Manila Hotels

• planxty
• Reviews: 1603

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Where2next Hostel: Cheap, clean and central

I was looking for somewhere cheap and fairly central for my last two nights in the Philippines and came upon this place through my preferred hostel search engine. It had pretty good reviews and I intend to add to that here as it really was rather good for the money.

The premises are on the upper floors above a Korean restaurant and here lies a small problem. The stairs are pretty steep and it was tough enough to hump my fairly light luggage up it. Not too much opf a problem in itself but unfortunately this place would be totally unsuitable to travellers with mobility problems.

Having negotiated the North face of Adriatico I was confronted with the reception desk where an extremely friendly young lady, who spoke flawless English, checked me in very quickly, issued me with bedding (there is a small deposit on this) and showed me to my bedspace. There appear to be two dorms here which are unisex if that is a consideration although it doesn't bother me. The dorm room had a male and a female bathroom, although that distinction seemed not to be adhered to very much. It was also spotless, as is the whole premises, the image gives some idea. There are small lockers for valuables but you need to bring your own padlock. There are also larger lockers available for rent should you need to stow your kit for a day.

I had a look round the communal area which consists of a TV room with a huge flat TV and some comfy seating. There is also a kitchen where you are invited to help yourself to tea or coffee at any time. This is also where the staff put together the complimentary breakfast which is basically a "continental" affair with bread, cheese, spreads, peanut butter etc. There is also free wifi throughout the premises should you need to check your VT account!

I paid 450 pesos for a Saturday night in July and 550 pesos for the Sunday.

Where2next is located on Adriatico which is a very popular nightlife area and there is more than enough to do in the evenings. There are also numerous very good eating options nearby.

Certainly, it is a hostel with the attendant problems of being awoken by loud and inconsiderate young fellow guests but that is no fault of what is no fault of what is an excellent hostel in a very good location.

Incidentally, apologies for the image which is rotated through 90 degrees. I could not manage to rotate it back but decided to include it to give an impression of the bathroom facilities.

• Opinion of Price: least expensive
• Address: 1776 M. Adriatico Street, Malate, Manila Philippines 1004
• Phone: +00 63 2 354 3533
• Website: http://www.where2nexthostel.com/where-2-go-next/
• Related to: Budget Travel
• Written July 21, 2012

Where2next Hostel, Manila, Philippines.

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• flipicaneze
• Reviews: 3

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THE STUDIO 18 RESIDENCES: Middle of city, yet very quiet

I have read reviews over the internet with mostly positive marks, except for cab availability.

After accidentally staying in Makati red-light, later I decided to check The Studio 18 Residences. The pictures online and prices looked really good. I booked the room with no problems and the staff was very accommodating.

The rooms are typical hotel room with an Ikea furnished look. Flat panel television and satellite TV was provided for your entertainment. Bed was typical Filipino firm, but in no way was uncomfortable. The floor was tiled and added an echo to the room. The hallways and lobby were clean and the elevator worked.

Every morning housekeeping brought fresh bottles of water, powdered coffee, towels and shampoo. In the lobby walking in and walking out the front desk clerks were always very friendly and were not shy to answer any questions about the area or directions. If they didn't know, they went out of their way to get the answer by looking it up on the internet.

As far as the complaints about getting a taxi, the walk to the gate is not that far. It's about a half mile (or less) walk to Shangri-La Mall and SM Mega-Mall. Ortigas business district wasn't too far either, a place where you can find a center of finance, restaurants and aforementioned malls. I never saw the need to get a taxi and ended up losing a little American weight. (I am not athletic, but not anywhere close to obese)

It's not exactly luxury, but all in all this is a great place to stay on a budget, but you don't want to end up in a pension house.

