The New Mandarin Oriental Opens Soon—Here’s How to Book Your Stay

(SPOT.ph) The Mandarin Oriental Makati Manila is now accepting reservations for December. After an almost 12-year wait, a new chapter for luxury hospitality begins as the Mandarin Oriental returns to Makati—this time at its new location, above the Ayala Triangle Gardens.

Guests can now head over to the hotel website to book their stays from December 14 onwards. But just what exactly can you expect at the new Mandarin Oriental? Here's what you need to know.

"Don’t walk into this Mandarin expecting the old Mandarin," says Paloma Urquijo Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Land's Creative Director, in a discussion with members of the press. The new Mandarin Oriental is developed through a partnership between Ayala Land and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and is touted as a "contemporary expression of Filipino luxury" and “a homecoming.”

But you can’t blame the public for looking back before looking ahead. From 1976 until 2014, the original Mandarin Oriental was one of Metro Manila’s most beloved addresses—a place where deals were struck, celebrations were held, and some of the city’s grandest Chinese New Year festivities took place. It also helped pioneer luxury hospitality in the capital, including one of the city’s earliest high-end hotel spas.

Designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, the 18-story brutalist landmark was equally memorable for its distinctive fan-shaped form, which maximized views of Manila Bay’s famed sunsets.

However, all that now belongs to history. As Mandarin Oriental prepares to return to Metro Manila, the brand is making it clear that this is not a recreation of the past but the beginning of something entirely new.

“This is a new Mandarin. It has its own personality, its own identity,” says Zobel de Ayala.

When the hotel opens in December, it’ll be home to 275 guestrooms, five dining concepts, an extensive Spa and Wellness floor, and a collection of event spaces designed for celebrations, business gatherings, and cultural occasions.

True to the Mandarin Oriental way, these aren't your run-of-the-mill cookie-cutter hotel amenities; they were designed to reflect different elements of the Filipino way of life while still meeting the modern tastes and requirements of discerning hotel guests.

To do this, the team worked with Clint Nagata of BLINK Design, one of the leading interior design firms for luxury hospitality, who has worked on projects like Hong Kong’s Fullerton Ocean Park, Millennium Hilton Bangkok, and many other high-end hotels. For F&B, they’re working with BOND Design Studio’s Ryoichi Niwata to bring the dining concepts to life.

Yet despite working mostly with international designers, Zobel de Ayala proudly reveals that nearly 80% of the hotel's artwork and design is made locally, with the team making a point of bringing the designers to local artisans to collaborate and bring the vision to life. This led to the commissioning of an entire community of Inabel weavers to produce the hotel’s signature textiles, as well as the restoration and repurposing of salvaged wood from old Filipino homes. Throughout the property, warm timber finishes, indigenous textures, and materials inspired by the Philippine landscape are woven into the design. The result is a hotel that balances Mandarin Oriental’s signature sophistication with thoughtful and unmistakably Filipino touches at every turn.

There are currently 10 room types available for booking at the Mandarin Oriental website. This ranges from their 50-square-meter deluxe rooms and 72-square-meter junior suites to their top-tier two-bedroom presidential suites. There’s also their range of Club Lounge offerings, which include personalized butler service and many other membership perks.

Regardless of the room type you choose, the Mandarin Oriental promises “the very best of global luxury.” Every room features floor-to-ceiling windows, elegant marble bathrooms, and a spacious walk-in wardrobe. Guests can also enjoy premium in-room amenities, including Bluetooth speakers, HD Smart TVs, and a Nespresso coffee machine.

The old Mandarin Oriental may have started the in-hotel luxury spa trend; the new Mandarin builds on that legacy. The new hotel features an 800-square-meter Spa and Wellness floor that houses both contemporary well-being and traditional Filipino healing practices. Here, guests can experience traditional treatments alongside holistic wellness programs, yoga facilities, fitness spaces, and a 25-meter outdoor swimming pool overlooking the treetops of Ayala Triangle Gardens.

When it comes to dining, Franck Droin, General Manager of Mandarin Oriental Makati Manila, is keeping most details under wraps—for now. What he is willing to reveal is the caliber of talent behind the hotel’s culinary program. “Everyone that we’re bringing on board has experience in two- and three-Michelin-star restaurants,” he says.

As for the concepts themselves, Droin is keeping mum for now, promising only “a vibrant mix of Chinese, Filipino, and international cuisines.” Still, after some prodding, he lets slip a few details: guests can expect a Chinese restaurant, a hidden whisky bar, a pool bar overlooking the hotel’s gardens, an all-day dining restaurant, and a lobby lounge.

“We have created a place that feels deeply Filipino while offering the very best of global luxury. Every detail, from the locally crafted interiors to the dining and wellness facilities, has been designed to celebrate who we are as a people and to welcome the world to experience it,” says Zobel de Ayala proudly. 

As of writing, Droin says the hotel is in its final stretch, with construction and pre-opening preparations roughly 83% complete. While we’re all eager to see the iconic property’s second act unfold, there’s one question lingering in everyone’s mind: how much does a stay at the new Mandarin Oriental Makati Manila cost?

An overnight stay at the new Mandarin Oriental Makati Manila currently starts at P29,500, with top-tier accommodations reaching P479,000 per night, depending on the room type and season. Optional upgrades—including breakfast, wellness experiences, and Club Lounge privileges—are available for an additional fee starting at P3,000.

For more information, visit Mandarin Oriental Makati Manila's website.