From Wikitravel

The City of Makati, or simply Makati, is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the greater metropolitan area of Manila, the national capital of the Philippines. It is the major financial, commercial and economical hub in the Philippines, often referred to as the financial capital of the Philippines since many global companies have their offices and headquarters in the city. Makati is also home to the influential Makati Business Club and the Philippine Stock Exchange. Ayala Avenue, running through the heart of the Central Business District is often called the Wall Street of the Philippines.

Makati is noted for its highly cosmopolitan culture, also being a major cultural and entertainment hub in Metro Manila. Many expatriates live and work in the city. Makati is also home to many first-class shopping malls such as Ayala Center and Rockwell Center. The city also has many of the country's five-star hotels like The Peninsula Manila, the Mandarin Oriental, the Shangri-la Hotel Makati, Renaissance Hotel, |Intercontinental Hotel Manila, and Dusit Hotel Nikkō. Independent business travelers also benefit from budget hotels like the Saint Illian's Inn, El Cielito Inn, The Copa Businessman's Hotel, The City Garden Suites and Makati Crown Regency Hotel, while serviced apartments like The Salcedo Suites, Fraser Place Manila, The Sunette Tower, and The Oxford Suites are gaining in popularity among business-minded travelers as well.

Makati came from the Tagalog word kati, which means tide. This primarily refers to the rise and ebb of the tide of the Pasig River on the city's northern border. The city was also known as San Pedro Macati during the Spanish era.

Today the city is one of the most modern cities in the country and the Philippines' major global economic competitior in Southeast Asia. However, it faces challenges due to the disparate gap between the new city in the west, which contains the Central Business District, and the old city in the east, which is largely poor and where most of the city's slums are located.

[edit] Understand

[edit] Cost of Living

Makati City's cost of living is significantly higher when compared to neighboring Filipino cities, owing primarily to its skyrocketing real estate value and relatively upscale commercial and residential selections. However, compared to other major cities of the world, Makati City offers service, accommodations, and value that are dirt-cheap. Furthermore, bargains comparable to other Philippine cities may be found in certain areas in Makati - Makati Cinema Square and Guadalupe Mall, for instance - that even for the most jaded backpacker will make a stay in Makati more than economical.

[edit] History

Originally founded in 1670 as a visita of Sta. Ana de Sapa under the jurisdiction of the Franciscans, Makati City was first dismissed as "worthless" swamp land by the Spanish conquistador Juan Miguel de Legazpi in 1571.

Yet over the centuries, this small community would leave large imprints in social, economic and cultural history. The friars established two of the earliest churches in the Philippines - the Nuestra Señora de Gracia in Guadalupe and the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul - in Makati, drawing pilgrims from all over the country.

At the turn of the century, the Americans established Fort McKinley in Makati, and in 1901, San Pedro de Makati, with a population of 2,500, was incorporated into the province of Rizal. On February 28, 1914, the Philippine Legislature passed Act 2390, shortening the name San Pedro Makati to Makati in the 1930s, the first airport, Nielson Airport, opened in what is now the Ayala Triangle. The first centrally planned community was established in the 1950s, and since the 1970s, Makati has been the undisputed financial and commercial capital, the once worthless swampland becoming prime real property.

Makati has also figured prominently in the political history of the Filipino. The community was one of the cradles of the revolt against Spanish colonial rule, and following the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983, the epicenter of the protest movement against the dictatorial rule of Ferdinand Marcos. On January 2, 1995, the Makati became an independent city by virtue of Republic Act 7854.

For more information, see the Makati City Portal History section.

[edit] Talk

The main language choice for communication in this affluent Philippine city is English, making the stays here of international travelers and businessmen a relatively enjoyable experience. A knowledge of Filipino, the local language, which is, in turn, a hodgepodge of various indigenous dialects, mostly from the Tagalog regions of the country, can benefit any traveler here.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By train

The Metro Rail Transit (MRT) elevated train has four stations on Edsa. These are the Guadalupe, Buendia, Ayala and Magallanes stations. Getting off at the Ayala station will set you in the middle of the Ayala Centre - a complex of shopping malls and restaurants.

This is a quick and inexpensive way to get into the city. The cost of an MRT ticket ranges from 11 to 14 pesos. love

[edit] By car

Two of Metro Manila's main arteries pass through Makati. The Epifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA) pass along the southeast part of Makati and connects the city with Mandaluyong City and Pasay City. The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) runs through the western part of Makati and connects the city with Manila to the north and with southern Metro Manila. The Skyway, an elevated highway built on top of SLEX, provides residents coming from southern Metro Manila a fast way to reach Makati. SLEX and EDSA intersect at the Magallanes Interchange, which is the most complex system of elevated roadways in Metro Manila.

