Holiday Inn & Suites Manila Galleria by IHG

We had a fantastic stay at this Holiday Inn! The entire team was exceptionally friendly and attentive throughout our visit. A special shoutout to Ann and Arjay, who took wonderful care of us and truly went above and beyond to make our stay memorable. Thank you all for such a great experience!

Very nice hotel. Very accessible. Very good staff. Keep up the good work. Very spacious rooms

Die Lage

I had the pleasure of staying at this location and frequented the lounge for breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails. (Yes, I could not get enough!)

During my stay there were so many accommodating staff.

Cris and Ann in the Summmit Lounge were especially attentive. Cris even knew my daily breakfast request and I think that attention to detail is truly what defines great service.

I booked two rooms - type: '2 Queen Premiere Rooms' for my Mother's birthday (I chose this hotel as we booked a buffet dinner in a restaurant in Galleria and we also intended for her to hear morning mass at the Shrine as it's her 80th birthday - the hotel seemed a convenient rest and I availed the IGH Rewards promo (I also booked last year for her birthday). BUT if I had known it will be a frustrating experience this time, I would have gladly spent more in another hotel with better customer service and sincere staff who actually KNOW how to do their job and cared even a bit especially it's the management's unpreparedness and insincerity that caused all the unpleasantness of this stay.

During booking at IGH website, I filled up the Request FORM - Requesting for two adjacent rooms. I did not request for 2 connecting rooms, but adjacent rooms only. I also requested lower floors. I filled up Arrival Time: 2pm and also checked the Late checkout as I understand IGH One Rewards members can request for this.

I was there 1pm as I needed to be ahead of my family members who will be using the rooms to prepare for my mom's birthday dinner (change clothes and dress up esp. the kids, practice some songs). Of course, for my mother to have comfortable rest after travelling.

1) FRUSTRATING and STRESSFUL WAIT with no PROACTIVE FOLLOW UP to us after the check-in time - We were made to wait over an hour for the rooms to be ready! I checked in an hour before and expect for the rooms to be available (they have weeks based on my booking request and 1 more hour on the check-in day to prepare) but no one was updating us. I had to go several times to the front desk to get an update - but it was now obvious that person just did not care enough to ensure someone was 'moving' to get us to our rooms on time. He even told me that if I am willing to have two rooms separate (not just hallways but floors! - I will not have a problem and will not wait - the audacity. What part of 'family' stay could not be understood? What good is the booking request form made ahead then?

When it was 3pm (check-in time), I went to the manager on duty (Jen) to ask her about our rooms and why it's not prepared on time and same with what the front desk told me, it's because I was asking for adjacent rooms and that will take time - as if I did not put that in the Booking REQUEST FORM! I told the manager my frustrations as I have included the request in the booking and I was even early in checking in - she would have started lecturing me on how they operate but I said I really do not need to know their operation - I just want the rooms as soon as possible ready as me and my family were already waiting a long time and my mother arriving in a wheelchair could use the room to stretch her legs and rest after traveling). She went up and say she will personally oversee the housekeeping and I never saw her again that day.

My family members were already arriving, it was raining hard outside and some of them were drenched. They could have changed if even one room was available on time or even just a bit late. Past 3pm - no rooms! I was told by the front desk Paolo that the adjacent ROOMS were "NOT in GOOD CONDITION" and needed time to be ready. By this time I was too tired and frustrated to say that it was not my fault that I requested for adjacent rooms - they have soo much time to prepare!)

Then about 4pm - no rooms still! I needed to go over and over back to front desk (YOU CAN SEE THAT in CCTV, Holiday Inn Galleria!), to the point that I begged that we need to have at least 1 room ready as our dinner guests have messaged that they are already on their way to the restaurant - and we were still in that hotel lobby! We were the only ones left after all guests have been well serviced - we were the ones uneasy and looking like beggars on that lobby because our rooms were still NOT READY at this time.

All this time I was speaking to the front desk (Paolo) and I can see was trying his best to have the rooms ready with whoever was it on the other line. I did not left the front desk anymore until I was given a key for the one room (the 2nd was not ready yet) - after enduring so much STRESS, ANXIETY and FRUSTRATION.

The unpreparedness was very frustrating and the obvious fact that no one checked the booking form to have everything ready before guest check-in time. I could have let this pass but discovered other ISSUES - and these have no alibis as they had with the unprepared rooms!

2) MY MOTHER, A CDK PATIENT's Health was put to RISK - Contrary to what a hotel staff assured as when I phoned a day before check-in, there was NO OPEN KITCHEN on the 4th Floor which we can use to prepare and reheat my mother's meticulously prepared CKD meals. My mother is a Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patient (Level 5) and CKD meals otherwise it will be risky for her. We had hers prepared at home and well-packed ready for reheating anytime.

A day before check-in, I phoned the hotel to ask if we can borrow a small microwave oven to reheat her CKD meals as she can crave for a meal anytime as a side effect of her medication. They refused the request and told me I needed to upgrade to a more expensive and bigger suite to have a microwave in my room, regardless that it's a medical-driven request, not a luxury or convenience. I declined to book a bigger suite as the person told me there is an open kitchen on the 4F with microwave oven (which is okay even if we are on a much higher floor we can go down to reheat her meals).

When time came we need to feed her, my sister who had her CKD meals packed for reheating went to the 4th Floor but there's NO open kitchen - just the hotel restaurant with NOBOBODY there! It was confusing and frustrating - not to mention RISKING my mother's health and even life! I had to prepare a fresh meal for her at home and bring it to her early in the morning as she waits hungry and can't eat not just anything! This is UNACCEPTABLE.

