Manila Hotels

[Psriches]

I used to take fly the bus all the time before covid. Very convenient. It drops you at the hotel in about 2 hours. I did the search again it says fly the bus still operates from slouch hat hotel (maybe new owner of swagman hotel). Not sure if anybody went there and checked on it.

Swagman Hotel is shut down. And the Slouch Hat transpo is a private car for 3500. It's not a shuttle bus / van.

[Docwiltro]

Yes, you're talking about 'Fly The Bus' that used to drop you off at the Swag Man hotel in Ermita, Manila. Both are no longer in existence. The last time there, I took a Grab Taxi to the airport and caught the Genesis Bus to SM Clark in Angeles. Many will tell you to catch one of the real Public Buses in the City, but the Genesis Bus from the airport still has the feel of private service. I hope I explained that right.

If you're staying in Ermita or Malate, another option is the Rabbit Bus Lines (10 minute Grab ride) located just north of Rizal Ave and Recto Ave. If you arrive at 11 am, you can catch the Dau / Angeles City bus which initiallly doesn't stop at the Dau Bus Terminal. When the conductor collects the toll, kindly ask him to drop you at McDos at Fields. You'll have time to take your lunch at the Paradise Bar before checking in at your preferred hotel.

[Member #4794]

Thank you for relaying your experience. After getting the runaround from I'm Hotel, I switched my reservation to City Garden Grand. Given the fact that relatively few hotels around the world are truly friendly to mongers, it makes sense to patronize the ones that seem to actually want our business.

If you want the luxury of a 5 start hotel but want the convince of your own room, I suggest you buy a room at a KNOWN love hotel in order to eschew any hassle you may encounter at a more discerning hotel / airbnb.

What I do is buy a reasonable AirBNB that I may or may not register one of my more trusted women to enter the Inner Sanctum.

And then proceed to buy a secondary hotel close to the action where you meet the hoes / hookups that you would not bring home to mama which would most likely be a sogo nearest to your preferred redlight area.

This does add an extra expense but given that you can reserve a strict AirBNB policy room for relatively cheap and live luxuriously as well as have a safe house in the redlight district that is stocked and ready to go as soon as you arrive is what I usually do now days. As staying in girl friendly hotels is not my first choice.

[ShinyCrazy]

I recently stayed here and this is my experience.

The hotel is very girl friendly.

Thank you for relaying your experience. After getting the runaround from I'm Hotel, I switched my reservation to City Garden Grand. Given the fact that relatively few hotels around the world are truly friendly to mongers, it makes sense to patronize the ones that seem to actually want our business.

[WestCoast1]

I used to take fly the bus all the time before covid. Very convenient. It drops you at the hotel in about 2 hours. I did the search again it says fly the bus still operates from slouch hat hotel (maybe new owner of swagman hotel). Not sure if anybody went there and checked on it.

Last month I taxi'd from my Manila condo to T3, then took the Genesis bus (departs hourly from T3) to SM Clark (no stops). Bus cost was about p450. The bus drops in front of SM Clark. Choices at that point to get to your hotel are: Trykes, taxi (minimum p300 to move the car), or walk.

On the return trip to Makati, I took a private car (p3500), with pickup at my AC condo direct to my Manila condo.

[Sammon]

The Swagman Hotel and the Southern Cross Hotel in Ermita operated buses to Angeles. They both closed before Covid hit, probably around 2018 or 2019. I now go out to the airport and take the point to point bus to the SM Mall from Terminal 3.

I used to take fly the bus all the time before covid. Very convenient. It drops you at the hotel in about 2 hours. I did the search again it says fly the bus still operates from slouch hat hotel (maybe new owner of swagman hotel). Not sure if anybody went there and checked on it.

[Harry V]

I recently stayed here and this is my experience.

The hotel is very girl friendly. They don't care who walks through to the lifts. I have met the girls and walked them to the lift, and at other times had the girls come on their own (going out to pick up something for me, and coming back on their own with my room key). Never been stopped.

There is a rooftop bar on 32nd floor, as others have mentioned, which does not require a card to access (which would explain why they can't monitor people going to the lifts). I have told girls to meet me there and then taken them down to the room with me.

About the hotel itself, the rooms are good. The lobby is a bit cramped and deary, but that does not do justice to the hotel itself. There is no mini-bar in the room. There is a fridge though. The staff will point you the 7-Eleven right across the street when asked. The rooftop bar has average food, nothing great. Being Makati, you have plenty of options outside though. It is a pleasant place to sit and work during the day. Did not try the bar or the drinks.

