There’s a travel story that says that the Philippines has so many beaches on so many islands that it would take you more then twenty yeas to spend a half a day on each of them. I’m not entirely sure if the math checks out, but considering the archipelago of the Philippines includes more than seven thousand islands — stretching along the edge of Asia between the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. But what we can say is that there are plenty of beaches that defy description with their tropical beach-y perfection, and that some of these beaches are on private island resorts, and some of then are backed by idyllic looking beach hotels and resorts, which are undoubtedly some of the best places to stay in the Philippines.

Some of our other favourite Philippines hotels are in Manila, it’s where most people enter the country, and it’s lively and colourful; a fantastically densely populated city with a very culturally independent feel, probably because, unlike anywhere else in the region, it spent 350years it was under the rule of Catholic Spain.

Manila is on one of the largest islands in the Philippines, Luzon, and we think you’ll find more of the best places to stay in the Philippines on these big islands. The Visayas region is probably the best place to stay in the Philippines for divers and snorkelers; Palawan is perfect if you want to play Robinson Crusoe, or do some sea kayaking; and Boracay is one of the best places to stay in the Philippines if you want to do some kitesurfing.

Where to Stay

The Philippines has three main regions: Luzon, which includes capital, Manila, and many of the county’s historic treasures; Visayas, which is in the middle, with Boracay and Cebu, and is arguably where you find the best beaches and some of the county’s most historic sites; and Mindanao, which is one really big island and lots of tiny ones, and a good place to be if you want to experience the indigenous culture of the Philippines.

• Manila is a long way from being the most beautiful place in the Philippines. It was called the Pearl of the Orient but many people say that the resemblance to a pearl is in the rather work-a-day exterior and fantastic interior. The traffic, haze, chaos and shanty towns are all part of the experience of Manila, but so are the fantastic museums, incredible art galleries, the kind of markets where you can buy anything, the wonderful bars and exceptional coffee, and a live music scene that bursts at the seams with vim and vigour. Manila is super cool.
• Iloilo City, on Panay Island, is a popular place to head for because of its position in the Visayas region: within a short sail of many of the most beautiful, beachiest islands, with some of the best diving and snorkelling sites. It’s also a ferry trip from Manila if you don’t mind travelling for 10 or 12 hours, but has its own international airport.
• Cebu Island and Cebu City, are another popular place for visitors wanting to explore the Visayas region, it’s the busiest seaport on the islands, and it’s where Ferdinand Magellan founded the first Spanish city, and where he died. So it’s historic and beautiful as well as well connected. But it’s also a very modern city, with modern infrastructure that means traffic is less crazy than in Manila, and more of the shopping is in modern malls. But drive for an hour and you’ll find some fantastic beaches, and rural farmland where the way of life is far more traditional.
• Boracay is only 10kms long but it occupies a lot of space in the imagination of folk thinking about visiting the Philippines. Its stunning white sandy beaches and crystal waters are comparable to the best beaches anywhere in the world. And the hotels here are certainly some of the best places to stay in the Philippines if you’re here for a beach break. The snorkelling and diving, and water sports generally are good too, and the nightlife is lively.
• Palawan is also a familiar name in Philippines travel research. This island province is where you’ll find many of the best island resorts in the Philippines, and where you’ll find some of the best dive sites, and the Tubbataha Reef National Park, and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. Obviously it’s also extremely beautiful. And a good place to be if you’ve an ecological interest.
• Banaue, in a picturesque mountain range on Luzon, is where you can see the two thousand year old rice terraces which cover the valley walls and rise about 200metres in an impressive feat of engineering. Some of them are still being used today but they’re also now a World Heritage Site. It’s not big but it’s picturesque and peaceful.
• Vigan, on the island of Ilocos Sur, is a beautiful preserved Spanish colonial city, now a World Heritage Site.
• If you’re travelling to the Philippines to dive then Batangas, Camarines Sur, Coron, Donsol and Sabang are all good places to investigate.
• And, if you’re interested in the historic cultures and culture clashes of the Philippines, you might also want to stay in Zamboanga, which is a fascinating melting pot of Asian and Latin cultures, and of the prevalent Christian and locally popular Muslim religions.
• Cagayan de Oro in Northern Mindanao is very popular with white water rafters.
• If you’re too hot the place to go to escape the heat is Tagaytay.
• And for Holy Week the place to be is Puerto Galera.

