The Manila Hotel

Rooms and decor

Picture an all-white California Mission Revival building, originally 5 floors, open since 9 July 1912 — that's The Manila Hotel, the first luxury hotel in the Philippines and still running today. Walk into the lobby and it feels like stepping onto a period film set: high ivory ceilings, real crystal chandeliers, dark-brown Narra hardwood polished to a shine, and a concert piano that a musician actually plays some evenings. There are 411 rooms plus 31 suites, split between the older Centennial wing and the Bayview wing added in 1977. Bayview rooms face Manila Bay, so you wake up to yachts sitting quietly on the water; the inner rooms look over the old Intramuros golf course. Most rooms run cream and gold, with classic wood furniture and warm Narra floors, and the beds are soft enough to sleep right through. Book into the MacArthur Suite and you get the legendary penthouse that General Douglas MacArthur used as his home and office from 1935 to 1941, before World War II — his original desk, historic photographs and full bay views.

Food and amenities

The heart of this hotel is spread across every floor. Start with Mabuhay Palace, the Cantonese room locals rate among the best in Manila — fresh morning dim sum, shrimp dumplings, thin-skinned har gow and traditional Peking duck, with plenty of reviews saying they'll be back. The Champagne Room does classic French food with a live violin and harp playing softly, a romantic setting that's genuinely hard to find in the city. Cafe Ilang-Ilang is an all-day international buffet mixing Filipino, Chinese, Japanese and Italian dishes — easy with kids. The Tap Room is an old English-pub-style bar that has been here since 1912, with dark oak, marble tables and beers from around the world. Up on the roof, the Sunset Bar gets singled out as one of the most beautiful sunset spots in Manila, with cold drinks and orange light turning the bay to gold. On the 5th-floor garden there's an outdoor pool ringed by palms and native Filipino trees, a fitness room, and The Manila Hotel Spa using coconut oil and local Filipino herbs.

Location and getting there

Location is the one card here that can't be beaten. The hotel sits right at the tip of Rizal Park, hard against Manila Bay. Walk out the front of the lobby and it's about 5 minutes to the Rizal Monument, the memorial to Filipino national hero Jose Rizal, with the Manila Baywalk seafront promenade just beyond, where locals run and stroll in the evening. The walled city of Intramuros, built by the Spanish in the 16th century, plus the UNESCO World Heritage San Agustin Church, are a 5–10 minute drive away. LRT-1 Central Terminal station is about 10 minutes on foot to hop over to other parts of town. From NAIA airport it's a 30–45 minute drive depending on traffic (Manila is famous for it, so leave a buffer), and the Makati business district is about 30–40 minutes by car. Simply put, if you want to wake up and walk to Manila's old landmarks straight from the hotel, this spot is a perfect ten.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide — this is a 114-year-old building, and not every room looks as crisp as a 5-star that opened five years ago. The most common review note is that some Bayview-wing rooms are showing age: dated bathroom tiles, a slightly cracked basin, faded curtains, a few loose wooden pieces. If you expect the full gloss of Shangri-La Makati you may feel let down, but if you frame it as paying to sleep in history, it's worth it. The other thing is that in-room Wi-Fi isn't fast like newer hotels, so if you're on daily video calls it can get frustrating; the air-con in some rooms is a little noisy because the units are old, and you can ask to switch if it bothers you. Ermita is quiet and a bit sleepy at night — not a walk-around evening district like BGC or Makati — so after dark take a Grab straight out of the hotel. And the Mabuhay Palace and Champagne Room menus run pricey for locals, though fair for the quality of the food.

Our take

After working through hundreds of real reviews, The Manila Hotel sells something nobody can copy — a 114-year legend, a spot on Manila Bay right next to Rizal Park, and a Cantonese kitchen locals actually drive to. If the trip in your head is waking up to walk Rizal Park, coming back for dim sum at Mabuhay Palace, sipping a cocktail at the Sunset Bar as the sun drops over the bay, and turning in at night in a room where MacArthur, Hemingway and The Beatles once stayed, this is the most fitting pick in the city. But if you want crisp modern rooms, fast Wi-Fi and a lively after-dark neighbourhood, look at Makati or BGC instead. Overall we give it 8.4/10 — best for luxury-minded couples and history lovers who value atmosphere and story over how new the room is.