically I am searching for the following:

1. Free broadband or WiFi access in room.

2. Room Safe

3. Cost of $50-100 per day

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

JA

[Joe Arugula]

I will be traveling to the Philippines once again. I usually stayed in Makati in the past. Is there a hotel in Malate with the following ammenities:

1.) Free WiFi or broadband in the room.

2.) Room Safe (Safe at the concierge is also acceptable)

I require the internet access because i will be brining my laptop.

Budget of usd$50-100 per day.

Any help will be appreciated.

[Xdentx]

I just completed a 7 night stay at City Garden Makati on my first trip to the Philippines. If your interested in seeing Burgos St., it's a short block to the action. The hotel is totally guest friendly and does not check guest id's. The two elevators are reached before the reception counter and are adequately quick...especially if you're on a lower floor. Construction is occuring next door and noise extended until about 2am. I have no idea what they were doing that late, but it was a minor issue for me. The room struck me as a little small but adequate. There was an electronic lock box in the wardrobe cabinet and a stocked referigerator. AC is fine. Hotel staff were very friendly and accommodating. Housekeeping would send up extra towels if requested. The very attractive roof top pool is open to the sky, has a small hot tub, and is just over 5' deep with lounge chairs and a pretty nice view of the city.I read in the forum that they charge for a guest using the pool. Beach towels are furnished by staff at the pool who check you in. I regret not utilizing the pool more. It would have been a nice way to spend time with a date during the day. The pool closes at 6 pm, but there are tables and chairs elsewhere on the roof top. I did not check out the casual bar up there in the evening.

The restaurant is on the second floor and serves a buffet breakfast which seemed to change a little each day. One day the hot dishes were labled and the next they were not. Not being from Asia, I found myself wondering what some of the dishes were. Cost is 330 pesos unless you have it included with your room. I think the cost was reasonable for Makati. Food selection was barely adequate and there may be much better options nearby. Convenience for you and your lady were it's biggest selling point.

The biggest downside to CGM is the poor wi-fi in the room. You have to buy access with a coded card for x number of minutes, but the connection was terrible and the card was quickly eaten up. Staff was accommodating by allowing complementary use of the four lobby computers which had available mic/headsets. One staff member suggested that I ask for a refund for the computer access card, but I didn't bother. Internet Cafe 88 is very close by with excellent connections when you really have to be online. Good laundry services are a half block away, but I don't know if you save much over the hotel service.

One point you may want to be aware of is that upon checkout, they will send someone to the room to check the minibar...etc. This results in a delay getting out of the hotel. So give youself a little extra time for check out.

Having never been to Manila before, I had envisioned that one could walk around in Makati and check out the scene. Due to heavy traffic, lack of decent sidewalks, high temp and humidity, this is impossible. You can check out the few blocks on nearby Burgos, but you need a taxi to get to other parts of the city. There is nothing to see that I'm aware of on Makati Ave near the hotel The street is choaked with traffic. On first arriving, I did walk to Greenbelt Mall, but most people will want to take a taxi. The Greenbelt mall is large, upscale, and has a variety of restaurants including the Havana Cafe...a freelancer pick up place. Greenbelt became a frequent destination for dinner dates for me.

I"m in Boracay now and return for a few nights in Ermita. I'm looking forward to the change of scene in Ermita, which should be much more colorful and edgy than the City Garden Makati area. Any questions, pm me and I'll modify my report to include your issues.

[X Man]

The Exec has a convenience store immediately to the right (as you exit) and at one time had a well-run Korean net cafe in the condo/hotel? to the left. I can't remember the name of either.

I like the Exec., but haven't stayed there in almost a year. I probably have a few pictures somewhere, but like the earlier photos, there may be a bit too much foreground clutter to get a good idea of what the room is like.

X

Thanks Horntoad!

I read some reviews on agoda.com and decided to avoid the Pearl due to the reviews and also due to the distance from L.A. Cafe.

I now lean towards Executive Plaza Hotel.

Anyone with info on this one?

Many thanks to all who replied.

[Fedex]

X-Man,

The name is Fedex, because my package always delivers!!!

(well, most of the time... LOL)

Fedex, I feel uncomfortable with someone who's named himself after a corporation.

So go fk yourself. (at the moment two or three members insist that I am a troll, and a..hole, a c...t, or whatever)

I don't want to disappoint my fans, so go fk yrslf. If you have a brain bigger than a peanut, please read on. :-)

Anyway, that hotel mentioned earlier???

