Solaire Resort Manila Review: A Casino First, but a Good Room for $195

The short version: Solaire is a casino first and a hotel second, and you feel it from the moment you walk in. The lobby is the casino entrance, there are more guards than usual, some with dogs, and check-in takes a while. But the room is modern and properly soundproofed, and there are 14 restaurants, a food court, a theater, a high-end mall and a pool on Manila Bay. At about $195 a night with breakfast it’s good value. The trade-off is the location: Entertainment City, next to the Mall of Asia and 40 minutes from Makati or Intramuros. Skip it if you’re here to see Manila. Go for a staycation, to gamble, or for a hotel with enough going on that you never need to leave.

I stayed at Solaire Resort Entertainment City for two nights, June 27 to 29, 2026, in a Deluxe Room with City View in the Bay Tower, booked through Klook. I’m writing it up now as part of my Manila hotel series. I paid for everything myself, and nothing was comped.

Pros

• A modern, well-soundproofed room with a comfortable bed and a nice tub
• A lot to do without leaving: 14 restaurants, a food court, a theater, a shooting range, a mall, events
• A pool on the bay with sunsets, and a jeepney snack cart in the mall for a bit of Filipino flavor
• Signs in Chinese, Japanese and Korean, if you’re visiting from there
• Good value at about $195 a night with breakfast
• Better for kids than you’d expect from a casino

Cons

• The location: far from Makati, BGC and the sights, in an area that’s mostly the Mall of Asia and other casinos
• Service is professional but not warm, and check-in is slow
• The food isn’t a reason to come
• Usually crowded, and the pool was packed on a Sunday
• The shows and the theater cost extra; this isn’t all-inclusive
• A few signs of age, like screw holes in the bathroom door

Getting there

Solaire is on Asean Avenue in Entertainment City, Parañaque, just south of the Mall of Asia and west of the airport. Several of Manila’s casino hotels are in the same area. It’s fairly modern, but the main things here are the mall and the casinos, so it isn’t the location Makati or BGC is. On a weekend, a Grab to Makati, Intramuros or Chinatown takes about 40 minutes and costs well under $10, so the sights are reachable. They’re just a lot farther.

Arriving

It’s a big building, set back against the water, with a gate and a long driveway. There’s a VIP entrance and a regular one farther in, and both lead to the same place.

What you walk into isn’t really a lobby. It’s the entrance to a large casino, and that’s the first thing you see. Registration is off to the right, and the line can take a while; it isn’t as fast as the Conrad or the other luxury hotels. There are more guards than usual, including some with dogs out front. You definitely know you’re in a casino.

The room: 7.5 out of 10

A pretty good room: modern, fairly clean, and well soundproofed, so you hear nothing from outside. The bed is comfortable, with four different pillows. There’s a bit of art, and a TV you can order everything through, though I find it simpler to just call. I slept well.

The bathroom has a nice tub and was fairly clean. You can tell parts of the hotel are starting to age: there were small holes in the bathroom door where it could have been screwed in better. Minor, but there.

I wasn’t on a smoking floor, and I never smelled smoke in the room or the hallways. In the casino you can smell a little, but it’s never bad.

The setting: 7.5 out of 10

The location isn’t as good as the Makati or BGC hotels, or even Aruga in Rockwell, and that’s the area rather than the hotel. What the hotel has going for it is how much is inside. The casino is large and lively, almost a nicer version of the Ocean Casino in Atlantic City. There’s a theater, a food court, 14 restaurants, a shooting range called Sky Range, and an entire mall. The mall is Dior, Celine and Gucci, not somewhere you’d realistically shop unless you want to spend even more. They run events: a Harry Potter Yule Ball show at The Space, concerts, and culinary classes at Finestra, a nice restaurant overlooking the water. Most of these are ticketed, even for guests. This isn’t an all-inclusive like the Atelier.

The pool is nice. It looks back at the tower, you can see the bay from the side, and sometimes there’s a good sunset. On the Sunday I went it was crowded with families and kids. In the mall there’s a jeepney that sells snacks. I didn’t try it, but it adds a bit of Filipino flavor, and I wish they did more of that; the hotel could feel more Filipino than it does.

A lot of the guests are from China, Japan and Korea, and the signs are in all three languages, a nice touch if you’re coming from there. It’s usually busy, and it can feel packed.

The food: 6.5 out of 10

I only ate at Fresh, the buffet, open 7 to 10:30 a.m. for ₱1,300 a person. It’s a mix of Japanese, Western and Filipino, with highlight-of-the-month stations and a dessert spread. I had the standard Western things, eggs and bacon, and didn’t find it memorable. The buffet is large but not too packed, and with so many other restaurants in the building, you have plenty of options anyway.

I also ordered room service once, bread and pasta. The bread was fine, a 7, good but forgettable. The pasta was a 6: a bit dry, not much flavor. I wouldn’t make the food the reason to come.