Other major roads in Makati include Buendia Avenue, also called Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, which connects EDSA and SLEX in the north; Ayala Avenue, an important street that runs through the Central Business District; and Makati Avenue, which connects Ayala Avenue with Buendia Avenue, also extending north to cross the Pasig River to Mandaluyong City. At the center of Makati is the Ayala Triangle, a park built on the former Nielsen Air Base.

[edit] By bus

Buses plying the Epifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA) route from Baclaran in Paranaque to Quezon City and Caloocan City pass through the Central Business District daily.

[edit] Get around

One can easily walk around the business district by way of the sidewalks or the new pedestrian underpasses. Driving around the city is also possible. Some areas in the central business district are connected with overpasses where pedestrians can walk above the streets.

[edit][add listing] See

The Sta. Ana Racetrack, which actually part of the City of Manila, beside Pasig River in the northern part of the city, is one of the two centers of horseracing in the country. The other is in the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite. Along the south-eastern border of Makati beyond Forbes Park is the Manila Golf Club and the Manila Polo Club. The Manila Golf Club features an 18-hole golf course amidst the lush greenery of the city. The Manila Polo Club counts among its polo enthusiasts some of the country's wealthiest people. The Makati Sports Club in Salcedo Village is another popular place for sports people. The Makati Coliseum is another famous sports landmark in the city, where some of the biggest sports gatherings are held.

The Ayala Center also features aside from its shopping malls the Ayala Museum. This museum is most noted for its series of dioramas depicting major events in Philippine history, from the Battle of Mactan, to the EDSA Revolution.

Makati has many Spanish-era churches, such as the Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Nuestra Señora de Gracia (Our Lady of Grace) in the old town. At the Greenbelt Park stands the modern-style domed chapel of the Sto. Niño de la Paz. Between Forbes Park and Dasmariñas Village is the Santuario de San Antonio, a popular church for weddings in the Makati area. The National Shrine of the Sacred Heart is located in San Antonio Village. At the northern part of the city is the 25-hectare Manila South Cemetery. Every All Saints Day, thousands of people flock to the cemetery to pay their respects to their deceased loved ones.

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Learn

Makati City is home to the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). AIM, located along Paseo de Roxas across Greenbelt began as a collaborative project of the Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University-Manila. The Ateneo Professional Schools, a unit of the Ateneo de Manila University has facilities in Rockwell Center and Salcedo Village. The Rockwell campus houses the Ateneo School of Law the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, and the Ateneo School of Government. The Salcedo campus houses the Ateneo Information Technology Institute. De La Salle University's Professional Schools also operates in RCBC Tower along Ayala Avenue.

Other notable colleges and Universities in Makati are the Centro Escolar University which has two main campuses ( Gil Puyat & Salcedo Village ), Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries (ASCM) [1], Assumption College, Colegio San Agustin, Asia Pacific College, the University of Makati. Assumption College, in San Lorenzo Village, is an all-female college. The University of Makati (officially, Pamantasan ng Makati) is a university run by the city government. Also in the city are the Makati Science High School and Benigno Ninoy Aquino High School, both city-run high schools. Makati is also home to RTRMS-Medical Center, a nursing school.

[edit] Work

The Central Business District (CBD) is where most of Makati's financial resources is concentrated. This is an informal district bounded by Gil Puyat Avenue (formerly Buendia), Makati Avenue, Ayala Avenue, Arnaiz Road (formerly Pasay Road), and Chino Roces (formerly Pasong Tamo). It mainly encompasses Legaspi Village, Salcedo Village, and parts of Bel-Air. Much of the area is owned by Ayala Land, Inc and administered through Makati Development Corporation, its subsidiary.

Many skyscrapers rise in this area. PBCom Tower along Ayala Avenue is the country's tallest building and reaches up 265 meters. It is the headquarters of the Philippine Bank of Communications, or PBCom.

One of the trading floors of the Philippine Stock Exchange is housed in Ayala Tower One and at the old Makati Stock Exchange Building, both also along Ayala Avenue. The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), the country's oldest bank, has its headquarters at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas.

