Conrad Manila {PHL} (Philippines)
Apr 4, 2016, 12:59 am
#46
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kendal, Cumbria and Luzon
Programs: BA Silver, PR Elite, Avis Preferred Plus, PC Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 1,131
No doubt they checked
But Marriott is in the Resorts World complex with many of the rooms in those hotels probably being given free or massively discounted to gamblers.
The Conrad is neither in the Makati tourist area or the gambling enclave.
At random I looked at Friday September 16 on Agoda. Majority of decent 5*s are in the 5 to 6K pesos range. That includes Nobu in the Resorts World complex. The Fairmont is showing at 7200. Apart from The Marriott the only two real high prices are Raffles (11,884) and The Bonifacio Shangri-La (10,080).
The Marco Polo Ortigas is only 4,400. And unless there is a concert/event on at MoA I'd rate both locations as equally poor given the dreadful traffic in Manila.
Unless the prices become a lot more attractive I'll be sticking with The New World, Marco Polo and Ascott depending on where I need to be.
The Conrad is neither in the Makati tourist area or the gambling enclave.
At random I looked at Friday September 16 on Agoda. Majority of decent 5*s are in the 5 to 6K pesos range. That includes Nobu in the Resorts World complex. The Fairmont is showing at 7200. Apart from The Marriott the only two real high prices are Raffles (11,884) and The Bonifacio Shangri-La (10,080).
The Marco Polo Ortigas is only 4,400. And unless there is a concert/event on at MoA I'd rate both locations as equally poor given the dreadful traffic in Manila.
Unless the prices become a lot more attractive I'll be sticking with The New World, Marco Polo and Ascott depending on where I need to be.
Apr 4, 2016, 1:01 am
#47
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Programs: BAEC Gold [>20k Lifetime TPs] | Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond [as is Mrs PtF] | Various Others
Posts: 6,156
Prompted by your experience - and with two Conrad Manila reservations (made in December 2015), each for three nights in the first half of August 2016 - I recently e-mailed the Conrad Manila to establish the current status of my own bookings. I have received the following reply from a Conrad Manila Reservations Supervisor:
'I am pleased to inform you that your reservation with us is still active. Our target opening date will be second half of the year, rest assured we will contact you as soon as there will be any update with regards to the opening date.'
To be honest I'm far from happy with this response. Their website currently states - 'This hotel ... is presently accepting reservations for arrival September 1, 2016 and beyond'. If the property knows they will not open until after the date of my reservations then the Conrad should just come out and say so; I am not prepared to be sent to another hotel at the whim of the Conrad. I'll be replying to the Conrad's e-mail along these lines.
'I am pleased to inform you that your reservation with us is still active. Our target opening date will be second half of the year, rest assured we will contact you as soon as there will be any update with regards to the opening date.'
To be honest I'm far from happy with this response. Their website currently states - 'This hotel ... is presently accepting reservations for arrival September 1, 2016 and beyond'. If the property knows they will not open until after the date of my reservations then the Conrad should just come out and say so; I am not prepared to be sent to another hotel at the whim of the Conrad. I'll be replying to the Conrad's e-mail along these lines.
'As of now target opening date is June 1, 2016 but pre-selling date online has been moved to September 2016 because we are not expected to open full inventory by June. Please be assured we'll keep you posted should there be any changes.'
I can't allow such ongoing uncertainty to possibly screw-up the travel plans of my family. With regret I'm cancelling my August bookings.
Apr 23, 2016, 9:28 am
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,074
We booked this and stayed there in mid April. It was a very nice hotel with very good service. The Residence Club floor deal was a no brainer. Ate and drank enough to cover the cost of the room. Opted to upgrade to a suite for about $25 a night. Would surely stay there again.
May 1, 2016, 9:55 pm
#50
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: SFO, MNL, SIN, HAM
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Gold, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 488
not good news...
SM made their many with low-end shopping centers and real estate. I looked at some of their real estate developments and the construction is pretty poor.
Their first attempt at a "luxury" development and upscale hotel, Pico de Loro, is far from luxury: poor build quality (miss aligned tiles and cabinets), cheap furniture and design, poor management.
