After coming from a previous engagement within Makati, we chanced upon Z Hostel, a new backpacker’s place that targets the smart traveller who could either be those flash packers, backpackers or your average traveller.
It was a weekend that day, Valentine’s Day to be exact. My beer buddies in Manila decided to hang out at El Chupacabara, a Mexican bar in Makati known for it’s street taco and cold beers. But after realizing that we still didn’t want to go home, we decided to spend the night at Z Hostel to experience first-hand how it’s like to stay in a posh and luxury hostel in Makati City. The place is just a walking distance to the city’s red light district and to the numerous restaurants in the area where you can enjoy a variety of local and international cuisines.
Upon entering its doors, you will immediately see the sleek and minimalist design of the lobby. For a moment, you’d think twice if Z is indeed a hostel because its interiors look more of a boutique hotel inside out.
A huge couch is sprawled in the lobby and there’s a book shelf for book lovers where you can swap books. A MacBook is also available for use. The presence of an elevator in this place is a breather as it comes handy for those travellers with huge luggage. There is also a café where you can have your breakfast. At night, it transforms into a bar where people can just chill. The café’s second floor holds the game room.
Z Hostel is the first luxury hostel in the Philippines that caters to smart travellers. There are 30 rooms and 128 beds for use. There are private rooms available and dorm rooms too. Their dorm rooms have two kinds: females only or mixed dorms. (check the rates)
So what’s so luxurious about staying at Z Hostel? It’s actually the comfort you get when staying in their rooms.
My friends and I stayed at their 8-bedroom dorm. The room is really spacious. There’s enough space to walk around. Each of the dorm rooms has its own bathroom. There’s also an extra sink inside the 6pax and 8pax mixed dorms for your basic necessities in case you can’t wait for the long queue at the bathroom. There are ample wall hooks to hang your things too and each bed has its own towel rack where you can easily hang the free towels provided. The only thing that’s missing here are toiletries such as the shampoo and soap.
For the dorm rooms, the bunk beds are customized and are designed to fit an average Caucasian traveller. The average Pinoy may find the beds large. In fact two occupants could fit on it because of its size. Each bed is equipped with its own electrical socket. A reading lamp is available on each bunk bed too.
Huge lockers that can fit large human beings luggage are available for each guest. You just have to bring in your own padlock. What’s great about the lockers at Z Hostel is that each storage space has its own electric socket where you can safely charge your gadgets while you go out and discover the city.
Breakfast comes included when you stay at Z Hostel. The food offerings are a mixture of American and Pinoy fares.
During our stay, we got to try their macaroni chicken soup, porridge (on the second day), scrambled eggs, chocolate suman (moron), suman sa ibos, toast, cereals and assorted fruits and drinks. Free flowing coffee is served too.
After breakfast, we went back to our rooms to sleep again as some of us were still sleepy after our drinking spree the night before and our beds proved to offer the comfort that we badly needed that morning. It was past lunch when we woke up. With our tummies grumbling, we decided to call our favorite local fast-food chain, Jollibee, to deliver our lunch meals.
Z Hostel has a joining roof deck which offers an awesome view of the Makati skyline. We found it the perfect place to have our own little picnic on that Sunday afternoon as we gobbled our Chicken Joy meals.
On Sundays, Z hosts the Sunday Slowdown at the roof deck where guests are welcome to meet family and friends over barbecue and ice cold beers. By 5pm, a part of the roof deck is transformed into a mini stage where you get to jam with live bands featuring some of the country’s local artists. That Sunday, we got to hear The Slinks.
I enjoyed listening to the unique song renditions especially of their female vocalist. I got mesmerized the moment she sang some of my favorite timeless pieces, which includes Moon River and La vie en rose. She’s like a reincarnation of Edith Piaf, the French chanteuse, with her passionate and soulful voice.
photo credit: Lakad Pilipinas
We also met fellow travel blogger Philipp Dukatz of www.escapology.eu who just came from Germany and was on his way to Cebu in a few days. It was a night filled with life and travel stories over cold Red Horse beer. We woke up the next day with a bad hangover, not to mention our shock upon learning the number of bottles we consumed the previous night. We refused to believe what was written on our bill actually.
The past two nights went by so swiftly. It was such a pain to know that another boring weekday awaited us the Monday we left Z Hostel for I enjoyed my stay there. This is the kind of place you want to stay in Makati where you can either relax, party all night long or simply hang out with old friends and meet new ones.
Location
Z Hostel is located in a quiet neighborhood along the corners of Kalayaan Avenue and Don Pedro St. in Makati City.
Z Hostel Website
Address: 5660 Don Pedro Street
Makati City Philippines
Phone Number: +63 927 965 2692
Email: reservations@zhostel.com or inquiry@zhostel.com
Z Hostel on Facebook
Z Hostel on Twitter
For discounted room rates, book here.
