Bayleaf Intramuros Review: Old Stones, Heavy Rain, and a Trip That Didn’t Go to Plan

This Bayleaf Intramuros review covers our family stay inside the walls, a ₱1,000 kalesa tour, and a trip that didn’t go to plan.

Why do old, cold stones appeal to me so much? Is it the age? The wisdom? The fact that they’re still standing after holding so much history? If you’ve been reading my posts, you know how sentimental I can be.

My partner, Neil, is a huge history fan. He’ll casually tell me the full history of something I’ve never heard of, as if it’s general knowledge and I shouldn’t be surprised. But he had never been to Intramuros.

The Manila girl he’d been with for more than 15 years had never taken him for a walk in one of the city’s classic college dating spots.

The Manila girl who never dated in Intramuros

To be fair, I never dated in college. I think I first visited Intramuros just after graduation. Not during school, not even for school events.

I studied at PNU (Philippine Normal University). Intramuros was close enough that I didn’t need bus fare to get there. Still, I wasn’t curious. Maybe because it was just in the neighborhood. Maybe because I didn’t have the extra cash or energy for anything beyond schoolwork, chess, and a little taekwondo and Spanish. I tried out for choir but quit as soon as I heard practice usually ended at 8 PM.

Life was hard back then, and I hardly noticed. Maybe religion convinced the teenager in me that life beyond this one was far better. Or maybe it was because my friends lived far away, and all they wanted after class was to go home, or stop by the library to photocopy books we couldn’t afford.

Those are my Manila memories. I didn’t live in the city, so to me it was always a little new. What I knew well was small: where to find the cheapest soup and rice, the Manila library’s opening hours (it moved closer to PNU, finally), and the city hall with the clock tower.

So when a family event brought us to Manila, I took the chance to give Neil, and our son Cyd, a tour of the old city. And create new memories. (It was only my second time, too.)

Why we booked Bayleaf Intramuros

We wanted to stay inside the walls.

As an Airbnb host, I’m nervous about cheaper 3-star hotels in Manila. In my experience, standards can be low. So I chose Bayleaf Intramuros, and we booked a Deluxe Twin Room for two nights, August 14 to 16, 2026.

Our outfits did not match the people coming out the door. They wore polos and suits. We wore shorts and T-shirts. My son was half asleep by the time we checked in.

Rain, then sun, then a walk around the walls

Manila had been soaked for almost a month, and the rain showed no sign of stopping. Then, the next morning, the sun came out. My sister-in-law said it was the first time they’d seen the sun all August. How lovely.

I’d told only one friend (Gretchen) I was in town, someone I always make time for because I never know when I’ll travel again. (If only I had a business in Manila that justified the flights. Wishful thinking.)

She brought her daughter, and we had lunch at Ilustrado, where Lia took the challenge to try Dinuguan for the first time. Pretty cool! Then we walked around the walled city talking about random things, where my friend, Gretchen, had a “surreal” encounter.

We don’t do checklists. We pick up where we left off: life, motherhood, career, milestones, recent wins, next steps. Later we ended up at the churros place inside the hotel for coffee and dessert.

Our ₱1,000 kalesa tour of Intramuros

On the morning before we checked out, it was just me and Cyd. I asked the front desk about an Intramuros tour, and the receptionist happily arranged one for us.

We went by kalesa, a horse-drawn carriage. It cost ₱1,000 for one hour. Our kutsero (the driver) handled the horse, and a tour guide rode along. He joked the whole way while telling stories about Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral, San Agustin Church, and more. (If you’re wondering, the horse’s name was “Ramboo,” and he came from the wealthy family “Tan.”)

Cyd loved it. Honestly, so did I. It was the tour I never took when I lived next door.

What the stay was really like

Neil got sick. For the entire stay, he was sick. That’s when the location earned its keep. Convenience stores, pharmacies, and restaurants were all close by. And breakfast came with a view of the walled city.

What Neil missed was strength, not access. I wish things had gone differently. But at least he finally stepped into Intramuros.

Bayleaf Intramuros at a glance

• Location: inside Intramuros, Manila
• Room we booked: Deluxe Twin Room, 1 room, 2 nights
• Good for: families and history lovers who want to walk the walled city
• What I liked: breakfast with a view of the walls, a churros place inside the hotel for coffee and dessert, and pharmacies, convenience stores, and restaurants nearby
• Tours: the front desk arranged a one-hour kalesa tour for ₱1,000 (August 2026 rate)
• Heads-up: many guests dress smartly, so pack something nicer than shorts if that matters to you

I’d give Bayleaf Intramuros Hotel four stars.