The Manila Hotel

The Manila Hotel Overview

Look, I’ve stayed at plenty of hotels in Southeast Asia, but The Manila Hotel honestly surprised me in ways I wasn’t expecting. Right there overlooking Rizal Park – and I mean literally overlooking it, not some marketing exaggeration – this place has this old-world elegance that doesn’t feel forced or touristy. The lobby hit me first with these soaring ceilings and marble floors that actually stay cool despite Manila’s humidity, which is saying something. You know what struck me most? The staff genuinely seemed to know what they were doing, not just going through motions like at some five-star places I’ve been.

The rooms – well, mine faced the park and I could see the bay beyond it, which honestly made the traffic noise from Roxas Boulevard fade into background hum rather than an annoyance. The bed was one of those firm-but-soft situations that actually let me sleep through jet lag, and the AC was powerful enough to make you forget you’re in the tropics. I mean, the bathroom alone was bigger than some hotel rooms I’ve had in Europe. What I really appreciated though was how they handled the little things – fresh towels appeared without asking, the concierge knew which jeepney routes to avoid during rush hour, stuff like that. The pool area surprised me too; it’s not huge but it’s positioned so you get these glimpses of Manila Bay between the buildings, especially nice around sunset when the light hits the water just right.

Here’s the thing about staying here – you’re basically in the heart of everything without feeling like you’re drowning in chaos. Intramuros is a quick walk away, and you can actually stroll through Rizal Park in the early morning before the heat kicks in and the crowds arrive. The hotel’s restaurants are solid (that Sunday brunch actually lives up to its reputation), but honestly, some of the best food is just outside the hotel where local vendors set up – though I’d stick to the hotel restaurants if you have a sensitive stomach. Parking was surprisingly painless, which anyone who’s driven in Manila will tell you is basically a miracle. The only minor complaint I’d have is that WiFi can get sluggish during peak hours, but that’s pretty much par for the course anywhere in the city. If you’re looking for that classic Philippine hospitality with genuine comfort and a location that actually makes sense, this place delivers without trying too hard to impress you.

Best hotels in Manila range from luxurious high-rise properties in Makati business district to boutique hotels with stunning views of Manila Bay and the city’s impressive modern skyline.

The Manila Hotel Accommodations

Reviews of The Manila Hotel

• Exceptional – Haidee from United States – September 4, 2025 (10/10)

  We loved our stay.
  
  What could be improved: none

• Good enough – Christianus from Australia – September 2, 2025 (8/10)

  Very convenient to the main attractions
  
  What could be improved: Unfortunately our room was facing the main road and it was quite noisy
  It made it hard to fall asleep

• Exceptional – Pyngrope from India – August 16, 2025 (10/10)

  Breakfast Excellent Room Excellent Dinner Excellent

• Exceptional – Czarina from United States – July 29, 2025 (10/10)

  It's close to some of the historic part of manila.

• It was a great stay. Still an iconic hotel that manages to keep its charm and value intact. – Edwin from United States – July 28, 2025 (10/10)

  Breakfast buffet was awesome. Shower in the room was superb, but the room itself is a bit outdated, but not bad. In-house bars and resto was great as well but a bit pricey.
  
  What could be improved: Location and the traffic going there is really bad.

• Stay here – it's brilliant! – Jane from United Kingdom – July 25, 2025 (10/10)

  The hotel exceeded my expectations, it was fabulous. The Hotel looks amazing and the staff are great from the moment you walk through the doors. Our room was wonderful – very big and comfortable. The bathroom was terrific. The food was just amazing, a choice of everything and so well cooked too. My husband needs to be gluten free and the food choices for him were brilliant, plus they had beer he could drink too. And the gym was also one of the best we have ever encountered.
  
  What could be improved: The only slight issue was that while we were there, the hotel hosted a lot of graduation ceremonies which meant the lobby was out of use for the guests which was annoying but not the end of the world!

• Go here. – Frans from Netherlands – July 25, 2025 (10/10)

  Everything was great, the staff, the atmosphere, the food, the room, you name it…
  
  Bottom line : Excellent hotel, can highly recommend.

• Great ! – Norio from Japan – July 21, 2025 (9/10)

  Perfect! Though I missed the weather.
  
  What could be improved: None

• Exceptional – Coffey from United States – July 9, 2025 (10/10)

  Clean and super accommodating
  
  What could be improved: Surrounding area was not the greatest

• Very Good – Vans from United States – July 6, 2025 (8/10)

  The rooms were nice, and the bedding was pretty comfy. The bathroom was loaded with complimentary toiletries, a bathtub, and a large shower. In the closet were bathrobes and slippers. No weird smells to go with that as well. The staff were quick to attend to our luggage and when leaving, helped us into our rides and put the luggage in. The lobby is also beautiful and is a pretty good place to have some of your friends come in. When ordering pastries and other cafe food from the lobby, it comes at a reasonable time.
  
  More on the staff, they provide you with coffee and water in the breakfast area (not to mention the fact that it's a buffet-style COMPLIMENTARY breakfast). They're very polite.
  
  What could be improved: My family and I went to one of the lunch places there. The serving of the food took a pretty long time, especially for how we didn't order too much. For example, we ordered two Halo-Halos and it came 1 1/2 hours after we placed the order. The food itself wasn't bad, however the waiting to actually get it lowered our take on it.

Surroundings