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.
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!
The hostel businesses, together with the whole hospitality industry, are one of the worst hit sectors by the pandemic. The hostels were not allowed to operate the way they used to be. Fun get-to-know conversations inside dormitory rooms, communal room games & activities plus the use of shared hostel facilities were all banned since the pandemic started.
With the relaxation of pandemic-related restrictions, these activities & fun experiences are starting to happen again. Hostels are re-opening & starting to recover from the hardships they experienced during the early & uncertain days of the Covid-19 era. One of Makati’s prime hostels – Z Hostel Philippines – has re-opened to Filipinos, foreigners & to the public.
Recently, I got invited by our friends at Z Hostel Philippines to stay with them for a few nights. I’ve been to Z Hostel’s rooftop bar a few times before but not really stayed with them, so I gladly accepted the invite. Today’s hostel of the day feature will be about my Z Hostel Philippines experience. Join me as I share with you details about the hostel’s features, room types, amenities & the perks of being a hostel guest.
Z Hostel Philippines
Z Hostel Philippines is a high-rated & well-featured hostel property in the heart of Poblacion, Makati. It opened in January 2015 & has welcomed guests from all over the world. The hostel is managed by a group of friends who have a common interest in traveling & backpacking. Since it opened in 2015, the hostel managed to keep its place as one of Makati’s best – placing number 1 on Trip Advisor during its first 4 years, getting top ratings in Hostelworld & Booking.com & even getting endless features in magazines, television shows, newspapers & blogs.
The hostel building has 6 floors & 2 upper decks. The property has 121 beds in 30 private & dormitory rooms. It also has a café on the ground floor & a café / bar on the roof deck.
Location & Access
Z Hostel Philippines is located at 5660 Don Pedro St in the center of Barangay Poblacion, Makati City. It is not located along the main road, but it’s still easy to get a ride. The nearest main road is Kalayaan Avenue; it is about a minute walk away from the hostel doors. Makati Avenue comes next & is about 5 minutes by foot from the hostel. The nearest shopping malls (Century City & Powerplant Malls) are within 1 kilometer from the hostel. The international & domestic airports are about 20-30 minutes (10-14 kilometers away) away without traffic.
The hostel is basically near everything. It is near a convenience store & near to almost all restaurants, cafes & bars in Poblacion & along Makati Avenue. You can literally walk to every establishment from the hostel’s doors. Its location is an easy 10 out of 10. It may not be along a main road, but it surely has access to practically everything a guest needs & wants during his/her stay.
Private & Dormitory Rooms
Z Hostel Philippines caters to every type of guest. The hostel has private rooms for guests who want their own space during their stay. It also has dormitory rooms for travelers who are on a budget & who are keen on meeting new people during their stay.
The hostel has 4 types of dormitory rooms – 4-bed mixed, 6-bed mixed, 6-bed female & 8-bed mixed dormitory rooms. All these dormitory rooms have in-room toilets & showers, air conditioning, in-room desks & counters. Every dormitory bed has a pillow, a blanket & a console with a private reading light & power socket. Dormitory room guests also have access to lockers where they can put their bags & valuables. Please note that guests need to bring their own padlocks. Nightly dormitory room rates are as follows as of August 2022: ₱1,065 per guest in an 8-bed mixed dormitory, ₱1,1100 per person in the 6-bed mixed & 6-bed female dormitories & ₱1,150 per night in the 4-bed mixed dormitory room. All these room rates include breakfast. Z Hostel also offers room rates that don’t include breakfast – ₱760 per guest in an 8-bed mixed dormitory, ₱840 per person in the 6-bed mixed & 6-bed female dormitories & ₱880 per night in the 4-bed mixed dormitory room
Part of the 8-bed mixed dormitoryPart of the 6-bed female dormitory
The hostel has 2 types of private rooms – the bunk bed room & the double room. The private bunk room features a bunk bed for 2 people, with each person having his or her own bed. The private room has a queen bed in the middle of the room. All these beds include pillows & blankets. These private rooms also include a private toilet & bath (with toiletries), a desk, a storage area, a large mirror & a safety deposit box. Hair dryer, flat iron & board are also available by request. These private rooms cost ₱2,550 per night for 2 people. The rate already includes breakfast. Room only (no breakfast included) rates are also available for ₱2,000 per night for 2 people.
