When you do solo travel to another country, your #1 concern will always be “where will I stay?” It’s actually hard to find a good accommodation in another country because as a solo traveler, you want a room that is affordable and practical. A solo traveler would want a place where they could meet and interact with different kinds of people while exploring the country. This is where hostels will come in.
A hostel is an affordable and sociable accommodation where guests usually share a room with other people through bunk bed style. There are other hostels that offer mixed, all-female and private rooms. Bathrooms can either be shared or private. Hostels usually have this common area where guests can mingle with one another.
Back in 2015, I was able to experience my first hostel stay in Singapore. We all know that Singapore is an expensive country. To stay in a hostel with my cousins became to be a lifesaver. Not only were we able to save money but also meet different people from other countries. We made friends with people that came from Malaysia and Russia. Apparently, staying in a hostel for these travelers is common for them. During the year 2015, there wasn’t that much hostels in the Philippines because it was looked down upon other people. They generalized hostels as a place that is not safe and not clean.
Nowadays, the hostel industry in the Philippines is slowly increasing. Hostels are slowly popping out in the Metro, making people’s stay affordable and practical. A hostel is also a perfect way for budget travelers living in the Metro who wants to do a staycation.
There are usually a lot of hostels in Makati City. Makati City is the perfect place to put up a hostel because it is the busiest business district. Aside from being the busiest business district, Makati is between the areas of going to the North (Q.C. area) and going to the South (Alabang area).
There’s this hostel in Makati that deserves to be recognized and it is BGC Boutique Hostel.
BGC Boutique Hostel… isn’t that in BGC?
Nope, my dear friends! BGC stands for Be At Your Greatest Comfort.
L O C A T I O N
BGC Boutique Hostel is located in Danlig, Makati City. To reach BGC Boutique Hostel, you have to turn right once you see Mercury Drug and Petron along EDSA. The Mercury Drug that I’m talking about is located at the northbound of EDSA. Parking space is limited so I suggest you take an Uber/Grab or commute to this hostel. The nice thing with this branch is that it is near Bonifacio Global City. Their other 2 branches are located in Quezon City and Manila.
E X P E R I E N C E
Since October 2015, BGC Boutique Hostel became to be a place where people who came from the province would book an overnight accommodation. For only 499php($9.69)/night, you can already rent a bunk bed plus other amenities like fresh towels, a pillow and a blanket, free internet, locker & electronic key card, privacy curtains and reading lamp.
On the gathering area, they have a desktop computer, visitors lounge, laundry facilities, and board games. The gathering area is the perfect place to meet new people. Hats off to the one who thought of the design of the hostel. They executed their design very well in which it can be Instagram worthy. When it comes to security purposes, they have CCTV cameras installed & a guard to watch over the hostel.
Q U E Z O N C I T Y B R A N C H
The next branch is their Quezon City branch. It’s good to know that there’s already a hostel in Quezon City. If I crave for a staycation, I can easily go to this branch.
BGC Boutique Hostel is known as Panay, Kain, Tulog, Atbp. It is located along Panay Ave. It’s inside a small complex where there are a lot of known restaurants like Mandarin Sky Wok, Artsy Café, Komedor, and Tailored Cuisine. It’s easy to find this branch because the hostel’s signage can be found at the entrance sign of the compound. There’s parking available for those people checking in the hostel. But if you will be checking in their dorm, they have a separate parking.
The hostel is located at the 2nd floor of the building. It was quite hard for me to find the reception area at first because there wasn’t that much signs. Good thing I followed my instincts by walking through the hallway til I saw a small room with staffs of BGC Boutique Hostel in it.
Since I stayed in a shared room in their Makati branch, this time I was able to experience staying in their private room. The place was small, which can only accommodate 2 people inside the room. Outside of the room lies a common area where you can get to interact with other people who also got a private room. If you want to use their internet, there’s a bigger common area located at the reception area.
M A N I L A B R A N C H
The last branch I stayed at is in their Manila branch. Their 3rd branch is near University of Sto. Tomas. Since it’s near UST, students who would like to rent a dorm can go to BGC Boutique Hostel & Dorm. For their dorm, it will cost you 9,000php per month.
Among all the branches I’ve been to, I could say that their Manila branch is one of my favorites. Its interior design has this connection with travel that makes you want to book a ticket to your next destination.
TIPS DURING YOUR STAY:
make sure to bring toiletries with you like toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap. Hostels don’t usually include toiletries.
I would really suggest staying in the lower bunk if you don’t want any hassle going back and forth to the bathroom.
Beside the Makati branch is a karinderia. So if you feel hungry, just go there to have a meal.
It’s a different experience to share a room with other travelers you haven’t met. If you are the type of person who wants his/her own privacy while staying in a budget, then I suggest getting a private room.
All 3 branches have CCTV installed and a guard to watch over. I can assure you that it’s safe to stay in there.
All 3 branches have great staffs. They make sure to prioritize everything that you need.
FINAL VERDICT
I enjoyed my overnight stay in all 3 branches. If you have not tried staying in a hostel before, I urge you to experience one. If it will be your first time, I recommend that you bring your friends along so that it will be an unforgettable experience.
G E N E R A L I N F O R M A T I O N
MAKATI BRANCH
Address: 2855 Danlig Street Barangay Pinagkaisahan, Makati City
Contact No: 822-7514
QUEZON CITY BRANCH
Address: 23 Panay Ave, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila
MANILA BRANCH
Address: 870 Vicente Cruz St, Sampaloc, Manila, 1015 Metro Manila
E-Mail: bgcboutiquehostel@yahoo.com
*This is a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
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