A quick escape to vacation spots near Manila is always a good idea. In Taytay, Rizal, I was invited to the soft opening of their first hotel, Monaco, where I spent three days exploring the spots I’ve had on my must-see list for the longest time.

A Review of Monaco Hotel Rizal

Save for a few small accommodation options, the town of Taytay never had a proper hotel—until this year. As someone who spent most of her childhood in the province, I share this town’s joy in finally having a hotel for the balikbayans, out-of-towners, and locals saving for a staycation or event.

The hotel is the highlight of The Monaco Strip, a mixed-use commercial strip along Taytay’s Ortigas Extension Avenue, not to be confused with Ortigas, Pasig. Coffee shops, convenience stores, and spas occupy the first to second floors.

Inspired by European architecture, this 100-room hotel gives off a business travel vibe. My deluxe double room was clean and spacious, as was the bathroom with a walk-in shower. Business and workation travelers will appreciate the big work desk with a view of the mountains and provincial life of Taytay.

My room was facing the busy avenue, so it did get a bit noisy early in the morning. As a Manila condo dweller, it wasn’t a big issue for me, but if you’re looking to sleep in, it’s best to ask for a quiet room on the other side of the building before checking in.

The pool was still under construction during the hotel’s soft opening in July, but we did peep at its progress. Families can book pool-view standard rooms if they’d like to keep an eye on their kids looking to go swimming. The target launch of the pool area is in the third to fourth quarter of 2024.

Party like it’s 1999 in Grimaldi

The hotel’s restaurant and bar, Grimaldi, is the chill breakfast area during the day, and come nighttime it transforms into Taytay’s big new nightlife destination. Think Street Life and Hard Rock Glorietta circa late ’90s meets 12 Monkeys Music Hall & Pub circa 2015. Come for the mixology and live music of different genres featuring both homegrown Rizal talent and Manila bands.

The kitchen serves a mix of Filipino and international cuisine. Standouts for me were the truffle-infused pasta and the sweet-salty binagoongan (shrimp paste sautee) with heaps of white rice.

Things To Do In and Around Taytay, Rizal

While there are a lot of great mountains to hike in Rizal and their neighboring mountainous city of Antipolo (I’ve been to Mt. Maynuba!), they’re far from this area. For a weekend in Taytay, I suggest a more chill itinerary.

1. Coffee Shops

There’s a growing coffee shop culture in Taytay and Antipolo. Monaco Hotel’s friendly concierge recommended DK Press, Café Augusta, and Palpitate Coffee. I tried the latter’s signature iced Palpitate Latte and it did deliver the promised increased cardiac muscle contractions after chugging.

2. Pintô Art Museum

Do you have a must-see destination that you can’t seem to tick off your list because you know it’s nearby and you’re just looking for the right time to go? Pintô Art Museum was it for me. Ever since it opened to the public in 2010, I’ve been putting it off for multiple excuses. I finally entered the pinto (door), thanks to my Monaco Hotel workation.

More than just an Instagram spot, the Pintô Art Museum is a contemporary art museum complex. After an immersive tour by Andy Orencio, who also happens to be one of the resident artists of the museum, I emerged with a deeper appreciation of Filipino artists who use their art to convey cultural and political messages. I suggest you book him when you visit for a better understanding of the art. Otherwise, you will end up just posing on those Instagram-famous Pinto stairs—which isn’t a bad thing, but that shouldn’t be the only highlight of your visit.

3. Taytay Tiangge Complex

Tiangge means market in Filipino, but this one in Taytay is so massive it feels like an entire village dedicated to bargain finds. They don’t call Taytay the Garments Capital of the Philippines for nothing. How could I resist trendy shorts for ₱60 each and door rugs for ₱25 each?

I had heard so much about the Taytay tiangge, and I’m glad to finally see and experience their bargain fashion shopping craze in person.

When I was done, I headed back to the Monaco Hotel for dinner and music in Grimaldi and a well-deserved room-service massage before bed.

The Monaco Hotel is located on The Monaco Strip, Ortigas Ave. Extension, Taytay, Rizal, Philippines. Book via Agoda or Booking.