ADMINISTRATOR MTC Posted May 18 ADMINISTRATOR Share Posted May 18 August 28, 1992. The first Shangri-La property in the Philippines. 632 rooms designed to recreate a five-star Cebu or Boracay resort inside the Ortigas business district. Connected directly to Shangri-La Plaza. The hotel that, for thirty-plus years, has been Ortigas's social and corporate anchor. A Resort Built in the Middle of a Business District When Edsa Shangri-La, Manila opened on August 28, 1992 — originally as Shangri-La's Edsa Plaza Hotel — the design brief was unusual for an urban luxury hotel. The Shangri-La group, fresh from successful resort openings in Cebu (Mactan), Boracay, and the broader Asian resort cluster, decided that the Manila property would borrow from the resort vocabulary rather than from the corporate-hotel vocabulary. The result is a downtown five-star that doesn't read as a corporate downtown five-star. The lobby is generous and open, with garden courtyards. The pool deck is significant. The Asian-resort design vocabulary — bamboo, stone, water features — runs through the public spaces. For a hotel sitting at the corner of EDSA and Ortigas Avenue, in the dense heart of Mandaluyong's business district, this is deliberate counterprogramming. Three decades later, the choice has aged well. The property's resort-in-the-city positioning continues to differentiate it from the more conventional corporate-hotel design of newer Ortigas peers. The First Shangri-La in the Philippines Edsa Shangri-La was the first Shangri-La property in the Philippines — predating Makati Shangri-La (opened 1993), Mactan Shangri-La (opened 1993), Boracay Shangri-La, and Shangri-La The Fort (opened 2016). The brand chose Ortigas as its Manila entry point because, in 1992, Ortigas was emerging as the city's second business district — and the Shangri-La's bet on Ortigas's growth has been validated by the district's continued expansion. The hotel has, over its 33+ years, served as: The hospitality anchor of Ortigas's emergence The venue for major Philippine state and diplomatic functions The training ground for two generations of Filipino luxury hospitality talent The default Ortigas premier hotel for affluent corporate and leisure guests The 632 Rooms Edsa Shangri-La operates at substantial scale — 632 rooms across 9 categories: 4 Deluxe Suites — the property's standard luxury suite tier 19 Premier Suites — the upgraded suite tier 2 Shangri-La Suites — the premium suite category 1 Edsa Suite — the property's signature top-floor suite Plus the Deluxe, Premier, Horizon Club, and Specialty room categories For affluent travelers, the Horizon Club rooms with Horizon Club access are the most-requested mid-tier — the Club lounge access pattern is the standard Shangri-La approach to elevated stay experiences. The Shangri-La Plaza Connection Edsa Shangri-La is directly connected to Shangri-La Plaza — the Shangri-La family's Ortigas luxury mall, with the Gucci flagship and the curated luxury maisons. The connection is via the internal walkway that runs at the upper-floor level between the hotel and the mall. For affluent guests staying at Edsa Shangri-La, this connection effectively turns the mall into the hotel's extended retail and dining concourse. The walk from the hotel lobby to Shangri-La Plaza's main atrium is under 5 minutes — climate-controlled the entire way. This is one of the property's structural advantages. The connection means the hotel's evening dining and shopping options expand to include the Shangri-La Plaza dining roster (Lugang Café, Tim Ho Wan, Kabuki, the alfresco strip), without requiring a step into the EDSA traffic. The Dining Edsa Shangri-La runs a substantial in-house dining program: Summer Palace — the signature Cantonese fine-dining restaurant, one of the longest-running luxury Chinese rooms in Manila Heat — the all-day international buffet, one of the most-photographed Manila brunch destinations Senju — the Japanese fine-dining concept Paseo Uno — the casual all-day dining Casino Bar — the lobby cocktail program Summer Palace is the most-discussed of the five — the Cantonese menu, the dim sum lunch program, and the multi-course banquet capabilities have