Regina Troy Barrios

Article (news)

Hilton  Manila

Christmas in Manila isn&rsquo;t subtle. It&rsquo;s loud, generous, indulgent&mdash;and when done right, best experienced from inside a hotel where the lights are bright, the buffets are long, and there&rsquo;s someone else to worry about washing dishes. If your idea of holiday magic comes with the most delicious things plated, poured, carved, or served from a dessert station, these hotels deliver Christmas at full volume.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766525350653Workbench Thumbnail.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"></div><div> </div><h3><a href="https://www.instagram.com/cityofdreamsmanila/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">City of Dreams Manila</a></h3>If your holiday ideal involves lobster, abalone, wagyu, and a temporary loss of dietary control, then City of Dreams understands you completely.<a href="https://www.instagram.com/crystaldragonmnl/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Crystal Dragon</a> goes all in with a seven-course Festive Season Family Set Menu meant for sharing. Expect wok-fried green lobster with XO sauce, double-boiled abalone with fish maw and dry scallop, Shanghainese-style braised duck, sea scallops in pepper truffle sauce, and a lava custard bun shaped like taro because even dessert must arrive dressed for the occasion. It&rsquo;s P36,000++ for four to six people, available until January 1, and feels exactly like the kind of Christmas meal you remember for years.For a Filipino table reimagined, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/haliya.manila/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Haliya</a> leans into nostalgic and very fancy noche buena. Tuna Pistachio Ensalada dressed up with foie gras mousse and caviar; Morcon Embotido; and desserts built around pears, chestnuts, and pinipig. Available on December 24 and 25, this is Christmas comfort food in the most luxe way possible.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17665254667352. Haliya - Morcon Embotido.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Haley&#39;s Morcon Embotido | Photo: City of Dreams Manila</div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/noburestaurantmanila/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nobu Manila</a> serves a festive brunch on December 21with dishes that pulls out all the stops: Black Cod Butter Lettuce, Yellowtail Jalape&ntilde;o, Crispy Rice Tuna&mdash;alongside local nods like Nobu-style kinilaw and sisig cup sushi. On December 24 and 25, a Christmas Omakase delivers salmon with yuzu truffle, Chilean sea bass in kaeshi dashi, wagyu short ribs, and a Chocolate Miso Choux that proves miso belongs everywhere.And if you want everything, all at once, The Caf&eacute; stages a maximalist buffet on December 24 and 25: churrasco, teppanyaki, carving stations, whole tuna or salmon, an ocean&rsquo;s worth of shellfish, plus free-flowing wine and beer. This is the buffet that dares you to pace yourself&mdash;and laughs when you don&rsquo;t<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17665255362153. Nobu Manila - Chocolate Miso Choux.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Chocolate MIso Choux at Nobu | Photo: City of Dreams Manila</div><h3><a href="https://www.instagram.com/makatishangrila/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Makati Shangri-La</a></h3>Makati Shangri-La&rsquo;s holiday theme, Enchanted Wonders, is less about spectacle and more about a relaxed yet polish elegance.At Circles Event Caf&eacute;, the Circle of Holiday Flavours buffet runs daily, with expanded festive spreads on December 24, 25, 31, and January 1 featuring venison terrine, seafood on ice, roasted rib eye, stuffed turkey, and an intimidating lineup of desserts. There&rsquo;s even a late-night Noche Buena buffet on December 24, because Christmas Eve deserves its own second wind.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766525616775Circles of Flavours.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Circle of Holiday Flavors Buffet | Photo: Makati Shangri-La</div>Shang Palace handles Cantonese Christmas with group-friendly set menus that feel celebratory without tipping into chaos&mdash;Golden Yuletide, Festive Treasures, or Enchanted Feast&mdash;served across key holiday dates.Afternoon tea gets its own holiday glow-up at the Lobby Lounge, where the Enchanted Crystals Afternoon Tea draws inspiration from Swarovski, complete with a chance to win a piece with your order. It&rsquo;s festive, restrained, and very on brand.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766525677554Lobby Lounge.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">A holiday-themed afternoon tea | Photo: Makati Shangri-La</div>For those who believe Christmas dinner should involve Champagne by default, Sage Grill delivers a five-course Festive Opulence menu on December 24 and 25, each meal paired with bubbles or a festive mocktail. This is Christmas for people who enjoy tradition&mdash;but edited.