Short review: Ramada Hotel Binondo, Manila

Located in Binondo, Manila, and in the centre of the world’s oldest Chinatown, the Ramada Hotel is in a good location for exploring this part of the city. But is it worth the money? Here’s a short review

The hotel features a large reception and lobby area with direct access to the street - but it does feel quite dark thanks to low ceilings and a lack of sunlight. As with almost all hotels in the Philippines, a security guard is located at the entrance.

We stayed in a Superior Queen room - the base level option at the property. As a positive, the bed is sizeable and firm. I slept easily in this bed especially as the air conditioning worked well The design of the room feels dated in design which is made worse by some wear and tear in the room, including significant marks on the walls.

Opposite the bed is a cosily placed desk with well-padded chair that will aid extremely poor posture when working here. I would probably advise spending no more than an hour or so at a time working here. WiFi speeds were servicable at around 10mbps.

Digital cable television is available in the room on a decent-sized television, including local and international channels.

Two sets of curtains are placed at the window - the semi-opaque version for privacy and one behind to darken the room. The view from my room looked over Binondo and a church in the immediate vicinity.

A regular sized wardrobe with safe can be found near the entrance.

The bathroom is a compact and basic, but functional affair. It was clean, well maintained and the water was hot as well as having plentiful pressure - which isn’t always a given. Some basic items are provided for cleaning your body and hair - but they are not the best quality so I would purchase your own.

Privacy can be maintained by closing the metal blinds between the bedroom and bathroom.

The hotel does feature a gym - a very dated one - but having a facility like this is better than none at all. Most newer properties in the city do not feature this, so it is welcome. There are a few cardio and weights machines as well as dumbbells that can be used.

Concluding thoughts

The Ramada by Wyndham in Binondo, Manila, is never going to win awards. At almost £80/PHP 6000 per night at some times of the year, it is an overpriced, dated property that could do with significant refurbishments. However, in an area like Binondo, there is a distinct lack of serviceable properties available and this is a good option if you need to be in the area.

With the heavy traffic in this part of Manila, which is often at a standstill, it can be quite difficult to get around from this property. Unless you really need to stay in Binondo, go elsewhere in Manila.