Admiral Hotel Manila - MGallery Collection — Hotel in Manila

The buffet was incredible, and a couple of dishes really stood out. The marinara, tempura, and gyoza were absolute highlights. Imagine a marinara sauce that is both tangy and sweet, with a depth of flavor from tomatoes that tasted perfectly ripe. They must have let it simmer for a long time because it had this incredible, rich taste that layered really well. It had that balance of acidity and sweetness that only a well-made marinara sauce has, which made it absolutely irresistible. I went back for seconds—and honestly, I almost went back for thirds.

Then there was the tempura, which was done just right. The batter was so light and crisp that it didn't overwhelm the vegetables or the shrimp. Each bite had that perfect crunch, and it wasn’t greasy or heavy at all, which can sometimes be a problem with tempura. You could taste each vegetable in its purest form under that airy batter, from the earthiness of sweet potatoes to the fresh pop of green beans. The shrimp tempura was also super fresh, with just enough of a sea taste, contrasting beautifully with the mild and delicate coating.

The gyoza was another winner. They must have pan-fried it to absolute perfection because the bottom had this beautiful, golden crispness, while the top remained soft and steamed. The filling was rich with ground meat and finely chopped vegetables, seasoned just enough to bring out the savory flavors without being too salty. Every bite was bursting with flavor and texture. When dipped in the soy-based sauce that had a touch of vinegar, it was phenomenal—probably one of the best gyozas I’ve had in a while.

But as fantastic as the marinara, tempura, and gyoza were, the cheese selection at the buffet was underwhelming. I was really looking forward to a spread of different cheeses to balance out all the other flavors, but there wasn’t much to choose from. They only had a basic cheddar and maybe some Swiss—no Brie, Gouda, or even something as simple as. It was a letdown, especially when everything else was so well thought out and varied.

A diverse cheese selection would have complemented everything else so well. Imagine having a slice of creamy Brie alongside some fresh fruit, or a sharper cheese to go with the marinara pasta. It would have added a lot of depth to the meal and offered a nice contrast to the Asian-inspired items like tempura and gyoza. I was hoping for that moment where I could try a couple of different cheeses, but it just wasn't there.

I think the lack of cheeses may have just been a minor oversight, especially since they nailed so many other things. If they’d just added a couple more options, like a sharp blue or creamy camembert, it would have felt like a full experience. Just a small addition could have made a big difference, rounding out the meal in a way that would let diners transition from savory to something slightly creamy and rich.

Still, the marinara, tempura, and gyoza made it totally worth it. I don’t often go back for multiple servings, but I couldn’t resist. The marinara had that perfect Italian feel, and the tempura was light enough that I didn’t feel weighed down. And I can’t forget that gyoza—the way it melted in your mouth, with the crispy bottom adding just the right amount of texture.

Looking back, even though the cheeses were lacking, I’d definitely go again just for those standout items. The buffet had its little flaws, but the highlights were so good that they made up for it. There’s something exciting about finding dishes that are crafted with such skill and flavor at a buffet, and it made for a memorable dining experience. Next time, though, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a more interesting...

Don’t quite understand the great reviews here, maybe I am just unlucky? Stayed 3 nights here.

While the room design is great with solid materials and fittings, one of my rooms didn’t come with a proper study table which made working in the room quite awkward and straining. The location of the hotel is in the middle of nowhere, you can’t really walk to anywhere nearby for food and malls.

The service: For the first time in 2024, my gold status was not acknowledged by them. No upgrade (likely because hotel was full so that is fine), no free welcome drink voucher given by hand nor app, no welcome amenity. I can forgive all this.

The room: Internet did not work for me at all for the first day, online meetings kept getting dropped, TV kept buffering every few minutes and was basically unwatchable. Complained on second day at night and they sent someone to check and do troubleshooting, it was past midnight, did not fix the issue at all after the maintenance guy did his thing so I went down to request for an immediate room change because I needed to work with proper internet, and the TV in the background is just my habit, as a background white noise and momentary breaks in between.

Changed room to a higher floor after waiting for an hour for the room to be ready, this room does not have a proper study table to work on… internet connection improved, still slow but no longer intermittent, however the TV is still exactly the same but I just went on the finish my work and didn’t bother to complain anymore because I genuinely believe this is an Accor TV system issue as I have encountered many times with the TV buffering in other Accor hotels in the SEA.

Water pressure of shower head was very low for both rooms.

Breakfast: Below average spread. At 9:30am, many items already empty and not refilled. Bacon was not edible at all as they were just way way way too salty, saw same reactions from others as well. Purchased at check-in for 3 days of breakfast but I only went once as didn’t bother for the same experience again.

Late check-out: Last day before check-out, my flight was retimed so I called in the early morning to request for a late check-out maybe 2pm. I was denied and asked to checkout by 12pm, latest 12:30pm. So again Gold benefits not recognised here.

Gym: Decided to go to the gym for a workout. Nice Technogym equipment. There was a dumbbell lying around and the bench was stained with dried sweat stains. I looked for wipes or towels to clean but there weren’t any so I went to the front desk to request for towels. I finished my workout 30mins later without using the bench and still the towels didn’t come.

Will be my first and last time here at the Admiral Hotel Mgallery. Stayed close to 50 nights in Accor hotels in 2024 and this was probably the worst experience regardless of price range.

IMO, nowhere near the levels I experienced in MGallery Bangkok and HCM, those were absolutely top notch service, equipment, location, room functionality,...

As Accor Plus members, I was surprised to find my stay at Admiral to be extremely disappointing.

First and foremost, we arrived at the hotel around 6pm, having travelled from Boracay, so we were tired and extremely hungry. We decided to try the restaurant in the basement for it's convenient location. After having asked one of our party to change shoes, they did not raise any issues with what we were wearing and let us through to the basement. But when we went downstairs, we were rudely denied entry by the host, claiming "you have open shoes". My partner was confused as he could see a woman with open shoes inside, but despite this, we were told to leave. We found this to be extremely demeaning, and I was highly embarrassed on behalf of my guests who I wanted to treat to a great meal after our travels. They way the host spoke to us, made us feel "unworthy" and that they looked down on us, and I was appalled by it. I can appreciate that some restaurants have a dress code, but your website does not stipulate this, nor was there a sign at the door leading down to the basement. Furthermore, the individual upstairs 'approved' our outfits, which is why we were allowed downstairs in the first place. My partner and I stayed at The Peninsula later the same week, where my partner was asked to change into pants, which he happily did. There is a way to ask people to adhere to the dress code without being demeaning, something the workers here need to be taught.

The El Atrio Lounge is severely understaffed. We had to ring the bell for the service numerous times (we waited 10 -15 minutes between each bell ring). We also ordered breakfast here, my partner's food came 20-25 minutes before mine, so he had finished before I even had my food. The side salad also looked unappetising, something you don't expect at a 5 star hotel. When we ordered drinks at Coconut Grove, the wait time here was extremely long. After a significant wait, my partner went up to the bar, and found the cocktail sitting there, ice already melting, with the staff chatting and laughing with their colleagues!

The shower drain does not work properly, my partner had to remove the tile during his shower to let the water drain better, lest it overflow during his shower, disgusting! Also, please check your blow driers, ours did not work.

The only positive thing here is the aesthetics, but even then, there is already some deterioration, odd for a relatively new hotel.

Such a waste of my money, I wish we never booked this place, and just stayed at The Peninsula for the full week that we were staying in Manila. My whole family and I will be returning to Manila next year, and after asking me if they should booked this hotel, I advised them, that under no circumstance should they waste money...