Manila Hotels

Recommended Manila Hotels

InterContinental Manila Hotel Located in Makati City, InterContinental Manila offers spacious rooms and suites, completely equipped with essential commodities such as cable television, telephone, internet access and a private ensuite. The hotel is well connected to the area attractions such as Nielsen tower, Ayala museum and Cultural Center. Guests can shop at Chinatown, Glorietta 4 and Power Plant, which are close by to this property

The Heritage Hotel Manila This hotel features 450 well-furnished guestrooms that are exquisitely designed with all the essential amenities to ensure you a pleasurable stay. Located at Roxas Boulevard, Heritage Hotel Manila is in proximity to the World Trade Centre, Philippine International Convention Centre, SM Mall of Asia as well as the commercial districts of Makati and Manila. In addition, this property is just minutes away from the international and domestic airports. This hotel hosts a casino.

New World Hotel Makati City Manila Located within the upscale Greenbelt area in Ayala Center, this premier hotel is near a wealth of trendy bars and boutiques, a museum and an inviting tropical park in Makati City. This hotel offers exceptional accommodation units that are gracefully decorated with all the contemporary amenities to ensure you a relaxing stay. Guests can choose from a variety of onsite dining options offering Chinese, Continental and international dishes. The Cinnabar is a place for relaxed socialising and business get-togethers over afternoon tea or cocktails.

Manila, the capital and largest city of the Philippines, is located on the west coast of the island of Luzon at the confluence of Manila Bay and the Pasig River. Manila city is one of 13 cities that comprise the greater Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines. Manila was almost completely destroyed during World War II and has been completely rebuilt into a thriving cosmopolitan city. Manila is the country’s commercial, admininstrative and cultural centre and offers a combination of age-old traditions and modern-day attractions. The original walled city, built and colonised by the Spanish in 1571, still exists today and is known as Intramuros.

The Philippines, known for its rich history and unique culture, is a fun, exciting and diverse place to visit. English is widely spoken, prices are cheap and together with the warm and friendly people of the Philippines, tourists will find their Manila experience an enjoyable and unforgettable one.

Manila Hotels

Manila has plenty of hotels, inns and apartelles from budget to luxury. Most accommodation is located within Roxas Boulevard overlooking Manila Bay, or in the districts of Ermita and Malate. Manila's hotel accommodations are about 30 minutes away from the international and domestic airport. Hotel rates are generally cheaper than compared to the same class of hotels in western cities.

Makati City has many accommodation options especially catering for the business and luxury end of the market. Makati City is a popular place to stay as it is only 20 minutes to the airport and 20 minutes to Manila.

Quezon City, north east of Makati and Manila, has plenty of accommodation and is slightly less expensive but further away from the Bay.

Manila Attractions

The main tourist sites of Manila are located along Manila Bay.

Intramuros is the remnants of the old walled Spanish colonial settlement, built in 1571, and is located at the northern end of Manila Bay right in the heart of Manila at the entrance of the Pasig river. Intramuros (Spanish for 'within the walls') is one of the world’s best preserved medieval cities hosting some of the city's most interesting European buildings, museums, ruins, dungeons and churches including the Manila Cathedral, the most important church in the country.

Rizal Park is located next to the walled city of Intramuros and is known as the Luneta. The Luneta was the site of the execution of Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. The park is the venue for an open-air theater featuring free classical music concerts, a planetarium, bayside restaurants, family picnics, early morning jogging, tai chi enthusiasts, and the historic Manila Hotel.

Promenade/Baywalk stretches along Roxas Boulevard between the US Embassy and the Manila Yacht Club. The promenade is popular for walking in the evening, dining at one of the al fresco restaurants, listening to live music and enjoying the Manila Bay sunset.

Manila Hotel is an historic and beautiful hotel located outside Intramuros on the edge of Manila Bay. It is a legacy of the American colonial era and the place where the American General Douglas MacArthur made his home before World War II.

Quiapo Church is famous for the Black Nazareen, a large crucifix of black wood carved in Mexico and brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards in the 17th centrury. Everyday, especially on Fridays, thousands of Catholics come to pay homage.The Church is located in Quiapo near Chinatown and the area around the Church is one big flea market selling fruit, vegetables, handicrafts, locally made clothes, export overruns and household items.

Corregidor Island is a small rocky island 48km west of Manila at the entrance of Manila Bay. It was one of the last Philippine strongholds the Americans conceded to the Japanese in World War II. Walk among the old barracks, buildings and gun emplacements all with evidence of battle damage. Sun Cruises operate a tour to Corregidor Island. The ferry departs Manila (near the Philippine Cultural Center, Roxas Boulevard) at 8am taking one hour to reach the island. The tour includes a guided island tour with lunch and departs from Corregidor at 2.30pm. [Adults US$40]

Manila Nightlife and Entertainment

Metro Manila is an entertainment paradise, with many people dining at 8pm the nightlife starts no earlier than around 10pm. The Malate district in the city of Manila offers a more artistic and bohemian atmosphere. There are many restaurants, bars and clubs along Remedios Circle, Nakpil and Maria Orosa Streets. Malate, the older Ermita neighborhood and the Baywalk that stretches between them contain a variety of venues serving a combination of food, alcohol and music.

