Hotel Review: Discovery Primea, an Urban Oasis in Manila's Central Business District

Festive Philippines

Discovery Primea Makati is a stylish hotel that caters to both business and leisure travelers. It has excellent food and beverage outlets, a luxurious spa, and one of the best urban hotel swimming pools I have ever done laps in.

TripAdvisor Guide to Manila

The upper floors of the prestigious building house private residences.

Discovery Primea is a Discovery Property. The hotel is a member of the LUX Collection of the Preferred Hotels and Resorts group.

I was hosted for two nights by the hotel

Accommodation

The hotel has 141 spacious rooms and suites, and rooms have complimentary hi-speed Internet access to multiple devices.

The following types of accommodation are available …

50 business flats measuring 40 square metres,
10 business suites measuring 53 square metres,
30 executive suites measuring 74 square metres,
3 executive lofts measuring 72 square metres,
40 Primea suites measuring 94 square metres,
7 Primea lofts measuring 120 square metres,
1 Primera Premier suite measuring 200 square measures.

I was accommodated in a spacious, 53-square metre Business Suite, which was decorated in beige with dark brown and gold accents.

There was a full sized desk (a rare treat for a professional travel blogger like me), a walk-in closet, and a bathroom finished in marble with both a bathtub and shower.

I had view of Ayala Road, one of the most imporat arteries in Metro Manila..

Food + Beverage

The hotel has five food and beverage outlets, including two restaurants and three lounges.

Flame – The hotel’s signature, fine dining restaurant, Flame is located on the hotel’s 16th floor, serving European cuisine with an Asian twist. Open for lunch and dinner.

Click here for a review of the restaurant and more pix>>

Tapenade – Located on the Lobby Level, Tapenade is a smart casual, all-day restaurant with a Mediterranean-inspired menu. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

RESTAURANT REVIEW COMING

The GilarmI Lounge – This lobby lounge serves Filipino inspired bar fare, cocktails, and spirits. Open all day.

1824 – Located on the 2nd Floor, this single malt whisky and cigar bar serves a selection of epicurean food and spirits. Open late afternoon and evenings.

Edge – Located on the 16th Floor, this casual sky lounge offers sweeping views of Makati, serving crafted cocktails and contemporary mixology. Will open in 2017.

Hotel Facilities

The hotel has all of the facilities you would expect of a world-class five-star hotel.

There is a 37 Degrees Gym with Technolgym equipment, a Terazi Spa with a full menu of spa treatments, an infinity swimming pool (see below), a beauty salon, a 24-hour wellness clinic, several function rooms – the list goes on.

Click here for a review of the spa and more pix>>

Location, Location, Location

The hotel is located in the heart of Makati, Manila’s Central Business District. It is within walking distance of the Philippines Stock Exchange.

The hotel is across the street from a sprawling shopping centre. The Ayala Museum, the Salcedo and Legazpi weekend markets, more shopping malls, cinemas, and other popular tourist attractions are all nearby.

The hotel is 3.5 kilometres from Bonifacio Global City and 8.8 kilometres from Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Unique Selling Proposition

If the hotel has a unique selling proposition, for an avid swimmer such as me, it would have to be its 20-metre heated infinity swimming pool.

The roof-top swimming pool is located on the fourth floor, affording spectacular views of a leafy residential district in the foreground, with high-rise office buildings in the distance.

There is a poolside snack bar serving drinks and snacks.

There are lounge chairs and a Jacuzzi.

But the real draw is the pool itself. Many swimming pools at hotels and resorts are simply not suitable for doing proper laps.

Either they are not long enough …

Or they have design features that make for great photo opps, but that get in the way of serious swimmers …

Or they have an irregular shape, which means you can’t complete laps in a straight line …

The swimming pool at this hotel allows swimmers to complete laps without having to dodge statues or deal with steps or shallow platforms at each end.

Best of all, with a depth of four feet, it is deep enough to do shallow dive in.

I loved the absence of “No Diving” signs.

Where

Discovery Primea Makati – 6749 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Telephone: +63 2 955-8888. Read hotel guest reviews and check room rates at TripAdvisor

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