Manila for the Beginner

Walking around the area. Go out and explore. The shopping at Greenhill Market is a fun experience. Take a ferry over to Corregidor, and check out the WWII Museum.

Quick Tips:

Fly Northwest. Use the car service from the hotel at the airport. Don't forget you need to pay a 550 peso departure fee at the airport. Mingle with the locals. I have found them very friendly. When they help you say "Salamat Po", or Thank You, sir.

Best Way To Get Around:

Taxi! Use the Avis car service from the hotel. Do not try and drive there, they are nuts! If you are adventurous, try hopping on a Jeepney. It's the cheapest way around.

What a fantastic hotel! I have stayed here twice, each time for 2 weeks on business, and I will always stay here, with great rooms, a great location, great shopping, and the absolute best hotel staff in the world. I would recommend this hotel for tourists and business travelers. Take advantage of their car service from the airport. They have an office located outside of baggage claim, across the three lanes of traffic. It is an air-conditioned room where you can have a soda while waiting for your car. The staff speaks English and is very accommodating. There are four on-site restaurants and E's lounge, which serves the coldest San Miguel around. The rooms are large, with a comfortable bed and a large desk. The bathrooms are large, with all of the standard amenities, including a hair dryer. Two large shopping malls are across the street. For the best rates, make sure you check out their long-stay rate plan for stays over 7 days. I have paid as little as $90 per night for this five-star hotel. The only downside is the cost of services at the hotel, as the in-room Internet and laundry service were very high. The snacks in the minibar were reasonably priced. The staff provides you with two bottles of water each day and a nice fruit plate in the evening delivered to your room. Tip your maid 100 pesos per day ($2) and they will take very good care of you. I absolutely love this hotel. It is one my top-three hotels in the world.

Outstanding quality! Their food is exceptional, the service is great, and the atmosphere is very classy. I have eaten here 10 to 15 times and have never been disappointed. Their yang-zu fried rice and the hot-and-sour soup are always part of my order. There is not a bad dish on the menu.

Just across the street from the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, there are two large shopping malls. One is called the Shangri-La Plaza, and the other is the SM Mega Mall. The Shangri-La Plaza is an upscale mall, just like any you would see in the USA. The stores are more high end. The plaza is huge, six stories, with many shops and restaurants scattered throughout. There is a food court in the basement. The plaza also has a movie theater complex inside. You feel very safe. Everyone is frisked at the entrances. There is a line for males and females, and all bags are checked. The other shopping mall is called the SM Mega mall. It is more middle-class. The anchor store is the SM department store. I liken it to a Super Wal-Mart. There is a grocery side and a department store side. The prices are very reasonable. You walk through the store and out into the mall. This mall is also very large, four stories, and packed with shops, restaurants, and shoppers. They also have a food court. The security is the same here as at the other mall.