Makati Shangri-La Review: A Grand Hotel That Needs a Renovation

The short version: Makati Shangri-La was once the talk-of-the-town hotel in Manila, and you can still see why. A chandelier under a dome, twin staircases, tennis courts, a big lively gym, a huge breakfast buffet, and the center of Makati right outside the door. But the rooms have fallen behind. My first had stained carpets and a musty, moldy smell that made my nose go bad; the second was noisy; only the third was fine. The service was good, and the duty manager handled the moves well. At about $229 a night, it’s affordable for a Shangri-La, but you pay for that in the room. For the same money, I’d take the Peninsula next door.

I stayed at Makati Shangri-La for two nights, June 25 to 27, 2026, in a Deluxe Room with a king bed, booked through Expedia. I went back in October to use the gym and walk through. I’m writing it up now as part of my Manila hotel series. I paid for the stay myself. The hotel offered me Horizon Club access as an apology for the room changes, and I’ve noted where that applies.

Pros

• A grand, very Southeast Asian setting: the chandelier, the dome, the twin staircases, the garden at the end of the lobby
• Tennis courts, which almost no hotel in Manila has
• A large, lively gym with personal trainers
• A huge breakfast buffet, plus four restaurants
• The center of Makati: Greenbelt, Glorietta, Landmark and Rustan’s next door, Salcedo Market close by
• Good service, especially the duty manager when things went wrong
• Affordable for a Shangri-La, at about $229 a night

Cons

• Rooms that need a renovation: stained carpets and a musty, moldy smell in my first room, which other guests have also reported
• Poor soundproofing on the road side
• The Horizon Club (comped to me as an apology) is dated and a little packed
• Lines at check-in and at the buffet
• A sewage smell in one hallway
• Almost no lobby seating; the second breakfast buffet takes up the space
• A grand buffet with food that’s just alright

Arriving

Walking in is the best part. It feels grand: a chandelier under a dome, two staircases on either side, and a view of the gardens at the far end. The hotel sits in the center of Makati, where the malls are, so it’s a good spot for tourists.

It’s a big hotel, and one of the first things you notice is how many people there are. Check-in lines can be long, and so can the line for the buffet, which you check in to with your room card.

The room: 5.5 out of 10

The rooms, and much of the hotel above the main floors, feel like they were once quite grand. And they were: friends tell me this was the hotel in Manila for a while, very luxurious, really the spot. What I found is that they’ve become dilapidated.

When you open the door, the first thing you notice is a strong damp smell, almost like a cave. Other guests have reported the same in reviews of several rooms, and it isn’t just an inconvenience: a damp, moldy smell can be a real health issue, and it made my nose go bad. The room itself looks luxurious and nicely designed, but then you look down, and the carpets are stained. They should never have gotten to that point.

They moved me to a second room that didn’t smell, but it looked over the crossroads where Makati Avenue meets Ayala Avenue. In an older building the soundproofing isn’t good: a lot of road noise, especially motorcycles, through the day and into parts of the night. The third room didn’t smell and was quiet, and that one was totally fine.

Some of the public areas feel dated too: a cracked sink, water staining on a ceiling, an old towel dispenser in the public bathrooms. Minor, but they show the maintenance could be better.

The room itself, once you get a good one, is decent. It’s medium sized, smaller than the Peninsula, the Grand Hyatt, Aruga or Raffles, about the same as Shangri-La The Fort and Solaire, the newer hotels. The bathroom is a little dated, down to the old hair dryers. But the bed is large and fairly comfortable, there’s a desk, and it has a character most new hotels don’t: very Southeast Asian, a little Chinese, and it feels luxurious. Aside from the noise, I slept well. For a Shangri-La, though, it really could be improved. It needs a renovation, and the dampness needs fixing.

The setting: 8 out of 10

It’s a beautiful setting, grand and very Southeast Asian. Past the lobby there’s a podium garden with lawns and elephant statues, with the Landmark sign right behind it.

The gym is quite large and lively, with personal trainers and a Southeast Asian feel, with brown undertones. There are tennis courts, which almost no hotel in the Philippines has, and that’s a huge benefit. The pool is fairly standard but really not bad: a kiddie pool, lifeguards, a little bar, and views of the Makati towers.

What they could improve: the hallways, one of which had a slight sewage smell they were trying to mask. And the lobby, which has almost nowhere to sit because the second breakfast buffet takes up the space.

