Forbes Travel Guide 2018 has just announced their top-rated picks in the travel and hospitality space and 12 of them come from the Philippines.
The Forbes Travel Guide Awards is an independent, global rating system, which recognizes the crème de la crème in the industry. Each year, it rates more than 1,600 hotels, restaurants, and spas in more than 50 countries. They employ low-key inspectors that visit every property - seeking out every little stain, scanning every little spot and evaluating them meticulously based on 900 objective standards - leaving no stone left unturned.
As part of their 60th anniversary this year, they’ve expanded their coverage and the list below shows their top picks from the Philippines:
5-star
- Marco Polo Ortigas Manila
- Nüwa Manila
- Sky Tower at Solaire Resort & Casino
4-star
- Fairmont Makati
- Hyatt City of Dreams Manila
- Nobu Hotel Manila
- Nüwa Spa Manila
- The Peninsula Manila
- Raffles Makati
- Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
Recommended
- Makati Shangri-La Manila
- Pan Pacific Manila
These hotels were hand-picked without any bias or influence and Forbes Travel Guide ensures that there is data to back it up. With claims of being the most exact in the industry, it has a scoring system that uses a proprietary algorithm, measuring service at 75% and facility quality at 25%.
Let’s take a closer look at the top three hotels with 5-star ratings:
Marco Polo Ortigas Manila
Marco Polo Ortigas Manila stands 24 stories high above the Ortigas business district in the Philippines. It has rooms and suites with interiors designed by Canada’s Glyph Design Studio and an architectural concept that was designed by Mohri Architect & Associates. Aside from giving panoramic views of the city, all of its suites come with personal butlers, afternoon tea, cocktails, and breakfast for two.
The hotel is known for its four specialty dining outlets, a fully-equipped fitness centre, a spa and indoor infinity pool, spacious living areas, and outstanding Filipino service.
Frank Reichenbach, general manager, Marco Polo Ortigas said: “We are very grateful for this award. It is our second time, the first of which was just last year when it was the first time that Manila hotels made it to the list after over six decades. It is truly an honour, and a big one for the hotel, as we maintain consistency through the years, and given that we are only 3 and a half years old.”
Nüwa Manila
Officially opened in 2015, Nüwa Manila is one of the newest luxury hotels in the Philippines. It’s part of an integrated resort complex that’s situated at the iconic Manila Bay – the City of Dreams Manila.
Nüwa Manila has two towers, the Resort Tower and Tower Suites, which were conceptualized by Michael Fiebrich Design. It has a gold-laden entrance, custom wallpapers inside its 254 guestrooms, and is strategically in place to give access to the City of Dream's 380 gaming tables and 1,700 slot machines. In addition, the hotel also includes Pool Villas and Bi-level Villas, designed to maximize living space and provide exclusivity with a personalized butler service.
This is the hotel’s first time to get a 5-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide.
Sky Tower at Solaire Resort & Casino
Another second-timer on the list, the Sky Tower is the latest addition to Solaire Resort & Casino’s growing complex. It currently operates two distinctive towers, the Bay Tower and the Sky Tower with 800 rooms, suites and bayside villas.
The hotel was noted for its well-trained and courteous staff, and its array of world-class food and beverage outlets. Visitors won’t be running out of things to do in the hotel which has 15 extensive dining options, a total of 18,500 square meters of gaming facilities, a state-of-the-art lyric theatre, and an indoor shooting range.
“Having won this prestigious award for the second year in a row affirms Solaire’s commitment towards excellence, and to consistently provide top-of-the-line services to each of our guests,” said SVP resort operations Rajesh Jhingon. “We are delighted that our hard work to become one the Philippines’ premier luxury destination is coming to fruition.”
For this year’s list, Forbes Travel Guide’s incognito inspectors have checked in and out of thousands of hotels, restaurants, and spas around the globe. The figures below show the magnitude of this activity:
For a complete list of the top hotels from Forbes Travel Guide’s official website, click here.