The other restaurants, which I didn’t try: Finestra (Italian steakhouse), Yakumi (Japanese), Red Lantern (Chinese), Waterside, Oasis, Kiwa (Korean), Lucky Noodles (24 hours) and The Patisserie. The food court has Pan Asian, Filipiniana, Sandok, Americano and a bakery.

Service: 7 out of 10

Professional, and they get the job done, but by Philippine standards it’s average, and of the luxury hotels here it’s one of the less memorable. It doesn’t feel as warm as the others; even the guards aren’t as friendly. Check-in could be faster. The one thing that stuck with me: we went up to the VIP gaming area and were immediately told it was VIPs only and that we couldn’t take pictures. I didn’t see a sign saying so. I understand this is a casino first, but it could be more welcoming.

What it cost

Two nights in a Deluxe Room with City View through Klook came to ₱23,559, plus ₱1,300 for the Fresh buffet, about $195 a night at today’s rates. With the room service it’s about $205.

Value: 8.5 out of 10

For about $195 a night you get a good, soundproofed room in a hotel with 14 restaurants, a pool on the bay, a theater and a mall. That’s good value. It’s also in line with the neighbors. On the booking sites, Solaire averages about $200 a night, and the City of Dreams hotels (Nüwa, Nobu, Hyatt) start around $170 to $190. Okada runs about $270, and the Conrad next to the Mall of Asia about $300. What you give up is the location, and the fact that it’s a casino.

Vs. Conrad

The Conrad Manila is a few minutes up the road, next to the Mall of Asia, and I think it’s the better hotel overall. It’s quieter, more serious and more Filipino-inspired, it feels warmer, and the service is better and calmer. Solaire is livelier and has more restaurants inside, plus the casino. But between S Maison, the MOA and the bay, there’s actually more to do around the Conrad. You usually pay more for the Conrad, about $259 a night with breakfast against about $195 here, though at times the prices are about the same.

Who it’s for

A staycation, a weekend of gambling, or anyone who doesn’t need to see the sights. It suits someone who’d rather have a hotel with enough going on to stay put, with the Mall of Asia for one of the days. Families too: the theater, the pool, the food court and the shows mean kids never have to see the casino. Skip it if you’re a tourist here to see Manila; it’s too far from everything, and the Makati and BGC hotels are better placed.

Tips if you go

• The VIP and regular entrances lead to the same place.
• Check-in takes a while; don’t arrive in a rush.
• Ask for a non-smoking floor. I never smelled smoke on mine.
• The pool is packed on weekends; go on a weekday or early.
• The shows, the theater and the classes are ticketed, even for guests.
• Lucky Noodles is open 24 hours if you get in late.
• A Grab to Makati, Intramuros or Chinatown is about 40 minutes on a weekend and under $10.

Verdict: 7.5 out of 10

A solid hotel at a good price: plenty of restaurants, a theater, the Mall of Asia next door, and a modern, clean room where I slept well. The cons are a service that isn’t memorable, which is a strange thing to say in the Philippines, where almost every hotel is warm, and food that could be better. Would I stay again? Yes, as a staycation. I’m not much of a tourist in Manila anymore; I’ve seen most of it. For someone like that, a local who wants a weekend away, or anyone after a different kind of hotel, I’d recommend it. If you’re here to see the city, skip it.

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

FAQ

Where is Solaire?

On Asean Avenue in Entertainment City, Parañaque, just south of the Mall of Asia and west of the airport. About 40 minutes by Grab to Makati on a weekend.

How much does Solaire cost?

I paid ₱23,559 for two nights in a Deluxe Room with City View through Klook, about $195 a night including one buffet breakfast. On the booking sites it averages about $200 a night, similar to the City of Dreams hotels and cheaper than Okada or the Conrad.

Is Solaire good for families?

Better than you’d think. There’s a pool, a theater, a food court, shows and the Mall of Asia nearby, and you never have to set foot in the casino. The pool is crowded on weekends.

Does Solaire smell like smoke?

A little in the casino, never badly. On a non-smoking floor I didn’t smell it in the room or hallways.

Is Solaire worth it for tourists?

Not if you’re here to see Manila; it’s far from the sights. It’s worth it for a staycation, gambling, or a hotel with a lot inside it.

Solaire or Conrad?

Solaire if you want a casino, more restaurants under one roof and a lower price. The Conrad for a quieter, warmer stay with better service and more to do nearby.

Does Solaire have a Michelin Key?

No. It’s in the Michelin Guide’s hotel selection, but without a Key. In Manila, the Keys are at the Raffles (two) and the Fairmont (one).

How many restaurants does Solaire have?

Fourteen, including Finestra, Yakumi, Red Lantern, Fresh, Waterside, Oasis, Kiwa and the 24-hour Lucky Noodles, plus a food court.