Four Philippine hotels make travel magazine's top 500 hotels list

Four Philippine hotels were counted among 500 of the world's best for 2013 according to New York-based travel magazine, Travel + Leisure, which released their 11th annual T+L 500 list December 21. Among the four hotels, Boracay Island's Discovery Shores was praised by the magazine for its "barefoot elegance," and was even named the top island hotel in Asia with a score of 96.77. The hotel had already been part of the list in 2012 and 2011. Makati Shangri-la, another veteran of the T+L 500 list, got a rating of 88.97, and was described as a "prestigious property" that is a few steps away from the main shopping district in Ayala Avenue. Neighboring Peninsula Manila, also made the list with a score of 88, and was noted for its "lavish lobby lounge" and "copious amounts of light." Meanwhile, EDSA Shangri-la made the list for the first time, also scoring 88. Apart from being noted for its greenery in the midst of urban Ortigas, it was also given special mention for the Bakeshop's ensaymada. In Asia, the Oberoi Udaivilas in Udaipur, India, was named the top hotel, while the Singita Grumeti Reserves in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania was named top hotel overall. The T+L 500 list compiles the highest-ranking hotels and resorts all over the world based on a reader's survey for the Travel + Leisure 2012 World's Best Awards. — Amanda Lago/DVM, GMA News