Use our guide to the best places to stay in the Philippines and start to plan your trip to this varied, fascinating country.

The Best Places to Stay in the Philippines

The Best Hotels in Manila

• The Raffles brand is old and esteemed, and Raffles Makati is a good example of what they stand for: luxury with style, the importance of a great cocktail bar and elegant, spacious rooms. Here there are just 32. Plus a French restaurant and a rooftop pool and spa.
• If you want hip and happening Discovery Primea is much more modern, a chic, 141 room design hotel by award-winning architect Kenzo Tang. There are three restaurants, a stunning infinity pool, a large spa and fitness centre and lots of the added extra facilities that come with a larger hotel.
• The Peninsula Manila is even larger, with almost five hundred rooms, and it buzzes 24hours a day with the activity of so many guests. The setting is Makati City, which is the financial hub of Manila, about 20minutes from the airport.
• If you’re planning a longer visit you might prefer the Makati Diamond Residences, which has around four hundred rooms, but there’s a huge range of room types, from simple singles to luxurious serviced apartments. There’s also a pool, spa and gym.
• The Hotel Celeste is good for romance, the best of this boutique hotel’s 25 rooms have their own hot tubs.
• For some of the best views of Manila from a hotel room try the Fairmont Makati, which is tall and has 280 rooms with floor to ceiling windows. These elegant rooms also have marble bathrooms. The Fairmont also has one of the most luxurious spas in Manila, The Willow Stream, and an impressive gym and restaurant.

The Best Beach Break Hotels

• El Nino Resorts Pangulasian Island is a luxurious beach resort on pristine, white sandy, Pangulasian Island, with 42 private villas in a traditional Filipino design — but with all the mod. cons.. There’s also a spa. And an onsite scuba centre where you can arrange to be taken to the coral reefs just off shore.

The Best Value Places to Stay

• The Luneta is one of Manila’s longest-serving hotels: it opened in 1918. There are just 27 rooms, and they’re quite spacious and decorated in an Art Deco style. The best have fantastic views of the city. There’s an international restaurant, a bar and a garden.
• The Henry Hotel is an elegantly converted mansion in Pasay, surrounded by luscious gardens. Its 32 rooms have all been carefully, independently designed and decorated, and the best have their own private balcony or terrace. The restaurant serves local cuisine with some international favourites, and there’s a pool hidden in the garden too.

Prefer an Apartment or Private Villa?

• If you’d prefer to stay in an apartment or private villa we recommend you visit our online partner, booking.com.

Travel Information

• it’s possible to fly direct to Manila Ninoy Aquino Airport from Amsterdam, and from the west coast of North America, and local Asian hubs. But from the majority of starting airports you’ll need to route via Hong Kong, Singapore or Dubai. These hubs also offer flights to Mactan Cebu International Airport and Iloilo International Airport.
• If you’re thinking about hiring a car we recommend checking what our online partners, Rentalcars have to offer.
• The high season for travel to the Philippines is November through until April, but the Philippines has a tropical, monsoonal climate, which means sometimes it just pours and pours for days and days. Much of the western coastline is wet between July and September, and there are certain times of the year when some parts of the country are excruciatingly hot and humid, or just hot, or threatened by typhoons. So more than other destinations you really need to check the weather conditions before you book anything, and have a backup plan of what you might do if the weather turns foul. The Philippines does have higher, milder climes, but they’re not offering the same topical island idyll.

Still not sure ?

• You could refine your search to just the best places to stay in Manila?
• or consider just the best places to stay in Palawan?
• or you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.