The Peninsula Manila

Nice hotel but overbearing staff

Prós: Breakfast was lovely. The variety of food available was good for all meals. The gym is excellent. Room was a good size and the bed was comfortable. The bathroom was very nice and there was a nightlight, a nice touch all too often neglected. It's a very nice hotel and I would go back! But....

Contras: WIFI access ends the moment you check out. Immediately. Which means that even if you check out at 9am and could have checked out at noon, no wifi for you as of 9am. Hopefully you don't have to call a cab or write a memo. Perhaps you were thinking of a leisurely breakfast in the lobby after checking out while reading the paper online. Nope. In 2015, when you pretty much assume that internet access is available for a reasonable amount of time, that's a pretty strong negative. The staff was far too eager to serve and frankly, a bit overbearing. The first day, I had two members of staff burst into my room while I was in the bathroom (pretty bad luck, I suppose), one without knocking, the other with just a cursory knock and a half second wait. I learned to lock and chain the door and put on the DND light right away. Once I forgot the DND light but locked the door... Ooops! So while I was taking a nap, I got someone knocking at the door for 2 minutes till I got up so they could give me bottles of water. Eating in one of the restaurants requires that you keep a tight grip on your plate or glass if you are having a leisurely meal... a waiter is likely to swoop down and take it away before you can say a word, if they feel you are done, whether at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. While eating, one waiter after another will come over to ensue that you are enjoying your meal, interrupting a quiet evening, over and over again. The service has good intentions, but really needs to back off a bit.

Grand, but old

Prós: 1. Location in bustling Makati 2. Festive and Grand Lobby 3. Breakfast Buffet was top notch 4. Responsive and Pleasent Service

Contras: 1. Room was old, small and not super comfortable 2. Weak Wi-fi in rooms 3. Expensive room service, restaurants and laundry options