The Peninsula Manila Review: A Classic Peninsula for $268 a Night

The short version: a classic Peninsula with the best lobby and entrance in Manila, a great Southeast Asian restaurant and a good breakfast, in central Makati, at a fraction of what most Peninsulas cost. The rooms are older and the windows aren’t very soundproof, but it’s a good value and I’d go back.

I’ve stayed at The Peninsula Manila several times, across different periods, probably over a month in total, most recently in early 2026. It was actually one of the first places I went to in the Philippines, with one of my best friends, who had invited me there. The trip was not sponsored.

Pros

• The best lobby and entrance in Manila
• It feels more Asian and unique than Western-style hotels, like the Fairmont Makati
• Spices, a great Southeast Asian restaurant, and Michelin Selected
• A good breakfast, with excellent mangoes and free coconuts
• A nice, safe part of central Makati
• A Peninsula for a fraction of what most Peninsulas cost

Cons

• The rooms are older and fairly simple
• The windows aren’t very soundproof
• The food at The Lobby is just okay
• Check-in can take a while

Arriving

The first thing you notice is how grand the lobby is. It has high ceilings and it’s ornate. It feels like a classic hotel, and a classic Peninsula, with some Asian touches. When I first went, it was January, but the hotel still had its big Christmas tree up.

October 2026 update: I was back for breakfast in late October, and the Christmas decorations were already up. The big tree, garlands along the mezzanine, and a gingerbread house in the lobby selling Peninsula hampers (₱10,500 to ₱23,500). The lobby at night, with the sunburst ceiling lit, is still the best room in Manila.

Out of all the luxury hotels in Manila, I’d say The Peninsula has the best lobby and the best entrance.

The hotel is in central Makati, only about 20 to 30 minutes from the airport. Getting there is pretty simple, so you don’t really need the hotel’s airport transfer. You can just get a Grab, which usually costs around PHP 300 to 700 (about US$5 to $11), depending on traffic and demand. That’s about five times cheaper.

Like many other luxury hotels in Manila, there’s security at the entrance, which is pretty normal. You put your bags through a scanner, and you do the same if you come in through the garage.

The room: 6 out of 10

The room is relatively simple. It has the distinctive Peninsula green, but it’s a little older and simpler than most Peninsula rooms, and it’s not super high-end compared to other luxury hotels. That makes sense, though, because it’s also three to five times cheaper than most Peninsulas. And it’s fairly big, which is the nice thing.

It really has everything you need. It’s clean and well maintained, there’s a coffee machine, and they provide bottled water. The bathroom has a shower and a tub, and some rooms basically have two separate bathrooms. A lot of the rooms also have a living room with an extra sofa, separate from the bedroom.

One of the rooms I stayed in was the Premier Suite, and it was quite large, with a large sofa, extra seating and a nice bed. All the beds are quite comfortable. It also came with access to the Gallery Club, the hotel’s club lounge, though I actually never visited it.

The one thing about the rooms is that, because it’s an older hotel, the windows aren’t very soundproof. You can hear the city fairly well, especially if your room faces the main roads, where a lot of motorcycles go by. As of October 2026 there’s also a new residential tower going up right behind the hotel, and I could hear the construction, so ask for a room away from it. Even the rooms facing the pool sometimes get some noise, but they’re better.

Tip: ask for a room facing the pool, especially on a lower floor. Those are the quietest.

The food: 7.5 out of 10

The Lobby

The Lobby restaurant has a great atmosphere: very grand and luxurious. But the food isn’t really that good. It serves typical Filipino food, and I’m not personally a huge fan of Filipino food, so for me it was just okay. It’s also a little pricey, and the servers aren’t always the most attentive. Sometimes you have to grab their attention.

Spices

Spices is my favorite restaurant at the hotel. It’s a Michelin Selected restaurant in the first Michelin Guide Philippines, for 2026, though it doesn’t have a star; the red Michelin plaque is now up by the door.

It’s very traditional Southeast Asian in style, and it almost looks like a restaurant in Thailand, with a darker wood interior and a view of a little pond outside. It feels very pleasant, and a little romantic.

