Having stayed at and featured the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa, and Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok, I know that the Erawan Group is a name to be reckoned with in the hospitality industry of Thailand, so I was pleasantly surprised when I read news that they were entering the Philippine market with their proprietary Hop Inn brand. The group just opened its first property, Hop Inn Ermita Manila, and I was so excited to try it out.
Hop Inn is a chain of quality budget hotels with four main selling points: cleanliness, convenience, comfort, and safety. Outside Manila, its properties are all in Thai provinces and smaller cities, such as Kanchanaburi, Phitsanulok, and Trang.
Their first hotel here in the Philippines is located in Ermita, Manila. It’s right in the heart of the action—few steps away is the entertainment district of Malate, and a few minutes away by car or public transport are Manila’s tourist spots like Intramuros, Chinatown, and Luneta, as well as Pasay’s convention centers. Also close by is Robinsons Place Manila, a large shopping complex host to a multitude of local and international shops and restaurants.
We arrived by Uber at the hotel, which wasn’t hard to find on Google Maps because of its central location. After arranging our stay details, we were handed our keys in no time and assigned a Seaview Room on the eighth floor. As the name suggests, the room came with a view of Manila Bay and its famous sunset.
The room was simple as far as hotel rooms go, but it was bright and absolutely spotless. It covered all the basics—a bed that I found to be comfortable, a cable TV, high-speed wi-fi, and a compact workstation. The bathroom was surprisingly spacious, and it had a satisfying power shower.
My main gripe with the room was that the faint noise from traffic below can be heard from the room—though to be fair, it was just a minor annoyance. In our subsequent stays, we booked their Standard Rooms, which were located away from the traffic. Those didn’t have a view, however.
The hotel doesn’t have a restaurant, but right beside its lobby is a 7-Eleven, which we found to be convenient. And besides, it’s not hard finding food in the area, as there are 24/7 restaurants and fast food just a few steps from the hotel.
IN A NUTSHELL: WHY STAY THERE?
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Inarguably, it’s the best budget hotel in the area.
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With rates starting at about 1,500 PHP (~30 USD), its rooms are great value-for-money.
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Rooms are bright and clean, and the bed is wonderful.
HOP INN ERMITA MANILA
M.H Del Pilar Street, Malate, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
Telephone: +63 2 528 3988
Email: reservation.ermita@hopinnhotel.com
Website: www.hopinnhotel.com/hotel/ermita-manila/
Social Media: Facebook
