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Manila Bay Hostel Reviews

Unit 402, Bel-Air Apartment, 1020 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila, Philippines

Reviews & Ratings Explained

58%Overall Rating

From 19 ratings
  • 44%Character
  • 74%Security
  • 76%Location
  • 57%Staff
  • 42%Atmosphere
  • 54%Cleanliness

The following reviews were submitted by customers who booked in the last 6 months.

The reviews and ratings in the rating box are based on all-time feedback and are the opinions of the customers who submitted them and do not express the opinions of Hostelworld.com. This way, you get an up to the minute opinion of just how good a hostel really is. Read our review guidelines »

We now classify our reviewers based on how well travelled they are.

  • Novice Nomad: 1-10 Reviews Added
  • Avid Traveller: 10-20 Reviews Added
  • Globetrotter : 20+ Reviews Added
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60%

Very very difficult to find it. On the 4th floor from a simple building. Most a room onto an appartement then a hostel. No number, entrance on the back.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 02 Apr 2013
  • Anonymous
  • France
  • Couple, 41+
  • (1 review)


83%

Difficult to find. Map is wrong.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 16 Mar 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Russia
  • Male, 25-30
  • (2 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Hi, apologies for wrong map, we didn't see the map was wrong. We're easy to find, just near the USA or American Embassy. We're in the building with the 24-hours Chowking Chinese fastfood resto on the first floor, easiest to find & prime location. Warmest welcome.

50%

No wifi; air on heat exhaust in side within aisle space -very uncomfortable.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 05 Mar 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Male, 41+
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Hi, air-conditioning cool air inside all rooms. WiFi available at Starbacks cafe & Yellow Cab Pizza downstairs. We have international cable TVs, hot & cold showers too. Great location. We're not a party place, the bedrooms are all comfortable, but the aisles not for guests to congregate or stay in. Welcome!

70%

Decent room and great location. I wish the pillow for the bed wasn't so lumpy though. Not very uncomfortable. The area around there is fairly seedy at night. But all in all worth staying for a few nights if you want a cheap room in a good location especially in Manila where it's not easy to get around.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 27 Feb 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Male, 25-30
  • (4 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Hi, yes our hostel has great location, no need to ride public transport because walking distance to nightlife, history, museums, restos, cafes, Intramuros, historic & biggest Rizal Park, across street from Manila Bay, etc. Yes, we maintain cheap or reasonable prices, true. Thank you for sharing information to other travellers & tourists, hope you come again? :) Cheers!!! greetings from owner & young Staff of Manila Bay Hostel (pls "like" us on Facebook)

63%

Good in 1. location 2. cost is low Poor in 3. apartment layout, several AC exhaust are going to the common area, technical speaking, there is no living room for backpackers to share information 4. no toilet paper for the first 2 days, I do not know who offer toilet paper on my 3rd day 5. a little bit noisy from the main street automobile

  • Novice Nomad
  • 24 Feb 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Taiwan
  • Male, 41+
  • (2 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Xiexie, gracias to our Taiwan guests. Yes, we're #1 in good location. For things like supplies, please just ask from our staff... on the olay-out of the building, this is a historic 1930s building so we just followed its architectural lay-out, apologies. We're not a party hostel, just ideal for good sleep. Guests can congregate & meet below at Chowking fastfood (24-hours open Chinese fastfood resto), or nearby Starbucks cafe or Yellow Cab Pizza to talk to our many international tourists. Have fun! Come again? Please "like" the Facebook page of Manila Bay Hostel, like our many other foreign tourists did before. Spread the good news of our affordable, safe & well-located simple hostel :)

100%

Thought this place was excellent. We first arrived and thought the taxi driver had taken us somewhere quiet to do so etchings bad but in fact he was very helpful and took us to the front door, which was guarded. We headed up the stairs and checked in quickly to our dorm. All the beds had a curtain for privacy and it was nice and cool in the room. Perfect!

  • Novice Nomad
  • 28 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • England
  • Mixed Group, 18-24
  • (2 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Wow, thank you our British tourists from England, we're happy with your 100% score! We offer not only Reasonable cheap prices, but simple nice rooms with air-conditioning & cable TVs, guarded & safe place, most of all, we have excellent prime City Downtown location. Hope you "like" our Facebook page of "Manila Bay Hostel" so we stay in touch? Thanks so very much for Coming over, cheers!!! Life is great if we keep on travelling :)

57%

Aircon is not enough. Can't sleep well.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 08 Jan 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Philippines
  • Male, 31-40
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Hi, thank you for coming over. Apologies if you didn't like air-conditioning coolness level, because that room had an earlier tourist from Russia he and his girlfriend said no need for too cool aircon. Next time, please just tell our staff the coolness level you wish, so we immediately adjust for you? Please "like" our Facebook page for "Manila Bay Hostel" so you can send us more suggestions on how to further improve our service & place? We're simple & nice hostel with prime downtown city center location at affordable prices, we still want to improve. Thank you for your complaint, because we want to continuously improve our place :)