Their first attempt at a high-end mall, SM Aura Premier, is ok: nice design and built, but still managed like a budget mall, for example the a/c is turned off in the elevators most of the year, when it's "only" in the 80s outside...
I would wait a while to get this into shape befitting the Conrad brand...
May 1, 2016, 9:57 pm
#51
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: SFO, MNL, SIN, HAM
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Gold, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 488
InterConti closed...
It's Manila so maybe could be a stuffed Jeepney rather than an animal 
Sad the Conrad opening is pushed back as I would have tried a night on one of either of arriving/departing Manila nights during my usual Dec-Jan Xmas scuba trip.
Always get stuck one night as traveling to/from Luzon/Puerto Galeta and have to leave Manila by 2pm latest for last bangka to Islands or similarly stay overnight in Manila if early in day before noon return flight
With no Hilton's here usually the Intercontinental for me, but i believe that is moving too
Sad the Conrad opening is pushed back as I would have tried a night on one of either of arriving/departing Manila nights during my usual Dec-Jan Xmas scuba trip.
Always get stuck one night as traveling to/from Luzon/Puerto Galeta and have to leave Manila by 2pm latest for last bangka to Islands or similarly stay overnight in Manila if early in day before noon return flight
With no Hilton's here usually the Intercontinental for me, but i believe that is moving too
May 1, 2016, 10:00 pm
#52
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: SFO, MNL, SIN, HAM
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Gold, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 488
Hyatt City of Dreams is pretty nice..
The e-mail was from Hilton corporate and not a member of the Conrad Manila staff. It is for a two night stay and I agree it would make more sense to just book the Hyatt directly for only 4K points + ~$50 a night. The Conrad looks like it's slightly better located than the Hyatt, but I guess I will have to give it a try another time.
There is a review of the Hyatt here
May 1, 2016, 10:02 pm
#53
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: SFO, MNL, SIN, HAM
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Gold, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 488
don't plan on staying soon...
Prompted by your experience - and with two Conrad Manila reservations (made in December 2015), each for three nights in the first half of August 2016 - I recently e-mailed the Conrad Manila to establish the current status of my own bookings. I have received the following reply from a Conrad Manila Reservations Supervisor:
'I am pleased to inform you that your reservation with us is still active. Our target opening date will be second half of the year, rest assured we will contact you as soon as there will be any update with regards to the opening date.'
To be honest I'm far from happy with this response. Their website currently states - 'This hotel ... is presently accepting reservations for arrival September 1, 2016 and beyond'. If the property knows they will not open until after the date of my reservations then the Conrad should just come out and say so; I am not prepared to be sent to another hotel at the whim of the Conrad. I'll be replying to the Conrad's e-mail along these lines.
'I am pleased to inform you that your reservation with us is still active. Our target opening date will be second half of the year, rest assured we will contact you as soon as there will be any update with regards to the opening date.'
To be honest I'm far from happy with this response. Their website currently states - 'This hotel ... is presently accepting reservations for arrival September 1, 2016 and beyond'. If the property knows they will not open until after the date of my reservations then the Conrad should just come out and say so; I am not prepared to be sent to another hotel at the whim of the Conrad. I'll be replying to the Conrad's e-mail along these lines.
Jun 6, 2016, 12:10 am
#56
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kendal, Cumbria and Luzon
Programs: BA Silver, PR Elite, Avis Preferred Plus, PC Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 1,131
Jun 7, 2016, 9:29 pm
#57
Join Date: May 1999
Location: JFK, LGA, EWR
Programs: AA Platinum (Lifetime), United GS, HHonors Diamond, Shangri-la Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 549
prices for hhonors members appear to be as low as P 6750 at launch for the lowest room category. goes up slightly to P 7500 in september, which is still P 2000 or so lower than what i normally pay at the shangri-la in edsa or makati. most of my business in manila, however, is closer to edsa than pasay city, so it's difficult to justify a stay here, especially with the traffic being what it is.
still, under the right circumstances, i'd love to try the conrad, as it'll be the first hilton earning opportunity in manila. (my hotel stays in manila run anywhere from 7 to 28 days.) i'm assuming, as a diamond, i'd get a decent upgrade, at least during the first few months.
still, under the right circumstances, i'd love to try the conrad, as it'll be the first hilton earning opportunity in manila. (my hotel stays in manila run anywhere from 7 to 28 days.) i'm assuming, as a diamond, i'd get a decent upgrade, at least during the first few months.
