Not to be confused with the luxurious LVMH-owned Belmond Hotels, the Belmont is a locally-operated hotel located next to Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The 480-room hotel was developed by Megaworld Corporation, a major Filipino property developer and opened in 2015. As I had a sub-24-hour layover in Manila, I felt that it was best to just stay within the airport’s premises. After doing some research for such hotels, the Belmont Hotel was consistently named one of the most convenient hotels that also provides good value for money.

Booking Belmont Hotel Manila

For my one-night stay at the Belmont Hotel Manila, I paid a rate of IDR910,320 (~USD 58, ~GBP47). This seemed like a very affordable price for a four-star hotel located near the airport. As was the case with most hotels on this trip, I booked the Belmont via Agoda.com, which had the lowest price of any online travel agency.

Location

The Belmont Hotel Manila is located near the Newport World Resorts complex in Newport City, Manila. This area is known to be one of the city’s major gambling hubs, being home to several casinos and upmarket hotels. In view of the airport, the hotel is right across Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. In fact, when you taxi into the terminal the hotel will be visible behind the terminal.

Although a large elevated highway separates the two, the Belmont can be reached on foot by use of the Runway Manila, a covered pedestrian walkway. This air-conditioned and heavily guarded elevated walkway is attached to Terminal 3 and terminates right in front of the Belmont Hotel. As such, this makes the Belmont the most convenient of any airport hotel in the area.

Arrival and Check-in

After getting off my ANA Business Class flight from Tokyo (and Jakarta), I was completely exhausted and in need of a shower. As such, I truly appreciated the close vicinity of the hotel from Terminal 3. In fact, it took me just 18 minutes to walk from the arrival hall to me being in my room at the hotel! This included the security checks and the check-in registration, mind you! This is faster that taking a taxi to virtually any other hotel near the airport.

After a brief security check at the entrance to the lobby, I was met with a small queue for check-in. When it came to my turn, I was greeted by a very friendly reception agent, who took my passport and confirmed my reservation. As I arrived after check-in time, I was immediately issued a key after I filled in a registration form. The agent also stated that my booking was inclusive of breakfast, something that I did not realise when booking the hotel.

My Superior Queen Room

With my room key in hand, I proceeded up the lifts to Level 4, where my room was located. For a hotel that opened in 2015, I was surprised to see how old the dimly lit corridors to looked. At the very least, I appreciated that it was clean and looked well-kept.

Bedroom

At a size of just 23 sqm or 248 sqft, it is without a doubt that the Superior Queen Room is best suited for short layovers in Manila. This was exactly what I had, so I had no qualms when it came to that (especially considering the price I paid). The small room is centred on a queen-sized bed which takes up most of the space. The bed is complemented by a pair of nightstands, which thoughtfully feature universal power outlets. A flat-screen television is mounted across the bed, making it easy to watch before sleeping.

By the window side is an armchair, as well as a small desk with a mirror and telephone. Coincidentally, the small minibar and water kettle are located here, on a shelf on the wall of the desk. This desk is paired with a small padded stool, which isn’t as comfortable as a desk chair. Conveniently, however, a universal power outlet is also available on the side of this desk.

Conversely, located by the entrance foyer is a small open closet which features a portable luggage rack and a safety deposit box. Since I imagine most people staying here are on short layovers, I do appreciate that the closet is open, thus minimising the chance of leaving things behind.

Room details

I also liked that there is a small window between the bedroom and the bathroom. This allows sunlight to permeate the bathroom, which like the rest of the room, was very dimly lit. Frustratingly, however, my room directly faces an active multi-leveled parking lot, which makes it ill-advised to shower without closing the curtains. Furthermore, I did notice that the room lacked sheer shades, which might have been helpful in this scenario.

Whilst not a lot can be said about the design of the room, I found that it was kept quite clean and well-maintained. I felt that this was perhaps the most important factor, despite the poor lighting of the room. In fact, lighting must have been my only major complaint, since the dimness gave the room a rather grim vibe.

Bathroom

Located near the entrance is the very compact and basic bathroom, which features a toilet, a sink, and a shower. Given the window that looks into the room, a solid shade can be rolled down for privacy. When closed, the already dim bathroom gets even darker, which I consistently find to be the main issue with this hotel.

The shower is equipped with a small showerhead, which has mediocre water pressure. The shower is complemented by mediocre-quality Belmont-branded soap and shampoo in refillable bottles mounted to the wall. Although the shower is separated from the rest of the bathroom by a shower curtain, I did find the bathroom floor a bit wet after showers.

In a small alcove by the door is the toilet, which is completed by a handheld bidet. All in all, the bathroom is basic and no-frills, though mostly clean, which is again fine for a short stay. Despite that, there curiously is also a telephone next to the toilet, which you don’t see often nowadays.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served each morning between 06.00 and 10.00 at the Cafe Belmont next to the lobby reception. At the door, a staff member confirms your room number before seating you at a table. Since this small restaurant caters for potentially 480 rooms worth of guests, overcrowding can be an issue at breakfast. Regardless, I managed to get seated 10 minutes after queueing into the restaurant.

As you’d expect from a hotel of this style, the breakfast is served in a buffet offering, with a live kitchen for eggs and pancakes. Apart from a few stereotypical Western breakfast choices, most dishes served were Filipino fare. Whilst I appreciate the complimentary breakfast offering, the impressively large selection is expectedly just alright.

Regardless, it is nice to get a small taste of Filipino food on short layovers. Since I anticipated having breakfast at the Cathay Pacific Lounge, I didn’t really eat the food apart from trying little samples of the Filipino dishes. The following is what the food looks like, and I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Facilities

Ordinarily, the hotel has a gymnasium on the second floor and a pool on the rooftop. However, both facilities were closed during my stay. It is not clear how long these facilities have been closed, although a brief peek of the gymnasium showed that it was still in good shape.

Service

Despite my limited interactions with the hotel staff, I did get the particular impression that they were very warm and friendly. Although this is something you’d expect from a hotel in the Philippines, it is still something appreciated when you’re feeling weary and tired from travel. For one, my check-in and check-out experience was effortlessly simple and very pleasant; this is definitely an element of the stay that’s an absolute positive. I was also impressed that the reception agent asked how my stay was at check-out, and asked for comments on improvement. What a good show.

Overall

Overall, the Belmont Hotel Manila is an exceptionally convenient airport hotel in Manila. Located a stone’s throw away from Ninoy Aquino Airport Terminal 3, its location is virtually unbeatable compared to other hotels near the airport. Whilst the rooms are small and dark and the breakfast isn’t anything special, the hotel provides a comfortable enough accommodation option at the airport for a reasonable price. Although I’d probably just pay more and stay in Makati on any future Manila layovers, I’ll admit that the Belmont provides great value for its convenience.

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