made it a default Manila Cantonese-fine-dining choice for over three decades. The Pool Deck and Spa The property's pool deck is one of the larger hotel pools in Ortigas, with a deliberately resort-feeling layout — cabanas, day beds, the pool bar — that supports the property's resort-in-the-city positioning. The CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La — the brand's signature spa concept — operates at Edsa Shangri-La with the full international treatment menu. Renovations and Updates The property has undergone multiple major renovations since opening: 2003 — extensive refurbishments of public spaces and rooms 2006 — addition of spa facilities Continued progressive room and amenity updates through the 2010s and 2020s This continuous investment is part of why the property has aged well — the original Asian-resort design language has been refreshed rather than abandoned. The Service Code Shangri-La's service at Edsa Manila is calibrated to the brand's Asian-luxury international standard. The staff includes a number of long-tenured Filipino hospitality professionals who have trained generations of newer hires. For affluent Manila guests with Shangri-La Golden Circle loyalty, Edsa Shang is one of the brand's most-recognized Manila properties. The Ortigas Context Edsa Shangri-La's Ortigas position puts it in walking distance of: Shangri-La Plaza — the directly-connected luxury mall SM Megamall — the largest mall in Ortigas The Ortigas Center business district — the corporate towers St. Francis Square and the mid-Ortigas retail strips For affluent business travelers with Ortigas-based meetings, Edsa Shang is the most-connected luxury hotel address. When to Stay Edsa Shangri-La operates year-round. Holy Week, Christmas-New Year, and major Ortigas conferences are the peak booking windows. The property's substantial 632-room inventory generally provides booking flexibility outside these peak periods. Getting There EDSA at Ortigas Avenue — the property's frontage MRT Shaw / MRT Ortigas stations → 5–10 minutes by car or short walk Megamall → 5 minutes by car (or covered walkway via Shangri-La Plaza) Makati → 15–25 minutes via Ortigas Avenue or EDSA BGC → 20–30 minutes via Kalayaan or C-5 NAIA → 35–50 minutes Related — All Properties Under Metro Manila Hotels: Luxurious Makati CBD The Peninsula Manila (Makati): The Lobby & Manila Luxury Hotel Standard Raffles Makati: All-Suite Ultra-Luxury & Butler Service Fairmont Makati: Spectrum Brunch & Premium 5-Star Dusit Thani Manila (Makati): Thai 5-Star & Recently Renovated Discovery Primea Makati: Boutique Luxury & Contemporary Design Mandarin Oriental Makati (Upcoming Dec 2026): Ayala Triangle Luxury Tower Return BGC / Bonifacio Global City Shangri-La The Fort Manila (BGC): BGC Anchor 5-Star Grand Hyatt Manila (BGC): Hyatt Premium Flagship & BGC 5-Star Ortigas Center / Mandaluyong Marco Polo Ortigas Manila: Premium 5-Star & Ortigas Cluster The Westin Manila (Ortigas): Wellness 5-Star & Mandaluyong CBD Newport (NAIA-Adjacent) Hotel Okura Manila (Newport): Japanese 5-Star Hospitality & Newport Cluster Hilton Manila (Newport): Hilton 5-Star & NAIA Convenience Manila Marriott Hotel (Newport): Newport World Resorts 5-Star & NAIA-Adjacent Entertainment City Nobu Hotel Manila (Entertainment City): Boutique Luxury at City of Dreams Hyatt Regency Manila City of Dreams: Family-Friendly 5-Star & Entertainment City Pasay Bay Area Conrad Manila (Pasay): Hilton Ultra-Luxury & MOA Bayfront Lanson Place Mall of Asia (Pasay): Premium Serviced Suites & MOA Bayfront Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila (Pasay) [Closed 2024] Ermita (Heritage) The Manila Hotel (Ermita): The 1912 Historical Icon & MacArthur Suite Parent thread: Metro Manila Hotels: Luxurious Other Threads of Interest Shangri-La Plaza (Ortigas): Luxury Lane & Gucci Flagship — the directly-connected luxury mall Your turn. Summer Palace dim sum reports, Heat buffet weekend brunch reviews, Horizon Club value, Specialty Suite recommendations, the Shangri-La Plaza walkway experience, multi-generational family Edsa Shang memories — share your stays. — Bizman Quote Link to comment
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