Quite simply, I think one would have to try quite hard to find a better deal in Manila. This is not a 5* establishment by any stretch, but unlike many such hotels, this place has charm, harkening back to a Manila age long since past (other than this hotel, there is the cafe on Remedios Circle and that's about it). For what you are paying (1650 pesos in 2010), it's a steal. The reception and room service staff are consistently pleasant and helpful. Of particular value to travelers, the reception staff often excellent assistance in deciphering the country's byzantine intercity bus network, the complexity of which could otherwise strand one in Manila for weeks upon end. Malate is not everyone's cup of tea (and particularly not recommended for families), with the neighborhood seeming to go deeper into the doo-doo every year, but ultimately it's a good as any in terms of an entry point to the Philippines and, if you are headed there, you could do a lot worse than head to the Arms of Adriatico.