Shangri-la Makati (manila, Philippines)

If you're visiting Manila in the Philippines, Shangri-la in Makati is a very nice choice. Most of the surrounding areas of Manila is pretty rough in my opinion, so definitely pick a nicer spot.

If you stay in Makati or the Fort, these two areas have a great selection of hotels, restaurants and shopping malls to choose from.

I like Makati because it's central, safe, lots of restaurants, shopping malls such as Greenbelt and it's not too far from the Fort which is where most of the nightlife is happening.

The hotel is located right at the center of Makati, you can't miss it! And it's walking distance to most places I would go anyway.

The hotel is very charming with a grand marble lobby. At certain times of the day, they have a beautiful orchestra band that plays in the lounge area if you want to relax and have a cup of coffee. They have these tall beautiful glass walls that are surrounded by luscious greenery. For a moment, you may feel immersed in the forest, but at 5 star comfort.

Considering we were downtown Makati, the views were pretty good.

I really enjoyed the room too. It was very spacious, clean, and service was great. Right as I got into the room, I was already asked if I needed more water as Philippines gets pretty warm.

Everyday they had fresh fruits in the room to enjoy.

Really beautiful marble bathrooms with separate showers and bath. It was difficult to capture a good photo, so if you're curious, I'll have a youtube video up soon.

I was really relaxed staying at this hotel. And internet speeds were decent. This is really important as I rely mostly on internet connection for work.

The next thing I look for when I stay at a hotel are the amenities such as gym, pool, and spa. Although, I rarely use the hotel spa, but it's nice to have the option.

The Shangri-la gym is a really nice gym for a hotel. It even has a barrista in the morning till 10am that serves you water and cappuccinos. one, I love coffee, two, this added perk really stood out to me. And as a small little service that doesn't cost the hotel much really added value to me as a guest.

Again, this you'll have to see in my upcoming Youtube clip.

Aside from the gym area, they had two tennis courts and a fantastic swimming pool to lounge at. Again, service was great! Nice place to soak up the sun or go for a dip to cool down from the southeast Asia heat.

The last part I enjoy of every hotel stay is the breakfast! They had a wonderful buffet style breakfast with western and eastern cuisine. Coffee, fresh juices, milk and so on for refreshments.

It was good, but your standard 5 star hotel breakfast, so I don't think I need to elaborate much.

I would definitely stay here again on my next trip. I have stayed at other hotels in Manila, but location and service wise, I really enjoyed my stay Shangri-la. My flight was at 7pm, so I had a lot of time to kill with luggage.

Originally I was going to just leave it with the concierge till I needed to go to the airport. The staff was kind enough to let us use the room till when we needed to go since they had the availability.

If it's your first trip to Manila, and you're unsure of places to choose. I would definitely suggest Shangri-la to start and slowly explore and see which is more fitting.