Last month, our friends at Z Hostel Philippines invited me to stay with them. I gladly accepted the invite & stayed for 4 days & 3 nights in their 4-bed dormitory room located on the Fun Floor. I wrote about my Z Hostel experience & shared it in the latest hostel of the day feature.
Ever since it opened in 2015, Z Hostel has become one of the go-to places in Poblacion. The hostel became famous because of its rooftop bar & the parties happening there every night. This early, you might think that Z Hostel is only a party hostel or destination. It’s not! The hostel is also a great place to have a solo staycation or a hostel weekend with friends.
Wondering what else you can do during a weekend with Z? Don’t worry, I got you. Here’s a list of what you & your friends can do during your Z Hostel staycation weekend:
Join Hostel Activities & Rooftop Parties
Z Hostel used to host walking tours, sunset sessions & traditional dinners before the pandemic. These activities are currently suspended due to health protocols; these will eventually be offered again once the local health officials allow them.
In the meantime, you & your friends can go to the roof deck & join the fun crowd every night. Don’t forget to check what type of event they have on the night of your stay. Thursdays are for house classics. Fridays are for 90’s music. Saturdays are for the iconic roof deck parties & Sundays are for slowdown sessions. Make sure to order their signature cocktails – particularly May Forever. You’ll love it!
Check Out The Apartment & The Green Door
If you’re not into the party scene & want a more chill environment, you & your friends can check out The Apartment & The Green Door. These are 2 Z Hostel-affiliated bars that feature live band sessions & vinyl DJ sets. Don’t forget to bring your Z Hostel RFID because you’ll need it to enter these 2 bars.
Hop From One Coffee Shop to the Other
Calling all coffee lovers! You can go & check out a few coffee shops around Poblacion. You can start your morning or afternoon with a hot cup of coffee from the famous Commune Café + Bar along Polaris. If this café is full, you may also check out these smaller coffee shops – Coffee ARTea & Good Sh*t Coffee.
Eat, Walk Around & Repeat
You’ll never run out of restaurants to choose from during your Z Hostel staycation. Right outside the hostel, you’ll find Onlypans Taqueria – a Mexican restaurant. A few steps from the hostel’s doors are Ebi 10 PH (a Japanese restaurant), Alamat Filipino Cuisine (a Filipino restaurant & pub), Krapow MNL (a Thai restaurant), Wantusawa Oyster Bar & Jumong Korean Barbecue.
You can walk further & eat at Café Fleur, Hola Bombón, Mijo Comfort Food, UNWND Cafe, Lampara, Crying Tiger Street Kitchen, El Chupacabra & Filling Station Bar & Café. One weekend is indeed not enough to try all these restaurants.
Go For a Pub & Bar Crawl
Poblacion is a go-to place for partying. After partying at Z Hostel, I suggest you go for a pub & bar crawl & check out the following places: Secret Door, White Banana Manila, Almacen at Poblacion, Run Rabbit Run, Pura Vida Manila, The Spirits Library, Agimat at Ugat Foraging Bar & Kitchen & Buccaneers Rum & Kitchen. Plenty of places to party, eh? Yes! But please drink & party responsibly.
Believe it or not, these are just some of the many places you can visit during your staycation at Z Hostel. One whole weekend, or even a long weekend, is not enough to go & visit all these places in Poblacion. Have you been to any of the restaurants, bars & pubs mentioned above? Which ones are your favorites? Feel free to share your experiences & recommendations in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.
Thanks for joining me in today’s P’s List! Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & watch out for the next one!
PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.