lsquare

I'm trying my best to optimize my plan, but I figure it would be great to check with the experts here. Currently, the plan is to fly into MNL from KUL. I think I can only dedicate two nights and three days before I have to fly back to Hong Kong. Given Manila's notoriously bad traffic, I want to stay closer to the airport for my last night. I'll be flying CX902, which departs at 19:45 local time. The plan is to eat and visit the malls near the hotels. I also want to go to Manila's Chinatown. For the first night, I'm thinking of staying at the Grand Hyatt Manila. The second night, I'm thinking of either the Manila Marriott or the Hyatt Regency Manila. I believe both hotels are relatively close to MNL. The HR is supposed to be close to the Intramuros and the Mall of Asia. Terminal 3 is about 5.3km away. I'm hoping I can take a Grab there after checking out.

I'm open to other Marriott hotels. This isn't set in stone yet. I am a Marriott Titanium and a Hyatt Globalist. I want a good breakfast and elite recognition. It's not mandatory, but a lounge with a good evening food spread would be nice!

Thank you!

eccentricfusion

The Sheraton Manila Bay is closest to Binondo and Intramuros when it comes to Marriott hotels. The hotel is fine but the area around the hotel isn't the nicest. The Grand Hyatt Manila is pretty far from Binondo and Intramuros, with lots of traffic in the area of the hotel, so take that into account.. If you are looking at spending time at MOA, I think the best hotel is the Conrad, but it is part of the Hilton portfolio.

lsquare

What about the Manila Marriott or the Hyatt Regency Manila?

MileHighColorado

The Manila Marriott is very nice with a great club lounge. I would rate it as about equal to Grand Hyatt if you have equal status. Both are better than the Hyatt Regency.

lsquare

I'm sort of being convinced to stay at the Conrad instead since it's connected to the Mall of Asia. This would make it easy for me to hang out at the lounge and the mall. However, I'm sort of worried about traffic heading to MNL on the day of departure. What would you do?

eccentricfusion

The Conrad to the airport is not a very long taxi ride and not very congested compared to coming from Makati/BGC. I would not worry about traffic from the Conrad, although I would plan for at least an hour from Makati/BGC if you choose a hotel in that area.

lsquare

So if you're me and you're spending the first day in Manila, with top-tier status, would you go with the Grand Hyatt or the Westin? Apparently, the Westin is a new build. That's very tempting!

As I have said, I'll be flying CX902, which departs at 19:45 local time. If I check out at 4 PM at the Conrad, is that plenty of time to check-in, go through security, and hang out at the CX lounge? Or I should check-out at 3 PM if I stay at the Conrad?

The Manila Marriott seems a lot closer. If I don't have a suitcase, can I even walk to T3?

eccentricfusion

I have not stayed at the Grand Hyatt, just the Hyatt CoD. I tried the Westin last month just because it was a new hotel too. Westin is nice but I think it is really more dependent on what you plan to do/where you plan to go since traffic is pretty brutal in Manila. If you are planning to do things in the BGC or Makati area, Westin is fine. To be honest, even though the Conrad is older, both the hard and soft product at the Conrad are superior to the Westin - which it should be, since they aren't in the same class of hotels. Price wise, I think the Westin was a great value for the price, considering the service and quality of the room.

Leaving the Conrad and getting to the airport shouldn't take long at all, but NAIA is a complete mess with the security lines and sometimes it takes an hour to go through, sometimes it take 20 minutes. I would err on the side of caution just because the airport is horrible.

I haven't stayed at the the Manila or Sheraton near the airport since I like the Conrad so much.

Davvidd

The Conrad is not only closer to MOA but also the restaurants and the street sort of food around the bay. Lots of live music too around there if its your kind of thing. Then the fine dining sort of thing at Conrad. Yes it is not far from the airport and easy to get there unless it is a Wednesday afternoon when the Baclaran Church and market get too busy up close on Roxas.

lsquare

Is it walkable? How would you get to MNL T3? If I use Grab, would it be easy to get a driver at around 4 PM local time? Yeah, I think you guys have convinced me to skip the Marriott Manila and the Hyatt CoD for the Conrad. I still need a little bit of time to think about it. I know I can be a bit indecisive at times. I love FT!

Davvidd

Do you mean Mall of Asia and the street bars and restaurants from the Conrad? Yes it is just across the road and you won't get bored there for sure. If it is a Wednesday just be a bit more cautious and a bit more time to get to the airport. Lots of things to do during the day and the night too.

lsquare

No, I meant the airport. I'm going to leave my suitcase in Hong Kong. I'm just hopping into Manila for a couple of days. So if traffic is somehow bad, can I walk it to MNL T3 from the Conrad? If I checkout at 3 PM, I have a little more than 4 hours until my flight departs.

eccentricfusion

Theoretically yes, but traffic is never that bad in the area that it would take more than about 45 minutes, typically under 30. Getting a Grab driver isn't ever an issue either - I've never had issues getting one around the Conrad/MOA even in rush hour. Makati, on the other hand, you can get the Grab but the Grab driver could be stuck in traffic for 20 minutes before getting to you.