Other companies that have their offices and country/regional headquarters within Makati City, most within the CBD, include IBM, Procter & Gamble, Citibank, Ayala Corporation, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Metrobank, Intel Philippines, Nestlé, Syngenta, Shell, Convergys Corporation, PeopleSupport, Pan Pacific Computer Center, Inc. (PPCC) and JG Summit.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Ayala Center, along EDSA and Ayala Avenue is the most known commercial center in the city. Developed by the Ayala Corporation, it contains two shopping malls, Glorietta and Greenbelt, five hotels, and an office building. The larger of the two shopping malls is Glorietta, which itself is a cluster of malls. Rising from Glorietta 4 is the Ascott Makati (formerly Oakwood), a luxurious hotel-apartment residence at the heart of the center. Along the periphery of Glorietta are three department stores: SM Department Store Makati, Rustan's, and the Landmark. Across Makati Avenue from Glorietta is Greenbelt. This is one of the most sophisticated, modern, and expensive malls in the country. Greenbelt features dozens of coffee stores and restaurants, all overlooking a well-landscaped green park at the center where a domed Catholic chapel dominates the skyline. Other hotels in the vicinity of Ayala Center are the Makati Shangri-la Hotel, the Manila Peninsula, the Dusit Hotel Nikkō, Manila Garden, the Hotel Intercontinental Manila, and the New World Renaissance Hotel, the Carabao Hotel

Rockwell Center is the other first-class shopping center in Makati. Rockwell features the large Power Plant Mall popular with expatriates. At the periphery of the center are many high-class residential condominium towers, the Asian Eye Institute, and the Ateneo Professional Schools main campus, which houses the Ateneo School of Law, the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, and the Ateneo School of Government.

Other shopping centers. The Cash and Carry Supermarket in the west along South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) features many products at low prices. Makati Cinema Square, along Pasong Tamo Road, used to be a popular shopping mall with the residents, but is now mainly a centre for pirated DVDs and CDs. Adjacent to the Makati Cinema Square is the big and modern Waltermart Mall. The Guadalupe Commercial Center, along EDSA and Pasig River is a middle-class shopping center frequented by residents from the poorer areas of Makati. PureGold is another independent Supermarket located at the end of J.P. Rizal Street, Barangay Singkamas. Shopwise, another popular Supermarket Chain in the Philippines, is situated at Pasong Tamo corner Vito Cruz.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Budget

• Inengs BBQ, Ayala Central Bus Terminal at Makati Avenue beside The Landmark. This establishment is all about pork barbecue. Their skewers have much more meat than other barbecue outlets and are a better value, tastes better too! You can find one at the

[edit] Mid-range

• Cibo, Italian restaurant with several branches, most notable at Shangri-la Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong and Glorietta 4. Their pasta dishes as well as panini sandwiches are great. Don't miss the very refreshing fresh red grape shake.
• Hossein's Persian Kebab 7857 LKV Building, Makati Avenue, ☎ +632-890-59-28 or +632-890-61-37 (fax: +632-890-58-03) Located right along Makati Avenue and opposite of Burgos Street, the restaurant was founded in 1985. Serves authentic Indian, Arabian and Persian cuisine. Halal certified.
• Sentro 1771, Greenbelt 3 2nd Level, Ayala Center, +632-757-3940 to 41. Casual dining restaurant serving Filipino cuisine. Popular dishes include the tomato and kesong puti (native white cheese) salad, sizzling tofu and corned beef sinigang (corned beef in tamarind broth). Dessert to die for is their coffee pie.
• Via Mare, Greenbelt 1 1st Level, Ayala Center, +632-893-2306. For the best oysters in Manila.

[edit] Splurge

• Shang Palace, Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Ayala cor. Makati Ave., +632-840-0884, [1]. Chinese/Cantonese cuisine. Excellent Dim Sum.

[edit][add listing] Drink

The epicenter of Manila's famous nightlife is Greenbelt where some of the city's best restaurants, cafes, bars and karaoke joints cluster around a park in the middle of the main business district.

• Tavern on the Square [2], Level 2 Greenbelt 3, Makati, Tel +632-757-4484 Fax +632-757-4485. Music bar right in the heart of Greenbelt in Makati. Excellent ambience, great location and hip crowd. Good music too! Popular bands perform nightly.

• iO Family KTV, 136 Jupiter St., Makati, Tel +632-8895-5938. KTV (Karaoke TV) bar where you can sing to your heart's content in private rooms while having the usual drinks and eats. Best enjoyed with a group of friends.

