An interesting local hostel in Makati City

I took a flight of stairs up to the third floor of a building in the heart of Burgos St. in Makati, way past sexy girls hanging out of club doors, walked under glaring neon lights and signages of intoxicating fun. Past a lotto outlet with a beeline of people hoping for luck and arrived at a cozy lobby that I didn’t think would fit in.

The whitewashed walls, plush sofa, two big potted plants exuded comfort but the red sign that reads LOKAL HOSTEL caught my eye. I’m here alright. After introducing myself, I was checked in and stepping inside the hostel was an interesting sight that greeted me: wonderful, beautiful, colorful murals depicting Filipinoness, if there’s such a word.

It’s a nice touch and well thought out execution, not bad for a new hostel with rates between P500-P1400, a good place for budget travelers.

Hostels have been sprouting up in the metropolis, enlivening and providing more options to the usual hotels, inns and serviced apartments. And while there are three other hostels in Makati City, Lokal Hostel is the only one I’ve tried for now.

What used to be an office space was converted by two entrepreneurs, Drew Licaros and Don Bautista into an interesting boutique hostel that opened in December 2013. There are no drab or beige colored walls, as far as the central area is concerned. Instead, fun yet educational murals, done by Ang Gerilya decorate the dining area and walls leading to the rooms.

Replete with illustrations of popular Filipino icons like the jeepney, street food, the kalesa plus small captions give foreign visitors snippets of Filipino culture and history. There is a wall full of native musical instruments and amulets, a Kalinga tribal pattern and renditions of hero monuments found within Makati City.

Check out my other post showing the beautiful wall murals at TenZeroFour.

Beyond the murals, it has a communal, well lit kitchen with a well stocked pantry. Dorm rooms are good with wide, comfortable/plush beds. If you want privacy, there are also private rooms. There are reading materials and wifi is strong.

But perhaps, one of its best areas, and what Lokal Hostel owners are definitely proud of is the al fresco roofdeck. Surrounded by towering buildings, its especially beautiful at night when the city lights come to play. Here, guests and friends can socialize, or be part of events organized from time to time.

Is Burgos St., known as Makati’s red light district a good venue? It may be sleazy for some but that idea of just girly bars is passé. Although there are still girly bars, this area has become a community of its own with descent restaurants and joints sprouting up making it one of the must go to places on a Friday or Saturday night.

If you haven’t heard about El Chupacabra, that beloved hangout place, well, you’ve surely lived under a cave for far too long. And it’s just a stone’s through from Lokal Hostel. Go down farther is Ziggurat and the newly opened A Todo Madre, a tequila bar. And what about the delightful restaurants and fastfood and interesting carinderias within the vicinity?

And Lokal Hostel is right at the center. Have your pick.

Lokal Hostel
3F 5023 P. Burgos St.
Brgy. Poblacion
Makati City
Metro Manila 1210
Philippines
+632 890 0927
lokalhostel@gmail.com
http://lokalhostel.com/