Night out: Grand Hyatt's The Peak has the best views of the metro

Angelo G. Garcia

Posted at Nov 30 2018 05:08 PM

One of the comfortable seating areas of the music lounge. Photo by author

MANILA -- Grand Hyatt Manila has opened a lifestyle space like no other. It's a combination of a luxurious restaurant, a hip bar, an intimate whisky bar, and a classy music lounge rolled into one space. It's called The Peak, sitting atop the tallest skyscraper in Metro Manila. 

Standing at 318 meters tall, Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig is the tallest building in the Philippines, giving The Peak the best view of Metro Manila. 

The lifestyle space is located at the top of the structure — from the 60th to the 62nd floor to be exact — inside the golden pyramid-like crown of the building. At this height, Manila Bay can be seen to the west and the mountains of Rizal to the east. The entire skyline of the metropolis can also be seen from all directions and the views are even more breathtaking at night.

The Metro Manila skyline as seen from The Peak. Photo by author

Inspired by penthouse living, The Peak is a well-thought out space that showcases an affluent lifestyle. 

“The Peak is a lifestyle concept. It's a restaurant, a music lounge, a bar, a speakeasy, a private function place,” explained Grand Hyatt Manila general manager Gottfried Bogensperger. 

“The concept is like a home. The concept of this place is like penthouse living. You made it and you're on top of the building, When you say it's like a home, you have a study room, your living room, your kitchen, you may have all these rooms, it incorporates all of that in a larger scale,” he added.

One of the private function rooms complete with its own small kitchen. Photo by author

The Peak has a two-floor space with the interiors conceptualized by Tokyo-based design firm Nao Taniyama & Associates. Each space is designed differently but tied together by Filipino culture. The firm incorporated something that is very local to the design, drawing inspiration from the different aspects of local culture. 

“[It's] a place that can become a role to connect the past, the current, and the future of the Philippines. Not only the Philippines but Asia today is growing in a speed which cannot be compared with any periods in the past. However, because of times like this, we need to further look ahead in the future as well as to remind us of things we must not forget,” Nao Taniyama said.

The entry way to the space is adorned with wall-to-ceiling textured design inspired by Filipino tattoo patterns. Most of the spaces inside are encased in a basket-like structure, patterned after traditional weaved bamboo basket. The weave creates dramatic light and shadow patterns with the help of the mood lighting. The premium furniture at the restaurant are also made by Filipino craftsmen. 

The grill restaurant's space is encased in a basket-like design inspired by Filipino bamboo weave. Photo by author

“He took a lot of the inspiration from the Philippines like the bamboo weave is very Filipino-inspired. He really thought about Philippines and what it stands for and obviously it had to be incorporated into a design but he wanted to introduce a lot of Filipino lifestyles, a lot of Filipino artifacts into it. So it's really interesting. All the furniture in the restaurant are Filipino made, so we insisted there has to be Filipino craftsmanship,” Bogensperger said. 

At the center of the grill restaurant is an open kitchen and it's headed by chef de cuisine Manuel Baenziger. The Swiss chef promises top-notch cuisine, from its Maryland crab cake to grilled scallops to Australian wagyu rib eye steak. Pair these dishes with the restaurant's wide selection of wines. 

The restaurant uses a charcoal grill in its open kitchen. Photo by author

The grill also has its own open-air terrace for a more romantic setting with the view of the city as backdrop. 

The Peak bar offers a variety of cocktails and spirits from Old Fashioned to a flute of premium champagne. It also offers a variety of luxurious nibbles like fresh oysters and a selection of cheeses. This section also has an al fresco lounge, offering a beautiful view of the Makati skyline and the Manila Bay to the horizon. 

The music lounge, on the other hand, showcases premium entertainment and for the next four months, the stage is headlined by international band Legacy. Various DJs are also slated to perform on The Peak stage. 

The Peak commissioned international band Legacy to perform for the next four months. Photo by author

The whisky bar is a classic space that offers rare Scotch whisky like The Macallan. The bar is complete with leather chairs and is the most intimate space at The Peak. 

There are also private function rooms available for guests who plan on having private parties and celebrations. 

“We are excited to welcome guests and to show them what we have created for them because we believe that The Peak is best explained through experience. From interiors, dining, and live entertainment, there will always be something new waiting to be discovered,” said The Peak manager Benjamin Schertzer.