The food is quite good. I ordered the pad thai, and I thought it was comparable to good pad thai in Thailand. It’s a little expensive, and dinner reservations are quite difficult to get, but lunch is pretty easy.

Old Manila

Old Manila is the hotel’s other Michelin Selected restaurant. It’s quite fancy, so I’d assume it’s quite expensive, but I haven’t tried it.

The breakfast buffet

The breakfast buffet, at Escolta, is actually one of my favorite buffets in Manila. It’s the smallest of the major luxury hotels, smaller than the Shangri-La Makati, Shangri-La The Fort or Solaire, but the food is quite good.

The mangoes are excellent. The coconuts are excellent too, and they’re free, as many as you want. Other high-end hotels have coconuts as well, but at some, like the Shangri-La in BGC, you have to pay for them.

In October 2026 the buffet looked as good as ever, with a sushi counter, a “Naturally Peninsula” salad bar, a juice station with fresh fruit and vegetables, a pastry counter and the Filipino hot dishes.

The setting: 7.5 out of 10

It’s in a nice part of central Makati, and it’s a safe location. It’s relatively close to Greenbelt, and very close to Ayala Triangle, a nice green area with a few restaurants and places to walk. Right in front is a nice restaurant called Blackbird. On the other side is Urdaneta Village, a high-end residential community, so you get a nice view as well.

There’s a lot to do nearby. Greenbelt Mall has a lot of restaurants. I personally really like Din Tai Fung, A1 Premium Shabu Shabu, and People’s Palace for Thai food. You can also go for a walk around Ayala Triangle.

Personally, I like Makati more than BGC. It’s still high-end, but it feels a little more authentic. BGC has a lot of expats, and it feels a lot more Westernized, or even Singaporean. (I reviewed the Grand Hyatt Manila in BGC.)

Inside, the hotel is quite nice, and it’s fairly clean. It’s an older hotel, but they’ve done a good job of keeping it that way.

The hotel sometimes hosts large conferences, when a lot of people stay. During one of my stays, for example, it was hosting ASEAN, and Spices became the meal area for the delegates and ministers.

There’s also a helicopter pad on the roof, and on Valentine’s Day, they offer helicopter rides. Old Manila does a special Valentine’s Day menu, too.

The pool, gym and sauna

The pool doesn’t really have views, but it’s beautiful, with a lot of palm trees in the back.

The gym has a good selection of equipment, including a bunch of treadmills and cardio machines that overlook the pool. There’s no steam room, but there is a sauna. It’s a little small, but it’s nice, and anybody can use it.

There’s also a spa, but I never used it.

Service: 7.5 out of 10

Everybody is pretty friendly, but nothing necessarily stands out. Since it’s three to five times cheaper than other Peninsulas, the service isn’t quite at the same level, but it’s good and professional. Check-in can sometimes take a little while. One time, my room was facing the main road, so I asked to be moved. They did it, but it took a few hours. And in The Lobby restaurant, the servers aren’t the most attentive.

On my October 2026 visit, the small things were good: everybody said good morning, everyone was very friendly, and they offered to charge my phone. At Spices they’d put a little Christmas plant on every table, just as decoration, which shows some attention to detail. There were still some lines at check-in.

(Compare it with my reviews of The Peninsula Chicago and The Peninsula Bangkok.)

What it cost

All prices here are for one person: the room, plus one person’s share of the food.

Prices vary a lot by room and timing. Here’s what I paid on a few recent stays in early 2026, with taxes included:

So most nights came to roughly $190 to $290 for the room. Across all 17 nights, the weighted average was about $268 a night. I booked through Agoda and Klook.

Breakfast wasn’t included in any of my stays, and it’s the only food I’m counting here, at PHP 1,890 (about US$30) per person. Adding one breakfast a day, that’s about $298 a night all in, for one person. For a Peninsula, that’s very good.

The hotel also offers airport transfers, from about PHP 3,900 (about US$61) one way in a Lexus sedan up to PHP 8,000 (about US$125) in a BMW i7. Vans for up to five people are PHP 4,600 to 6,000. Honestly, I wouldn’t necessarily use them. A Grab, which usually costs around PHP 300 to 700 (about US$5 to $11), depending on traffic and demand.

