Manila - The Rough Guide to the Philippines - page 82

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glass walls (with shades for the modest) and b ig tubs . The
pool is a great place to chill out during the day. P9800

chic “aqua” theme and fabulous views of the bay or Ocean
World pool (for the nightly fountain shows). Rooms sport
a trendy minimalist design and LCD TVs; some even have
stunning wall-sized in-room aquariums. The only (slight)
downside i s that the hotel is a bit cut off from the rest
of the city. P3200
Lotus Garden Hotel 1227 A. Mabini St at Padre Faura
St T 02 522 1515, W lotusgardenhotelmanila.com;
map p.69. Snazzy modern rooms with cable TV and free
wi-fi,; an excellent location and decent buffet breakfast
make this chain h otel a good deal - book online for the
best rates. P2015
Southern Cross Hotel 1125 M.H. del Pilar St T 02
521 2013, W thesoutherncrosshotelmanila.com; map
p.69. Friendly budget hotel with small but comfy rooms
equipped with a/c, cable TV, bathroom and fridge. It's
owned by an Australian national and there's an Aussie-style
bar and food, large-screen TV and billiard table downstairs.
Walk-in rates t end to be cheaper than booking online if
paying in cash. P1699

INTRAMUROS AND RIZAL PARK
The Bayleaf Muralla St at Victoria St T 02 328 3170,
W thebayleaf.com.ph; map p.63. Swish boutique hotel in
the historic heart of the city, with spacious, modern rooms
(featuring floor-to-ceiling windows), roof deck b ar and
restaurant with great views and free wi-fi throughout. P4000
Manila Hotel 1 Rizal Park T 02 527 0011, W www
.manila-hotel.com.ph; map p.63. Esteemed establish-
ment that is undoubtedly past its best but nevertheless
reeks of history (see p.67), at least in the old wing where
General Douglas MacArthur stayed during World War II;
if you've got P32,000 to spare you can stay a night in his
suite. The lobby is a grand affair with black-and-white-
tiled flooring and oxblood velvet sofas. The rooms, many
in need of a revamp, remain stu bbornl y traditional, with
dark wood and four-poster beds. P4500
White Knight Hotel Intramuros Cabildo St at
Urdaneta St, Plaza San Luis Complex T 02 526
6539, W whiteknighthotelintramuros.com; map p.63.
Nineteenth-century building with heaps of character and
29 simple but spacious rooms tastefully furnished in
period style, with bathroom, a/c, flatscreen TV and free
wi-fi. Worth considering for the nov elty of staying in the
most historic part of the city. P1960

MALATE
Adriatico Arms 561 J. Nakpil St T 02 521 0736; map
p.69. A pleasant no-frills hotel in an unbeatable location.
The 28 a/c rooms are smallish, but well kept and functional,
with TV but no breakfast. Nearby is Café Adriatico (see
p.90), w here yo u can sit and watch the beautiful people
stroll by. P1700
Aloha Hotel 2150 Roxas Blvd T 02 526 8088,
W alohahotel.net.ph; map p.69. A Manila Bay stalwart,
the Aloha boasts a fine location with views of the bay
from the front (5/F or above), though the rooms (all a/c and
free wi-fi) have seen better days - ask to see a selection
before you hand over any m oney. There's a small café and
a Chinese restaurant. P2500
★

ERMITA AND MALATE
ERMITA
Best Western Hotel La Corona 1166 M.H. del Pilar St
at Arquiza St T 02 524 2631, W bestwesternhotel
manila.com; map p.69. Solid choice featuring stylish
double a/c rooms with a modern Filipino theme, cable
TV and free wi-fi. Good locatio n and the rate includes a
buffet breakfast for two. P2600
City Garden Suites 1158 A. Mabini St T 02 536 1451,
W citygardensuites.com; map p.69. Standard hotel with
sparsely furnished but clean a/c rooms and a reasonable
coffee s hop in the lobby; Filipino buffet breakfast included.
P2350
Ermita Tourist Inn 1549 A. Mabini St at Soldado St
T 02 521 8770; map p.69. Very basic choice on the edge of
Ermita close to Malate, with thirty ageing a/c rooms with
hot showers and simple breakfast included (no TV or wi-fi) .
There's a travel agent downstairs for flights and visas. P1050
★

Baywatch Luxury Condos 2057 M.H. del Pilar St
T 0919 490 1330, W baywatch1403.com; map p.69.
These two studio apartments (identical units 1403 and
1903) are fabulous deals, with handsome interiors, free
wi-fi, flatscreen TVs and spectacular views over Manila Bay
from the bal conies. There's also a small kitchen and use of
pool. P3400
★

Bianca's Garden Hotel 2139 M. Adriatico St T 02
525 2846, W biancasgardenhotel.com; map p.69. This
idyllic provincial-style retreat on the southern edge of the
tourist area is understandably popular with backpackers
and divers stopping off in Manila for a few nights on their
way to the beach. Rooms are spacious and elegant, deco-
rated with Philippine antiques evoking the building's
former incarnation as a wealthy Spanish-style home.
There's a small swimming pool in the shady garden. P1000
★

Hostellery 418 Plaza Nuestra Senyora De Guia,
Alhambra St T 02 521 6545, E [e-mail];
map p.69. Stylish budget option on the bay opened in
2013, with free wi-fi (and co mput ers), cable TV, sna cks and
beers. Spotless mixed dorms P500 , en-suite doubles P2000
★

Hotel H20 Manila Ocean Park (behind the Quirino
Grandstand) T 02 238 6100, W hotelh2o.com; map
p.69. The most original boutique hotel in Manila, with a

Chill-out Guesthouse 612 Remedios St at Remedios
Circle T 939 517 7019, W manila-guesthouse.com; map
p.69. This hostel, run by an enthusiastic young French crew,