1) the view from the balcony looking toward Makati
2) looking toward Manila Bay you can see the Hyatt Hotel just behind the pink Executive hotel. The striped building to the right (also seen in pic 3, is the Eurotel, which has been reviewed by Gamahucher (aka dinosaur man)
3) You can see Robinsons mall, with their new high-rise condos -- the three ugly towers. If you have a place there, please invite me for a beer.
4) Common area
5) rooms are kind of plain as you can see in the background.
6-) Sorry for too much foreground clutter, but this is what it is.

[Fedex]

Thanks for your input, Bob!

I stayed at the Trop a few times in 2007. Not the nices area, but I felt safe waling around. It is a close walk to a large Mall, Robinson's Mall.

I liked the size of the rooms, I had 3 or 4 rooms over a months time. Just make sure the room has a double bed and not 2 single beds.

[Fedex]

X-Man,

Thanks for the extended responses, for the efforts and for the photos.

Were the photos from the Tropicana?

I lean towards the Executive Plaza Hotel now, due to good reviews on agoda.com and distance to L.A. Cafe.

I know they don't have a pool, but I will survive somehow.

I've stayed at Tropicana (twice) and had a large two-room setup with a large balcony. There is a pool, but I didn't use it. They cater mostly to long-term rentals. It's a large place, but they don't rent so many of their rooms. I brought an EDSA girl once and had no problem.

Tropicana and Pearl are technically in Malate, but you can be at Robinsons (Ermita) in five minutes -- on foot.

I looked at a room at Pearl and liked it, but they have been fully booked every time I called.

Paco Park has a pool, but location is inconvenient. I don't have the URL handy, but you should be able to find it by searching for Paco Park Oasis Hotel.

X

[Fedex]

Thanks Horntoad!

I read some reviews on agoda.com and decided to avoid the Pearl due to the reviews and also due to the distance from L.A. Cafe.

I now lean towards Executive Plaza Hotel.

Anyone with info on this one?

Many thanks to all who replied.

I have stayed at the Pearl Garden and all the rooms have been remodeled with plasma TV's. Also they have in room safes. The standard room is pretty small and doesn't have a bathtub. I got the deluxe room and it was bigger with a bathtub.

One hotel I know is popular with mongers is the Executive hotel and that is a couple of blocks closer to LA Cafe.

[X Man]

Fedex, I feel uncomfortable with someone who's named himself after a corporation.

So go fk yourself. (at the moment two or three members insist that I am a troll, and a..hole, a c...t, or whatever)

I don't want to disappoint my fans, so go fk yrslf. If you have a brain bigger than a peanut, please read on. :-)

Anyway, that hotel mentioned earlier???

1) the view from the balcony looking toward Makati
2) looking toward Manila Bay you can see the Hyatt Hotel just behind the pink Executive hotel. The striped building to the right (also seen in pic 3, is the Eurotel, which has been reviewed by Gamahucher (aka dinosaur man)
3) You can see Robinsons mall, with their new high-rise condos -- the three ugly towers. If you have a place there, please invite me for a beer.
4) Common area
5) rooms are kind of plain as you can see in the background.
6-) Sorry for too much foreground clutter, but this is what it is.

[X Man]

Good advice about the double. But in a pinch you could always push two singles together. Be romantic and tell her, "This is my bed and that is your bed." .....pause... "You can come over to mine anytime!"

Figure the rest for yourself.

X

PS: In my advanced state of decrepitude, I'd prefer a nice Double bed with springs in order to give more cushion to the pushin'

I stayed at the Trop a few times in 2007. Not the nices area, but I felt safe waling around. It is a close walk to a large Mall, Robinson's Mall.

I liked the size of the rooms, I had 3 or 4 rooms over a months time. Just make sure the room has a double bed and not 2 single beds.

[Bob Bowie]

Greetings from L.A.,
Tropicana Apartment Hotel - $46/night for studio,
$52/night for 1 bedroom

w w w .tropicana-apt-hotel.com/index.html
Thanks guys!

I stayed at the Trop a few times in 2007. Not the nices area, but I felt safe waling around. It is a close walk to a large Mall, Robinson's Mall.

I liked the size of the rooms, I had 3 or 4 rooms over a months time. Just make sure the room has a double bed and not 2 single beds.