Manila Hotels

[CallSign Papa]

Pay all your in-hotel bills by cash if she is with you and you don't want to trip up on the surname thing. That way no names appear on any charge accounts by the pool or anywhere else. It will be a small enough bill anyway so you don't need to carry thousands to the pool.

Thanks, I'm sure I can manage around it all, hopefully it won't add any stress to what should be a blissful 3 days in paradise.

[Red Kilt]

To clarify my situation, I'm heading to Bohol with a delightful young filly, but she's smart and switched on and is not currently privy to my real surname. It's a five star beach resort and generally at these places your name shows up on the TV, or you need to use it when charging stuff to the pool bar.

It will be difficult for you to check in using a fake name unless you have a fake name in what they refer to as "Valid I D". Very few Philippines hotels bother to program your name into the TV, but check it out first thing and if they don't do it then that hassle is removed.

Pay all your in-hotel bills by cash if she is with you and you don't want to trip up on the surname thing. That way no names appear on any charge accounts by the pool or anywhere else. It will be a small enough bill anyway so you don't need to carry thousands to the pool.

[CallSign Papa]

I have never been given free access to a guest room without there being some sort of check that the room is expecting a visitor.

To clarify my situation, I'm heading to Bohol with a delightful young filly, but she's smart and switched on and is not currently privy to my real surname. It's a five star beach resort and generally at these places your name shows up on the TV, or you need to use it when charging stuff to the pool bar.

Ideally what I'd like is that at check-in my "other" surname is used. Appreciate that in modern times this is unlikely, but worth drawing on your collective experiences nonetheless.

As for ploughing other fields, this girl would be one hell of a harvest and thus, it's worth the hassle.

[Red Kilt]

I disagree with this assessment. The front desk people do not care what info they give to local caller. Even if it is a 5 star hotel they cannot fully control the actions of employees. As for the employees are concerned they feel there is no harm in giving out info. Besides front desk people rotate constantly. I never see the same people working in any hotel I re visited. Another problem is the visiting girls need to know who they are visiting. When they are checked by the security or reception they need to know room number and the person name. In Philippines there are no secrets.

I don't think this is a legitimate concern if you're staying at a decent place. Just instruct the front desk that your name is not to be revealed to anyone under any circumstances. Most large hotels will readily comply with your request and will be unruffled by it. No normal hotel in Manila is going to allow you to check in without asking for some form of picture identification.

I have never been given free access to a guest room without there being some sort of check that the room is expecting a visitor.

As GE says, it is probably linked to the quality of the hotel, and a good hotel trains its staff in basic discretion, even if as Sammon says, they rotate a lot.

For example, I frequently need to meet business people staying in Oakwood near ADB in Ortigas.

They ALWAYS call the room first and do not tell me the number until the guest has agreed I am a genuine visitor.

You cannot access the elevator until the security guy / gal says it's OK, and they use their card because you need a room key for access.

Most of the 4-star and 5-star hotels use this process now.

Obviously in the cheaper rock-bottom places, there is zero checking, so anything goes. I work all over the Philippines and other SE Asian countries, and I have learned long ago to carry in my travel kit a wedge-shaped plastic door jam that I use each night on the door in my hotel room. If there is no checking of visitors accessing guest rooms floors in any Philippines hotel, there are also probably numerous copies of keys that will fit your hotel door.

[Sammon]

I don't think this is a legitimate concern if you're staying at a decent place. Just instruct the front desk that your name is not to be revealed to anyone under any circumstances. Most large hotels will readily comply with your request and will be unruffled by it. No normal hotel in Manila is going to allow you to check in without asking for some form of picture identification.

GE.

I disagree with this assessment. The front desk people do not care what info they give to local caller. Even if it is a 5 star hotel they cannot fully control the actions of employees. As for the employees are concerned they feel there is no harm in giving out info. Besides front desk people rotate constantly. I never see the same people working in any hotel I re visited. Another problem is the visiting girls need to know who they are visiting. When they are checked by the security or reception they need to know room number and the person name. In Philippines there are no secrets.

[GoodEnough]

Bit of a random one this, let's say I was spending the weekend in a hotel in Phil and I didn't want the girl to know my full real name, could I use a false surname at check-in? I have one credit card with this different name, but not actual photo ID or paper ID.

Long gone are the days or securing hotel rooms with cash and no ID. Anyone have any experience with this?

I don't think this is a legitimate concern if you're staying at a decent place. Just instruct the front desk that your name is not to be revealed to anyone under any circumstances. Most large hotels will readily comply with your request and will be unruffled by it. No normal hotel in Manila is going to allow you to check in without asking for some form of picture identification.

GE.

[Amavida]

Bit of a random one this, let's say I was spending the weekend in a hotel in Phil and I didn't want the girl to know my full real name, could I use a false surname at check-in? I have one credit card with this different name, but not actual photo ID or paper ID.

Long gone are the days or securing hotel rooms with cash and no ID. Anyone have any experience with this?

Legit western style hotels are going to demand ID.

It shouldn't be necessary to go to the extreme of using false names. If for whatever reason you're concerned a bed partner is suspicious of your story and likely to check then use Filipino accomodation instead. These are basic, cheap, clean & available by the hour or day for cash.

