The Best Hotels to Book in Makati, the Philippines

If you like scenic city views, you’ll love staying in the rooms and suites of this Makati hotel among the glittering skyscrapers of Manila’s financial district. All the bells and whistles you’d expect from such a prestigious location means a palm-lined pool, light-filled rooms and suites bathed in soft silvery tones with pool or city views, a Cantonese restaurant and a bar made for smoking Cuban cigars accompanied by a whiskey. Should you forget your cocktail dress or speedos, it’s a 10-minute walk from the towering Glorietta shopping complex.

This outpost of the Shangri-La luxury hotel brand sits on Makati Avenue, steps from popular shopping malls, including SM Department Store and Greenbelt. Satisfy cravings for Chinese food with elevated takes on Peking duck and clay pot shrimp at Shang Palace, then head to Sage Bar for a Hallelujah cocktail featuring Laphroaig scotch laced with ginger and lemon. Even lower-tier rooms have thick cotton linen and Shangri-La toiletries; upgrade to a Specialty Suite for butler service.

With the massive kitchens in these suites, budding chefs need not give up on home cooking while on the road. Each comes with a dishwasher, washing machine and dryer; three-bedroom suites and above even have a separate maid’s room. The exclusive 3ha (7-acre) urban complex has nine high-end restaurants, an expansive pool, a martial arts arena, a boxing ring and a 76-seat auditorium. If that’s somehow not enough, Ayala Avenue – the main drag in Makati – is right outside your door.

Fronting a shimmering blue pool ideal for early-morning laps, Aruga rewards the active traveller. The walled city of Intramuros is just a 25-minute ride away, and the Museo Ng Makati and Sts Peter and Paul Parish are both within a six-minute walk. Soothing, warm-toned rooms feature cloud-like beds, high-speed internet and complete kitchens with a washer and dryer.

Managed by the OYO group, this intimate, arty hotel is a great budget option in a pricey region. You’ll find the Museo Ng Makati, Ninoy Aquino Monument and Ayala Museum all within a 20-minute walk, making it an ideal base for exploration. Rooms come with an elegant, dark-wood bed, crisp white linen, a refrigerator, kettle, ceiling fan and air conditioning. The restaurant serves excellent Italian food – think seafood tagliatelle and chocolate-doused gelato.

The Makati outpost of the Lub d group takes the hostel concept upmarket, with spacious dorms with a fresh, contemporary design, a games room with vintage arcade machines and a light-filled coworking space. There’s also a rooftop restaurant for light bites and great views. The surrounding Poblacion district is known for its live-music venues, atmospheric dive bars and avant-garde art galleries.

This light, bright residential complex in Bel-Air honours Málaga’s most famous son, from the paella at Pablo Bistro to the constantly rotating selection of Filipino and international works in the Altro Mondo Gallery. Rooms, too, feature Picasso-print throw pillows and bold feature walls, as well as a bathtub with covetable Mooi & Co toiletries. Get a haircut and pedicure at the Studio 119 spa before finding inspiration in the peaceful Ayala Triangle gardens, just an eight-minute walk away.

The first five-star hotel in the Poblacion district is also the first in the Philippines to feature a Japanese-style onsen spa – a facility spanning six floors and featuring deep soaking tubs filled with carbonated water, a full roster of treatments and a healthy sushi buffet at the Common Good restaurant. Incredibly, all of this is included in your room rate. Round off your sensory experience with a dip in the infinity pool before returning to your room to admire unique works by resident artists such as Singaporean painter Bai Tian Yuan.

An eight-minute walk from the Ayala Triangle Gardens, a pleasingly – and yes, triangular – green space where locals like to jog and people watch as they eat and drink, this hotel packs a punch when viewed against the skyline. Once up from the shiny lobby, rooms and one, two and three-bedroom suites offer kitchens, living and dining areas. A browse of Salcedo Saturday Market should fill those cupboards nicely. Sweat or splash in the indoor pool and gym with windows for walls, giving views of the city, before rewarding yourself with a coffee and an Asian-style breakfast.