Manila Hotel

The Manila Hotel in happier times, with the walls of Intramuros visible behind it.

When Manila was redesigned by Daniel Burnham, he envisioned a long, central boulevard along Manila Bay, ending at a large hotel, positioned to overlook Manila Bay and the Intramuros. Built from 1908 to 1912, the hotel had been built on an extended piece of the coast, made with the silt dredged up from the improvement of Manila harbor.

The structure was built in the style of a California Mission, and offered commanding views of the harbor and of the open park that was rapidly becoming the center of government for the Commonwealth. Proximity to passenger docks allowed for convenient access to the hotel for passengers disembarking in the city. The elegant lobby featured beautiful arches and columns led into dining rooms, a music room, a guest parlor, and, of course, the grand staircase leading to guest rooms.

In 1935 President Manuel Quezon invited his friend, American general Douglas MacArthur, to come to Manila to take command of the new Philippine Commonwealth Army. For this, he was given the rank of Field Marshal, a generous stipend, and residence in the penthouse of the Manila Hotel. To suit the requirements of MacArthur, the rooftop garden of the hotel was converted into a massive air conditioned penthouse, featuring seven bedrooms, an office, a music room, and a large formal dining room. He would remain here until the turbulent days of late 1941.

The general hurriedly evacuated the hotel for the fortress of Corregidor as the Japanese approached the capital in early 1942, and Manila was declared an open city. The remaining guests were taken to the internment camp at the University of Santo Tomas, forced to abandon most of their possessions in the hotel.

The Japanese subsequently took control of the hotel as officer’s quarters, with MacArthur’s penthouse being used to house visiting Japanese dignitaries, two vases gifted to MacArthur by the Emperor years before still on prominent display, as MacArthur’s wife had hoped their presence would discourage the Japanese from violating her home. The hotel staff were made to stay on, but forced to learn Japanese, as the hotel restaurants now cooked exclusively Japanese dishes.

In early 1945, as liberating American forces closed on the city, Admiral Iwabuchi ordered his MNDF forces to prepare for a suicidal defense of the capitol, and selected the Manila hotel as a strongpoint, installing heavy weapons on the grounds and a substantial garrison within.