Manila/Ermita

Ermita takes its name from a hermitage (ermita in Spanish) containing a 16th-century image of Nuestra Señora de Guia that once stood on the site of today's Ermita Church.
Under American rule, this district became Manila's equivalent of Capitol Hill, with many important government structures rising around the large greensward of Luneta (now Rizal Park). Some of these government units have since moved out and the buildings turned into exhibition space for the National Museum and its sister institution, the Museum of the Filipino People (which occupy the old legislative building and the old Finance Department building, respectively).

By train

Ermita is served by three railway stations, all on the LRT Line 1. From the southernmost station, moving north towards the river:

• Pedro Gil (on Taft Avenue). Near the Philippine General Hospital.
• United Nations (on Taft Avenue). Near Rizal Park, the Supreme Court, and the National Bureau of Investigation compound.
• Central Terminal (on Arroceros Street). Near Mehan Garden, the Manila Metropolitan Theatre, the Manila City Hall, and the eastern walls of Intramuros.

By water bus

The Pasig River Ferry stops at Quezon Bridge (Lawton) station, near - you guessed it - Quezon Bridge, which is not far from Liwasang Bonifacio and the old Metropolitan Theatre. The ferry service has reported to be suspended for an indefinite period.

By taxi

Taxis from Ninoy Aquino International Airport will cost you a poverty-inducing unless you insist on taking a car with driver from any of the rental car companies. Fares on the official yellow metered airport taxis starts at , but beware: some airport taxi drivers place meter tampering devices (batingting) to double the fare and extort money from unwary travellers. Regular metered taxis are also legitimate and can be had just by walking away from the airport a bit. As with the ride from the domestic airport, barring severe traffic, a trip to Ermita should not cost more than .

Museums and other points of interest

• Manila Ocean Park

  phone: +63 2-5677777
  address: near Roxas Blvd
  Opened in 2008, this is Manila's first major oceanarium. Although not quite as large and well-equipped as some of Asia's more famous oceanaria (including those in Hong Kong and Singapore), it's still a popular attraction among locals and could be a very interesting diversion for families with children. The centrepiece is the Living Ocean exhibit with large aquariums and an underwater acrylic walkway.

• Museo Pambata

  phone: +63 2-5231797, +63 2-5360595
  address: Roxas Boulevard cor. South Dr
  This museum is geared towards keeping children entertained (and informed) through educational hands-on exhibits and special activities. Themed galleries cover a variety of subjects ranging from history to science to art. Don't put a short leash on the kids here: they're expected to touch and play with most of the stuff on show. Admission adults/children. Streetchildren, infants (under 2 years), museum workers and teachers (with valid IDs) get in free.
• National Museum of the Filipino People
• National Museum of the Philippines

Parks, gardens, and monuments

• Rizal Park (Luneta)

  address: Roxas Blvd
  Nearest railway station: United Nations (LRT-1). Manila's green lung, this large urban park stretches from the Quirino Grandstand in the west to Taft Avenue in the east, with the historic walled district of Intramuros bordering it to the north. The park's most famous landmark is the Rizal Monument, a stone obelisk with bronze statuary erected near the site of Philippine national hero José Rizal's execution in 1896. All distances in the Philippines are measured from the large flagpole near the monument, which serves as the country's Kilometre Zero. Other prominent features include a statue of Lapu-Lapu (the native chieftain who repulsed Magellan's expedition in 1521) and a giant relief map of the Philippines (set within a reflecting pool near the Taft Avenue end). Well-known landmarks within the park's boundaries include the Museum of the Filipino People (inside the old Finance Department building), the Department of Tourism building, the Manila Planetarium, and the National Library. Many locals (including taxi drivers) still refer to the park by its old name: Luneta.
• Liwasang Bonifacio

• Mehan GardenSee Asia's first botanical garden, opened on the late 1850s, renamed after John C. Mehan, the park superintendent.

Other landmarks

• Department of Tourism

  address: T. M. Kalaw
  Almost a twin of the former Finance Department headquarters nearby, this Neoclassical building is a prominent feature of the eastern end of Rizal Park. The colossal statue of Lapu-Lapu - a fairly recent addition to the park - stands between the two buildings, and the giant relief map of the Philippines is just a short walk away.
• Embassy of the United States of America
• Luneta Hotel

• Manila Central Post Office Building

  address: Liwasang Bonifacio
  Never mind the ill-conceived pink and yellow paint job - this grand Neoclassical structure from the 1920s is a fine exemplar of the massive government buildings that were erected in this part of Manila during the American colonial period. It is the headquarters of the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost).

• Manila City Hall

• Quirino Grandstand

• Supreme Court

• Metropolitan Theater

  address: Padre Burgos
  An Art Deco building designed by Filipino architect; Juan M. de Guzman Arellano, first opened in the 1930s and then was severely damaged after the liberation of Manila by America and the Filipino forces in 1945, it was again reconstructed by the Americans however by the 1960s it fell into disuse but again reopened in the 1970s, and then again it fell into decay.

Take a walk up and down Adriatico street. Bars, restaurants and some pretty nice sidewalk cafes.

• Robinsons Place Manila

  phone: +63 2-3020109, +63 2-3020119, +63 2-5264914, +63 2-5258452
  address: Pedro Gil cor. Adriatico
  An urban shopping complex with the usual amenities: food court, cinemas, department store, supermarket, etc. 7 levels, 330 stores. Located near Pedro Gil Station (LRT-1).

• SM City Manila

  address: Natividad Almeda-Lopez (Concepcion) cor. Arroceros
  Part of the nationwide SM "Supermall" chain, this shopping centre has all of the standard features of an urban mall (including a food court, cinemas, a department store and a supermarket) as well as scores of shops spread out over 6 floors. Located near Central Terminal (LRT-1).