Unique Quality: The area is a gated residential community. There is no heavy traffic, no jeepney diesel smoke or noise to keep you up. Our taxi driver had to surrender his Driver's License in order to pass the gates. I had also observed this is a middle to upper class community; everybody seemed to own a recent model car.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Address: #18 General Capinpin Street Brgy. San Antonio, 1600 Pasig, Philippines
• Phone: (02) 584.93.04/635.29.42
• Website: https://www.facebook.com/thestudio18
• Related to: Budget Travel, Business Travel
• Written May 27, 2012

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• ralphlouie.lomibao
• Reviews: 1

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Apartment / Motel / Inn / Apartelle: One Bedroom Apartment

A one-bedroom apartment would cost you 3,000php - 5,000php ($72 - $120) depending on the place or location you are planning to stay. I can go with you on your tour or to look for an accommodation, since I'm working as a customer service, I'd be more than happy to assist you with that. (--,) You may reach me through my Fb account: gossipboi23@yahoo.com

Unique Quality: Apartment with one bedroom

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Address: Taft Avenue or Cavite City
• Phone: +639164684095
• Website: www.facebook.com/oabimolouie
• Related to: Road Trip, Backpacking, Budget Travel
• Written May 24, 2012

Jeep Rides

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• Ramonq
• Reviews: 407

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Bayleaf Hotel: Hotel in Intramuros

This is located within the old section of Intramuros. Within walking distance to the Manila Cathedral, Fort Bonifacio and the Manila City Hall.

Unique Quality: Staffed by Hotel and Restaurant Management students of Lyceum University, the Bayleaf has a rooftop bar which offers fantastic view of old Manila.

• Opinion of Price: more expensive than average
• Address: Muralla Street Intramuros
• Related to: Historical Travel
• Written January 25, 2012

Fine views from the rooftop bar

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• planxty
• Reviews: 1603

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Red Carabao hostel: I couldn't believe how good it was.

I had pre-booked the Red Caraboa in Manila through a hostel booking site on the basis of shared bathroom with a private bedroom and was expecting a pretty basic setup, which is fine by me, this was the capital, after all. I arrived late at night after a long journey from Europe and was quite exhausted. I rang the bell on the stout wooden gate and was admitted by a smiling young Filipino. This instantly reassured me as to security, there was simply no way of breaking into that place.

On entering, I was amazed by what I saw, a very impressive room complete with fully-stocked bar, a massive Christmas tree and numerous other Christmas decorations. Apparently, in the Philippines, Christmas is celebrated much longer than it is in the UK. Iced water was called for, I was sat down and welcomed in a way that I have come to associate with the Philippines.

After a pleasant chat, the night porter, the delightfully named Boggi showe me up to my room and I simply could not believe it. I think the images speak for themselves. I firsst encountered a drawing room that would not have been out of place in a five star establishment. The whole time I was there I never sat on that sofa, I was afraid to! Next to that was the smaller room with two gorgeous plant stands, if such a prosaic term does them justice. The kitchen was huge, equipped to a very high standard including a six ring hob (four gas and two electric). The bathroom was similarly luxurious although with cold water only. In the climate of Manila, that was all I needed.

The bedroom was fairly basic, just a bed, aircon and a wardrobe but the place was spotless and the bed comfy. Although I had booked as shared occupancy, I never saw another person on this floor. I should explain this comment. I was on the fifth floor. This is something travellers with limited mobility should bear in mind, it is a bit of a climb and there is no lift. I only went to the communal area once and it was again fitted to a high standard with TV, cooking facilities.

The fourth floor appeaqred to house a family judging by the shoes outside the door. All this led me to the conculsion that the place had been built as a block of flats (apartments) and for some reason not all of them were let so converted into a "hostel". The only possible drawback I can see to Red Carabao is that it is away up North in the city in the area of Santa Cruz which is some way out of the centre. There is certainly no nightlife there but this is not the fault of the premises.

The staff were so friendly and helpful throughout my time there and the facilities of such a standard, I would have no hesitation in recommending this place.

Unique Quality: Well, I would say that having your own luxury flat for a few pesos a night is pretty unique, I have never seen anything like it.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Address: 2819 Felix Huerts Street, Santa Cruz, 1003, Manila.
• Phone: +00 63 (0)2 740 3211
• Website: http://www.facebook.com/RedCarabaoManila
• Related to: Budget Travel, Backpacking
• Written January 16, 2012

Drawing Room, Red Carabao, Manila, Philippines.

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• littleman
• Reviews: 86

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White Knight Hotel: Only Hotel in Intramuros

Very clean ,neat and tidy basic 3 star hotel with very freindly helpful staff.Meals are very basic but this hotel is located in the most historical area in Manila.