Value: 8 out of 10

I think it’s quite a good value. You can get stays in the hundreds of dollars a night. For that you get a hotel from the world-renowned Peninsula brand, with good service, Michelin Selected restaurants, a very grand setting and a good location. You really can’t find that elsewhere.

Vs. other Manila hotels

• The Shangri-La Makati: it feels a little more Asian, and it’s a little cheaper, but The Peninsula is far worth it. It’s much cleaner, much better kept, and feels a little more private.
• The Shangri-La The Fort: a modern, more five-star hotel. The service is better, and the gym is enormous. But it’s in BGC, and I prefer Makati, and it’s more expensive.
• The Grand Hyatt Manila: also in BGC, modern and quiet, with friendly service. For similar money, I’d pick The Peninsula for its more unique feel.

Who it’s for

It’s a fairly well-rounded hotel.

• Couples: Spices is a little romantic, and around Valentine’s Day there are helicopter rides and a special menu at Old Manila.
• Businesspeople: it’s in central Makati, and it sometimes hosts big conferences, like ASEAN.
• Families: a lot of the rooms are fairly big, with a separate living room, and there’s the pool.

Tips if you go

• Ask for a room facing the pool, ideally on a lower floor. They’re the quietest.
• Book Spices ahead for dinner. Lunch is much easier.
• At breakfast, definitely get the mangoes and the coconuts. They’re excellent, and the coconuts are free.
• Check whether there’s a big conference on during your dates. It can get busier.
• Expect security screening at the entrance, like most Manila luxury hotels.
• Compare prices on booking sites like Agoda and Klook. I’ve paid anywhere from about $190 to $290 a night.
• Skip the hotel airport transfer and just get a Grab. The airport is only about 20 to 30 minutes away, and it usually costs around PHP 300 to 700.
• Walk to Ayala Triangle, or try Blackbird, right in front.
• At Greenbelt, try Din Tai Fung, A1 Premium Shabu Shabu, or People’s Palace for Thai food.
• Around Valentine’s Day, look out for the helicopter rides and Old Manila’s special menu.

Verdict: 7.5/10

Yes, I’d go back. It’s a good value. You get a classic Peninsula with a grand lobby, a great Southeast Asian restaurant and a good breakfast, in a nice, safe part of Makati, for much less than most Peninsulas cost. Just ask for a quiet room facing the pool.

Deciding between the two districts? See my Makati vs. BGC guide: hotels, food and nightlife, compared.

Breakfast matters? See my best Manila hotel breakfasts guide: nine buffets scored, with prices, hours and which rates include it.

FAQ

Where is The Peninsula Manila?

In central Makati, close to Greenbelt and Ayala Triangle.

How far is The Peninsula Manila from the airport?

About 20 to 30 minutes. It’s pretty simple, so you can just get a Grab, which usually costs around PHP 300 to 700 (about US$5 to $11), depending on traffic and demand. That’s about five times cheaper than the hotel’s transfer.

Which room should I book?

A room facing the pool, ideally on a lower floor, since those are the quietest. If you want more space, the Premier Suite was quite large, with a living room and dining area, and it came with Gallery Club access.

Is Makati or BGC better?

I personally prefer Makati. It’s still high-end, but it feels a little more authentic, while BGC feels more Westernized.

Is The Peninsula Manila noisy?

It can be. It’s an older hotel and the windows aren’t very soundproof. Rooms facing the pool, especially lower down, are the quietest.

What’s the best restaurant at The Peninsula Manila?

Spices, in my opinion. It’s a Michelin Selected restaurant, and the pad thai is as good as good pad thai in Thailand.

Does The Peninsula Manila have a Michelin Key?

No. In Manila, Raffles Makati has two Keys and Fairmont Makati has one, as of the 2026 selection. The Peninsula Chicago has two and The Peninsula Bangkok one; see my ranking of the Michelin Key hotels I’ve stayed at.

Would you stay again?

Yes.