Manila Hotels

[X Man]

Paco Park Oasis Hotel has some unique rooms. I think I posted a few picture of the pink room many years ago.

The pictures included a very attractive women that I met at Jurassic Park (now renamed, across the street from MBC / LAC). She was dancing up on stage looking gorgeous. When I asked the mama to call her down, she said,"that's my friend, she's just visiting." No barfine. We were off. It was fun. Very fun. She came back for more fun. She's now happily married in a first world country and it seems she's enjoying life. It was kind of sad when she blocked me from FB, but I guess that's to be expected.

Back to then, I gave her 2k for taxi fare. She said it was too much, but I insisted that she could use the money to come back anytime. And she did. Sometime you have to be creative about the compensation. Anyone who is paying less than 1k for excellent service in Manila is probably someone I would call "richard". The nickname, of course. No offense to you Ricks and Dicks. X Man.

Thanks for the excellent review SK. I looked at this place when I stayed next door at PP, but got creeped out by the large number of FilFamilies.

I had a deluxe room at about $45 a night plus 12. 6% tax and 10% Agoda service charge. There are standard rooms about $10 to $12 less.

Positives: Very spacious. 35 sq. Meters, with both a queen and double bed. A small bar refrigerator plus a bigger one in a kitchenette area. Unlike many cheaper Manila hotels, both beds had decent innerspring mattresses. Has a swimming pool, but substantially smaller than at the neighboring Oasis Paco Park Hotel. Comfortable furniture and lots of storage. My room, with windows onto a central courtyard, had virtually no street noise. KTV on the ground floor, but didn't check for take-out. Hotel is girl-friendly. Four blocks to UN Avenue LRT via General Luna and about five to Pedro Gil LRT via Padre Faura and Taft. Saw virtually no beggars, and only pedicab drivers calling out for business, and they were not insistent like in Ermita's red light district.

Negatives: Probably once a nice hotel, but now a little worn. Paid WiFi only, and then only in the second floor lounge, which is not well lit. They charge for using the room safe. 2000 peso deposit for bedding, towels, glasses, etc, refunded at departure. Promptness to requests phoned to front desk was inconsistent. No hot water in bathroom except for point-of-use heater in the tub / shower. Tub, apparently retro-fitted into a former shower, created problems climbing in and out as it was probably installed six to eight inches higher than normal to accommodate a bottom drain above floor level. Restaurants in this and Oasis hotel; otherwise few nearby eateries. Restaurant in the hotel, Old Swiss Inn, was over-priced and service was slow. Entrees short on meat and long on mushrooms. Restaurant in Oasis may be better. McDonalds and Jollibee near UN Avenue LRT, KFC and Mercury drugs three blocks away at Padre Faura and Taft. Otherwise only a string of seven nearly identical Filipino eateries, open only during the day, on the way to McDonalds. Small 7-11 and another convenience store near Jollibee. Eight blocks to Robinson's Place Mall, nine to G-Point, and then another five or so to LA Café and Amazonia. Taxi recommended if you pick up a p4p at one of these places.

General: The two hotels are on a circular drive, Belen Street, around Paco Park. The Park was created as a cemetery in the early 1800s, with bodies buried horizontally in two concentric concrete walls around the park. Inside the walls are a historic old chapel and a site where Jose Rizal was buried for 15 days immediately after his execution (1896). Friends carried his remains there to hide them from the Spanish, then dug them up and took them to the family home in Binondo.

The hotel has a walk-up special for 1660 pesos (plus tax) for a standard room (a double and single bed) with no windows, but includes set breakfast. This is not a convenient location for mongering, although it's quieter and probably safer than the Ermita monger hotels nearer LA Café. I wanted to stay at the Oasis but Agoda had sold out. Garden Plaza served my needs for close access to LRT and quiet, but failed on other counts.

Side note: LRT 1 is an increasingly crowded and unpleasant ride.

[WestCoast1]

I had a deluxe room at about $45 a night plus 12. 6% tax and 10% Agoda service charge. There are standard rooms about $10 to $12 less.

Positives: Very spacious. 35 sq. Meters, with both a queen and double bed. A small bar refrigerator plus a bigger one in a kitchenette area. Unlike many cheaper Manila hotels, both beds had decent innerspring mattresses. Has a swimming pool, but substantially smaller than at the neighboring Oasis Paco Park Hotel. Comfortable furniture and lots of storage. My room, with windows onto a central courtyard, had virtually no street noise. KTV on the ground floor, but didn't check for take-out. Hotel is girl-friendly. Four blocks to UN Avenue LRT via General Luna and about five to Pedro Gil LRT via Padre Faura and Taft. Saw virtually no beggars, and only pedicab drivers calling out for business, and they were not insistent like in Ermita's red light district.