Private Bunk RoomPrivate Room
Guests who want a mix of socialization, fun & comfort may request to stay on the Fun Floor. The fun floor is located 1 level below the hostel’s roof deck. Guests staying on this floor have the easiest access to the hostel’s nightly parties. The room configurations available on the fun floor are the 4-bed mixed, 6-bed mixed & private rooms. The room rates are the same as mentioned above.
I stayed for 3 nights in the 4-bed mixed dormitory room located on the fun floor. The room has enough space for 4 people; it has a window & has air conditioning. It also features a clean in-room toilet & shower, a useful desk, storage space & individual lockers. The noise & sound from the hostel’s roof deck did not bother my sleep in all 3 nights.
This is the 4-bed mixed dormitory room located on the the Fun Floor – where I stayed for 3 nights.
The hostel also runs promotions once in a while. They offer dormitory beds & private rooms on discount. Feel free to check out the hostel’s socials (see below) or reach out to them to know more about these promotional offers.
Guest Facilities & Amenities
Free & Fast Wi-Fi – All guests have access to a free, fast & work-from-home friendly Wi-Fi connection. Please don’t forget to ask for the password during check-in.
Excellent Breakfast – Guests who book rooms & dormitory beds that include the free breakfast add-on can experience an excellent breakfast meal. It may not be a typical Filipino rice meal, but it includes toast with butter & jam, fruits of the day, cereals, eggs (sunny-side up, scrambled or omelet) & coffee or tea.
Z Hostel Café – Guests who did not book or avail the breakfast option can order food from the café. The café is open from morning until night time & has a long list of food options to choose from. Check out the menu below.
Z Hostel Roofdeck Bar – Guests staying at Z Hostel have access to the hostel’s famous roof deck bar. The bar is open daily from 5:00pm to 3:00am. Non-guests can access the roof deck bar by buying an RFID bracelet (worth ₱100) per group & loading ₱500 consumable credit per person. The roof deck bar also offers food & drink options – see menu in the images below.
This RFID also allows holders & guests to enter & access Z Hostel’s partner establishments – The Green Door & The Apartment.
Nightly Hostel Roofdeck Event – Z Hostel Philippines hosts nightly events in their roof deck bar. Crowds don’t start until around 10:00pm-11:00pm. Check out the hostel’s socials for the daily events.
Z Hostel Sundeck – The newly-constructed sundeck is the hostel’s pandemic project. They built a sundeck on top of the roof deck bar. The sundeck has amazing views of the Makati & Rockwell skylines & is the perfect place to sip your drink while watching the beautiful sunset with your friends. People can access the sundeck by paying ₱5,000 consumable credits per table.
In-room Shower & Toilets – All dormitory & private rooms at Z Hostel feature in-room toilet & shower areas. These toilet & shower areas come with bath gel, shampoo & hand soap.
In-room Amenities – All dormitory & private rooms have air conditioning & desks or counters. Each dormitory bed features a private reading light, a small bed console & power plug. Private rooms include drinking water with glasses, lamps & bed-side consoles. Guests in private rooms & 6-bed female dormitory rooms are also given bath robes to use during their stay.
Safety Deposit Boxes & Personal Lockers – The hostel has safety deposit boxes in private rooms & personal lockers (with in-locker power plugs) in dormitory rooms. Those staying in dormitory rooms need to bring their own padlocks.
Hostel Essentials Shop – For those who forgot to bring padlocks & other hostel essentials, you may head over to reception & buy these from the hostel shop. They also sell Z Hostel-branded goodies such as bags, shirts & bags.
Communal Lounge Space – The hostel has a large communal space near the entrance & reception area. There are comfortable couches where guests can hangout & talk.
Communal Shower & Toilet – The hostel has a communal shower & toilet on the 2nd floor. Guests who have already checked out can still use these amenities before leaving the hostel premises for their next trip.
Tour Desk – Z Hostel offers guided tours & bookings to whatever the guest needs. Feel free to ask reception about the tours available during your stay.
