Peninsula Hotel, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
Hotel URL
Last Stayed On: Apr 2008
Constructed 1976 / Renovated 2008 Published Internet Rate: $300 / Corporate Rate $180
Orbitz Rating: 5 Stars / MC Rating: 
1/2
| Cleanness and Comfort | |
| Location and Parking | |
| Noise and Privacy | |
| Service and Attitude | |
| Amenities and Facilities | |
GENERAL
I know what you are thinking - HOW DARE THIS GUY, Mr. MC, give the world-
renowned Peninsula a big 4 and 1/2 stars when it's one of the world's most recognized luxury business hotel brand?? Well guess what, I CAN! While I did enjoy my stay (thanks to my company's generosity), there are simply too many things that they could have done better. After all, I'm not going to give them a five just because of the name - they've got to earn it!!
PRO
Beauty - This is one beautiful hotel, from inside out. The lobby is breathtakingly beautiful, with the usual high ceiling, floweral arrangements and wall-to-wall ornaments, but also the less usual balcony with string quartet and huge paintings and tree to increase the WOW effect. The rooms and facilities are beautiful too, with the right colors to give it a casual yet serious look and feel, which caters towards its clientele of high-end business travelers perfectly.
Location - It's in the "hotel row" and right across from Glorietta and near all the major corporate headquarters. Not as convenient as Shangri-La, but good enough.
Room - A huge room, even for the lowest rate, with all amenities you can imagine plus a big plasma TV. The bathroom is downright top-notch, unbelievably comfortable. Elegant yet utilitarian, LOVED IT! BTW, it's also super quiet, like no one else is staying at the hotel. CON
SPA - Tiny and Under Construction? - It's incredible that Peninsula has a spa that is tiny and "under construction". I even stepped onto a unfinished shower stall floor because it wasn't marked as unusable!! The spa rooms are smaller than my closet at home and my closet is SMALL. There's barely enough air for myself and the masseuse. What a nightmare!
Butler Reading Newspaper? - That's not the worst thing because after all, we all need a newspaper break. The worst is the floor butler didn't even noticed me when I walked right in front him, just simply buried his head in the paper!! Frankly, the whole hotel has a snobbish atmosphere, like all staff are saying "we're the best hotel so screw you!"
Water Pressure Problem - Alright, this might seem trivial, but if you are nearly burnt twice you'd remember it. The shower in the room would go from chilly to boiling hot in one minute and then return back to chilly! It happened at least twice but it was so bizarre that I didn't even mention to any staff there.
FOOD - Yes, this is kind of important to me. 
I've had breakfast and afternoon tea there and guess what, both were BAD. Of course they were edible, but no comparison with neighbors Shang and Mandarin.
OVERALL
So am I too picky and harsh on Manila Pen (as locals intimately refer to it)? Well, for one thing I AM picky and I'm proud of it, and I don't think I'm too harsh on a top-tier hotel. It should have delivered MUCH MORE than what I got!! I'm just glad I didn't have to pay for it..... On the brighter side, if you must experience the Pen somewhere, do it in Manila, because it's a bit cheaper and it supposedly has the lowest staff-to-guest ratio, making sure you are properly pampered - most of the time anyways.
Family-Friendliness Rating: (out of 5) Pro - Locatio
n is good and room size is GREAT.
Con - Honestly, AVOID THIS HOTEL if you have kids under 12. There's nothing to do inside or right around it, it feel too "business", staff look like kids like unwanted pets (believe it, I tried it with afternoon tea, not pleasant), and the pool is so small it hardly fits the lane-swimming adults, let alone kids....
