Great value hotel in Manila’s Chinatown: Ramada Central

The Ramada Manila puts you in the heart of Chinatown a short ride from Manila’s old town, Intramuros, with its historic sights, making it a interesting alternative for visitors who want a more “local” feel in the neighborhood. The modern room, free breakfast and fast WiFi at a low price make it great value!

Location: The Ramada Manila Central is in the Binondo, the heart of Manila’s Chinatown, the oldest in the world! Chinatown has retained its character and offers a very different feel from the rest of the city, with narrow alleys and markets in the streets. You can reach all of Binondo on foot from the Ramada. The Manila airport is 30-60 minutes by taxi or uber. Just across the Pasig river, just 5 minutes by taxi, is Intramuros, the historical center with Fort Santiago, the Manila Cathedral and Church St. Agustine.

Service: The service at the Ramada Manila was friendly and attentive. The front desk had us checked in quickly. They were eager to assist with directions to the sights in Binondo, dining options and shopping, and even had their own map of Chinatown handy. Parking our car was a little difficult. Parking spots are very limited and the front desk had to call down to check for a spot, advice staff to let us in, all taking a bit of time.
Housekeeping had done a good job preparing our room, it was clean and all amenities stocked. The restaurant staff was just as friendly, seated us in the morning for breakfast. They were quick to restock the buffet and clear tables, keeping the restaurant looking nice throughout our visit.
The Ramada Central participates in Wyndham Rewards, but just like at other Wyndham hotels, they seemed unfamiliar with the program and no elite perks were offered. My points (including promotion bonus points) posted properly.

Room: Ramada Hotels in Europe and Asia are more upscale than what you might see in the US and it showed in our standard room: It has dark hardwood floors and dark wood furniture with the Ramada signature red accent colors on the bed throw and the art work.
Our room was compact with a queen size bed near the window and the chair with ottoman in the corner. Against the wall is a small desk with chair, next to the luggage rack and closet. A small, wall mounted TV, coffee/tea facilities and a safe in the closet completed the room features. A dog made from towels on the bed, presented with two pralinees was a nice touch.

The bathroom has a large window to the bedroom, with blinds between two glass panes to provide privacy, while protecting the blinds. The bathroom is held in beige/brown tones with large tiles. The sink-in-countertop provides plenty of space for your toiletries. The shower has full glass enclosure and features one handheld and one rainfall shower head. Good quality towels were provided, as well as a full set of basic toiletries.

Everything in the room was in good condition, clean and well maintained. The free WiFi internet is fast with an average speed of 6.9Mbps, allowing work and video streaming, and reliable throughout our stay.

Restaurant & Amenities: The hotel has a welcoming, upscale lobby with bell staff to assist with luggage and parking. The (free) underground parking only has a handful of spot provided on a first-come-first-serve basis, I’d avoid bringing a car if possible.
The Ramada Central doesn’t have a pool, but offers a small gym with older equipment for a basic cardio and weight workout. The air conditioning was turned off when I checked and the room was very warm. You might to have it turned out sometime before planning a workout – or you’ll sweat a lot more than anticipated!

Our rate included a buffet breakfast. The restaurant is bright with tiled floors and nice bistro style furniture. The hotel was busy during our visit and most tables were in use. The buffet has bread, pastries and cereal, fresh fruit and yogurt, as well as a selection of hot Filipino dishes. You can order made-to-order egg dishes as well. The selection and quality were good for this category of hotel.

Bottomline: The Ramada Manila Central is close to the old town and it’s tourist sights as well as the hustle and bustle of Chinatown, making for an interesting alternative for visitors. At a price of $61/night you get a small, but modern and well equipped room, as well as breakfast, fast internet and access to a small gym and free parking. It’s good value. If you are looking for a comfortable stay with a more “local” feel in the neighborhood, the Ramada is great value.


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