The food: 6.5 out of 10

There are four restaurants, Sage Bespoke Grill, Shido, Shang Palace and Circles, plus the Lobby Lounge, Sage Bar and the Sinfully bakery. I only ate at Circles, the buffet, which is huge, with stations called Flavours of Japan, the Culinary Hub and Essence of the West, a gelato cart and a patisserie. At breakfast there are two buffets, one in the big room and one in the lobby. I had fruit, eggs, bacon, and the Japanese station and its rolls, which were the best of it. The selection is grand; the food is just alright.

Honestly, part of the point of this hotel is that you’re in the center of Makati, with good restaurants a short walk away: A1 Premium Shabu Shabu, Lampara and Din Tai Fung.

Horizon Club

The Horizon Club is on the 24th floor, with a very nice view of the city. The hotel gave me access as an apology for the room changes. I went in the afternoon, had a few snacks and some mangosteen, which the staff kindly cut and opened for me. But it’s a bit dated and a little packed, and I wouldn’t say it’s worth paying for. Shangri-La The Fort’s Horizon Club is much nicer.

Service: 8 out of 10

The service is good, and I liked it. When I had the issue with the room, the duty manager handled it herself: fairly speedy, very kind, very apologetic, and she inspected each new room before moving us in. On another visit, the gym staff greeted us and waved us in even though we weren’t guests. The only knocks are the lines at check-in and at the buffet.

What it cost

Two nights in a Deluxe Room came to $373.72 for the room, $84.46 in taxes and $28.64 for Expedia’s stay protection plan, less $49.21 of OneKeyCash, for $437.61 all in, about $219 a night. Without the discount and the protection plan, room and taxes work out to about $229 a night.

Value: 6 out of 10

Value is tricky here. For about $229 a night you get the Shangri-La brand, good service, tennis courts, a gym with personal trainers, a nice pool, a central location and a huge buffet. But the rooms are bad for a Shangri-La and need a serious renovation, and the damp smell is a health issue, not an inconvenience. So a 6: above average for the amenities and the location, seriously brought down by the rooms. It’s affordable for a Shangri-La, but you pay for that in the room. In Manila, you can just get the Peninsula next door, or pay slightly more for the Grand Hyatt.

Vs. Raffles and The Fort

• Raffles Makati: more understated, with a smaller lobby but better-maintained rooms, better soundproofing and the better breakfast. The Shangri-La is grander and has the tennis courts. On the rooms alone, Raffles, though at twice the price.
• Shangri-La The Fort: a newer building, and a much nicer Horizon Club: more spacious, more luxurious, a better view and more food. If I wanted a Shangri-La in Manila, I’d go there.

Who it’s for

Families, for the tennis courts, the big buffet and the kiddie pool, and people who want a grand lobby in the center of Makati, if they get a good room. Skip it if you’re sensitive to noise or damp, if you have allergies, or if you’re staying more than a night or two, because you may be the one who gets the musty room.

Tips if you go

• If your room smells, say so at once. They moved me twice without argument, and the duty manager inspected each room before I went in. Ask for one away from the main road.
• Expect lines at check-in and at the buffet.
• Use the tennis courts. Almost no hotel in Manila has them.
• Skip the Horizon Club upgrade unless you want the view; The Fort’s is the one worth paying for.
• Eat out. Lampara, Din Tai Fung and A1 Premium Shabu Shabu are all close.

Verdict: 6 out of 10

A grand hotel with good service, real amenities and the best location in Makati, heavily brought down by rooms that need a renovation and a damp smell that shouldn’t exist at a Shangri-La. Would I stay again? Not until they’ve fixed the rooms. For the same money, the Peninsula next door, or slightly more for the Grand Hyatt.

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.

Choosing between the two Shangri-Las? See Shangri-La The Fort vs. Makati Shangri-La.

FAQ

Where is Makati Shangri-La?

In the center of Makati, on Ayala Avenue at Makati Avenue, next to Greenbelt, Glorietta, Landmark and Rustan’s, and close to Salcedo Market.

Does Makati Shangri-La have a Michelin Key?

No. As of the 2026 selection, the Makati hotels with Keys are Raffles (two) and the Fairmont (one).

Is Makati Shangri-La dated?

The public areas are grand, but the rooms need a renovation. Of the three rooms I was given, the first had stained carpets and a musty smell, the second was noisy, and the third was fine.

Is the Horizon Club worth it at Makati Shangri-La?

Not really. It has a great view, but it’s dated and a little packed. The Fort’s is much nicer.

Does Makati Shangri-La have tennis courts?

Yes, which is very rare in Manila, plus a pool with a kiddie pool and a large gym.

How much does Makati Shangri-La cost?

I paid $437.61 for two nights in a Deluxe Room, about $219 a night after a small credit; about $229 a night at list, with taxes.