I love cities at night, or to be more precise looking from a rooftop over the skyline of a large city at night, with lights sparkling on high-rise buildings all around. I also love sunsets on the ocean. Put both of them together in one place and you have a sure-fire winner! The Bayleaf hotel in Intramuros, the old heart of Manila, has a wonderful view from the bar on its rooftop of the sunset over Manila Bay and the city all around! It’s a great destination for cocktails at sunset – wait, cocktails, is that a triple win?

After sightseeing in Intramuros, with sights like the Manila Cathedral, Fort Santiago and San Agustin church, you have earned a break and there is no better place to take it than the rooftop bar at the Bayleaf hotel in Intramuros. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, sitting on a narrow, busy street in this old part of town, but it all is good once you reach the rooftop bar. You have a 360 view over Manila Bay as well as the city all around you.

You have a choice of bar, tables and loungers to take a seat. The best seats are up a few more steps for the best all-around views (although they come with a minimum consumption of P700/$16). The bar has a full drink menu as well as a food menu with most of the local staples. Neither the food nor the drinks alone would inspire a return visit, but they are good enough and priced fairly when taking in the amazing views. On our first visit, the “just one drink” turned into a few fun hours on the rooftop in perfect “winter” weather!

The Bayleaf hotel is located on the edge of Intramuros and best reached by taxi or uber, approx. $5 from the airport, Makati or Fort Bonifacio. The hotel has underground parking (validated), if you come with your own car. Take the elevator to the top floor and walk up a set of stairs to the rooftop. It can get busy, so you might want to make a reservation to reserve the best seats.