During my stay, one (of three) lift was under maintenance, so there was a crowd usually waiting to get in and sometimes had to skip one to get in. In general, I think even with three lifts, it is quite busy.

As others have mentioned, don't confuse this with City Garden Hotel nearby.

[Pablo]

And just to be more specific, I'm looking for a girl friendly hotel near Terminal 1.

I've been doing a regular flight between LAX and BKK that has an overnight layover at NAIA and it uses Terminal 1. Based on a recommendation from a friend who goes to Philippines a lot, he suggested the Belmont Hotel. I'm usually Marriott / Bonvoy but both the Marriott and Sheraton at NAIA were in the $200+ range and I figured I'd save some money since it's just a place to shower and crash for a few hours.

It seems that most of the hotels are in that Newport Area on the other side of the runway from Terminal 3. There are places near terminal 1, but they all looked substandard to me. My friend suggested that I could do a 15 minute walk from the Belmont to Terminal 3 and then catch the free inter-terminal shuttle to go to terminal 1. Even though I only had a small backpack for the layover (I check my suitcase through) I didn't feel like dealing with walking so I grabbed a taxi which was cheap. Same when I landed, I just grabbed a taxi from Terminal 1. Because you have to go around the runways it's sort of a long route but it's still not expensive but I don't remember how much.

I thought the Belmont was just fine, nothing fancy but it was very clean. It's very similar to the City Garden Grand near Burgos in terms of quality and was about US $100 after taxes.

Also, it's girl friendly. But I did have a glitch. My flight got delayed by a lot so I knew I was landing late around midning instead of the scheduled 6:30 PM. So instead of trying to get into the city so late I contacted a friend of mine who was to bring 2 of her friends for a 4-some. Good way to start the trip! But when I landed one of the girls backed out so 2 girls showed up. There would have been no problem but one of them didn't bring her ID and the front desk wouldn't budge about letting her up with out it. Eventually she got a friend to find her ID in hjer room and text a photo of it and the desk accepted it. No joiner fee just a lot of wasted time.

I am doing the same itinerary again soon and might stay there again, or I might make the trip into Makati and stay at the City Garden Grand again.

[Undakovabrotha]

Hey folks, thanks for the really good information. Yes, Swagman's was a real big dive. However, they were GF friendly and had great breakfast. It sounds like P2 P from the airport to the SM Clark sounds like the best option. I've done the Victory Lines to Dau Terminal. It's hit or miss with the type of bus (air con vs no air con). I have no time for that. I have taken Grab. Those guys always seem to ask for extra money. SMH. Let me know if anyone will be in Ermita early part of Sept! Cheers 🍻.

[Goferring]

As I recall, the Swagman Hotel was a real dive. Good riddance!

Don't quote me but didn't they also have buses to Batangas to link up with the ferries to / from Sabang. Obviously, long gone now.

Enjoy. G.

[Radical Guy]

The Swagman Hotel and the Southern Cross Hotel in Ermita operated buses to Angeles. They both closed before Covid hit, probably around 2018 or 2019. I now go out to the airport and take the point to point bus to the SM Mall from Terminal 3.

As I recall, the Swagman Hotel was a real dive. Good riddance!

[Dg8787]

Any recommendations for a girl friendly hotel close to Manila airport? Trying to avoid traffic.

There are many. Online search will provide many with different price ranges which should answer your vague question.

[Buffer]

The Swagman Hotel and the Southern Cross Hotel in Ermita operated buses to Angeles. They both closed before Covid hit, probably around 2018 or 2019. I now go out to the airport and take the point to point bus to the SM Mall from Terminal 3.

[Psriches]

Any recommendations for a girl friendly hotel close to Manila airport? Trying to avoid traffic.

And just to be more specific, I'm looking for a girl friendly hotel near Terminal 1.

[Psriches]

Hey folks, I'm glad to see folks out fresh from the pandemic. I haven't been to Manila since 2018. I plan to head on over first week of September. I usually do a night in Manila before heading over to Angeles. I'm planning to stay at City Gardens. The old heads, of the room, may remember. There used to be a bus from a hotel in Ermita (Australian themed hotel) to Angeles. Does anyone know the name of that hotel and if the bus service is still being offered? If not, how are why'all getting to Angeles?

Yes, you're talking about 'Fly The Bus' that used to drop you off at the Swag Man hotel in Ermita, Manila. Both are no longer in existence. The last time there, I took a Grab Taxi to the airport and caught the Genesis Bus to SM Clark in Angeles. Many will tell you to catch one of the real Public Buses in the City, but the Genesis Bus from the airport still has the feel of private service. I hope I explained that right.