STAYCATION: Why Holiday Inn Galleria Ortigas Became My Perfect Manila Business Stay
- Charlie Greene
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
After spending almost a month in Kuala Lumpur recently, we made a short trip to Manila before heading back home to London. The weather in this part of Asia is extremely hot at this time of year, especially in their often overcrowded and ultra-busy cities. But as always with me, business comes first. Another few days in the city, it had to be.
I had several interviews to conduct in the Ortigas business district of Manila, and decided to stay at the Holiday Inn Galeria Suites, which was recommended to me by Bernhard Ilming, one of Discovering Hospitality’s directors. I believe he was at one time the GM there when it first opened, some 20-something years ago.
Ideally located along the main road and adjoining a huge Robinson’s Galeria mall, the sprawling surrounding area is full of excellent restaurants and plenty of nightlife.
The hotel itself was pretty busy, which is always a good sign. The impeccable service and quality of almost everything is what one expects from a well-managed hotel.
My Superior Deluxe Room was expansive and well stocked with SOAK brand bathroom amenities, plenty of tea, coffee, and it overlooks a swimming pool area. There’s plenty of wardrobe space and a comfortable lounger to relax on and watch the huge widescreen TV.
Their breakfast buffet is served on the fourth floor, and it really was a delight. Everything was so fresh and plentiful. There’s so much to choose from, and you have three hours to enjoy everything. Nobody is in a rush here, which is often the case in many hotel breakfast dining rooms.
The whole area is spacious and bright, which I think is important as it sets you up nicely for the day ahead. I really dislike some dining areas where you have to wind yourself between tables, not so here. There’s also plenty of friendly staff on hand if you need assistance with anything.
After my meetings, at around 4:00, I strolled back to the hotel and decided to check out the mall next door. It’s huge. The number of shops and restaurants was amazing. It’s a well-known fact that Filipinos love to shop, and this place has it all. Beauty parlours, medical clinics, supermarkets, restaurants, clothes and shoe shops, jewellers - absolutely everything you could wish for. I walked around there for more than an hour without actually buying anything: I think many Filipinos do the same, they call it ‘malling’, I’m told.
The choice of restaurants was pretty extensive, and I was starting to get a little hungry as it was approaching dinner time.
There’s a connecting walkway from the mall direct to the hotel, which is extremely convenient. So I decided to go back, get changed, and pop back later to decide upon a restaurant.
As I approached the hotel link, right on the corner before the lifts, there’s a TGI Fridays. I’m not much of a chain-type fan normally, but through the window, I could see a football match on the TV that I wanted to watch. And I know that Fridays sell cold beer. Those were good enough reasons to pop inside.
The match was great to watch, the huge beers were indeed cold, and now I was hungry.
This was the first time for many a year that I’d eaten in a Friday’s, but I really must say, their signature beef burger and fries, washed down with a last beer, really did the trick.
Plus the added benefit of the location being exactly four minutes walk to the hotel lobby - and a nice, comfortable early night in the Holiday Inn, was perfect.
Check it out yourself if you’re ever in the area.
