I'M Hotel — Hotel in Makati

Not a 5* Hotel but somewhere between Correctional institution and disorganized Kindergarden - good reviews are achieved by bribes (see pictures), rooms are not maintained and bad smell.

Full review: after going in and out of manila for business for the past 6 years and normally staying BGC I decided to give this place a try based on a friends recommendation. However, from check-in to check-out it was a disaster, for a 2 night stay.

Starting with check-in: procedure took around 30 minutes with staff pointing out all kinds of possible fines for making stains on the bed or checking out late - creating a completely unwelcoming atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the 10+ hotels I tried in manila. Also a 12.000 pesos cash deposit was charged. Room was big, but poorly maintained with odorous smell, safe broken, and view right against another building (even i booked indulgence room) adding to the prison like atmosphere.

Next morning turned out long checkin procedure was still erroneous and staff called our room at 11:45 pointing out we need to check out by 12 to avoid penalty. I said the reservation was until the next day but staff kept insisting so i hung up. I pointed out this situation to the Manager, Paolo, later on and he handled it professionally and friendly, thanks for that, appreciated.

However, next disappointment came promptly: they had given us voucher for free desserts and upon trying to redeem it staff pointed to the fine print stating we need to leave a 5* review to get the dessert... I offered to write a review but I cannot promise 5... Staff declined... Seriously wtf, this is plain bribery for good reviews and you can assume that all the short-written 5 reviews were generated that way.

I had signed up for a fortune cookies class offered by the hotel at 5pm... At 4:40 they called me saying the class had been rescheduled, fitting into the completely unprofessional impression of the hotel.

Onsen/sauna was not well maintained with broken "spoon" for sauna water, sauna was way too hot and buttons didn't work. Even more crazy imagining they are also offering this at a high few to walk in guests.

Check-out was the next disaster: I was told to wait 5 minutes because they want to check the room (there is not even a Minibar, so What are they checking? Trying to find stains to impose fines lol?

I ordered my grab which arrived after 7 minutes and i kindly asked staff what's taking so long, they just said "for a while". I asked the security guard to please tell the driver to wait due to unexpected long checkout procedure. He didn't go out and 3 minutes later my grab drove off and cancelled. I started complaining louder and another guest next to me was also complaining about different topics, then i finally got my deposit back.

Sorry that I was the perfectly behaved guest and you were not able to charge me any fees and fines. Sorry also for not falling for your 5* bribery... And most of all sorry for your poorly run kindergarten loosing the chance to have me as a repeat guest on my monthly trips to manila.

Unless you wanna feel like in a correctional institution avoid this place and for similar budget stay in city garden grand hotel or with more budget go for Grand Hyatt BGC or...

We’re newly weds and we spent our 1st New Year’s Eve here since I was amazed by the window view as seen in the photos, facing Rockwell. The day didn’t start great as it turns out the room I booked (Exec Prestige King) is on the side where the view is Makati Ave and is blocked by the adjacent building, hence, no fireworks. I asked the front desk if they can at least just downgrade it to a room with a good view for NYE, but they said there’s nothing available. More like, it seemed they did not care. There were indeed a lot of people checking in that time and I felt that the receptionists were overwhelmed, as there’s also a guest beside me who was complaining about her room and the service. From what I can hear, it seems that Management did not handle the situation well. I felt defeated and we just checked in to our room. You would think that they would be considerate enough for a newly wed couple but no, the room assigned to us was a “connecting room” where we can hear the noisy kids in the next room (the walls are very thin). Room smelled like mold, bed sheets were a little damp, and when I complained to the at-your-service guest via WhatsApp, I only got a “We will check it” but no more follow through after that, not even mentioned during our checkout the next day. Our allergies were triggered (probably due to the molds), but we felt too exhausted to follow up with them, knowing it was a hectic time due to the holiday. We ordered room service for an intimate NYE feast, and requested for a bucket of ice to go with our soda. However, the staff who delivered our food said that the “ice bucket will be coming from Antidote (the rooftop bar)” like saying it was not her responsibility to bring it. We waited for an hour but it did not arrive so we just ate. New Year’s day came and the ice never arrived. In the morning when we went to have breakfast, and after getting our room number — the receptionist just waved her hand to the direction of the buffet and proceeded to talk to the other guests, with nobody accompanying us to our table or at the very least telling us that it’s “free seating.” The restaurant staff were also chatting with each other loudly sometimes and we had to get their attention to ask for water refills, even if it wasn’t a full house as we were there during the first hour of the buffet time. This was not the service I expected from I’M Hotel given its claim to fame back when it started. Skip this hotel for any kind of celebration you might have, otherwise, expect subpar treatment from hotel staff. Overall, it definitely not “5-star” as they are claiming it to be. Nothing special, borderline worse hotel we’ve “staycay-ed” in.

Be wary of the exaggerated good reviews here, some were written in exchange for a free dessert...

4.5 on Google? Ever wondered why this hotel has so many good reviews? Because guests are offered free food in exchange for 5-star reviews. See proof attached. I was misled by the overly positive ratings and feel truly disappointed.

This hotel is NOT a “5-star”—there is absolutely nothing that justifies the steep price. The hotels across the street offer similar amenities at a much lower price, like the City Garden Grand or even St Giles. If you’re looking for a real 5-star experience, I recommend the Grand Hyatt instead.

I made a group booking for five guests with different arrival dates, negotiating a rate of 5,500 PHP per night and room. When I arrived at 1 am, the check-in process took over an hour, and I quickly realized I had been overcharged by about a third. Despite showing my reservation confirmation, staff insisted the higher rate was correct. It took a long argument before they finally voided the incorrect charge.

Also during check-in, I was forced to sign an agreement stating that my security deposit would be held for “a MONTH or longer” after check-out. WHAT? I stay in hotels all the time, and I have never encountered a policy like this. Essentially, they demand a 30-day interest-free loan from their guests.

The next day, when my first guest arrived, the front desk claimed his room was not paid for, even though I had already paid for everything upfront. I had to personally go to reception and show proof of payment, yet they still insisted I must have “misunderstood” something and that we needed to pay more. Again, it took an hour to get things settled.

The following day, we needed one additional night for a guest. The hotel refused to honor our negotiated rate and demanded 10,000 PHP—which was even higher than the BAR rate displayed at the front desk. When we asked why, they replied, “This is our walk-in rate.” Instead, we booked a room for him next door at St Giles for just 2,000 PHP, where the quality was almost comparable.

Overall, this hotel is a big disappointment—the rooms are run-down, mine smelled like sewage, the front desk staff is rude, and they’ll try to squeeze extra money out of you at every opportunity. Check your credit card charges carefully.

The breakfast is low-quality and lacking western options. The pool area looks nice, but be prepared for mosquito bites.

Final verdict: Do NOT stay here! And if you still decide to, don’t fall for their tactics when they try to pressure you into leaving a...