Games Area – The hostel has a games area where guests can play with other guests. They have a pool table near the café. They also have board games that can be borrowed from the hostel.
Luggage Storage – The hostel offers free luggage storage for incoming & outgoing guests. Those who are waiting for room check-in or an evening flight or bus trip can leave their bags near the reception at no extra cost.
Drinking Water Refill – Z Hostel Philippines has a water dispenser in the cafe which guests can use to refill their water containers.
Seasonal Hostel Activities – The hostel also offers seasonal activities to its guests. Pre-pandemic, Z Hostel had Poblacion walking tours, sunset sessions at the roof deck & traditional dinners for those who want to feast on Filipino food. These activities are currently on pause because of the pandemic.
24-Hour Reception – Z Hostel Reception is open all day & all night. There is always a staff in the reception area 24 hours a day & 7 days a week.
Printing Services – The hostel also offers printing services for those who need it. Make sure to check the updated printing rates with reception.
Friendly & Approachable Staff – Z Hostel’s staff have been one of the friendliest & approachable hostel staff I’ve dealt with. Everyone greets you with their best smiles – from the security guard, to the waiters, bouncers, café staff, receptionists & even those from housekeeping. They make sure that they provide their best service to the hostel guests.
Secured Hotel Access – Hostel guests are the only ones allowed inside the hostel rooms. Each guest is given a key card that only works on your assigned room. Visitors are only allowed in the lobby, café & the roof deck bar.
Lift Access – Guests who have large bags need not to worry about going up & down several floors. Z Hostel has a lift which every guest can use.
24-Hour Security – Z Hostel is a secured hostel. The hostel always has a guard by the hostel doors. The hostel is also equipped with security cameras all over the property.
Hostel Experience
I stayed with Z Hostel Philippines for 4 days & 3 nights & I can say that I really enjoyed my stay. These factors made my stay enjoyable & memorable. First, the hostel’s location is superb. It is located in the busy street of Don Pedro & has many food & drink options nearby. It is not along a main road, but everything you need is nearby. Second, the hard product is excellent. The room I was assigned to was spacious & clean. The air conditioning worked well & the bed was comfortable to sleep on. The room had everything a hostel guest needs. The dormitory room windows & in-room toilets & showers were a big plus. I’ve stayed in many hostel rooms which don’t have windows & in-room toilets & shower.
Third, the café & roof deck bar has good food & drink options. My personal favorites were the Butabara (grilled pork belly sticks with kimchi), Pork Adobo Flakes Rice Meal & their best-selling signature cocktail drink – May Forever. I seriously lost count of how many May Forever’s my friends & I ordered in those 2 party nights. Fourth, the nightly roof deck events & parties add so much fun to the guests’ experiences. The hostel became well-known because of these events & parties. I am very happy that these are back & happening again. Lastly, the hostel has some of the friendliest & most guest-oriented staff I’ve encountered in a while. The staff always greets you every time they see you in the hallway & even join you in the elevator.
Pork Adobo FlakesMay Forever – Z Hostel’s best-selling signature cocktail.
I honestly can’t think of anything Z Hostel could further improve on. However, I have 2 wishes for the hostel. First, I hope the hostel crowds – both local & foreign – start to go back & stay with the hostel. The guests contribute a lot to the hostel vibe & experience. Second, I hope that timing & regulations allow the daily hostel guest events to operate again. Personally, I am a traveler who also considers hostels as destinations aside from the place I am traveling to. It would be nice to experience the sunset sessions, walking tour & traditional dinner with co-hostel guests – just like how it was before.
Will I stay again with Z Hostel? It’s definitely a yes! I will even bring my friends next time if time & situation permits. One day, I will bring my friends to the sundeck & watch the beautiful Makati sunset from the awesome deck.
I said it above & I will say it again. Don’t look anywhere else. Z Hostel Philippines is the place to be! It is Makati’s prime & best value hostel in the heart of Poblacion.