3) CC SWIPING - on check-out, the lady on front desk was charging my credit card for each of the room even if there is a total booking amount for the total of two rooms. It was unnecessary but she already had the one room swiped with my CC and upon realizing that she will charge again for the 2nd room (I needed one simple total charging), I called her attention. I was again frustrated that at the last moment of this stay, there is still inefficiency and people did not seem to know what they are doing.
Looking concerned, the same manager on duty took over the first lady who said that it was not yet charged (despite my cc being swiped in their POS and a thermal receipt was out). The manager apologized and voided the first swipe and redid the charging for my CC as one total bill. (There were two men hotel staff on the edge of the front desk and they can hear what's going on and I caught them softly laughing at my predicament - for sure they recognize me.)

What was done for the late rooms and all the hassle that came with it? -
(Apart from the standard slice of cake and a paper cutout of happy birthday on the hotel table in one of the rooms) - a letter was given to us for the 'inconvenience' and said we can check out an hour later to compensate for the late check-in - as if that would erase the stress, anxiety, discomfort and embarrassment me and the whole family endured.
It would have been better if they said they will try to be better, get retrained, be more focused and emphatic and ensure no other guests will experience the same stress and frustration that we went through - but none.

Also, late check-out as I understand can be requested in the IGH Member booking request form so it's not really believable that they went out of their way to offer this to compensate - it just justified that the hotel management and staff are so 'disconnected' with the our bad experience!

Food was excellent! Superb food service at the Summit Lounge. Special shout to all the serving staff specially to Ms.Aya, Angela and Arjhay for a very warm and proactive food serving ❤️

Amazing stay as always. This is a great place to relax since it is next to the mall as well.

Ive been having a great experience. I am always treated well in the lounge by the team here, especially those like Ann! I feel welcome and well taken care of, love it

1/5 Stars – Extremely Disrespectful & Unprofessional Front Desk Experience

Stayed at Holiday Inn Suites Manila Galleria

I am extremely disappointed with the rude, unprofessional and disrespectful service I received from a front desk staff named Pao during my stay.

My key card stopped working properly, so I went down to the front desk three separate times to report the issue and explain clearly that the card appeared defective. Instead of offering help or checking the problem, Pao kept insisting their system showed no issues and claimed someone inside my room must have double‑locked the door to make the key fail. I explained repeatedly that my sister and I tested it ourselves—the door was not double‑locked at all, yet the light kept turning red every time we used the key. I even invited him to come check the room personally to confirm, and he only said he would send someone over.

What hurt and upset me most was: while I was standing right there, he called colleagues and told them openly that I was complaining about the key but he was certain the issue was just my room being double‑locked—treating me like I was lying or making up the problem without even verifying facts first.

When another staff member finally came with me to the room, she saw the issue with her own eyes—the key truly was defective and not working at all even when the door was unlocked. She apologized to me right away. I politely requested that Pao apologize to me personally for making me feel untrusted and insulted, but up to now he has never done so.

He also showed zero care or basic courtesy: when I asked who would assist me and how long I would have to wait at the lobby, he gave me no answer at all. Only after I asked again did he simply say he was alone and would find someone—no apology for the inconvenience, no “please wait a moment”, no polite words whatsoever.

Staff like Pao should never work in customer service or at the front desk, where respect and accountability are the most basic requirements. He needs proper training on how to listen to guests, verify issues before making assumptions, and treat people with dignity. This behavior completely ruined my impression of this hotel. I hope management takes this seriously and makes sure this does not happen to other guests.

As we go to the lounge, we always feel at home. We are always warmly greeted with great smiles by Aya, Ann and Rizza as they welcome you from the door step of the room. And then as we get inside we see coming to us either Justin, Arjhay or Chris as they quickly ask if we will get the usual drinks. That’s the thing. They remember and customize to ensure it’s effortless from the customer’s end. Even on how we want our eggs cooked during breakfast. It’s really them connecting with us so we feel at home. Good job guys! Please keep it up!

Our stay here was unsatisfactory. Room was dusty, lacks hand & face towels, there were times they didn’t replace our bath towels too. When we requested for towels it took more than 30 minutes and a couple of follow ups to front desk…
A plus is the location, gym, and their friendly security guards.

I gave a lower rating because I came to a room with no towels, and it took me three phone calls to get towels. I ended up using a tiny one to dry off. It was honestly really infuriating.

Other than that, really wonderful rooms, and the employees were incredibly kind and helpful. Clara at check in accommodated every need that I had, and Edgar from housekeeping always greeted me by name with a very enthusiastic spirit and warm smile. Please give these two people a promotion!

Excellent staff.

Holiday Inn Manila is one of our favorite places to stay whenever we visit from the US. What keeps us coming back isn’t just the comfortable accommodations—it’s the incredible people who make every stay feel like coming home.

The staff always goes above and beyond to make us feel welcome and truly special. Seeing familiar faces like Chris, Arjay, Justin, and Rizza is like catching up with family, and they consistently provide outstanding service. We also had the pleasure of meeting Ann and Aya during this visit, and they were just as warm, friendly, and attentive.

Thank you to the entire team for another wonderful stay. We already look forward to seeing all of you again on our next trip to Manila!

Location is ideal if you are attending an ADB meeting. As the hotel is located in the mall, you have options for food & shopping. Staff are very friendly & helpful.