Makati City is a treasure trove of hotels, bars, clubs and restaurants featuring live bands and music for every generation. Expats and locals frequent the establishments in upmarket Greenbelt on Makati Avenue.

Quezon City, north of Makati and Malate, is a premier entertainment hub. Tomas Morato and Tmog Avenues are the center of ‘gentlemen’s entertainment’ offering a variety of clubs, bars and discos.

Casinos are housed in the Hyatt Hotel in Ermita, Grand Boulevard Hotel in Malate, Heritage Hotel in Pasay City and in the PRIC building across the road from the international airport terminal.

Manila Dining

Favourite areas for dining with visitors are the Malate district in the city of Manila with its many restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs along Remedios Circle, Nakpil and Maria Orosa Streets. Malate, the older Ermita neighborhood and the Baywalk that stretches between them contain many dining establishments.

Makati City hosts many restaurants especially in the Ayala Center including Park Square, Landmark, Glorietta and Green Belt shopping malls.

Manila’s many large shopping complexes all contain restaurants, cafes and food courts. Manila has most of the usual American fastfood chains such as McDonald's and Burger King. Jollibee is the Filipino version of McDonald's and very common in Manila. Coffeeshops such as Starbucks and Gloria Jeans have become common in malls and commercial centers. Street food vendors are common and can usually be found in places with high amount of pedestrian traffic.

Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant located on Manila Bay is a Hong Kong style floating Chinese six star restaurant offering a truly unique and memorable dining experience.

Manila Shopping

The Philippines is one of Asia’s most inexpensive shopping destinations where visitors can find value for money. Here you can find imported name brands from the West, as well as products handcrafted in the Philippines.

Metro Manila is a shopper’s paradise. Greenhills Shopping Center located in Metro Manila is a mecca for electronics, mobile phones and the latest fashions and trends at affordable prices. Robinson’s Place Ermita, SM City Manila and Harrison Plaza all feature department stores and boutiques with a varied selection in every product category. Shangri-La Plaza is a high-end mall with many foreign brand shops and housing Marks & Spencer, Crossings and Rustan department stores. Divisoria Mall near Chinatown, offers an incredible assortment of goods at very reasonable prices. Tutuban Center located on the boundary of Tondo and Binondo districts is a former rail terminal converted into a huge wholesale/bargain shopping complex with over 2000 stores open to midnight every night.

Chinatown is located in the center of Manila. In the crowded and colourful network of streets and alleyways Chinese merchants sell their goods. The district’s most well known street, Ongpin, was named after a Chinese merchant who supported the revolutionaries during the fight for independence from Spain. Chinatown is a great place to visit day or night where shoppers will find delicious cuisine, copies of branded goods and many interesting shops. Shoppers can test their bargaining skills here.

SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City is the largest shopping, leisure and entertainment centre in the Philippines. With almost four hectares of floor area and almost one kilometer in length it is marketed as the the largest shopping mall in Asia and the world’s third largest mall. As well as shops there are restaurants, food court, cinemas, an IMAX Theatre, SM Science Discovery Center and an Olympic sized ice skating rink. [Operating Hours 10am to 10 pm]

Makati City is the country's main Central Business District and offers many shopping options. Ayala Center includes Park Square, Landmark, Glorietta and Green Belt shopping malls which are home to select international brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Bvlgari and Burberry. Located on Makati Avenue, there are hundreds of shops, department stores, cafes, restaurants, bars and cinemas in the area. Also in Makati City is the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell Center offering a similar selection of brands.

Ortigas Center just north of Makati City, is the other main business district in Metro Manila, where the Philippine Stock Exchange and San Miguel Corp, the Philippine’s largest food and beverage company, are located. SM Megamall, one of Asia’s largest malls, Starmall and Robinson’s Galleria Complex are located here.

History

Manila began as a settlement on the banks of the Pasig River. Prior to Spanish colonization in 1521, the Filipinos had a rich culture and were trading with the Chinese and the Japanese. In 1571, 50 years after Magellan's discovery of the islands, Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi claimed the Philippines as a colony and established Manila as its capital. Spain's colonization brought about the construction of Intramuros, a "Walled City" comprised of European buildings and churches, and was replicated in different parts of the archipelago.

In 1898, the Philippines became the first and only colony of the United States. Following the Philippine-American War, the United States brought widespread education to the islands. Filipinos fought alongside Americans during World War II, particularly at the famous battle of Bataan and Corregidor which delayed Japanese advance. The Philippines waged a guerilla war against the Japanese from 1941 to 1945. The Philippines regained its independence in 1946.

The background of the people is Indonesian and Malay with a sprinkling of Chinese, American, Spanish, and Arab blood. From a long history of Western colonial rule, interspersed with the visits of merchants and traders, evolved a people of a unique blend of east and west, both in appearance and culture.