Hotels in Makati, Manila Philippines

[MRB43]

I'll be visiting Manila in November.  It was suggested to me to stay in Makati.  

These hotels were recommended:

 

5 Star Hotel in Makati Philippines | Dusit Thani Manila

WWW.DUSIT.COM

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A five-star luxury hotel that lies in the middle of the city with access to all means of business & embodies the combination of comfort & grandeur.

......and the Holiday Inn Makati.

Might anyone have an opinion as to which might be better as to access to gay areas....taking a trick past the front desk and back to my room ?

 

[BSR]

While Makati is home to the poshest neighborhood in all of the Philippines (boxer Manny Pacquiao and multibillionaire Manny Villar, richest Filipino on the planet, live in Forbes Park, Makati), I would stay in BGC (Bonifacio Global City), the city next door (Makati and BGC are technically cities, not neighborhoods).  BGC is cleaner, quieter, and believe it or not safer (imho).

When I return to Manila in December, I’m planning to get an AirBnB in the Grand Hyatt condos because you can get one week in an AirBnB for the same price as one night in the GH hotel, $300-350.  The Dusit and the Grand Hyatt are about the same distance from Población, the gay district in Makati, but the Dusit is much closer to Remedios Circle, another gay district in Manila proper.  I’ve read that BGC supposedly has its own little gay district but don’t ask me where because I couldn’t find it for the life of me.

As for bringing a cute pinoy (Filipino guy) up to your room, trust me, every hotel security guard and front desk clerk knows the score.  You will likely have to show your room key to the security guard to get into the lobby front door and/or to go up the elevator (most 4- & 5-star hotels work like the casino hotels in Las Vegas), but they couldn’t care less about your companion in tow ‘cuz they’ve already seen it 287 quadrillion times.  If you’re puti (white), their only response might be a concealed smirk.  

Some nonhotel-related travel tips:
1) when you exchange money, ask for a whole lotta 50p and 100p bills because tipping in the Philippines can only be cash, no way to add the tip onto a credit card transaction.  Please tip your Uber/taxi driver (10%, rounded up, minimum 50p), Starbucks barista (50p per transaction), restaurant server (10%), and anyone else you would tip in the US.  Keep in mind 50p is only 90 cents.  If you knew how little they’re making, it’d break your heart.  Tip your escort, just flat out ask him how much he’s expecting.  The guy I hired had a “manager” who took 40% of his fee (didn’t know this until the end of our last session).
2) download the app eGovPH and fill it out before landing, it will make going thru customs a lot quicker & easier.
3) download Grab, the app for Uber (there is no Uber in the Philippines, their equivalent is Grab) and taxis.  I found out the hard way that it’s pretty much impossible to hail a cab on the street.  The app will give you cost estimates for private cars (like an Uber in the US) and metered taxis, plus estimated arrival time for each option.  If you’re feeling adventurous, download Move It, an app for motorcycle or scooter “taxis,” for when you’re going somewhere solo.  It can be a bit of a fright because they weave in between cars like maniacs, but in heavy traffic (brace yourself for 3rd World traffic) it’s by far the quickest option.
4) check Grab for how much it should cost to get from the airport to your hotel.  The drivers were quoting 1,200p until my aunt (who’s lived in Manila almost 20 years) called bullsh!t, then they dropped the price to 400p

Edited May 19 by BSR
Added #4

[+ claym]

This was far beyond helpful.  Thank you!

[+ MysticMenace]

i heard or watched a YT clip about some security personnel slipping a bullet in travellers' bags which later would be used to extort money - I'm guessing this is no longer a thing at the main Philippine airport?

[BSR]

52 minutes ago, MysticMenace said:

i heard or watched a YT clip about some security personnel slipping a bullet in travellers' bags which later would be used to extort money - I'm guessing this is no longer a thing at the main Philippine airport?

Apparently it is still a thing, or rather it first started happening ~9 years ago, went away, and has recently reared its ugly head again …