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17665257150552025 Sage Grill Festive.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Festive Opulence menu at Sage Grill | Photo: Makati Shangri-La</div><div> </div><h3><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thepeninsulamanila/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Peninsula Manila</a></h3>If Manila Christmas had a headquarters, it would be The Peninsula Lobby&mdash;under a towering tree, with choirs singing and forks clinking in rhythm.But food is only half the magic. Caroling performances fill the Lobby throughout December, culminating in the 40th anniversary of the Christmas Concert at The Pen, a full-scale production with orchestra and choir that feels like a cultural inheritance rather than an event listing.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17665258167152025_The Lobby.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">The Peninsula Manila is the go-to for traditional Christmas festivities | Photo: The Peninsula Manila</div>The Lobby hosts a grand dinner buffet on December 24, then shifts seamlessly into &agrave; la carte service on Christmas Day. Escolta brings its lavish buffets back to the table, while Old Manila keeps things classically French, crisp, and quietly indulgent.Afternoon Tea&nbsp;beneath the Christmas tree remains a rite of passage, complete with scones, pastries, Champagne, and the knowledge that part of your indulgence supports Make-A-Wish Philippines. It&rsquo;s the rare holiday meal that manages to feel both lavish and meaningful.<h3><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17665259345552025_Old Manila.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Christmas Eve dinner at Old Manila | Photo: The Peninsula Manila<a href="https://www.instagram.com/newportworldresorts/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Newport World Resorts</a></h3>For the Christmas that never runs out of options, Newport serves up a variety of Christmas feasts spread across cuisines, hotels, and dessert counters.At <a href="https://www.instagram.com/casa_buenas/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Casa Buenas</a>, the holidays travel the archipelago with set menus inspired by Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao&mdash;kinilaw, pi yang gang manok, and a modern kare-kare take on crispy pata, all designed for sharing.Buffet loveres can rotate between Kusina Sea Kitchens at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hiltonmanila/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hilton Manila</a>, with prime rib, honey-cured ham, and free-flowing sparkling wine, or S Kitchen at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sheratonmanila/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sheraton Manila</a>, where turkey, ribeye, leg of ham, and seafood paluto anchor a disco-themed Christmas spread.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766526121615Holiday feast at Kusina Sea Kitchens, Hilton Manila Newport World Resorts.jpeg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">The feast at Kusina Sea Kitchens | Photo: Newport World Resorts</div>Japanese precision arrives at Yawaragi in<a href="https://www.instagram.com/hotelokuramnl/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;Hotel Okura Manila</a>, where the Christmas Kisetsu Buffet features wagyu carving, fusion sushi, and tempura dressed up with prosciutto and balsamic glaze.And then there&rsquo;s dessert&mdash;everywhere. Gingerbread houses you can walk into, panettone and pandoro worth carrying home, holiday cakes named like characters in a children&rsquo;s book, and pastry boutiques that seem designed to make restraint feel optional.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766526203177Christmas goodies at the Madison Lounge & Bar at Hilton Manila Newport World Resorts.jpeg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Christmas goodies at the Madison Lounge | Photo: Newport World Resorts&nbsp;</div>

Experience Manila’s most festive hotels this Christmas, from grand buffets and nostalgic carols to elegant afternoon teas and unforgettable holiday experiences.

Experience Manila’s most festive hotels this Christmas, from grand buffets and nostalgic carols to elegant afternoon teas and unforgettable holiday experiences.

Where To Stay For Peak Christmas Magic

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Where To Stay For Peak Christmas Magic

Metro.Style Team

Published December 15, 2025 05:45 AM PHT

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Updated December 24, 2025 05:45 AM PHT

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