Stayed here overnight with my sister for a staycation, being locked down for more than two years due to the pandemic, I really looked forward to it. Plus it would be nice to be back to where I took my oath taking 15 years ago at the Centennial Hall. The lobby looked grand as it has always been. But the moment I stepped inside our room on the 12th floor, the rundown flooring of the shower room (looked like black grime was all over) immediately caught my attention. Plus the bath tub stinks. The hotel is over a hundred years old, but issues like these requires due attention. The floor carpet also looked dusty, and there was a pill under the arm chair, which to me means there was no thorough cleaning. Bottled water was overpriced, 10 times of what it's worth at a convenience store. I am supposed to use the flatiron in the morning but had second thoughts when I saw an exposed copper wire. Soundproofing was also poor. Breakfast at Cafe Ilang Ilang was ordinary, there was no crowd control, and there was a smell of kitchen towel that was not washed and dried properly.In addition I felt like there was a caste system at Cafe Ilang Ilang, where the elite looking guests get the best space, while we were assigned to a corner table where diners almost collide while in queue. I am not sure but maybe your place at the cafe depends on your room category. I already stayed in three to five star hotels here and abroad and this is the first time I got disappointed. At the check-in counter some guests cut in and don't have manners and to my surprise the front desk allows it. Seriously, the management should look into these issues and it would be nice if the hotel undergo a major renovation. If anything, I am just glad my sister enjoyed the grand lobby and their Willy the Bear mascot. All in all, I felt like I did not get value for what I spent.…
PROS: 1. 20% discount when booking at least 2 weeks prior to date of stay when booking at their website. 2. Pleasant but unintrusive staff. Very responsive and efficient room service and housekeeping. 3. Clean comfortable room (room 434) 4. Great location. MH is a common venue for events with a lot of attractions within a 2 km radius (eg. Rizal park, Ocean park, National Museum, Planetarium etc.) 5. We appreciate that they left us a note explaining why they were having problems with their cable service provider. CONS: 1. Place is already showing signs of wear and tear (understandable since the hotel is already 110 years old) however defects that affect functionality should not be overlooked like our tub drain that won't open or the elevator indicators which both light up making it hard to tell whether it is ascending or descending. 2. Online payment is a bit complicated, once you reserve at their website you would still wait for an e-mail from another service provider which would give you a code (which expires in 24 hours) to input at the third party's website in order to make your payment. I always get redirected to another website while attempting to make the payment so I just e-mailed their reservations team directly and made my payment via bank transfer. 3. They have a small heritage museum that shows photos of the old Manila and a model of the hotel. However there are pedestals cramped on one side of the room with no displays on them. There are also QR codes below the photos scannable by the Manila hotel app but I can't find the app on Google play. Maybe they can spruce up this place as this would add depth to the history of the hotel. 4. View from room 434 is not that nice. So if you want a nice vista try asking for another room. …
I brought my family tgis week here and we all had a great time. The swimming pool is perfect. While my kids and wife were swimming I got to enjoy 2 bottles of beer at the bar just very near the pool. Our room was also perfect and the staff was generous to provide us additional towels. Breakfast at Ylang Ykang was really good. The gym has new equipments. Overall it was an enjoyable moment for all of us.
The Manila Hotel no longer lives up to its reputation as the premier hotel in Manila. The staff hardly smile. They do not make conversation with the guests nor do they offer to help, not even with your bags when you arrive. Food was very ordinary. The breakfast buffet was disorganized with people cutting queues.
Manila Hotel is still Manila Hotel. It is old, it is frayed in a lot of areas, and hallway carpets are the worst. Elevators are showing their ages. No keycard is needed to access any floor. And the heavy wood and nacre furnishings screamed the 90s. The bed was hard and the pillows were unremarkable. Surprisingly, our bathroom on the 17th floor aged very, very nicely, or rather was recently relined with a sealant which made it look nice. The room carpet also looked new. Still, Manila Hotel is Manila Hotel. But I hope it will undergo renovation so that it will reclaim its former glory and be icon that it should be. How I wish I could give a 5 star....
The main building badly needs an upgrade. I have stayed in this hotel and one of my favorites. However, we were housed in a room ( 452 ) and the room had a very strong repulsive stench coming from an outdated carpet. I spoke to Mr. Obediente and showed him the problem. We were moved to a much better room ( 409 on the new bldg ) and very pleased. The Manila Hotel staff are WONDERFUL people. Mangement just needs to upgrade the carpet to laminated wood which is a better material. I informed Mr. Obediente that my negative comments is NOT personal but purely business. He concured.
Pros: the view from the room; the food is okay, with Red Jade > Cafe Ilang-Ilang; was able to sleep better Cons: Wi-fi issues (had to resort to use own data usage); staff all around the hotel was inattentive (service is less than satisfactory) The experience has made me have second thoughts on whether I am going to avail of the Prestige membership ever again.
wow! the people makes the village and not the village makes the people. PETER SY, manager, made a big difference in our 2 night stay. we were assigned rm 366 initially. it has a bed made of bricks. it was so damn unsleepable that we lost a good hours of sleep. (manila hotel still uses decades old coil spring beds, go figure). we both have back problems. then in the morning we talked to him and in an instant, he transferred us to a room with better soft bed. that! made a big difference. dining room. they will pamper you. they make you feel special. they make your dining experience excellent. breakfast menu? delish.. the manila hotel has an elaborate lobby and eye catching displays. STAY HERE WHEN IN MANILA. IT IS WORTH THE MONEY!
found bed bugs in our bed, was itching like crazy at night. couldnt sleep well. was worried there were more. the hotel did not do anything. they even asked us why we only complain in the morning, our 15 month old was already sleeping since it was 9pm already.
It was pre Mother’s Day. I don’t know if there is a party , occasion , election vibes , but the lobby is so crowded. Long lines to check in. But front desk handled it well . Bell staff /concierge hid my surprise gift to my spouse. Staying at the sunset suite, although I never got to see the sun setting because of the cloudy atmosphere, was a respite from the chaos ensuing outside. No special Mother’s day cake for my spouse , although she saw the TV ad of the hotel providing surprise freebies. Still loved my stay. Great staff service, the suite ambiance, sumptuous buffet breakfast and just being a able to being accommodated in this charming well maintained old hotel made my day. By the way , the sea of humanity extended into their pool , lobby lounge and restaurants. Figure it out.…
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