ESSENTIALLY MANILA

STAY

Belmont Hotel Manila: For travelers and locals who desire convenience, safety, and consistently excellent service, Belmont Hotel Manila is a ‘home away from home’. The 4-star hotel is strategically located across from the NAIA Terminal 3, within the renowned entertainment city, Newport World Resorts. The Megaworld Hotels and Resorts property, one of the largest hospitality chains in the Philippines, offers the hotel essentials – convenient location, exceptional service, and comfortable amenities. Belmont Hotel Manila features 470 guestrooms, an all-day dining restaurant, a rooftop al fresco bar, swimming pool, jacuzzi, fitness center and more.

Hotel 101 Manila: Strategically and conveniently located in the Mall of Asia complex, Hotel 101 is the newest business and leisure hotel to open in the metro – offering convenience and accessibility to any traveler. The hotel is near the international and domestic airports, convention centers, shopping malls, restaurants, and tourist areas, and features 518-rooms, catering to both business and leisure bookings due to its accessibility to venues for sports and concerts. Amenities include free high-speed internet (Wi-Fi), outdoor pool, fitness centre with gym, and meeting rooms.

Makati Diamond Residences: Embodying true Filipino hospitality, the Makati Diamond Residences is conveniently located in the Central Business District of Manila – providing easy access to all commerce, leisure, and dining destinations. As the new standard of luxury living, the Makati Diamond Residences provides top-of-the-line amenities, and health and wellness facilities – including the Club Lounge, a private cinema, business center, fitness center, TRX studio, wellness center, indoor lap pool, dining card and fine dining. Makati Diamond Residences’ gourmet dining experience specializes in New American Cuisines, complemented with an extensive collection of wine and whisky.

Okada: Okada Manila, the jewel of Entertainment City and world-class casino resort, welcomes you to 42 hectares of scenic oceanfront – built for dining, staying, and playing. The 5-star resort boasts world-class amenities including: three outdoor swimming pools, two top-of-the-line fitness facilities, a world-class 600-sqm business center Executive Lounge, multiple fine dining restaurants, luxurious shops, beauty salons, barber, and wellness facilities, and a range of attractions for the whole family. For the more adventurous, checkout the unique and exclusive Dome nightclub or many Okada Manila casino games – with monthly Reward Circle deals.

SHOP

Venice Grand Canal: Located at McKinley Hill Taguig City, the Venice Grand Canal Mall is inspired by one of Italy’s most romantic, water-filled cities. It features a Grand Canal – 656 feet long and 49 feet wide and was the winner of the 2017 Best Retail Architectural Design from the Philippines Property Awards. The three-story mall offers tourists a ‘Venetian way of life’ – with gondola rides, Italian sights and sounds, and dining experiences. The mall features bazaars perfect for those unique finds and a Taguig City trip is incomplete without a visit to the Philippines most romantic mall.

SM MALL OF ASIA: When it comes to shopping in the Philippines, SM Mall of Asia is not only the largest mall – but also the best! Located in Pasay City, Luzon – it is the third largest mall in the world with more than 400 shops and eateries to choose from. Located on the third level of the mall’s main building is an 1800 m 2 Olympic-sized ice-skating rink, Philippine’s first. The mall offers concert grounds, SM By the Bay Amusement Park, the Science Centre, the SM Mall of Asia Arena, cinemas, and the Exploreum.

DINE

Blackbird: In the heart of Makati, Blackbird has turned the historic Nielson Tower, Ayala Triangle into an exciting dining destination. Manila’s first commercial airport has been lavishly redeveloped into a combination of aviation history, art deco excellence and Filipino hospitality. The Cabin – the former control tower – offers intimate dining with stunning Ayala Triangle Gardens views. The Garden & Terrace – located at the rear – offers alfresco dining, two bars and a peaceful lounge area.  Blackbird encapsulates the warmth of Filipino hospitality, with an eclectic menu combining classic world dishes with contemporary Asian cuisines.

The Lobby at the Peninsula Manila: Since its opening in 1976, The Lobby at the Peninsula Manila has been a favorite meeting place for travelers and locals alike. Located at the corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues, the much-loved restaurant’s menu features the award-winning Halo-halo Harana (a cooling tropical dessert with shaved iced, tropical fruits and purple yam ice-cream) and Kare-kare ribs (beef short rib stew, slow-cooked with peanuts and vegetables). The Lobby also offers the daily Afternoon Tea Set, from 2:30PM to 5:00PM. Featuring premium teas (blended by tea masters), and complemented with scones, quiches, sandwiches, and assorted pastries.

Summer Palace at Edsa Shangri-La, Manila: The multi-award-winning Summer Palace at Edsa Shangri-La, Manila, has been an icon of authentic Cantonese culinary excellence and a showcase of traditional Chinese cuisine since 1992. Featuring woodwork designs by renowned Filipino artist-sculptor Claude Tayag, emphasizing Edsa Shangri-La’s love for local craftsmanship and supply. The restaurant is inspired by the rich history of the Manila Galleon Trade. Serving the finest homemade dishes from Southern China, unrivalled in quality and taste, Summer Palace diners can expect one constant – a brand service, culinary pride and flavors that have captivated guests for years.

Spiral Buffet: Interactive dining and gastronomic voyages are nonpareil at Spiral, Manila. The Sofitel flagship boasts an incredible 21 dining ateliers – French for artist’s special workshop – where secret recipes are masterfully prepared before your eyes by seasoned culinary artisans. Delight in the enchanting culture, tradition, language, music, dance, and food journey spanning the world’s most renowned countries.

The enviable range and attention to detail are paramount in this multi-awarded dining destination. For the more exclusive diners, choose from luxurious Oriental-inspired or French minimalist themed private dining rooms, accommodating 8 to 30 guests.

