Michael Ross

Review of VELOCITY AT MARRIOTT MANILA

Top Notch Marriott especially for business & await...

Top Notch Marriott especially for business & awaiting international overnight flight to US mainland. Have (always) stayed at this hotel, several times (2012, 2014, 2015). Hotel offers half day (for a little more than a half-rate) with prior overnight stay, checkout by 6pm for those w/late 9-11pm departures. Well-appointed, modern, and upscale rooms (at the time). Bathroom, shower & tub are fantastic, everything very clean, wonderful towels & robes. Free shoe shine w/in-room services. Laundry professionally done but not inexpensive. Bed & pillows - plush but firm the way I like it. Always a good-to-great night's sleep and not sure what makes the difference here vs other hotels (maybe b/c the filtered air inside this hotel is a helluva lot cleaner than what's outside). For business, desk space & arrangement is fine for a couple days. I opt for upper-floor rooms (which costs more) for the complimentary evening hor-dourves & wine/beer service on the top-floor for Marriott members (offsets the cost in my opinion). Security practices & policies ensures personal safety & property protection throughout the hotel (use your common sense of course); rooms have a good but compact safe that will hold a laptop, tablet, small purse and documents - about what a men's briefcase holds. Did not use Spa or Pool during stays. Bar & restaurant are very pleasant, great dining, relaxing. Hotel is priced for international travelers & upper-class locals (no way the average Filipino could afford this - country needs to substantially improve political system, government, social systems, healthcare, energy, education, and eliminate idiocy, stupidity & corruption, and stop catering to narrow-minded selfish rich in this country... Star of Asia...yeah right)... ANYWAYS...compared to hotels between Makati & downtown Manila and the airport region (Pasig City), the familiar Marriott name for US travelers, quality accommodations & services makes this my Top & Only Choice in this area of Metro Manila. (Anywhere else in Metro Manila requires staying at a hotel there or you're in for a real nightmare. Thanks to absolutely stupid transportation infrastructure due to incompetent government, what should take 10-20 minutes to travel 20-30 kilometers (as in the US) consumes 2-3 hours of my lifetime attempting to go anywhere in Metro Manila. Hard to see how Uber or Lyft would help. Yes, I use Jeepneys & other public trans if I have to but can easily afford my own taxi here.)

The Marriott is connected to the large Resorts World entertainment & casino complex via an indoor mall - good to great options for adult fun & entertainment. The Casino...not at all like Vegas...likely to take your money & not give many comps in return - my take on Resorts World (let's see how they fare with their new Vegas casino eh?). And some fellow gamblers are not the kind I'd have a drink with. As with anywhere in the Philippines watch your pockets and especially keep safe your US passport - but I don't feel the need to do so while wandering inside the Marriot. (Hey...I was born here.) Great people, great food, great hospitality in the Marriot and thru-out the Philippines. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING places to visit & things to do. (The government of the Philippines - ABSOLUTE STUPIDITY SINCE THE 1970'S. Have I said enuf?)