Glad they built this place with more of an upper middle-class vibe. It feels very secure and super…read moreclean. When you glance outside, you do see a bit of a less fortunate area nearby-it's a reminder of the stark contrast, which is a bit sad. I think those who developed this mini city could do more to support the communities around them, but it's a safe and vibrant spot. Pet-friendly, everything within walking distance, and if you're visiting Manila, BGC is definitely worth staying in. For a quieter vibe, consider staying closer to Manila Bay, but be prepared to grab a ride since not much is walkable unless you're near the mall. Still, BGC really has a lot to offer and is a great base for exploring. No service requested but the Value at some of the hotels or airbnb are affordable!

The urban planners did a really nice job developing this area. It's a welcoming, clean, and modern…read moreenvironment. It's a pedestrian friendly area and thoughtfully designed. It's sensory overload and it would be wise to spend at least 2-3 days exploring this area to absorb everything that's going on. If you're looking for restaurants, art, retail and culture you'll find it here. It's a spacious open space for the community to connect with one another. While walking around I noticed families, friends, co-workers, and international travelers gathering and spending time in this area. It's a lively place to see and be seen. We took a rideshare to Market Market then walked over to Bonifacio High Street. We arrived late afternoon so it was still light out. I saw the Bonifacio High Street marker on 11th Ave and took note of the logo and artistic structure. It reminded me of rice terraces. Then after walking some ways I noticed the elevation started to change slightly, going down steps and ramps. It's nice they considered ramps for people with mobility restrictions. I saw people exercising/jogging. In this heat? Yup. It was shocking to me but I guess they're used to it. I come from a city with mild temps. If it goes above 85 degrees for 3+ consecutive days we freak out and call it a heatwave. Side story: When we took the bus up to Baguio, a lady from Colorado sat next to me. She said she stayed at the Grand Hyatt Manila a couple blocks from High Street. She said she really liked staying there. She convinced me that I need to stay at that hotel in BGC the next time I visit. We dined at Vikings, The Alley, BGC and one of my fam members had a Philippine phone number to make a reservation online since they didn't accept international phone numbers. The food was okay. Medley Buffet at Okada was better. I was shocked when we got the bill though. It was so cheap/affordable. The US dollar goes really far in the Philippines. It's no surprise my retired family members live that snowbird life. Must be nice! ;p By the time we left the restaurant it was dark out. We walked outside and there were a lot more people out. I guess once people clock out of work, everyone just hangs out here. We needed to get back to our hotel located outside of BGC and it was hard finding a rideshare pick up spot. We ended up near the 3D LED screen on 5th Ave. Rideshare kept denying our request, which was the only time it happened on our whole trip. It was pretty frustrating but I can only assume it was because it was so crowded and everyone was trying to hail a car. Eventually we connected with a driver but it took 3 tries. I guess the lesson to take from this is to find the nearest hotel and get picked up there, otherwise you might run into the same problem as we did. Or better yet, just book a hotel in BGC and enjoy the sights and sounds of this desirable neighborhood.

If you think that the pedestrian overpass that spans a good portion of Legaspi Village is just…read morethat, an overpass, you would be wrong. While technically it is just an overpass, the buildings that it passes through have all put up various businesses to entice those who are walking by to shop. They're not all food, either. There are coffee shops, gift shops and convenience stores. There's a bread shop, too. Oh, and there are a number of ATMs spread throughout in case the pedestrian sees something he or she likes in any of the stores but is short on funds. At one end of the walkway is the Ayala museum and Greenbelt, then a connecting bridge to Landmark. I enjoy walking through this overpass at a leisurely pace even as most everyone else seems to be in a mad rush to go to wherever it is that they are heading for. I recently went to one of those everything for one price stores and bought a bottle of men's cologne, which I use as an air freshener for my bedroom.

Up, down, up, down, up, down; that's basically the gist of what you can expect when you're walking…read morealong Ayala avenue. So, if you find the underpasses as being more of an inconvenience for you, most especially when you're about to be late, then perhaps the more straightforward walkway is more your speed - since it actually allows you to go faster. So what is it? The walkway is technically an elevated sidewalk that runs parallel Ayala avenue. How to access it? Easy! Just forget Ayala avenue and go it's inner streets (the one that's linear with Greenbelt), it'll be easy to spot from there. Another good thing about the walkway is that you'll also see here some nice pitstops like perhaps the only dunkin donuts establishment in the entirety of Ayala Ave, or the rather heartstopping Bagsik.