Jun 7, 2016, 9:55 pm
#58
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
prices for hhonors members appear to be as low as P 6750 at launch for the lowest room category. goes up slightly to P 7500 in september, which is still P 2000 or so lower than what i normally pay at the shangri-la in edsa or makati. most of my business in manila, however, is closer to edsa than pasay city, so it's difficult to justify a stay here, especially with the traffic being what it is.
still, under the right circumstances, i'd love to try the conrad, as it'll be the first hilton earning opportunity in manila. (my hotel stays in manila run anywhere from 7 to 28 days.) i'm assuming, as a diamond, i'd get a decent upgrade, at least during the first few months.
still, under the right circumstances, i'd love to try the conrad, as it'll be the first hilton earning opportunity in manila. (my hotel stays in manila run anywhere from 7 to 28 days.) i'm assuming, as a diamond, i'd get a decent upgrade, at least during the first few months.
Of course as HHD one gets Lounge access anyway. I'd be have with upgrade to Exec Bayview not really wanting a City View.
May be a "soft opening" so maybe not all rooms will be furnished and available, so I will ask when I check in.
That is the 25% Hilton Asia Sale offer, pay upfront, non-cancel. Not a rate I would book a long multinight stay at, as would need to fund up front. And if company funded stay pay the CC bill before I even get to submit expenses.
I did try company rate code(s), I am entitled to use, alas nothing is loaded. I book company rates as are flex rates, usually higher than BAR but lower than flex. Even occaisionally a low fixed rate not just usual 15% off eg Bangkok hotels.
Just booked Conrad for Mon 27th June as have ex-NAIA flight 12noon on 28th. Had been using Marriott since Intercontinental shut on 1st Jan 2016, despite no Marriott status.
Last edited by scubaccr; Jun 7, 2016 at 10:03 pm
Jun 7, 2016, 10:54 pm
#59
Join Date: May 2009
Location: BSL
Programs: LX SEN, A3 Gold, BAEC Silver, HH Dia, CCarlson Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 153
Reservation week after opening date
If everythink goes well, I'm staying there week after opening date, hope to see an open hotel, with open doors and professional full service. 
At least hotel runs under an experienced GM, Harald Feurstein, coming from the Conrad BKK.^
Will report back once truly experienced that stay.
At least hotel runs under an experienced GM, Harald Feurstein, coming from the Conrad BKK.^
Will report back once truly experienced that stay.
Jun 8, 2016, 8:36 am
#60
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kendal, Cumbria and Luzon
Programs: BA Silver, PR Elite, Avis Preferred Plus, PC Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 1,131
Pricing looks sesnsiblish
prices for hhonors members appear to be as low as P 6750 at launch for the lowest room category. goes up slightly to P 7500 in september, which is still P 2000 or so lower than what i normally pay at the shangri-la in edsa or makati. most of my business in manila, however, is closer to edsa than pasay city, so it's difficult to justify a stay here, especially with the traffic being what it is.
still, under the right circumstances, i'd love to try the conrad, as it'll be the first hilton earning opportunity in manila. (my hotel stays in manila run anywhere from 7 to 28 days.) i'm assuming, as a diamond, i'd get a decent upgrade, at least during the first few months.
still, under the right circumstances, i'd love to try the conrad, as it'll be the first hilton earning opportunity in manila. (my hotel stays in manila run anywhere from 7 to 28 days.) i'm assuming, as a diamond, i'd get a decent upgrade, at least during the first few months.
Traffic around Manila is so dire we decided to base one of our start ups in Vietnam. My wife who is Pinoy just said she had enough stress travelling around Manila and going through hoops at the airport. We took nearly 8 hours with a company driver who knew every back double to get from Clark Free Trade Zone to NAIA in February.
6,750 sounds OKish - but it needs to deliver decent rooms and a seriously good lounge to compete with The New World in Makati which if bought as a member is often 5,300 at weekends for Club Floor.