Originally Posted by
marais
...Is there a clean, comfortable place to stay that you could recommend in Manila? ...What beach destination would you suggest?... Any suggestion for places to stay at that perfect beach?
My companion and I returned from Manila (and Boracay) about two weeks ago. In Manila, we used small, boutique hotels this time, the Celeste in Makati (across the road from the Renaissance), and the G Hotel on Roxas Blvd in Malate. Both stays were good (and very gay-friendly) - the Celeste is a notch higher in quality, but the G is well-located within walking distance of the Malate nightlife (the usual caution about walking alone at night). Both have b'fast included (for the Celeste, only if booked direct) and free wi-fi.
There are lots of good beaches there - the Hundred Islands south of Manila; Bicol, etc, but I don't know what accomodations to recommend as I haven't been to those places in a while. Keep in mind that in the Philippines, a lot of hotels are either lux/semi-lux or just shabby, with few in the middle. Years ago, I earned my PADI scuba cert at the Coral Cove, outside Sabang in Puerto Galera; can't say for sure how the Coral Cove is today. Boracay is my favorite beach and thus far, I've managed to stay away from the tourists and the high-end resorts (the Shangri-La has come to Boracay!) in favor of the simpler beach hotels.