Excellent report Skip. For newbs, we ask for detailed reports of your experiences. Not only with hotels, but girls, bars, restaurants, taxis, malls, etc.

[FreebieFan]

I will be working in the Ortigas area and need to stay in a hotel nearby. Can anyone recommend a hotel, as girl-friendly as possible. Ideally without any walk of shame? Currently I am aiming at Oakwood Hotel.

Oakwood (or Joy Nostalg center) has two entrances, one is more discreet than the other. But think about it, most hotels in Manila have many professional business types staying there. Professional business types quite normally and naturally enjoy adult entertainment so don't think you would be the first person walking into such a place with one or two ladies on his arm. Happens all day in every decent hotel at all hours of the day in every city, especially Asia. If its a walk of shame its a self imposed one.

[Amavida]

I will be working in the Ortigas area and need to stay in a hotel nearby. Can anyone recommend a hotel, as girl-friendly as possible. Ideally without any walk of shame? Currently I am aiming at Oakwood Hotel.

1) Many = http://www.agoda.com/en-au/hotels-ne...manila-ph.html

2) Pay for the number of guests in your room, nobody hassles you, its business. Expecting hookers to to stroll in & out of your hotel unescorted? That's being a dick & will surely cause you problems at most decent hotels.

AV

[Cucumber]

I will be working in the Ortigas area and need to stay in a hotel nearby. Can anyone recommend a hotel, as girl-friendly as possible. Ideally without any walk of shame? Currently I am aiming at Oakwood Hotel.

[Soapy Smith]

I had a deluxe room at about $45 a night plus 12. 6% tax and 10% Agoda service charge. There are standard rooms about $10 to $12 less.

Positives: Very spacious. 35 sq. Meters, with both a queen and double bed. A small bar refrigerator plus a bigger one in a kitchenette area. Unlike many cheaper Manila hotels, both beds had decent innerspring mattresses. Has a swimming pool, but substantially smaller than at the neighboring Oasis Paco Park Hotel. Comfortable furniture and lots of storage. My room, with windows onto a central courtyard, had virtually no street noise. KTV on the ground floor, but didn't check for take-out. Hotel is girl-friendly. Four blocks to UN Avenue LRT via General Luna and about five to Pedro Gil LRT via Padre Faura and Taft. Saw virtually no beggars, and only pedicab drivers calling out for business, and they were not insistent like in Ermita's red light district.

Negatives: Probably once a nice hotel, but now a little worn. Paid WiFi only, and then only in the second floor lounge, which is not well lit. They charge for using the room safe. 2000 peso deposit for bedding, towels, glasses, etc, refunded at departure. Promptness to requests phoned to front desk was inconsistent. No hot water in bathroom except for point-of-use heater in the tub / shower. Tub, apparently retro-fitted into a former shower, created problems climbing in and out as it was probably installed six to eight inches higher than normal to accommodate a bottom drain above floor level. Restaurants in this and Oasis hotel; otherwise few nearby eateries. Restaurant in the hotel, Old Swiss Inn, was over-priced and service was slow. Entrees short on meat and long on mushrooms. Restaurant in Oasis may be better. McDonalds and Jollibee near UN Avenue LRT, KFC and Mercury drugs three blocks away at Padre Faura and Taft. Otherwise only a string of seven nearly identical Filipino eateries, open only during the day, on the way to McDonalds. Small 7-11 and another convenience store near Jollibee. Eight blocks to Robinson's Place Mall, nine to G-Point, and then another five or so to LA Café and Amazonia. Taxi recommended if you pick up a p4p at one of these places.

General: The two hotels are on a circular drive, Belen Street, around Paco Park. The Park was created as a cemetery in the early 1800s, with bodies buried horizontally in two concentric concrete walls around the park. Inside the walls are a historic old chapel and a site where Jose Rizal was buried for 15 days immediately after his execution (1896). Friends carried his remains there to hide them from the Spanish, then dug them up and took them to the family home in Binondo.

The hotel has a walk-up special for 1660 pesos (plus tax) for a standard room (a double and single bed) with no windows, but includes set breakfast. This is not a convenient location for mongering, although it's quieter and probably safer than the Ermita monger hotels nearer LA Café. I wanted to stay at the Oasis but Agoda had sold out. Garden Plaza served my needs for close access to LRT and quiet, but failed on other counts.