47%

We checked in for two nights and immediately found cockroaches in the room. We had no place to leave for the first night so we sprayed down the room and dealt with it (the staff didn't offer to help). We asked to be reimbursed for the second night but the staff charged us a 20% cancellation fee despite the horrible conditions. This hostel is in a good location but huge disappointment in terms of room conditions and service.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 24 Dec 2012
  • Anonymous
  • Canada
  • Couple, 25-30
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Apologies, we have alerted our staff and we plan to replace the staff. On your reservation fee, the amount you paid through the Internet goes straight to the Hostelworld.com and therefore doesn't go to us, so it's non-refundable. On the cockroaches, the problem in that room is due to a previous guest bringing foods and eating inside their room. Since we are a clean & simple hostel, we usually discourage and request all guests NOT TO EAT inside our clean rooms. We are sorry, we apologize, but this is just our explanation and not our excuse. We apologize, no excuse for what you saw. We promise you that we shall henceforth ask our guests repeatedly not to eat inside rooms. Happy New Year! Can we make up for lapse by inviting you to cold beers and dinner next time you pass by Manila?

20%

i would like to explain why I put very poor all the time: when we arrive at manilla bay hostel the receptionist was totally in a dream: He didn't know about our reservation, our rooms were already booked. we find finally an other hotel, but it's was totally unacceptable because we paid before. I don"t know why he didn't receive the reservation and we have to moved. Maybe a mistake with the website. We will never go to this hostel Best regards, Guillaume Surrusca

  • Novice Nomad
  • 24 Dec 2012
  • Anonymous
  • France
  • Male, 18-24
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Apologies, we investigated and the staff explained to us that two other rooms in our hostel were then scheduled to be vacated by 2 European young couples, but since they enjoyed our prime location & simple facilities so much, they requested to extend. Our staff made the mistake of not refusing their request, so we became overbooked or full when you came in. Sorry, our sincere apology. The staff said he offered you---2 couples---exclusive use of our air-conditioned dorm room with your own private toilet/bath, but you declined this offer. We understand your anger and frustration. I the owner of the hostel is apologetic and sorry for lapse in our service, due to the holiday rush and too many customers/guests here. This is no excuse, just our humble explanation to say sorry. Can we make up for this unforgivable lapse in our service by my inviting both o=couples to dinner and free cold beers in your hopefully next visit here? Please "like" our Manila Bay Hostel page on Facebook, so we could communicate directly? Or you can email me the owner. Happy new year to the 4 of you, please accept our sincere apology. We really deserve your anger and your complaint. We're a safe, no-frills simple and well-located hostel but we have yet to really improve our service by our friendly and sincere staff. Best wishes!

50%

Excellent location, on a main street close to all the main attractions, unfortunately the hostel itself is dark, dingy, with indifferent staff. Room was as basic as it gets, typical moldy smell, peeling walls. Shared bathrooms/showers relatively clean. Major downside is it's extremely noisy. The bed actually vibrates from the generators and air cons in the building, the air con is very loud, as is the very busy street outside. If you value your sleep spend a few dollars more and stay elsewhere.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 20 Dec 2012
  • Anonymous
  • Canada
  • Couple
  • (8 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Thanks to our guests from Canada for citing our "Excellent location", no other hostel in Metro Manila have such a fantastic location in Downtown City Center and right smack in the entertainment & nightlife hub of Ermita/Malate. Thanks!!! Our staff are friendly, young and honest, apologies for their lack of training and seeming indifference. We've quickly fixed our air-con here, so it;'s much better now. Thanks for your comment, best regards!

27%

The place was dissuksting I won't my deposit back it was nuthink like wot you sed it wod be

  • Novice Nomad
  • 06 Dec 2012
  • Anonymous
  • England
  • Male, 41+
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
hi, Merry Christmas. Are you writing about the same place? regards. If you're writing about the same place, please kindly specify your complaint, so we apologize and can improve or make changes? Our hostel is a simple, clean & safe place, no frills and not a noisy party place. We offer the best location in downtown Manila. Our sincere best wishes

40%

convinient because cheap... that's about it there is to say...

Owner Comment (Show)
Danke, thanks to our guests from Germany. We're indeed convenient not only because of our affordable rates or prices, but please don't forget our prime downtown Manila location which is walking distance to history, art & culture and all-night entertainment/nightlife. Thanks! Merry Christmas! It's more fun to celebrate the cool Christmas season here. Regards



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