Manila

[QUOTE=Socker;1895830]I'm using airbnb more and tried looking for something close to Burgos St (for Sept trip) but did not see anything w / in a couple of blocks.

I ended up booking at St Giles which is right on top of Burgos, Agoda asking price for standard rm $58 w / 22% tax comes out to be $72.

I don't think you can beat the price and convenience of a decent hotel that close to Burgos St.

Airbnb came in handy (better cost and quality than similar hotels) in Pattaya, Hua Hin, in BKK it was so so.

I don't like the Airbnb options in Makati. Anyone know of decent hotels close to Burgos St that are.

A better value than St Giles, swimming pool necessary.

Thanks.[/QUOTE]I like the St Giles Socker but Ms Account has a point on the lifts sometimes. I get the bigger rooms at the St Giles as the smaller can be cramped but f staying a day I don't care, if much longer I do care.

Sometimes if a 10 HR lay over and am in transit so to speak I stay at the Red Planet and have a few cuties visit me.

[QUOTE=Socker;1895830]I'm using airbnb more and tried looking for something close to Burgos St (for Sept trip) but did not see anything w / in a couple of blocks.

I ended up booking at St Giles which is right on top of Burgos, Agoda asking price for standard rm $58 w / 22% tax comes out to be $72.

I don't think you can beat the price and convenience of a decent hotel that close to Burgos St.

Airbnb came in handy (better cost and quality than similar hotels) in Pattaya, Hua Hin, in BKK it was so so.

I don't like the Airbnb options in Makati. Anyone know of decent hotels close to Burgos St that are.

A better value than St Giles, swimming pool necessary.

Thanks.[/QUOTE]I guess it depends on what you are looking for. I don't like the Burgos bars and tend to have a few regulars, so prefer AirBnB options next to Greenbelt. Good privacy and no coworkers in the same place. I've done my own searching near the bars, and I would tend to agree with you. For I was interested in that area, a good discount hotel booking might be the best option.

[QUOTE=Socker;1895830]I'm using airbnb more and tried looking for something close to Burgos St (for Sept trip) but did not see anything w / in a couple of blocks.

[/QUOTE]Nothing at Gramercy? Have you checked airbnb for Rockwell? Airbnb has a nice feature with its map. For example, let assume you search for "makati, gramercy"; on the right side of the listings is the map that you can move around in and other available listings will appear.

Grammercy is one of the few quality AirBNB condos around with a lively restaurant bar on 71st Floor. Be there at the right time and you can find yourself a lady friend, if not for that evening then the next night as these non-pros girls tend to party in groups, looking out for each other. The Best Western (next door) broadband was [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url] poor and the 'suite' was tiny. City Garden Grand Hotel is OK, nice pool on rooftop but again the lift can be frustrating. I had no issues with 'guests' visiting me, either alone or with me.

The condos directly on Burgos are to be avoided, been there forever, common areas suck, but if that's your bag to only sleep there, go for it.

Aruga Rockwell is fantastic with a great, under utilized large pool, direct underground passage to Powerstation Mall, good comp breakfast and WIFI, can book with hotel directly. One Rockwell also good, just a short drive from Burgos. All Aruga rooms have kitchens, including the suites.

[QUOTE=Crikey;1898698]Grammercy is one of the few quality AirBNB condos around with a lively restaurant bar on 71st Floor.

The condos directly on Burgos are to be avoided, been there forever, common areas suck, but if that's your bag to only sleep there, go for it.

Aruga Rockwell is fantastic with a great, under utilized large pool, direct underground passage to Powerstation Mall, good comp breakfast and WIFI, can book with hotel directly.

One Rockwell also good, just a short drive from Burgos. All Aruga rooms have kitchens, including the suites.[/QUOTE]Do the AirBNB options allow smoking inside the rooms? Or do they have a balcony for this purpose? My sole reason for staying in hotel rooms (as opposed to AirBNB) is the (non) smoking thing.

[QUOTE=Blanquiceleste;1898901]Do the AirBNB options allow smoking inside the rooms? Or do they have a balcony for this purpose? My sole reason for staying in hotel rooms (as opposed to AirBNB) is the (non) smoking thing.[/QUOTE]Most seem not to, but many places have balconies that you can smoke on. Read the posting carefully and if you're unsure, send a message and ask. This is a common inquiry at AirBnBs all over the world.

[QUOTE=Blanquiceleste;1898901]Do the AirBNB options allow smoking inside the rooms? Or do they have a balcony for this purpose? My sole reason for staying in hotel rooms (as opposed to AirBNB) is the (non) smoking thing.[/QUOTE]All of the condos I've rented in Poblacion (Makati) and Rockwell have had balconies, I don't smoke but some of the girls who've been over have, no issues.

