Makati Shangri-La, Manila makes grand comeback

The iconic hotel reopens with new Horizon Club Business Rooms and revamped meeting spaces.

Horizon Club Business Room with work-friendly amenities.
Horizon Club Business Room with work-friendly amenities. Photo Credit: Makati Shangri-La, Manila.

Makati Shangri-La, Manila has re-opened with hopes of reclaiming its status as Metro Manila’s leading corporate business hotel. The luxury hotel closed in January 2021 and has received a warm hurray from the industry with its renaissance.

From 8 August 2023, refurbishment of the hotel started progressively on a variety of guestrooms and facilities.

Launch of Horizon Club Business Rooms

The Horizon Club Business Rooms are ready for occupancy. These rooms have an impressive range of remote work-friendly amenities such as an Omnidesk adjustable standing table paired with an ergonomic chair and modern electronics, featuring dual-screen 4K monitors, speakerphone, mobile stands, and fast-charging cable adaptors. The business traveller-centric design offers a conducive and distraction-free environment for work, ensuring elevated productivity.

Udo Wittich, hotel manager of the Makati Shangri-La, Manila, which was launched in 1973, said: “As business travellers gradually returned to the road, we did not want them to feel like they had to compromise their remote work experience when travelling. Hence, a suite of ergonomic furniture and modern electronics has been specially included in the hotel room’s workstation, to meet the new demands of today’s travellers – helping them to accomplish more, whether they are on the road for business or leisure.”

Rizal Ballroom can host up to 960 pax for banquets.
Rizal Ballroom can host up to 960 pax for banquets. Photo Credit: Makati Shangri-La, Manila.

What to expect

Besides seven meeting rooms, two ballrooms, Rizal Ballroom and the junior Isabella ballroom, have been refreshed, seating 960 and 320 pax for banquets respectively.

Other facilities include the Lobby Lounge with views of revamped gardens; Shang Palace, showcasing the talents of an executive chef from China with 17 years’ of experience; Sage Grill, Pool Bar and a health club. Circles Event Café and Sage Bar are slated to reopen in the coming months.

The hotel is transitioning towards sustainability, and is forgoing single-use toiletries and shifting to wooden key cards to reducing single-use plastic usage. A garden-to-table approach lies in a planned green patch in the patio to cultivate herbs and vegetables for use in F&B offerings.

Industry feedback

Said Rose H Libongco, currently chair of the Virtus Awards, which honours exemplary marketing efforts: “It’s a welcome development and a positive sign of the growing confidence in the revival of tourism in Metro Manila. Makati Shangri-La has been a key player and it’s good that it has come to life again.”

Jon Zuluaga, business development director of INTAS, a local DEMC, praised the hotel’s comeback, saying: “It’s a recognised international brand and one of the better equipped properties for large-scale events, so it strengthens our position for MICE offerings.”


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