• Sala, 610 J. Nakpil Malate Tel. +632-524-6770. Small and quaint restaurant owned by chef Colin MacKay. Average main course 900 Peso. Western food. Next to Malati Circle.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

• El Cielito Inn, 804 Arnaiz Avenue (formerly Pasay Road), Makati City, Metro Manila, ☎ +632-815-8951 (fax: +632-817-9610), [3]. Located in Manila's financial district of Makati City, El Cielito’s generous standard, deluxe, and superior rooms guarantee a cozy stay. Very close to the first-class Ayala Malls, this hotel is renowned for its budget rooms at bargain-basement prices. Best rates on official website start at US$33.  edit

• Saint Illian's Inn, 7461 Santillan Street, Pio del Pilar, Makati City 1230, ☎ +(632)893-0754 (fax: +(632)812-1998), [4]. Situated in the business district of Makati City, Saint Illian's Inn is a budget Makati hotel that is clean and efficient. Located along Santillan Street, a five-minute walk or so away from Makati Cinema Square, one of Makati City's many malls, and about 15 minutes away (by foot) from the two premiere Makati City malls, the Ayala Glorietta and the Ayala Greenbelt. Best rates on official website start at US$27.  edit

[edit] Mid-Range

• AIM Conference Center Manila (Accommodation in Makati), Buenavidez cor. Trasierra Streets, Legaspi Village, Makati City 1260 Philippines., ☎ +632 750-1010 (accm@aim.edu.ph, fax: +632 751 7160 / +632 750 4459), [5]. Conference / Accommodation in Makati - AIM Conference Center Manila  edit

• Asian Mansion II Condotel Makati, 107 Dela Rosa Street, Legaspi Village Makati City Philippines, ☎ +632-844-9061 (fax: +632-844-9061), [6]. The Asian Mansion II Condotel Makati is an elegant property along De La Rosa Avenue, very near the Ayala Center that features better-than-average rooms with just the right mix of amenities, facilities, and services. Online reservation at best rates with instant confirmation start at $50. Best rates on official website start at US$45.  edit

• Asian Mansion II Condotel Makati, 107 Dela Rosa Street, Legaspi Village Makati City Philippines, ☎ +632-844-9061 (fax: +632-844-9061), [7]. The Asian Mansion II Condotel Makati is an elegant property along De La Rosa Avenue, very near the Ayala Center that features better-than-average rooms with just the right mix of amenities, facilities, and services. Online reservation at best rates with instant confirmation start at $50. Best rates on official website start at US$45.  edit

• BSA Mansion Condotel Makati, 103 Carlos Palanca St., Legaspi Village Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines, 1200, ☎ +632-812-2729 (fax: +632-812-2671), [8]. BSA Mansion Condotel's rooms are tastefully appointed and designed to integrate all the comforts of home. Location-wise, this hotel is walking distance to the Ayala Center, the city's major shopping and business mecca. Best rates on official website start at US$40.  edit

• BSA Suites, 108 Benavidez Street, Legaspi Village Makati City Philippines, ☎ +632 8841463 (fax: (632) 887-0513), [9]. Units at BSA Suites Serviced Apartments are uniquely furnished to offer functional and comfortable apartments complete with living, dining and kitchen facilities meeting the needs of both business travelers and leisure guests on short or extended stays. Best rates on official website start at US$40.  edit

• BSA Tower, 108 Legaspi St., Legaspi Village Makati City, Philippines, ☎ (632) 887-0147 (fax: +632 8841463), [10]. BSA Tower is elegantly designed to provide both business and leisure travelers with a relaxing stay in the country's central business hub. Best rates on official website start at US$56.  edit

• City Garden Hotel, 7870 Makati Avenue cor Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City, Metro Manila, ☎ +632-899-1111 (fax: +632-899-1415), [11]. This three-star Makati hotel along Makati Avenue is one of the more popular mid-range hotels, with excellent dining, sightseeing, and evening opportunities all in the area. Best rates on official website start at US$33.  edit

• Copacabana Businessman's Hotel, 912 Pasay Road, Makati City, Metro Manila, ☎ +632-844-8811 (fax: +632-844-6126), [12]. Guests who stay at the Copa Businessman's Hotel in Makati appreciate its convenient location in the heart of the Central Business District. This Makati hotel is in walking distance from major shopping centers and a vast choice of restaurants, entertainment centers and most especially, top business addresses. Best rates on official website start at US$59.  edit

• Makati Prime Tower Suites, Kalayaan Avenue corner P. Burgos St., Bel-Air Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines, ☎ +632-750-3010 (fax: +632-750-2982), [13]. A 110-room property located along bustling Kalayaan Avenue (Makati Avenue). Close to the Power Plant Mall and accessible to great Makati entertainment. Fully air-conditioned executive studios, one and two bedroom suites, and luxury penthouses available. Best rates on official website start at US$38.  edit

• Oxford Suites, Durban corner P. Burgos Street, Makati City, ☎ +632-899-7888 (fax: +632-897-7900), [14]. A 27-storey property located at the heart of the city’s Business & Entertainment district, the Oxford Suites are patterned after the emerging trend of boutique lodging found in Los Angeles and London. Best rates on official website start at US$50.  edit

