Which room have you booked initially? Were you offered choice which wing to pick?

Sounds like I should have use my cert for a New year night there :) Anyway, I have been mid-flight then.

How is the cocktail hour there btw? Do they offer local whisky brands (Kavalan or King Car)?

I arrived at about 10-10:30 p.m. from the airport, but I had already checked in ahead of time through the Marriott mobile application. I booked a king-sized deluxe room with skyline view in the Tower Wing. I was told initially at check-in there were no better rooms available. I asked then about suites (I knew Marriott.com said there were suites available) and was offered a junior suite in the old wing. As I said in another thread, it was fine but I did find the old wing to be tired. Stairways as well as walls in my room needed new paint jobs, the windows had chipped and old pealing paint, the bathroom tiles needed regrouting, and some of the furniture was scratched. It was shabby chic, like one of those old English country house hotels.

Does booking a room with 2 double beds decrease your chance of upgrade to a suite as most suites are only available in 1 king?

Some hotels might provide you with an extra bed. JW Marriott KL upgraded me to a larger King room (having booked double twins). Since they provided no rollaway, housekeeping set up the sofa as 2nd bed.

Marriott Manila is very good since the new West Wing opened end of Nov2016. Lounge Angels confirmed the hotels policy is to try and upgrade both Plats + Golds t from base room to the Deluxe Suite (there are no Junior Suites in West Wing)

Have as Gold (I am a regular here, maybe 15 stays 25nights in last 15months) nearly always had Deluxe Suite upgrade, on my multiple 1/2/3 night stays even on discounted corporate rate. I have even turned down Suite upgrade in favour of Exec onclub floor if catching 6am flight so leaving hotel for NAIA airport at 4/5am etc.

Anyone has any experience with JW Marriott Bangalore? Do they hand out suite upgrades to Platinum members?

As a Plat I got a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom suite on the top floor while on a pts booking (60k for 5 nights). Is this the suite you're referring to?

Are their prices justified in your view by the way? I rather frequently visit Philippines, but find Marriott's location to be a pain (I do not play casino) and its rates to be surprisingly high.

Got an upgrade to Governor Suite at JW Jakarta (Mega Kuningan). Suites are very good there. Service and food are not, sadly.

I initially tended to stay when transitting manila (inbound+outbound) as 1nighters based on convenience of location, starting Jan 1st 2016 when Intercontinental Manila closed. With a non Filipino foreign passport you only pay the 10% service fee of the ++ which is great for this location.

Yes the standard rates base room rates (10000-15000++ depending on how late one books and occupancy levels) are high compared to the many 5-8000php 4* hotels that abound in Manila, but not higher than the good(real) 5* competitor options, a very good Marriott lounge and regular suite upgrades justify that for me. (Plus I have excellent fixed rate corporate deal, so though small savings on booking well in advance, a big saving booking say day before when hotel almost full)

More recently I now stay here on 1-3 day Manila stays too, over previous Makati Central locations, due to great treatment, great lounge, and cheap transport (taxis , uber) though I take into account heavy Manila traffic if I need to go into Makati/Ermita 9am-6pm which I don't usually need to.

I'd be paying virtually same rate (within 1000php) for IHG HI Makati. where upgrade is just higher floor same size/furnished room (eg std -> Dlx) without lounge, or less inconvenient location Conrad Manilawhere unless upgraded to full suite rooms are shower only

Thank you for reply.
Aside from Grab, there are actually free shuttles from Marriott / Newport city to many locations around Metro Manila, but the problem is not price, but time. Traffic is frequently pretty heavy.
I don't know your corporate rates with Marriott, but on public rates HI Makati is about a half of Marriott's price, and HI / CP Ortigas even lower.

P. S. "With a non Filipino foreign passport you only pay the 10% service fee of the ++ which is great for this location."
Didn't get the point. Do locals pay more? Never heard taxes & fees may differ depending on nationality. How does it work?

o HI v Marriott prices are closer than you think as despite the searched+confirmed rates you can knock off the room tax circa 1200php part (but not service tax) at Marriott which helps as you need pay both at all hotels outside Marriotts special tax free resorts area location

Typically I see HI Makati circa 5700++ eg 22nd Nov midweek night is on IHG ADR YouRate 5879.70++ so costs in the end 7032.20php
(and my Corp rate is variable just discount off flex, so cancel upto 2days before)...
Corp Rate HI ends up only 80++php less than IHG ADR YourRate as 5794++ = 6930 and IHG Spire is just upgrade to next room cat , ie same room higher floor, no lounge access foc




o Have to give/show id or passport at Philippine Hotel checkins (the law like Italy + Thailand i think). If Filipino shows there ID/Passport then the extra tax is not removed during checkin, but removal is immediate+automatic for foreign passports

With 6am flight from mnl or 1am (QR to Doha) , I depart hotel 3am (or even 11pm) , so suite apart from bed use, is minimal, so take eroom for lounge convenience/use

Simply take club 2nd floor, so i can pop from room-lounge-room w/o waiting on one of 3x lifts to/from 2nd floor lounge, so much quicker when you want/need to rest.

p.s. If I don't get a suite upgrade and am instead offered a premium bacony golf view on non club floor, I also ask for a room on lounge floor. Although not allowed, as a regular, staff don't stop me taking 2x beers to my room to drink whilst using laptop / watch tv films. If on floor takes 2minutes v 10minutes