Do you have any questions about the hostel & its facilities? Are you planning to book your next hostel stay with them? You may reach out to them in the following platforms:
This pretty much sums up everything about my 3-night stay with Z Hostel Philippines. I’d like to specifically thank Cao, Rommel & the whole Z Hostel Philippines management & team for accommodating me during my stay. I had so much fun working with you; I will surely be back!
Do you have any questions about my experience with Z Hostel? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send those questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.
Thank you for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature! Watch out for the next hostel feature. Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you!
Lately, I came across old phone photos about a really good hostel in the heart of Makati City – Lub d Makati. I’ve stayed with this hostel a few times in the past but never thought of writing about it. Well, I’ve featured hostels from Boracay & Palawan & as far as Taiwan, Australia, Japan, Czech Republic & Denmark; I thought of finally featuring this city gem. Welcome to today’s hostel of the day feature. Join me as I run you through the hostel’s features & amenities. Know why Lub d Makati is the perfect choice for your post-pandemic staycation.
Lub d is a small Bangkok-based hostel group. The group has properties in 3 Southeast Asian countries. The hostel group has 3 properties in Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket & Koh Samui), 1 property in Cambodia (Siem Reap) & 1 property in the Philippines (Makati – today’s hostel of the day feature).
Lub d Makati is the hostel group’s first property in the Philippines. The hostel opened in 2018 in the heart of Makati City – one of the metro’s busiest cities. It features 153 private rooms & 10 dormitory rooms in a simple multi-storey building (from the outside) with beautifully designed interiors. The hostel has various features & amenities which will all be discussed below.
Location & Access
Lub d Makati is located at 7820 Makati Avenue, Makati City. The hostel is in a busy commercial area full of restaurants, bars, hotels, offices & condominiums. It is accessible to the public via jeepneys & taxis. The nearest shopping malls are about 2 kilometers. The airport is about 20-30 minutes away without traffic.
The hostel’s location is a 10 out of 10. The nearest convenience store is a few meters walk from the property. Restaurants are found in front or beside the hostel building. The nearest supermarket is a few meters walk from the hostel. The hostel is 300 meters away from Poblacion – Makati’s famous night out spot. The only downside of its location is the traffic congestion (which I don’t mind) outside the hostel’s doors.
Room Options
Lub d Makati caters to all kinds of guests – whether you’re a solo traveler spending a night in Manila before going to the islands, a couple leaving after a long holiday in the Philippines or groups who just want to go on a staycation. The hostel has 153 private rooms divided into double, twin & barkada rooms. It also has 10 dormitory rooms with 8 beds each. These rooms are configured either as female only or mixed dormitory rooms.
My friends & I would usually book the 16 sq m barkada room for 4. This room has either a double or twin beds & 2 single beds in the mezzanine. The room has a private shower & toilet, complete with towels, shampoo & liquid soap. Each baraka room has air conditioning, a cable television, a small refrigerator, a safety deposit box, an electric kettle, glasses, cups & 4 free bottles of water. All private rooms have almost the same layout, except for the additional mezzanine beds in the barkada room.
I never tried staying on their dormitory rooms but I’ve read from their website that each air-conditioned room is spacious at 36 sq m. Each bed has a private reading light, privacy curtain, universal power outlet & USB charging port, individual locker, a complete bedding set & bath towel. Guests staying in a dormitory room have access to shared shower area & toilet.
A bed in the dormitory room can cost as low as below ₱500 per night depending on season & length of stay. The private double & twin rooms can cost as low as a little over ₱2,000 per night while the barkada room can cost as low as a little over ₱3,000 per night during low season. To be honest, I never paid more than ₱3,000 during my previous stay with Lub d Makati. I always book my stay with 3rd party companies like Agoda, Booking.com & Traveloka & avail of their promotions & discounts for lower room rates.
Guest Facilities & Amenities
Lub d Makati boasts a long list of facilities & amenities their guests can enjoy. It may not have a swimming pool unlike their properties in other countries, but it surely has other perks which guests can still avail.
Free Wi-Fi – All guests have access to free high-speed wireless internet connection in common areas & inside the rooms.
On-site Café & Snack Bar – The hostel has an on-site café & snack bar near the reception area. This café serves coffee, breakfast & snacks.