Side note: LRT 1 is an increasingly crowded and unpleasant ride.

[Jack4765]

Pros,

1. Location.

2. Best breakfast buffet.

3. Chica friendly.

4. No girl can come up to the room unless you come downstairs and escort them. No I. The check.

5. Area is quite safe. Plenty of people around all hours.

Cons,

1. Hotel is on del Pilar..

I also just stayed there 2 weeks ago and found everything to my satisfaction except for the size of the television.

Yes they have wall ACs and I complained (although it worked just fine and wasn't noisy) that after putting all the money into renovation they should have changed to central air.

That didn't get me any dirty looks. It got me the manager who gave me a 50%discount on my next stay.

[Likemflat]

.

Cons,

1. Hotel is on del Pilar. Very noisy. All jeepney go through on that street. Windows are not sound proof.

2. Outdated hotel and outdated rooms. Although clean sheets, bed covers, bed are not good. Shower fittings rusty. Sometimes you get brown colored water obviously from the rust inside the pipes.

3. Toilets do not flush easily. Need to flush many times. Water pressure is low.

4. They have window air conditioners which are noisy and very inefficient.

5. Squeaky old elevator.

6. Prices used to be better but now it is expensive not worth the quality.

I don't know if I just got lucky or if the place has been renovated since you were there, but my room was obviously renovated recently. The bathroom was brand new and contemporary in style, and the fixures were definitely not rusty. (Though there was a sign near the sink saying not to drink the water, not that I would have tried.) The shower had a rain faucet and I don't like those. I wouldn't say the water pressure was good, but it wasn't horrible either. I had no problems with the toilet or with brown water.

The bed was very comfortable with a new-looking mattress, and that's one thing I'm really picky about.

Sorry I didn't snap any photos of my room, but the photos on the website are recent and accurate.

The windows in my room also seemed to be new. I wouldn't have considered my room facing Del Pilar to be noisy, but it is a city after all. And I live in a busy city so maybe I'm just used to the noise. But the windows did seem new so I think they're probably improved.

The hallways are dated and cheap looking. And I forgot about the elevator. It looked brand new but I suspect they only renovated the inside. It was kind of slow. But I usually take the stairs, I was only on the third floor.

I'm not disagreeing with your sentiment though. It's probably not worth the extra money over some of the lower priced options in the area. The rooms are quite nice now though. I had wondered about bringing a girl to a really cheap, crappy room so that's why I went for this place. The girls seemed to like it, but frankly now that I know the scene I don't think they would have cared. Next time I'll probably stay closer to the mall and MBC, which also means I'd be closer to the Pedro Gill LRT station which got me to work every day.

[Sammon]

I stayed at the Best Western La Corona hotel for two weeks. The hotel is on Del Pilar just a few blocks from Robinsons Mall and, more importantly, MBC. I liked the location as I was doing some work not too far from the area, so that meant I didn't have to spend too much time commuting. I also knew that MBC would be my primary venue most evenings so again, the location was great.

I paid 2500php for what I think they called a 'deluxe' room, not the basic one but not a suite.

The hallways of the hotel were a bit dated, but the room was renovated and quite nice. It's not a five-star place, but the price isn't either. I think it's a nice balance of price and quality.

They tried to charge me for a slightly late checkout, but after I spoke with the manager they backed off. Still, it's something to be aware of if you have an evening flight out. At the very least, it's best to ask ahead (as I did) to get it all worked out ahead of time.

No problem with girls of course-though I never tried more than one at a time.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I'd stay there again or if I'd go for one of the more basic places closer to the mall. I mean, the girls liked the room but they didn't seem to care that much, and I'm not really picky. Still, it was clean, affordable and not a bad location. So I could certainly recommend it.

Pros,

1. Location.

2. Best breakfast buffet.

3. Chica friendly.

4. No girl can come up to the room unless you come downstairs and escort them. No I. The check.

5. Area is quite safe. Plenty of people around all hours.

Cons,

1. Hotel is on del Pilar. Very noisy. All jeepney go through on that street. Windows are not sound proof.

2. Outdated hotel and outdated rooms. Although clean sheets, bed covers, bed are not good. Shower fittings rusty. Sometimes you get brown colored water obviously from the rust inside the pipes.

