Mandarin Oriental will return to the Philippine capital in late 2026 with the opening of Mandarin Oriental Makati, Manila, ending a 12-year absence from a city where the brand was a fixture of business and social life for almost four decades.
The 98.7-metre tower rises above Ayala Triangle Gardens, the two-hectare park at the meeting point of Makati Avenue, Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, placing guests in the heart of Metro Manila’s financial district and roughly 15 minutes by car from Manila International Airport.
The original Mandarin Oriental Manila operated from 1976 to 2014 and was among the capital’s best-known gathering places for figures from business, diplomacy and culture. Its successor, developed in partnership with Ayala Land, one of the Philippines’ leading property developers, promises what the group describes as a contemporary expression of Filipino luxury aimed at a new generation of business travellers and creatives.
“Our return to Manila marks an exciting new chapter for Mandarin Oriental,” said Laurent Kleitman, group chief executive. “Its addition further advances Mandarin Oriental’s strategic growth across Southeast Asia, strengthening our presence in the region’s key gateway cities and deepening our connection with one of the world’s most dynamic travel markets.”
The opening continues a busy expansion phase for the group, which is planning a Bali resort and branded residences for 2027 and recently agreed a £3.1bn deal to be taken private by Jardine Matheson. It also sharpens competition in a Philippine market where rivals such as Dusit are expanding their own portfolios.
The hotel will offer 275 rooms and suites, with entry-level Deluxe Rooms starting at a generous 50 square metres and featuring panoramic city and park views, walk-in wardrobes and separate bath and shower areas. Club guests gain access to the Mandarin Oriental Club Lounge and 24-hour butler service, while connecting rooms and dedicated Family Deluxe Rooms cater to multigenerational travel.
For corporate planners, the centrepiece is the 740-square-metre Grand Hall, with an eight-metre ceiling and capacity for up to 1,000 guests. Divisible into three halls and complemented by The Gallery pre-function space, it sits alongside a selection of flexible function rooms, meeting rooms and a boardroom, with direct access to Ayala Triangle Gardens opening up options for outdoor events and brand experiences.
Five dining and bar concepts will mix contemporary Cantonese, Filipino and international cuisine with craft cocktails, while an 800-square-metre Spa and Wellness floor, anchored by a 25-metre outdoor pool overlooking the gardens, will offer signature therapies rooted in Filipino healing traditions, including Hilot massage and the herbal ritual of Sukob ng Manggagamot.
Steps from Greenbelt’s luxury retail, the Salcedo and Legazpi weekend markets and the district’s galleries and restaurants, the property is pitched squarely at travellers who want business connectivity and culture in equal measure, and signals Manila’s growing confidence as an international gateway.
