Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Manila: An Honest Hotel Review

By this point in the trip we’d been in Manila for several days — we flew in from California on the way to see family and were staying at Bay Prime, a newer hotel nearby. Sofitel Philippine Plaza is on Roxas Boulevard in Pasay, Metro Manila, right on the bay. Abby wanted to check it out before it closed or rebranded — there had been rumors about the property changing hands. So on our last stretch in the city, we booked two rooms.

This is the honest version of how that went.

The Spiral Dress Code Situation

The first thing that happened when we arrived: I tried to go to the Spiral buffet for dinner and got turned away at the door. Shorts and tank tops. Everyone else in my family was fine — I just dress down when it’s hot and I’m on vacation, and in Manila in June, that means shorts.

Fair enough — it’s their house, their rules. Dress codes at hotel restaurants exist. I get it. I said “whatever” and moved on.

What I’ll put on the record: I noticed other guests in similar attire — who happened to look more Western — going in without being stopped. I’m not going to call it definitively, but I noticed it. And it left a bad first impression that colored the rest of the stay.

Just something to be aware of if you’re Filipino or if you look Filipino. Dress up for Spiral. Tank tops and shorts that work fine everywhere else may not work here — at least for some people at the door.

The Rooms

We booked two rooms. The one I was in ran about ₱10,000 per night (around $175–180 USD); the second was ₱8,000. Different floors — they couldn’t get us adjacent, though the hotel was apparently fully booked with people having the same “check it out before it closes” idea.

The room has an older feel, which is part of the character of the property. Tiles in the bathroom are classic, the glass panel between the bathroom and bedroom is a cool design choice, one king bed, a chaise lounge, a small fridge (empty — I actually prefer that over a stocked minibar). The view from the balcony overlooking Manila Bay is genuinely good.

Where it fell short: there was one working outlet in the entire room — one — and it was in an awkward spot. The other outlets either didn’t work or weren’t accessible. When you’re traveling with multiple devices, that’s a real issue. (This is exactly why I started traveling with an Anker 727 charging station — one outlet turns into eight. Note: it’s 100–120V only, so for Europe or Australia you’d need something else.) I also noticed some grime under the furniture that suggested cleaning hadn’t gone deep recently. These are maintenance problems, not cosmetic ones, and for ₱10,000 a night they stand out.

The second room had the same layout but with two twin mattresses pushed together (instead of a king) and working outlets, for what it’s worth.

The Spiral Buffet (The Next Morning)

Here’s where I have to give credit: the Spiral buffet at breakfast the next day was impressive.

The layout is theatrical. You walk down a staircase into a sprawling buffet floor with stations arranged around the room. The spread is legitimately one of the best hotel buffets I’ve seen — and I say that as someone who wasn’t exactly in a generous mood about this hotel.

Live smoked salmon station — this is where the restaurant earns its reputation

What actually ended up on my plate — no complaints here

There’s a sushi and sashimi counter, a salad bar, noodle soup station, hot Filipino and Asian dishes, and then this:

The cheese display — this is not what you expect at a buffet in the Philippines

A taho station with chocolate fountains — only in the Philippines

A taho station with chocolate fountains. Multiple. I respect that. The breakfast was the highlight of the stay, no question.

If you’re going to Spiral specifically — for breakfast or the lunch/dinner buffet — it’s worth it. Just wear something that doesn’t give the door staff a reason to turn you away.

Side Note: The EV Situation

Because I can’t help myself — and because I write about EVs and charging on my other blog, SherwinM — there’s a Solarius EVO charging station in the hotel parking area.

When I checked the connector, the pins had visible corrosion. The charger was there when we arrived (there was a Hyundai Ioniq 5 plugged in), but the condition of the equipment didn’t exactly inspire confidence. The parking lot had a Porsche 911 and a Kia Carnival Limousine with those wild first-class airplane seats inside, so the clientele is there. The EV infrastructure just needs some work.

Seascape Village: Where We Actually Ate That Night

Since I couldn’t get into Spiral that night, we ended up at Seascape Village — a casual outdoor market right next to the hotel.

There’s a wet market where you can pick your seafood and they’ll cook it for you. Clams, fish, whatever you want. There’s also a handful of outdoor restaurants with live music, cold drinks, and views of the water. We ended up at a bar with a basketball game on TV. Unlimited beer for a reasonable price.

Honestly? That first dinner turned out better than anything I could’ve gotten at the buffet. The vibe was relaxed, the food was fresh, and no one said anything about my shorts.

The Verdict

Sofitel Philippine Plaza has genuine strengths: the location and bay views are hard to beat, the Spiral buffet is legitimately world-class, and the property has a history and character that newer hotels don’t have.

But the rooms have maintenance issues that shouldn’t exist at this price point. The dress code enforcement felt inconsistent in a way that left a bad taste. And for what Bay Prime offers at a lower rate — newer rooms, more accessible location — it’s hard to justify the premium unless Spiral is specifically why you’re going.

If I were doing it again: skip the overnight stay and just book a table at Spiral for breakfast.

Next up, we head back to Laguna to close out the trip — or catch the full Philippines 2024 series from the beginning with the flight from California.

This post is based on our travel vlog. Watch the full video above for the room walkthroughs, the Seascape Village exploration, and the parking lot car spotting.