Budget Hotels & Hostels
Apartments
Guesthouses and B&Bs
Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
This five-star masterpiece, with its meandering pool area right on Manila Bay, is the closest you’ll get to a resort holiday in Manila. It’s the same magnificent hotel that has presided over the CCP for decades now...
Manila Hotel
As the Mandarin Oriental is to Bangkok and Raffles is to Singapore, so is the Manila Hotel to Manila. This is one of Asia’s grand and regal hotels, where everyone from General MacArthur to the Beatles to JFK has spent the night...
Miramar Hotel
If you’re looking for a classic hotel with a little Old-Manila flavour that won’t break the bank, look no further than this 1930s Art Deco masterpiece. Rooms are smartly furnished and although fully modern still have some pre-war charm...
Makati Shangri La Hotel, Manila
With a jaw-dropping main entrance that faces the Glorietta mall, the beautifully done Shangri-La may very well win the award for Makati’s most aesthetically stunning interior...
The Peninsula Manila
With rooms that highlight the best of Filipino design, the Peninsula is a Makati veteran that nevertheless appears brand new. The cafe in the soaring lobby has a fine Sunday brunch and is a 24-hour destination for the city’s business elite...
Taal Vista Hotel
Faded no more, this 1970s relic has been smartly renovated and now boasts king-sized beds, downy linens, fancy bath products and wi-fi to complement outstanding views. The amenities and generously sized rooms almost justify the high prices...
Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel
Located near the beach in the barangay of Calayab, 9km south of central Laoag, the sprawling Fort Ilocandia Resort & Casino draws in hordes of baccarat-hungry tourists from Taiwan, just a one-hour flight away...
Java Hotel
The petrol station in the parking lot isn’t exactly in keeping with the Balinese theme, and the rooms aren’t true to the theme either, but they are roomy and comfortable by Ilocos standards...
Sarabia Manor Hotel
More impressive from the outside than the inside, the imposing Sarabia nonetheless has a friendly atmosphere with plenty of character...
Royal Bellagio Hotel
A festive atmosphere reigns at this relatively new P Burgos establishment. The theme rooms, with beds shaped like planes, Spanish galleons, bumper cars and Venice gondolas, allow you to live out any number of fantasies...
Pearl Farm Beach Resort
For true world-class luxury, head to Pearl Farm, where you’ll find five-star versions of stilt houses; if these or the hilltop villas aren’t exclusive enough, more bungalows are located on the resort’s own small offshore island.
Microtel Inn & Suites By Wyndham Boracay
Resort chain or not, Microtel makes the cut in Boracay with very stylish rooms sporting muted minimalist decor...
Hotel Elizabeth Baguio
This amenity-laden hotel, Baguio’s most service-oriented, gives 20% off-season discounts. The mustard and purple colour scheme in the rooms works surprisingly well.
Nami Resort Boracay
Perched above the beach like a deluxe tree house, Nami offers privacy and breathtaking views...
Ascott Makati
This is pure corporate territory and has been the first home in Manila for many expat professionals. The plush apartments in the twin towers come with 24-hour concierge, daily maid service, health club, tennis courts, business centre and more...
Imperial Palace Suites
Well-kept if slightly dated rooms with kitchenettes and plenty of amenities, overlooking the Boy Scouts Monument. Scout the promo rates here.
Hotel Ponte Fino
The best of Batangas’ business hotels, it’s located in the centre close to SM Mall.
Cebu Grand Hotel
Flowers cascade from the balconies of this out-of-the-way hotel that’s sensibly set a little back from the main street. Rooms are cosy with lavish bed covers and decent bathrooms...
Diamond Hotel Philippines
Although it remains an awe-inspiring and luxurious choice, the interiors are nevertheless beginning to feel somewhat dated at this world-class hotel, where subtle Japanese influences add taste to the ambience. Wi-fi costs extra...
Marco Polo Davao
The Marco Polo Hotel, one of Davao’s top international-standard hotels, is in the city centre. This is luxurious, from the pool to the bathroom amenities.
Edsa Shangri La, Manila
Slightly less impressive than Shangri-La’s Makati location, yet still a five-star hotel by all rights. The gardens here are truly a sight to behold, and the MRT is just steps away.
Las Palmas Hotel
This recently renovated 1970s veteran still shows its age in spots, but you won’t get cheated on the well-appointed rooms, which are sizeable and dominated by king-sized beds. Wi-fi costs extra. ‘Deluxe’ rooms are well worth the modest extra splurge...