Cafe Ilang-Ilang at Manila Hotel: Café Ilang-Ilang, renowned for its international lunch and dinner buffets, features live cooking stations, home-baked breads, fresh pastas, hand-rolled sushi, charcuterie, Chinese noodles and dumplings, carving stations, artisanal ice-cream, healthy green salads, must-try Filipino dishes, and Halal food options. As the epicenter for power dining in Manila, it has been a favorite spot for generations. It is a renaissance of chic casual dining, with eight live cooking stations offering a fresh and unique spin on open kitchen and delectable dessert dining – designed to artfully satisfy distinguished palates.

Gallery by Chele: Gallery by Chele (formerly Gallery Vask) has a deep, Filipino heritage rooted in a modern restaurant located in Manila Metro’s Bonifacio Global City. Taking its inspiration from the world-class standards for fine dining and service, it captures the intricacies of common local ingredients and traditional cooking methods – transforming them into a uniquely memorable fine dining experience. European Chef Chele Gonzalez, collaborating with Filipino Chef Carlos Villaflor and the Gallery’s chef team, invite guests to reignite the intimate relationship between people, culture and nature through expertly crafted tasting menus and a la carte dining.

Hilton Manila Restaurants: Hua Yuan is an upscale casual dining experience revisiting Shanghainese favorites in a modern way – complementing, daring, and with oodles of creativity. Standout dumpling dishes include Xiao Long Bao, Hanging Roasted Duck, Red Braised Pork, and Hairy Crab and Crayfish. Private dining rooms are available for exclusive affairs – housing 10 to 12 people. The vibrant Kusina Sea Kitchens is an Asian and Western inspired, all-day dining restaurant, offering indulgent, premium daily buffet-selections. Kusina pairs fresh, sustainably sourced seafood with mouth-watering local and international cuisine. Guests must try the signature Dampa-style and a-la-minute open-grill.

Jollibee: Strictly adhering to the highest standards of food quality, service and cleanliness, Jollibee is the largest fast food chain brand from the Philippines – operating more than 1,500 stores in 17 countries. Jollibee serves great-tasting, high-quality and affordable food products and favorites include the superior-tasting Chickenjoy, mouth-watering Yumburger, and deliciously satisfying Jolly Spaghetti. Jollibee’s success in the quick-service restaurant industry is due to critical elements – food quality, service, price-value relationship, store location and ambiance, and efficient operations. With trusted, well-loved brands – use Jollibee for all your Manila fast-food needs.

DO

Casa Manila: Illustrating a lifestyle during the Philippines’ Spanish colonization, Casa Manila is a living museum and copy of an 1850s San Nicolas House – once located in Calle Jaboneros in the Chinese district of Binondo. Designed by Casa Manila architect J. Ramon L. Fraustmann, the house was constructed by Imelda Marcos during the 1980s. The interior features late 19th century European and Chinese furniture and furnishings, the taste of the turn. The house’s elegance and luxury are showcased through painted walls, crystal chandeliers, carved traceries, gilded furniture and Chinese ceramics.

Jones Bridge: The William A. Jones Memorial Bridge – commonly known as Jones Bridge or Queen of Bridges, has been a Filipino cultural landmark in Manila for generations. The arched girder bridge spans the Pasig River and is used as a crossing method. Originally designed by Filipino architect Juan M. Arellano using French Neoclassical architecture, the bridge features four sculptures representing motherhood and nationhood. Destroyed in WWII by retreating Japanese troops, in 2019, the Manila City Government began a rehabilitation project using Beaux-Arts Architecture like Pont Alexandre III’s.

Fort Santiago: Constructed by Spanish navigator and governor Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1571, on Rajah Soliman’s palisaded fortress site, is one Manila’s oldest fortifications – Fort Santiago. Recognized as one of Manila’s first defenses, the now stone fortress (formally made from logs and dirt until it was destroyed by Martin de Goiti) rests on the Maynila native village site – serving as a WWII memorial site, and notable former headquarters for several foreign powers’ armies. Since 1951, Fort Santiago has been recognized as a National Shrine and Monument, and National Cultural Treasure since 2014.

National Museum: An umbrella government organization comprised of four buildings, the Manila National Museum features research and conservation programs both within the museum and throughout the archipelago. Consisting of the National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, the National Planetarium and now the National Museum of Natural History – the museum houses natural and cultural repositories of Filipino history and its environment. Including ethnographic, anthropological, archaeological, and visual arts, the collection ranges from present day to thousands of years old and represents the Philippine’s mega biodiversity and unique geological formation.

Rizal Park: Rizal Park, widely known as Luneta until its name change in the 1950s, is Manila’s iconic 60-hectare central park. The premier park boasts open-lawns, world-class sculptures, historical markers, beautiful gardens, facilities for photo and art exhibits, event venues, and various forms of entertainment. Formerly the site of La Calzada, the social hub of Manila’s elite, the site was also used by the Spaniards as an execution ground for rebels and activists. The park holds an important cultural significance as Dr. Jose Rizal’s execution place by the Spaniards on December 30, 1896.

The Magnificent Pagsanjan: A two-hour drive south of Manila is the beautiful, rustic town of Pagsanjan – filled with thrilling adventure. Experience nature’s wonders by “shooting the rapids” on dugout canoes as you board a native Banca (canoe) that is skillfully maneuvered upstream through rocks, steep gorges, and lush tropical vegetation, or take a swim, or board a bamboo raft through the falls’ veil of water into a cave. The program’ highlight is the upriver board canoe ride to the main falls, followed by the downriver ride through 14 rapids. Experience the breathtakingly Magnificent Pagsanjan.