Raffles Makati

Rooms and decor

Opening your door at Raffles Makati for the first time takes a second to register, because the smallest room here still starts around 65 square metres — bigger than some studio condos back home. Every room is a full suite, with a sitting zone clearly separated from the bed, a large work desk, an in-room drinks bar, and a marble bathroom with a walk-in jacuzzi tub set apart from the shower. The decor leans plush residential, like an English gentleman's home, in cream, gold, and deep brown, with thick wooden furniture that feels warm rather than the same-everywhere look of a big hotel. Many upper-floor rooms face BGC or Manila Bay, so you wake up, open the curtains, and get the full Makati skyline. What sets it apart is the butler on every room, who introduces themselves at check-in and handles unpacking, pressing shirts, booking restaurant tables, calling cars, even making tea before bed — that detail alone makes it feel less like a hotel and more like a rich friend's home.

Food and amenities

The heart of Raffles Makati is the Long Bar, the concept lifted from Raffles Singapore, where the original opened back in 1915 — classic colonial setting, rattan chairs, ceiling fans turning slowly, and best of all the original Singapore Sling served with unlimited peanuts and the tradition of tossing the shells on the floor. Any fan of classic cocktails should not miss it. The main restaurant is Mireio, serving southern French Provençal food with a bar and an outdoor terrace over the city. The breakfast buffet goes all out — a fresh meat section, made-to-order omelettes, an in-house bakery, and Filipino dishes like longganisa and tapsilog to try. Head to the rooftop for the infinity pool over the Makati skyline, which at sunset feels like a private party on top of the tower. Nearby is the Raffles spa, with a large couples treatment room and soaking tub, plus separate steam rooms and saunas for men and women, and some treatments use traditional Filipino herbs — many reviews call it the most relaxing stop of a Manila trip. The fitness center is open 24 hours with everything a gym regular needs.

Location and getting there

The location is another strong card, sitting in the middle of Makati CBD, the most upscale business and shopping district in Manila, on Esperanza Street next to the Greenbelt mall — and the clever part is a skybridge that links the hotel straight into the mall. When a storm rolls in you never head downstairs; you walk out of your room to eat or shop within minutes. Glorietta Mall is about a 5-minute walk, and MRT Ayala station (the MRT-3 line) is about an 8-minute walk, reaching Quezon City and EDSA. To cross over to the newer business district of BGC (Bonifacio Global City), now a serious foodie favorite, it is roughly a 15-20 minute drive (up to 40 minutes in traffic). From NAIA international airport the distance is only about 8 kilometres, but a warning: Manila traffic is brutal — usually 30-45 minutes, sure, but on weekday evenings it can clog up to 60-90 minutes. Use the hotel's private car and leave plenty of time if your flight is in the evening or at night.

Things to know before booking

To make the decision easy, straight talk — first, the price. Raffles Makati is clearly more expensive than other 5-star hotels in Makati like the Peninsula Manila, Shangri-La Makati, or the now-closed Mandarin Oriental. On some nights the Peninsula is half the price, but understand you pay more here for a suite of 65 sqm and up plus a private butler that the others do not offer. If you only plan to sleep one or two nights and spend all day out, you may feel it is not worth it because you never fully use the space and service. Second is the airport distance — even though it is only 8 km, Manila traffic is unpredictable, and during rush hour some reviewers have spent two hours reaching the airport and missed flights, so leave a lot of extra time. Finally, the size: at just 32 rooms the privacy is superb, but at times facilities like the main dining room are shared with Fairmont guests in the lower part of the tower, so some meals feel less exclusive than you paid for. If that bothers you, have the butler arrange in-room dining instead.

Our take

After reading hundreds of real reviews and comparing against other 5-star hotels in Makati, Raffles Makati is the pick for anyone who wants a small hotel that looks after every detail in the heart of the business district. Every room is a giant suite with a private butler who makes you feel like you've come home, the original Long Bar is a highlight no cocktail fan should miss, the spa is among the most relaxing in the city, and the direct link to Greenbelt Mall makes city life very easy. Overall it fits honeymooning couples, luxury travelers who value privacy, and CEO-level businesspeople in Makati for meetings who want a refined stay without the crowds. Families with small children or backpackers may want somewhere that gets more use out of the spend. Overall we give it 9.1/10 — expensive, but every dollar comes back as service you'll remember for the whole trip.