Unique Quality: Only hotel in one of the best areas of Manila.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Address: General Luna Ave
• Related to: Historical Travel, Budget Travel
• Written September 7, 2011

Enter through Barbaras

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• SOLODANCER
• Reviews: 129

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Best Western's LaCorona Hotel: Boutique hotel in old Manila

Manila has a dizzying array of places to stay at for the visitor from B&Bs or Pensionne as they are called in the Philippines, to motels, standard hotels that run up the scale from the basic to the very luxurious rated 5 stars. And like elsewhere, standard can vary widely of course even within each class. But one thing I can say and this from my own experience is that service especially personal touches extended by management overall is of high quality among most Philippine hotels. To give an example, breakfasts provided by hotels of all kinds are simply astonishingly enormous. And they're given free buffet style included in one's room stay. Nowhere else in the world would a visitor ever see/experience morning dining as festive and generous as this! Tho this assessment may sound patronizing and biased because of my background having been born and spent early years of my life in that country, but I'm at the same time a fairly well travelled person to many different countries which sort of equipped me with a certain knowledge and discernment about comparative situations.

The city of Manila has boomed and expanded sadly not in economic progress nor leap in standard of living but in latitude into such unimaginable limitless boundaries. Progress in terms of modernity is well exhibited in the posh and gleaming Miami-like metropolis of Makati which clearly has now become the "in" spot equated to modern living, finance center, entertainment, shopping and the place to hang around and stay. And as well the resulting high prices of everything here is understood to be part of the status. So, as far as accommodation goes, Makati, tho conveniently close to both the international NAIA (Ninoy Aquino Int'l Airport) and the domestic airports, tend to be on the expensive side.

As far as real charm, native interest and that certain adventurousness real travellers go out of the way looking for, Old Manila to me is still a better draw. But be warned this area tho hemmed-in by all the historic sights of this much-devastated, much-maligned and impoverished city which very much reminds one of Calcutta in all her poverty, neglect and raggedness, can seem very overwhelming certainly after awhile. But if the visitor's true interest as befits his/her ideal travels always looking for the gritty soulful down to earth authenticity, then Old Manila is a giver of raw haunting sad but rich-in-fighting-spirit offerings.

In Old Manila therefore I chose to stay around at in September 2010 when I went home to visit ancestral family after a long absence. I found the boutique hotel La Corona, of the Best Western hotel chain right in the Ermita district where so many little hotels can be found, an area rather of convenient proximity to the main sights of Luneta Park, the bay walk of Roxas Boulevard, the presidential palace of Malacanan, city hall, selective traditional museums and also a short jeepney ride away the veritable Chinatown and the bustling folk-art bargain shopping district of Quiapo.

La Corona is a medium-size recently renovated hotel of about two dozen rooms of varying sizes and comfort. I stayed in a single suite with a huge circular bed. All rooms are well maintained and very clean with all the modern amenities to them: small refrigerator well stacked with essentials, air-conditioning and hot water definitely, free tea and coffee maker, bathrobe, tv and piped-in music, high-speed internet service, daily complimentary bottled water, airport shuttle (w/ surcharge) among many others and a free breakfast fit for a wedding banquet! It was a well worth find and most comfortable stay.

• Opinion of Price: least expensive
• Address: 1166 M.H. del Pilar Street (corner Arquiza Street), Ermita, Manila
• Related to: Singles, Arts and Culture, Budget Travel
• Written August 2, 2011

Manila's Best Western La Corona Hotel

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• cachaseiro
• Reviews: 1886

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Hotel Celeste.: Very cosy hotel in a perfect locaton.

Hotel Celeste is located in Makati and is a perfect choice for those looking for a good hotel without breaking the bank with one of the very expensive 5 star hotels. It´s a really nice hotel kept in old fashioned style with big furniture and rooms that has a bit of a colonial touch to it. They have both regular rooms and suites and both types of rooms are realy fine in my opinion. Hotel Celeste is located right across the road from Greenbelt and that gives it the perfect location in Manla in my opinion. When i was there the staff was very helpful and polite and i can only recomend this hotel.

Unique Quality: Veryt nice and perfectly located.

• Opinion of Price: more expensive than average
• Address: 02 San Lorenzo drive, corner A. Arnaiz Avenue.
• Phone: +63 2 887 8080
• Website: www.hotelceleste.ph
• Related to: Romantic Travel and Honeymoons, Seniors, Business Travel
• Written July 11, 2011

Hotel Celeste in Manila.

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• OnQuest
• Reviews: 6

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