Here’s a quick review of my accommodations during my short stay in Manila.
Day 1 (Sunday, November 26, 2017)
The Mini Suites at Eton Tower
This was the priciest accommodation I paid for in this travel as I chose to stay here because it was the closest to the Netherlands Embassy. The room was quite small but I booked a double room since my sister was staying with me for the night. The bed was really comfy and we had four COMFY pillows. Had to write that in capital letters as I remember my sister saying “these pillows are so nice because it doesn’t hurt your neck” LOL.
I loved the shower even more because there was a massage option in the shower head so that’s like a little R&R while taking a bath, how relaxing. The space was maximized well and the large mirror really helped stretch out the rooms.
The location was pretty good as there are fast food chains when you get out of the building, Starbucks and train station. I’m sure there were more establishments but I didn’t have enough time to explore on foot.
I would definitely recommend this place if you don’t mind paying higher for comfort.
Day 2 (Monday, November 27, 2017)
MNL Hostel
I chose to stay in MNL Hostel because not only was it affordable but I have stayed in their hostel in Boracay so I expected it would be the same. Well it wasn’t. It looked like a house converted into a hostel and it looked old. I don’t mind an old place as long as it’s maintained well, sad to say this one wasn’t. That’s when it comes to their toilets and shower rooms. If you know me you know how I’m petrified with bugs and roaches so when I saw one in the common area and in the toilet, imagine my horror. *grin* The pictures you see on their website is quite far from how it looks in real life now.
My bed and pillow were comfy and the aircon works fine though so that’s a plus. The wifi is only strong in the common area so if you need to get some work done, you have to get out of your bed and work there, which I’m glad I did because I was able to meet a fellow filipino who enjoys traveling too. The wifi was really stable so I was able to do some work.
Even if it wasn’t my favourite hostel, the people I met there were. One of the staff was really helpful as I needed to print A LOT of papers for my Visa Application and she was more than happy to help me. We talked about a lot of stuff and I had a great time conversing with her.
If you’re on a tight budget and not scared of roaches, I would recommend this hostel because the staff are really helpful and the beds are comfy, well at least in my room as I haven’t seen the others.
Day 3 (Tuesday, November 28, 2017)
Artina Suites Hotel
It looked okay in the pictures online but I was surprised it was a bit old when I got to the unit. It was a one bedroom like condominium so there was a receiving area, an empty kitchen, private bathroom and bedroom. The room was very dark and to be honest, I didn’t sleep very well because it reminded me of japanese horror movies LOL. Not to mention the TV was facing the bed with the reflection from the receiving area so it was like Sadako was coming out of the TV. Overthinking, I know. I liked the couch in the receiving area though because even if it was a bit run down, it was still comfy and I love the rough feel to it.
I expected kitchenwares and tools but when I asked for it, they said they don’t have one. In the pictures I saw in Agoda had kitchenwares and tools but I’m not really fussy about it. I had to eat my soup cold ‘cause there was no way to re-heat it.
The wifi is fast although I had some problems while I was watching a movie. For light to moderate use, I think the internet speed is pretty decent. However, they only give you two login details so you can only connect two devices at the same time. If you want to connect another one, you have to disconnect and forget the network before you can connect another device with the same login details.
I don’t think I would be staying in that hotel again but who knows. The staff are helpful and nice. I wasn’t able to try the foods in the cafe downstairs because I brought food before I checked in.
