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If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know that my husband and I love to travel. It was only when I moved to Iloilo when we got married in December 2017 that I realized how difficult it is to fly to different destinations in the country and especially abroad when you don’t live in Manila.

And what of long layovers, flight delays, and cancellations? People who don’t have a place in Manila will need to find decent places to stay close to the airport.

It was actually only because of this that I appreciated “airport hotels” a.k.a. hotels that are close to the airport. The stereotype about “airport hotels” is they’re very basic and boring. Yet Savoy Hotel Manila changed the game forever—and set the standard for “airport hotels” for me and my husband.

Hotel lobby

Proximity to the airport

Savoy Hotel Manila is a stone’s throw away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3—which is literally right across—and a short cab or car ride to the other airport terminals. You can also take the free shuttle that goes from NAIA Terminals 1, 2, and 3 to the hotel and back every hour on the hour.

Also close by is Runway Manila, an enclosed, air-conditioned 220-meter pedestrian link bridge that connects NAIA Terminal 3 to Newport City.

The 12-storey hotel is located within the bustling 25-hectare, 24/7 leisure and entertainment complex of Newport City in Pasay, although it’s on the opposite end of Newport Mall, close to the highway.

There are restaurants and a convenient store at the back of the hotel, so finding meal options is never a problem. My husband and I tried to walk from Savoy Manila to Resorts World Manila and Newport Mall, but if you’re not much of a walker or it’s the middle of the day and the sun’s way too harsh, it’s a quick cab ride away, practically on the same street.

Comfortable and colorful rooms

Essential Room

Savoy Manila is huge, with 684 rooms in adequate sizes ranging from 23 to 27 square meters. From the most basic standard rooms (Essentials) to comfortable executive suites (The Runway, The Space, and The Deck), all rooms welcome travelers and staycationers alike who are looking for a respite in the middle of the bustling city. The different rooms offer good, unobstructed views of the airport’s runway and highways, the Makati and Fort Bonifacio skyline, or the hotel’s garden atrium.

Essential Room

The first thing I noticed about our Essential room when we came in: splashes of color everywhere, which I would soon discover is prevalent throughout the hotel. I loved the colorful covers with touches of my favorite color, purple. I loved the comfortable turquoise couch by the bed and work table.

Essential Room

Speaking of the bed, even if our room only had a queen-sized bed, it was so comfortable! My husband and I looked forward to sinking into it at the end of each hectic day during our stay. (We stayed for two nights: checked in on a Saturday and checked out on a Monday.) We always woke up bright and rested after a good night’s sleep; in fact, it was very difficult to leave the bed just to grab breakfast!

Toiletries with cute taglines

Another cute touch I first noticed in our room, but which was actually found all over the hotel including the F&B outlets: the cute taglines on everything, from the keycard to the sugar and cream, coffee mugs, and toiletries! My husband and I always had a good chuckle upon finding them.

Cute taglines in little details

The room—and the entire hotel, actually—is very millennial-friendly, complete with lots of Instagramable spots.

Spaces for everyone

This new “airport hotel” offers comforts that business and leisure travelers look for in a home away from home. Really, it’s more than an “airport hotel.”

Pool area with lots of spots to lounge, including a loft

Businessmen will find professional venues for meetings. Travelers who want to spend the night beside the airport terminal will find this the most comfortable option that’s more reasonably priced than others in the area. Families who want to enjoy a staycation will love the hotel’s huge pool and areas conducive for bonding. Fitness buffs can get a workout in at the fully-equipped gym.

Gym

Ladies’ locker area

Sauna

Savoy Hotel Manila also offers themed spaces called The Squares, where collaboration, leisure, and business interactions are made more fun. These co-working spaces are located on several guest floors of the hotel and are equipped with high-speed Internet connection and electricity ports, as well as books, express checkout counters, and a snack corner. Guests can access this facility round-the-clock, allowing them to find their own spaces for casual group hangouts, intimate chats and meetings, or even relax while reading a book or listening to music.

Squares

At the second floor, this particular space not only has lots of sitting areas and cozy spaces, some tables also boast of games the whole family can play! Think Scrabble, Jenga, chess, and more. Some screens play movies, too!

The Squares area has desktop computers, games, TVs playing movies, and lots of cozy sitting areas

Food and beverage options

Zabana Bar

While the hotel is surrounded by several dining options, within the hotel alone, you’ll find three F&B outlets: Savoy Café, where guests can experience buffet dining featuring Asian and Western cuisines (this is also where you can enjoy your buffet breakfast if it’s included in your stay); Zabana Bar at the lobby for cocktails and other drinks; and The Poolside for more drinks and bar chow by the pool until midnight.

The Poolside

My husband and I were only able to try Savoy Cafe because breakfast was included in our two-night stay. The buffet spread is diverse enough. My favorite has to be the carving station and their selection of salads and cheese (for some reason, they didn’t have bacon when we stayed, though). We found it’s really busy on a Sunday, but the crowds wind down on Mondays. I found it cute that they offer colorful plates for kids and had vibrantly-lighted stations.

Savoy Cafe

Cheese and cereals station of the breakfast buffet

Bread station of the breakfast buffet

Return for the comfort and the service

If I’m to summarize what I think of Savoy Manila, it would go like this: The room is comfortable, the hotel so pretty, and the service is great.

Cozy sitting areas abound in the hotel, like this hallway outside the function rooms

Our comfort began the moment we checked in and up to the moment we checked out—both of which were done so swiftly and efficiently. Their staff is eager to help and answer my questions with a smile. We were warmly accommodated during breakfast and when we were going around taking photos for this blog post (and I don’t think it’s because they knew I was staying in the hotel to write about it for my blog).

Another cozy sitting area between the gym and the pool area

We were pleased enough with our stay that we just booked another two-night stay at Savoy Manila next month, using my Club Access Card (learn more about it here). We are looking forward to having the same or even better experience the second time around.

These are just a few of the things you can look forward to the moment you step into Savoy Hotel Manila, Megaworld’s second hotel under its homegrown Savoy brand. The first Savoy Hotel opened in Boracay Newcoast, while another Savoy Hotel is expected to open in Mactan Newtown soon.

Savoy Hotel Manila is located at 101 Andrews Avenue, Newport City Complex, Pasay City. To book your stay or know more, visit thesavoyhotelmanila.com.

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