Rooftop Bar & Restaurant – Lub d Makati has a rooftop bar & restaurant which offers a good view of Makati skyline. Essential goodness, for the pilgrims is found in the 13th floor of the hostel building & is open to serve customers from breakfast to dinner.
Communal Social Area – The hostel as a large communal social area by the reception area. The area has cozy chairs with a view of Makati Avenue.
Media Room – Lub d Makati has a media room where guests can chill & watch something.
Private Meeting Room – Guests who need to host meetings can use the hostel’s private meeting room. Please approach the hostel reception if you want to use this room.
Guest Activities & Tours – Lub d Makati hosts daily activities & games for the guests. Check out the latest activities in the activity board near reception. They also offer different tours around Metro Manila. Feel free to ask reception on what are the available tours during your stay.
Communal & Private Amenities – The property has clean & well-maintained toilets & amenities both inside the rooms & in the communal areas.
Games Area – The hostel has a small games area where guests can freely play pool, table football & other games. There are also board games to borrow & enjoy!
Luggage Storage – Lub d Makati offers luggage storage for their guests both before check in & after check out.
Laundry Service – The hostel also offers laundry services. Check out with reception on where these facilities are found.
Private Room Amenities – Private rooms have small refrigerators, safety deposit boxes, in-room telephones, bottled waters, water kettles, coffee, glasses & cups.
24-Hour Reception – Lub d Makati’s reception is always manned. It is open to help guests & address guests’ concerns 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Welcoming & Friendly Staff – Lub d Makati’s staff are very friendly & welcoming. They make sure they talk to their guests & even briefs guests about the hostel’s facilities upon check-in. The hostel’s housekeeping staff are also friendly. They always greet guests in the hallways & in the lifts.
Free Parking – The hostel has free parking in the ground floor. Free parking is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lift Access – Guests who have luggage & big bags don’t need to worry about bringing their bags to their rooms. The hostel has 2 lifts which only work with the use of the room key cards.
Secured Hostel Access – Lub d Makati guests are the only ones who have access to the hostel’s rooms. The room key cards only work on the assigned rooms, assigned floors (in the lifts) & in the communal floors – 2nd floor reception & communal areas & 13th floor rooftop bar & restaurant.
Experiences
I stayed with Lub d Makati for a few times in the last 2 years – all stays in their barkada room. I like the room layout – 2 beds in the ground & 2 beds in the mezzanine. All beds have a pillow, blanket, bath towel, personal light, 1 universal power outlet & 1 USB plug. The pillow & bed are comfortable.
The private rooms are well-designed & well-lighted. I fancy the small table between the beds & the powder / preparation area. I also like that the sink is outside the toilet & shower room, making it possible for people to use these facilities simultaneously. The rooms have cable television & cold air conditioning. All private rooms have a small window with dark curtains.
Check in & check out process are quick. The 2nd floor hostel facilities are free to use for all guests. My friends & I played pool, table football & jenga during our stay in the hostel. The 2nd floor communal area is spacious enough. I haven’t joined any hostel activity but I’ll be down to in my post-covid stay. Believe it or not, I haven’t tried the on-site café & snack bar & the rooftop bar & restaurant. My friends & I always go out of the hostel to eat.
Lub d Makati may not be the cheapest option in the area but it’s where you actually get the worth of every peso you paid. Their rates are still affordable compared to the properties of the same class or level. The rooms & communal areas are simple but well-designed – very instagrammable! With its long list of perks & facilities, it is the perfect property for your post-covid staycation with friends. I cannot wait for the situation to get better; I will bring my friends here for a night of catch-up.
In case you have questions to the hostel, you can contact them at the following platforms:
Have you been to Lub d Makati? What do you think of the hostel, its rooms & facilities? Feel free to share your thoughts & comments below. For me, it is the perfect hostel for your barkada’s staycation. The hostel is posh; it has affordable rates. Its location is perfect & it has a long list of amenities to enjoy.
Do you have questions about the things & features mentioned above? You may also send these questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Please please please also follow me on my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram.
I hope you also check out my other hostel of the day features! Thanks for joining me today. See you in the next one. Stay safe! ❤️
