Where To Eat and Stay in Makati City: City Garden Grand Hotel (Review)

Good food, perfect me time, nice ambiance, and complete and cool amenities.

This is how I can describe my experience at City Garden Grand Hotel in a nutshell. Situated at the heart of Poblacion, Makati City, I can guarantee that it can give you the best staycation experience here in Metro Manila. It is close to malls such as the A.Venue Mall, drugstores, and convenience stores. Its 32-floor building is full of awesome stuff that can make the guest have a satisfying stay.

City Garden Grand Hotel: The Check-in Process

If you have a prior reservation, then the check-in process will be a breeze. I arrived at late afternoon just right before the sunset and I was happily accommodated by the reception staff. I was asked by my identification card and I was provided the card key to my room. There is an option not to give a security deposit, in which case you have to pay in cash if you will avail some food at the restaurant or a massage.

City Garden Grand Hotel: My Room

Upon entering the room and dropping off my bag, I hurriedly went to the window to see the view outside. Since it is time for the sun to set, I saw a beautiful skyline of Makati city by the window. I bet it looks good at night.

The room has two beds, a vanity/study desk, a cabinet, and a bathroom. I love how good-smelling the room is, how every furniture is arranged properly, and how the lighting of the room is just right for relaxation.

The bathroom has a tub and a complete set of toiletries. I love the quality of the toiletries, especially the shampoo which smelled to good on my hair.

In the cabinet, there is a flat iron for your clothes and a vault to place your valuables.

What surprised me with this room is when I opened one of the drawers of the study table, I actually found some basic office supplies! There are scissors, glue, scotch tape, and paper clips. And since I am doing some work in my room that night, I found them very useful.

City Garden Grand Hotel Amenities

Swimming Pool

At the 32nd Floor of the hotel is the swimming pool and jacuzzi where you can enjoy the stunning view of Makati City while swimming and relaxing. Towels are provided by the staff and there are lifeguards watching out for the swimming guests. I love how relaxing the feeling is while you are in your swimsuit in the water while watching the sun set behind the buildings in Makati.

Gym

There is also a gym at the hotel and is free for unlimited use by the guests. You just have to tap your key card to the door of the gym. The gym has a good set of equipment and is very spacious.

City Garden Grand Hotel: Dinner at Firefly Roofdeck

Located at the 32nd floor of the hotel, this restaurant has a great view of Makati City skyline. They have a live band performing to entertain the guests and they sang really nice songs. You can also watch some sports by the bar.

Upon entering Firefly Roofdeck, I was happily assisted by the Manager on-duty and let me choose my table. He even offered me the option to sit upstairs but I prefer the one downstairs since it is close to the buffet. He even gave me a mini-tour of the buffet. Upon seeing the lechon, the creamy pesto pasta, and the breads and blueberry cheesecake, that’s when I decided to avail the buffet instead of ala carte meals. I heard their best option there is the seafood paella.

There is a vast set of buffet food which is primarily composed of Spanish and Filipino food. There are pastas, rice, meat, different types of cheese, salad, and some dessert. The ala carte menu also offers a huge selection of food ranging from pica-pica to rice meals. They also have alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. For the ala carte menu, I tried Nachos Ala Queen and the Irish Coffee and they tasted really good!

The Firefly Roofdeck is a large area which can accommodate more than 50 people but I really admire how the staff were able to manage giving a fast and quality service to the needs of all the guests. They were courteous, professional and attentive enough in responding to the guests.

City Garden Grand Hotel Breakfast at Spice Cafe

I am a lover of breakfast buffets and I have to say that this is one of the best breakfast buffets that I have tried so far here in Metro Manila. I came down to Spice Cafe at 6AM sharp since I have to check-out early and I was surprised that the buffet was all set, in fact I spent the first hour being the only person in the area.

The staff were very courteous and will happily greet you upon entering the place. They will ask if you want some coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and it will be served to your table. The breakfast buffet has a vast selection of food and they all look yummy but you can’t just try them all because they are just too many.

Bacon is something I am always looking forward to in every breakfast buffet, and Spice Cafe did not fail me because they serve the crispiest bacon ever. I partnered it with some pancake and blueberry spread. Yum! I was also able to try their pizza, salad, and bread.

The Verdict

City Garden Grand Hotel is a place for a perfect staycation experience in Metro Manila. the hospitality of the staff and the complete set of amenities is what makes it stand out among other hotels in the city. It is perfect for all kinds of travelers — whether you are a solo traveler, a couple traveler, or a traveler with a family. Every penny is worth spending in this place. Highly recommended!