Paramount Hotels, 166 Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village, ☎ +632 810 9526 (info@microtelphilippines.com, fax: +632 817 3942), [15].  edit

• Perla Mansion Serviced Apartment, 117 Carlos Palanca Street, Legaspi Village Makati City, Philippines, ☎ (632) 840-1826 (fax: (632) 840-1826), [16]. Perla Mansion is among the pioneers of the country's serviced apartments industry. Experience the unmatched convenience of modern living in this 24-storey, full-service condominium hotel with a three-star rating. Best rates on official website start at US$56.  edit

• Prince Plaza II, 101 Dela Rosa Street, Legaspi Village Makati City Philippines, ☎ +632-840-3215 (fax: +632-894-2992), [17]. The Prince Plaza II's tasteful accommodations and standard facilities are perfect for travelers, from the budget-conscious businessman to the fun-focused family. Best rates on official website start at US$45.  edit

• Crown Regency Hotel Makati, 1026 A. Arnaiz Avenue (formerly Pasay Road) +632-845-0211 to 15, [18]. The Crown Regency chain of business and luxury hotels in Cebu, in southern Philippines, brings its warm hospitality to Makati. Cozy accommodations with a full range of services are on offer. Rooms start at US$70.  edit

• Salcedo Suites, LPL Manor Building, 116 L.P. Leviste Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City, ☎ +632-893-2654 (fax: +632-892-5322), [19]. Salcedo Suites' strategic location in the heart of Makati, Manila's business mecca, places it in the center of business and pleasure. Best rates on official website start at US$33.  edit

• Sunette Tower, Durban St. corner Makati Ave., Makati City, ☎ +632-897-1808 (fax: +632-896-6407), [20]. The Sunette Tower stands on a quiet side street by Makati City’s main thoroughfare, Makati Avenue. Accessible to Manila's financial districts and tourist areas, the Sunette Tower is a sanctuary of relaxation and comfort. Best rates on official website start at US$35.  edit

[edit] Splurge

Thanks to its reputation as the country's premier financial district, Makati City is home to some of the country's pricier hotels. Many major international hotel chains have their local affiliates in Makati City.

• Hotel Inter-Continental Manila, 1 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Manila, Philippines, Tel Nos.: 1800 1651 888, 63-2-8159711, Fax: 63-2-8171330, [21]. The Hotel Inter-Continental is located conveniently on the fringest of the Ayala Center, the country's poshest and most complete shopping center. It is a mere 20 minutes away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and right beside the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, Manila's main thoroughfare.

• The Makati Shangri-La, Ayala cor. Makati Ave., Makati City (Across The Landmark in Ayala Center), +632-813-8888 Fax +632-813-5499, [22]. The Makati Shangri-La is one of the most respected hotels in Makati. Located in the heart of the Ayala Center, the Makati Shang has sister hotels in Mandaluyong City and Mactan in the Visayas' main island of Cebu.

• The Mandarin Oriental Manila, Makati Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati, Manila, 1226 Philippines, T: +63 (2) 750 8888, [23]. The Mandarin Oriental's reputation for its quality business accommodations and the cuisine of its in-house restaurants make it one of Makati's most revered hotels.

• New World Renaissance Manila, Esperanza Street Corner Makati Avenue, Makati City, 1228 Philippines, Phone: 63 2 811 6888, Fax: 63 2 811 6777, [24]. Across the Greenbelt Lifestyle Center, Manila's most fabulous shop and dine destination, the New World is owned and operated by the world-famous Marriott family of quality hotels.

• The Peninsula Manila, Ayala cor. Makati Ave., Makati City, +632-887-2888 Fax +632-815-4825, [25]. Just across the road from the Ayala Center in the Makati Business District, the Manila Peninsula is one of the city's most famous hotels. Its fountain, on the corner of Ayala Avenue and Makati Avenue, was broadcast to the world during the international New Year's Day broadcast in 2000. Rates start at 120 US$.

• The Raffles Hotel Manila, Makati Avenue corner Arnaiz Avenue, Ayala Center, Makati City

• The Fairmont Manila, Makati Avenue corner Arnaiz Avenue, Ayala Center, Makati City
• A.Venue Hotel Suites is a hotel located right in the heart of Makati’s business district. It offers world class restaurants, function rooms, and comfortable accommodations. Address: Antel Lifestyle City, Makati Avenue, Makati City, Philippines. Tel. No: (632) 757.2615; Fax No.: (632) 757.2616.

[edit] Contact

[edit] Stay safe

[edit] Cope

[edit] Get out

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