[QUOTE=Kaywhy;1896017]I guess it depends on what you are looking for. I don't like the Burgos bars and tend to have a few regulars, so prefer AirBnB options next to Greenbelt. Good privacy and no coworkers in the same place. I've done my own searching near the bars, and I would tend to agree with you. For I was interested in that area, a good discount hotel booking might be the best option.[/QUOTE]I did notice more options near Greenbelt but I am spoiled w / needing to be w / in an easy walk to the hotel from Burgos St. WR had a nice alternative w / Red Planet. I've seen it many times but never paid attention to it. No pool but it's right there, and inexpensive (thanks WR).

One of these days I will spend more time in Manila and explore more than just what Burgos has to offer but I do tend to do what works for me and Burgos works pretty good. I'll have to pry myself away.

I'll be back in Sept.

Thanks all.

[QUOTE=Socker;1899013]I did notice more options near Greenbelt but I am spoiled w / needing to be w / in an easy walk to the hotel from Burgos St. WR had a nice alternative w / Red Planet. I've seen it many times but never paid attention to it. No pool but it's right there, and inexpensive (thanks WR).

Thanks all.[/QUOTE]Pool is next Socker in Team Insider so is not far from your room. TI is the sport bar by the way attached to Red Planet.

[QUOTE=Crikey;1898698]Grammercy is one of the few quality AirBNB condos around with a lively restaurant bar on 71st Floor.
[/QUOTE]Just a head's up. The nightclub 71 Gramercy (a good one and quite famous) closed in Feb. The space is being transformed into a restaurant, a scotch bar, and a lounge. If one is looking for a nightclub in the immediate area there's Time, which is getting a bit long in the tooth, and Royal.

For those of you interested in clubbing in Makati, and not traveling to QC or the Fort, Chino Roces Ave (aka Pasong Tamo) is becoming the new clubbing area with Black Market, Apollo X, and the new XX XX (twenty twenty) opening. Not many hotels in the immediate area, but plenty of condos, so likely good airbnb selection. Still close enough to Burgos and Greenbelt / Havana, but the area is more affordable.

[QUOTE=Blanquiceleste;1898901]Do the AirBNB options allow smoking inside the rooms? Or do they have a balcony for this purpose? My sole reason for staying in hotel rooms (as opposed to AirBNB) is the (non) smoking thing.[/QUOTE]Last year I stayed at an AirBnB apartment in a complex called Seaview Residences in Pasay. There were a few apartments on AirBnB and I don't know about the others but mine did NOT have a balcony. A couple of years before that I stayed at one up in Manila proper which DID have one. Certainly something to ask about if it's not obvious from the pictures.

This particular complex (the Seaview) did check visitor ID for obvious working girls but some other female visitors I had (not SW) did not have their ID checked. Seeing the same guards and residents every day was a little embarrassing after the walk of shame the night before. Less of an issue for hotels and guests. Annoying thing for me was having to fill in a form every time I wanted to use the swimming pools. Five minute walk to Mall of Asia though, and the apartment had everything I wanted. Taxi drivers outside wanted stupid amounts of money though so I always walked to MoA to get one (avoiding peak mall times).

[QUOTE=Hutsori;1899861]
For those of you interested in clubbing in Makati, and not traveling to QC or the Fort, Chino Roces Ave (aka Pasong Tamo) is becoming the new clubbing area with Black Market, Apollo X, and the new XX XX (twenty twenty) opening. Not many hotels in the immediate area, but plenty of condos, so likely good airbnb selection. Still close enough to Burgos and Greenbelt / Havana, but the area is more affordable.[/QUOTE]Good to know Huts, they're all small clubs or in the same mould as Chaos / Valk?

Are there new problems picking up girls for dates?

"As Rodrigo Duterte was sworn in as the Philippines' 16th president on Thursday (30 June 2016), he delivered a speech – one hand on the Bible – in which he promised a "relentless" and "sustained" fight against corruption, criminality and illegal drugs. He conceded that many believe his methods "are unorthodox and verge on the illegal" – however, he said he knew right from wrong and would abide by the rule of law. ".

[URL]http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/jr-subbed-philippines-drug-dealers-found-dead-president-duterte-vows-wipe-out-crime-graphic-1568504[/URL]

I am staying near MOA and am wondering if there is a decent non smoking club nearby with good old school music?

I am not looking to hook up but am taking a nice civie there tonight or tomorrow.

[QUOTE=LukeSkywalker;1902770]Are there new problems picking up girls for dates?

"As Rodrigo Duterte was sworn in as the Philippines' 16th president on Thursday (30 June 2016), he delivered a speech one hand on the Bible in which he promised a "relentless" and "sustained" fight against corruption, criminality and illegal drugs. He conceded that many believe his methods "are unorthodox and verge on the illegal" however, he said he knew right from wrong and would abide by the rule of law. ".
[/QUOTE]I think you are taking much too large a step to extrapolate from Du30's "war on drugs" to imagine it will be a problem to meet girls (or as you put it, "picking up girls for dates").

He has made it very difficult for smokers to exist comfortably in Davao, so it is likely he will extend his distaste for smoking to wider and tougher rules for smokers everywhere. Doesn't affect me as I have never ever smoked, but it might make life difficult for others.