You could try some of the seedier SOGO's or Victoria Secret love hotels, you may get away with it.

Frankly if it's getting that serious you might want to consider easier fields to plough nes pa?

[Dark Knight1]

Bit of a random one this, let's say I was spending the weekend in a hotel in Phil and I didn't want the girl to know my full real name, could I use a false surname at check-in? I have one credit card with this different name, but not actual photo ID or paper ID.

Long gone are the days or securing hotel rooms with cash and no ID. Anyone have any experience with this?

If its Short time hotel they don't ask for things like that. If its a long term hotel they will ask for ID such as a passport or something to that nature. They also will tell what room you are staying in if someone inquires. I have had it happen to me at the Dusit and the New World. If you trying to be discreet use Eurtotel, Sogo and Victoria court. I used to think those guys who used those hotels were just cheap, broke bastards but those hotels will protect you in the event something goes amiss.

[CallSign Papa]

Bit of a random one this, let's say I was spending the weekend in a hotel in Phil and I didn't want the girl to know my full real name, could I use a false surname at check-in? I have one credit card with this different name, but not actual photo ID or paper ID.

Long gone are the days or securing hotel rooms with cash and no ID. Anyone have any experience with this?

[SaltyPete]

Thanks DB,

How is the city garden grand hotel in Makati? I found it clser to burgos st? I wonder for the mongering is concern, more action in makati than manila? I never been to those burgos bar and beside I am alone, unlike in LAC, I have been there several time, just simply order drinks and do searching.

Last time I went to EDSA complex, which is like the nana entertaiment plaze in Bangkok but the BF and girl cost way too high, last time I heard around 6000 pesos fore the girl but I don't know how much the BF, and that was way so many years ago. I wonder in burgos bar, is almost the same as edsa comples structure way?

Cheers,

MD.

Your information about EDSA is wrong. 1950 for bar, girl asks for 2000-2500ST, 3000-4000 LT, depends on you and the girl. This info was current as of August '16.

[Macho Dik]

Hey MD,

If you have only 3 nights in Manila, and haven't been around for a long time, I personally would recommend Makati over the Manila Bay area. There are tens of hotels in Makati which is much nicer in the daytime with better quality hotels, restaurants and girlie bars. In my experience, using Waze will easily get you from Makati either to the bay area (including LA Cafe, several KTVs and EDSA Complex) or paranaque (if AF1 is appealing to you) in less than 30 minutes in the early evening / late night time. Of course, for just 3 nights the options inside Makati should suffice (P. Burgos, Cafe Havana, casas etc.), but if one would like to get out and about, I find Makati to still be the best bet.

If you want specific hotel recommendations in Makati you can fibd plenty here, I personally like the Salcedo village area, which is packed with hotels and residences, but really, all of Makati is.

As for A/C, both ABC and Lewis Grand are very good hotels, but are not "in the middle of the action" per se. I guess it depends what you refer to as action, but since you've mentioned dollhouse, sounds like walking street is your area. If that's the case ABC has an extension hotel names Fields Plaza Suites which is basically a mongering heaven, I would strongly recommend even though it is the priciest choice in town, just for two nights shouldn't be so bad.

Enjoy,

D

Thanks DB,

How is the city garden grand hotel in Makati? I found it clser to burgos st? I wonder for the mongering is concern, more action in makati than manila? I never been to those burgos bar and beside I am alone, unlike in LAC, I have been there several time, just simply order drinks and do searching.

Last time I went to EDSA complex, which is like the nana entertaiment plaze in Bangkok but the BF and girl cost way too high, last time I heard around 6000 pesos fore the girl but I don't know how much the BF, and that was way so many years ago. I wonder in burgos bar, is almost the same as edsa comples structure way?

Cheers,

MD.

[Wicked Roger]

Hi guy,

Is Midas Hotel and Casino a girl friendly Hotel?

Thanks in advance.

FRancescoz

Odd thing Frances is that you have 9 FRs all asking questions and you ask another about hotels in Manila when there is a wealth of information on this board about that question. About hotels. The hotel policy etc. Just odd you did not read about hotels in general, call the hotel, research before you plant another question on the board.

[Francescoz]

Hi guy,

Is Midas Hotel and Casino a girl friendly Hotel?

Thanks in advance.

FRancescoz

[MJ4U6969]

OK guys need a little help here been to PI several times and this time I want to find a hotel that doesn't require me to show ID to rent or for her. Very friendly place. I think you know what I mean. Anyway help would be great.

[Soapy Smith]

OTOH I just pulled it up on maps. google.com's satellite imagery, and from above it shows a completely outdoor pool on a higher level. YMMV.

But the only pool I see on the Google Earth image is on the north side of the building. Even at that latitude, with a 50 story building blocking the sun, it may still not get much direct sun. My "suite" was on the north side and I could look down onto part of the pool below that extended out from the building, but it mostly seemed to be in shade. The only exception was late in the evening when the sun had shifted around over Manila Bay, and at that point the sun was too low on the horizon to create much heat.