SM Blue is one of the newer SM Development initiatives, located along along Katipunan on one side…read moreand Aurora Boulevard on the other. It's a very clean, new building, with lots of units available for rent or sale. I've visited SM Blue a bunch of times to hang out with a friend or to kill time while waiting for a party. The corner unit was big enough for 1-2 people to share, and the wifi is pretty fast and consistent. It's a snug fit for those who aren't experienced in budget condos yet, though. My main qualms with SM Blue though lie in its obstruction of the Katipunan view in that direction. It's the only large building for kilometers, and ruins the skyline. Also, being an environmental science major, I learned that SM Blue Residences lies literally ON the Marikina Valley Fault Line - not near it, or around it, but literally on the fault line that's bound to cause an earthquake within the next few decades. I hope some earthquake planning came into consideration in building it.

The Bellagio Residences are conveniently located off Burgos Circle. If there is no traffic on 32nd…read morestreet, you can quickly get to the EDSA as well as C5. It is great to live at Bellagio one because it is close to everything you need: Good food, good bars, various banks, you can walk your pet in park, you can walk yourself in the park, you can walk your girlfriend in the park, there is a vet, robinsons supermarket, korean supermarket etc. The building itself is almost 7 years old, but it feels much older. The lobby is spacious but the furniture is poorly maintained and decorated without much style. Fortunately you have the choice to decorate your own house. Make sure it is located facing the golf course, otherwise there is no point in living here.

I wasn't expecting much of The Beacon when I first checked it out. I assumed it would be along the…read morevein of the low-end condos (Shoebox-sized units, laughable facilities) that litter the metro. I was so wrong. Well, not entirely wrong as the unit I got IS a shoebox; however the ambiance and facilities of the condo development more than make up for that. The pool looks great, the gym looks fully stocked, the common areas are inviting, and they have other features that you don't ordinarily see in other condo developments, such as function rooms, barbecue pits, and screening rooms. And as the tallest structure for miles, the view from my place is amazing. This development seem to be skewed more for singletons and couples due to the abundance of studio units in the three buildings. Unless you're going for one of the admittedly few 1 or 2 bedroom units, this may not be for bigger families. It's a shame because this place is brilliant with kids.

Beacon has really great facilities, especially at Tower 2. They have a big swimming pool that's fun…read moreto swim in during the summer, a small gym, a little park you could hang out at to enjoy the breeze, and roof decks so you could feel like royalty while looking down at all the little people. Beacon is also within proximity to a church, convenience store, grocery store, coffee shop, bookstore, and Japanese restaurants too. The security guards at the Lobby also make sure all the unit owners and renters are safe and secure. I liked spending New Year's Eve at The Beacon because of the view. Imagine seeing fireworks light up Metro Manila from every angle at the roof deck. A part of me is sad because it pollutes the air, but another part of me is amazed by the whole display. It's just so enchanting!

The gym of The Grove by Rockwell is HIGHLY impressive. This is possibly the most high-end…read morecondominium in the heart of Ortigas and that's no surprise considering that Rockwell Land Corporation is its developer. Everything here is sophisticated and purposeful, and the gym is certainly no exception. The gym is so spacious -- there's no piece of equipment that is absent here which should excite any fitness enthusiast. To top it off, there's an indoor basketball court attached right to the gym. These guys have thought of everything. If you're more keen to conduct your workout outdoors, no worries. there's an Olympic-size pool right outside the gym.

Living at the Gramercy has set my standards of Manila residences pretty high and I am finding that…read moreonly a few building can really compete with its comfort and design! I was most impressed with The Beaufort and I am hoping to move there soon! The building is not too crowded so its very quiet and spacious. They have a amazing pool which gets sunny (trust me, it's more challenging than you might think to find a residence with a sunny pool because a lot of tall buildings popped up in the past couple of years and they're shadowing all the pools!). It also has a super cosy "cinema" room and party rooms that you can rent out if you are organising an event. The location is great too because it's really close to the road that takes to Makati which means you don't have to go through all the little streets of the fort. If you are looking into moving to this area, I would definitely recommend this building!!!

Lived next door decades ago. Now its consistent of high rise towers overlooking the beautiful…read moremanila skyline. Amazing sunset view. Some of the older towers are a bit updated but not that bad. Traffic around the area is brutal during rush hour but still walking distance to some amenities.

When my wife and I first walked into Tivoli almost 4 years ago, that was it; I knew I wanted to…read morelive here. It's not as upscale a residential area as some; you won't find any Bentleys or Jaguars (okay, fine, maybe 1 Jaguar) or Rolls-Royces in this 5-tower DMCI community. What you will find, what my wife and I have found in our almost 2-year stay here, is a good life. We've given money to Christmas carolers singing like they've actually practiced, we've bought charm bracelets from neighborhood kids, we've chatted with a British expat and his two boys while swimming. It's hard to find time to really hang around in your typical condo, with the empty, musty hallways. Tivoli's breezy corridors are always filled with laughter, and even when you don't wanna step out of your own unit, all you have to do is throw open the window or balcony door, and you hear actual people doing actual people things outside. You're never alone, and sometimes that's a very good thing.