Alcoves Apartment Hotel in Makati, Philippines

When visiting a massive and oftentimes chaotic metropolis like Manila, knowing where to stay before arriving makes a huge difference to make your trip as comfortable and stress free as possible. I usually stay with family on previous trips to the metro, but this time, I wanted a good central location where I could explore Makati area and have a convenient jump-off point for the next part of my itinerary — a road trip around the Cordillera mountains.

I ended up staying at Alcoves Apartment Hotel found across the street from Greenbelt 5 mall. What set them apart from traditional hotels is that they give the experience of enjoying your “home away from home,” while offering a personal touch to ensure guests have a great stay.

My Alcoves Experience

On arrival from the airport, my Alcoves host greeted me at the building entrance and escorted me to my room — the Alcoves 2 (studio) room at BSA Tower Makati. The first thing that caught my attention was how spacious the room was, which is a luxury in crowded Metro Manila.

Unique Features

The accommodations at Alcoves is similar to the experience of staying at Airbnb rentals. There are no hotel lobby or front desk staff but you’ll have a host who will welcome you to the room and give helpful “local’s” tips about the area. My host was just a phone call or text message or away, and they replied quickly and warmly to my concerns.

My studio room had air-conditioning, a bed that could fit two people, nice couch that could transform into an extra bed, widescreen TV, small dining table, decent bathroom with fresh towels, and a balcony. The kitchen area equipped with a stove top was stocked with cooking pans, dishes, utensils, glasses, mugs, coffee and tea, electric water heater, toaster, microwave oven, and even cleaning products. They really thought of everything! I ate all my meals outside but this place should be perfect for those who would like to cook their own food.

They also offered fast and reliable WIFI internet, which was a big plus since I needed to do some work online.

Awesome View of Makati Skyline

The view from the balcony was my favorite part of the room. Makati is the Philippines’ financial and commercial capital filled with many of the country’s best designed skyscrapers. The BSA Tower Makati stood at a quiet part of the city a block away from busy Ayala Avenue. During the day, I had a great view of buildings surrounding Ayala Triangle and northeastern Makati. The view at night was even better!

Central Location in Makati

Across a narrow street from the building entrance was Greenbelt Mall (Greenbelt 5 specifically), an upscale and beautifully designed mall with scenic landscaped gardens. It’s part of a massive complex of shopping centers that includes The Landmark, Glorietta, and SM Makati. You won’t run out of options for shopping and dining from high-end stores to budget-friendly options.

Makati is a convenient location to meet-up with people living or working in the city or other parts of the metro. The area is generally a safe place to walk around. I spent a karaoke night with friends at Jupiter Street on my first night. The traffic at the time was horrible but I was happy I stayed close-by and could take a long walk to our meeting place.

Why Stay at Alcoves Apartment Hotel?

Alcoves is an excellent choice for those looking for a place where they could feel like staying in their own private residence. You will also be within easy contact with the host, who knows the area well.

My studio room was priced at USD65 (around PHP2,800) per night, which is competitive considering its prime location in Makati and could comfortably accommodate 3 people. They charged $10 more for each additional guest.

My host took me to view the other units offered by Alcoves. The rooms are similar to suite-class accommodations in conventional hotels, especially Alcoves’ bigger units. The 4-bedroom penthouse can fit up to 12 people, perfect for large families and groups who want to stay in one unit.

The drawback is that they don’t have a 24/7 front desk, room service, or a swimming pool among other services offered by large hotels. If you don’t need those, then Alcoves is worth a good look.