3. Toilets do not flush easily. Need to flush many times. Water pressure is low.

4. They have window air conditioners which are noisy and very inefficient.

5. Squeaky old elevator.

6. Prices used to be better but now it is expensive not worth the quality.

[Likemflat]

I stayed at the Best Western La Corona hotel for two weeks. The hotel is on Del Pilar just a few blocks from Robinsons Mall and, more importantly, MBC. I liked the location as I was doing some work not too far from the area, so that meant I didn't have to spend too much time commuting. I also knew that MBC would be my primary venue most evenings so again, the location was great.

I paid 2500php for what I think they called a 'deluxe' room, not the basic one but not a suite.

The hallways of the hotel were a bit dated, but the room was renovated and quite nice. It's not a five-star place, but the price isn't either. I think it's a nice balance of price and quality.

They tried to charge me for a slightly late checkout, but after I spoke with the manager they backed off. Still, it's something to be aware of if you have an evening flight out. At the very least, it's best to ask ahead (as I did) to get it all worked out ahead of time.

No problem with girls of course-though I never tried more than one at a time.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I'd stay there again or if I'd go for one of the more basic places closer to the mall. I mean, the girls liked the room but they didn't seem to care that much, and I'm not really picky. Still, it was clean, affordable and not a bad location. So I could certainly recommend it.

[Fast Eddie 48]

You didn't mention the price, but the web site says 2, 100 for the Malate / Pedro Gil branch. A very clunky web site, BTW. I think CS has reported on Eurotel before, but I'm not sure which branch he uses.

On the opposite side of the mall is the Cherry Blossom hotel. Has anyone been there recently?

http://www.cherryblossomshotel.com.ph/

The rooms apparently start at 1750, but the small print says "effective as of 2011". LOL.

On the Manila thread someone called Swagman a dump. That has been reported on ISG several times, but maybe it was way way back. You would have thought that they could have done some renovation by now. I did enjoy breakfast there once, and of course they offer the much appreciated Fly the Bus to AC and Subic. The web site says 2250 for a room.

http://www.swaggy.com/rooms-and-rates/

Any and all hotel reviews are appreciated. No offense to Cm, but please include the cost. Better yet, include a picture! I think CS has taken us to Europe several times with some of his Eurotel hotel room pictures.

To X Man.

I have stay at Eurotel don't think you will like it the double bed is small and hard very basic no frig and mini bar and the breakfast sucks. Cherry blossom is old dump there 10 yr ago it is a dump then never stay at the Swagman but it is in a bad area of town, if you are in a budget I can recommend Las Palmas, Rodman inn or the Rivera mansion for around 2000p a night.

Fast Eddie 48

[Slippery]

Never stayed at Swagman but spent a couple hours there waiting for their bus to AC once. Calling it a dump is probably a but uncharitable. Let's just say you get what you pay for. A bit low rent & full of older lower working class gents who are unwilling to pay more. If you're not proud & want cheap it has its place.

I've been away from the Phil's for a couple if years burying various members of my family but heading back in April to stay for a year or two so hopefully I can update my impressions if some of these establishments over the next couple of months

Swaggy's hasn't changed a lick. Breakfasts aren't bad though.

[Amavida]

Does anyone have any contacts / info on short term monthly rental condo in Manila. Budget around 20 to 25K. Thanks

Contact Rocky Abino at Goldrock Realty. He manages privately let condos all around Manila. This is much cheaper & more comfortable than hotels long term. His business is legit & worry free.

[Amavida]

Checking in / out was fairly time-consuming (no kidding. 18 minutes to check out; I remember it because they have 6 clocks on the wall behind the receptionist showing various world-city times). They not only had to call upstairs to have someone inventory the fridge, but my payment was handed to a cashier in a separate room (along with several other departing customers) , who was busy taking care of other business. On the bright side, the staff was cheerful and helpful.

What you just described is absolutely standard operating procedure all over the Phil's.

Take a breath & relax. Accept that this is how they do things.

[Amavida]

Try Makati as that gets you close as on the search I did it popped a few hotel on Burgos.

http://www.travelbook.ph/philippines...1&activeSort=0

Plenty to chose from much depends on budget and taste. My personal choice would be St Giles but others like Tune, Howzat (See WC; s FR a while back) , Makati Palace, Oxford Suites (needs TLC IMHO) , even some have preferred the Clipper or City Garden or even the Durban.

Lots to chose from so as I said, budget is a big factor here.

Great Eastern & Makati Prime Towers are handy to P. Burgos bars. Don't expect to much if you need a lower cost place to be they're passable.