• Kamayan, 523 Merchant Bldg., Padre Faura St., +63 2-528-1723 to 24. Kamayan literally means to eat with your hands in Filipino. Their native buffet has a wide range of Filipino food to offer for just under 10 US$/person. Specialties include the lechon (suckling pig) and grilled seafood. Kamayan also has branches in Makati and Quezon City and is usually located alongside its sister restaurants Dad's (Western food buffet) and Saisaki (Japanese food buffet).

• Queen Sheeba

  address: 1323 Del Pilar St
  An Ethiopian restaurant in the heart of Manila. Also serves Middle Eastern food.

There are bars and nightclubs literally left and right. Go bar hopping. If you're into strip clubs, they got those too.
L.A. Cafe - The district's biggest 'meat market'. It's open 24 hours per day. Two floors, live bands/music, TV screens. Good food, drinks and music.

Budget

• Boulevard Mansion

  phone: +63 2 521-8888
  address: 1440 Roxas Boulevard cor. Salas St
  This hotel offers rooms equipped with air conditioning, desk, television, shower, kitchenette, satellite/cable TV and dining area. Some of its facilities and services are restaurant, airport transfer to and from the hotel, daily maid service, business service and room service.

• Cherry Blossoms Hotel

  phone: +63 2 5247631
  address: 550 Jorge Bocobo Extension
  All rooms are good for two persons with free breakfast.

• stone house

  address: 1529 mabini St
  It's clean, they have food 24 hours.

• Casa Bocobo Hotel

  phone: +63 2 5263783
  address: Jorge Bocobo St. cor. T.M. Kalaw Ave., Ermita
  Casa Bocobo Hotel is a no-frills budget hotel located in the neighborhood of the world-renowned Rizal Park. The two-storey, 47-room hotel provides air-conditioned rooms, orthopedic beds, hot & cold shower, cable service via an LCD TV and direct distance dial phones. Their coffee shop, Cafe Bocobo, specializes in Filipino and Asian cuisine. Simple dishes yet superbly crafted and reasonably priced.

• Manila Bay Hostel

  phone: +63 2 4673797, +63 2 4112311, +63 2 4151692
  address: Unit 401, Bel Air Apartments Building (with 24-hours Chowking Chinese fastfood resto on 1st floor), Roxas Boulevard near corner of T. M. Kalaw Ave
  This hostel and tourist guesthouse is nearest historic Rizal Park, exactly across Museo Pambata (Children's Museum), across the street from Manila Bay and next door to Starbucks Coffee shop & 24-hours Yellow Cab Taxi. The owners of Manila Bay Hostel have entered into a management agreement with Green Mango Inn to improve services to international guests, so all reservations or inquiries via internet can be emailed to gh_realty@yahoo.com

• Richmond pension

  phone: +63 2 525-3864
  address: 1165 Grey St
  single/double with common bathroom.

• New Casa Pensionne

  phone: +63 2 522-1740
  address: cnr Pedro gil and Leon Guinto streets
  fan/a/c double rooms with bathroom.

• Santos Pension House

  phone: +63-2-5234896
  address: 1540 A Mabini Street
  Fan room with outside bathroom. Fan and A/C double rooms with own bathroom.

• Ermita Tourist Inn

  phone: +63-2-5218770
  address: corner Soldado Street and 1549 A Mabini Street Ermita
  A/C double rooms with own bathroom and cable TV, free breakfast.

Mid-range

• Lotus Garden Hotel

  phone: +63 2 522-1515
  address: 1227 A. Mabini corner Padre Faura Streets
  A/C rooms equipped with cable TV, mini bar, daily newspaper and hair dryer. Some of its facilities and services are restaurant, bar, function room and massage service.

• City Garden Suites Manila

  phone: +63 2-536-1451
  address: 1158 A. Mabini St
  A/C rooms equipped with cable TV, and refrigerator with mini-bar items. Some of its facilities and services are Internet access, business center, lounge and cafe shop.

• Midland Plaza Manila Hotel

  phone: +63 2-302-1858
  address: M. Adriatico St
  The Midland Plaza is literally in the middle of the land.

• Pearl Manila

  phone: +63 2-400-0088
  address: General Luna St. cor. Taft Ave. & United Nations Ave

• Best Western Hotel La Corona Manila

  phone: +63 2 524-2631
  address: 1166 M H Del Plar corner Arquiza St
  Best Western Hotel La Corona Manila is a 54-room hotel. Best Western Hotel La Corona Manila was 2006 Best Guest Services Awardee of Best Western International.

Spa and massage

• Mont Albo Massage Hut United Nations Avenue

  phone: +63 2 966 2269
  address: GF Mayfair Tower United Nations Avenue st. Corner Mabini St
  Unlike most other spas in Manila, the theme of Mont Albo Massage Hut is old Filipino paying tribute to the humble local nipa hut. Facilities would include waiting lounge, massage/body scrub cubicles, massage chairs, shower and suob (steam) chamber.

Splurge

• Hotel H2O

  phone: +63 2 238 6100
  address: Luneta
  Offers rooms and suites that boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, aquarium walls, or city/bay views. All rooms are fully equipped with private toilet and shower, LCD TV with cable and pay-per-view movies, Internet access, and mini-bar. Some of its amenities include Makansutra Asian Food Village, Club H2O Lounge, fitness centre and spa, and a swimming pool.

The international telephone country code for the Philippines is 63. The area code for Metro Manila (including Ermita) is 2.

Within sight of Rizal Park is Ermita's famous next-door neighbour, the historic walled city of Intramuros.