The Zone Badminton Court has one of the best locker rooms among all the badminton courts that I've…read morebeen to within its price range. Nicely laid badminton court mat. However, some courts are damaged and they just patched the damages instead of replacing them. White stuff coming from the ceiling also fall down which I assume are bird feathers. They did not even bother to fix the damaged lights. Most of the staff are either lazy or rude. I have only come across two staff members who are nice so far (mostly women). Half of the time that we go there, they do not automatically turn on the exhaust on each court. We either have to turn it on ourselves or go back to the counter to ask them to turn it on, which, of course, consumes the time that we paid. Rudest of all is the guy receptionist who I think is on his late 20s or 30s. He once switched the light off of our court when we just started playing. When approached, not even one apology was heard from that guy or from any of the staff present. This guy also tends to answer sarcastically. They also have a very inconsistent rescheduling policy. Or so said this guy. We have asked to reschedule more than once before this incident because of an unexpected conflict on our schedule. We thought that that would be better instead of cancelling. All of the receptionists that we talked to have always been happy to accommodate this. However, on one eventful day, same receptionist guy said that they don't allow rescheduling even if it is on the same time period that we have scheduled and that it should be done at least 2 days before our supposed schedule. That is the first time that we have heard of that policy although guy insists that that is always how things go. Weird how that is not how it always was for us and only happened when he was the one we're talking to. When asked about this rescheduling fiasco and the unwarranted-turning-off-of-the-court-lights-incident, this receptionist guy even taunted that we should go there so we can discuss it in person. AGAIN, NO APOLOGY WAS HEARD. They suck at complaint resolution. Lastly, expect that when your schedule is near their closing time, they will turn off your court light without any warning 1-2 minutes before the supposed end of your playing time.

I've been to many badminton courts in the Metro, but The Zone remains to be my favorite. For one,…read moreit is conveniently located if one lives and works within Makati CBD. After work, I just walk to the court. I don't need to bring my car, even if there are ample street parking slots in front of the building. The Zone has a total of fifteen standard badminton courts. Six of which have wood flooring, while nine are equipped with Taraflex material. There's also a basketball court complete with digital scoring system. The shower and comfort rooms are air-conditioned and personal lockers are also available. A food stall in the receiving area makes sure that players don't have to worry about drinks and food. If you forget to bring accessories, there's even a small store that offers sports socks, apparel, and other badminton stuff. Recently, The Zone improved its security by placing surveillance cameras in strategic places inside and outside the building. With this, fees and court rentals have slightly increased. At present, the entrance fee is PHP 75.00 per person. During peak hours, weekends, and holidays, you can rent a Taraflex court for PHP 300.00 per hour, while a wood court can be used for PHP 250.00 an hour. A play-all-you-can promo is available during weekdays from 6:00am to 5:00pm for just PHP 150.00 per person. The basketball court rate is PHP 1,500.00 per hour during off-peak time and PHP 2,000.00 for peak hours.

I love this place! Lost a stone and a half and everybody was happy for me, especially the wife…read more Crowd is mixed, local, expatriate, prices are superb and definitely no ripping off. Had horrible experiences at other Makati boxing clubs and Empire represents Filipino hospitality! 24 hours and no appointments needed. 5 stars.

As recently being part of the work force, the value of time has become very important to me and…read morehaving time for my daily workout was something that I really had to put effort and plan for as of late because of busy working schedules. Thank god for Empire Boxing because this is also just but a mere walking distance from where I work, and apart from that, they are open 24 hours. Yes! 24 hours! So even if I get so busy with work during the day, I need not to worry because I could still make it on time. The coaches here are friendly, accommodating and very efficient at what they do. I am especially thankful for my regular trainer because when I was still a student, he was already the one who trained me in a different boxing gym back then. More than boxing, they also offer Muay Thai and cross-training exercises. The owner of the gym is also usually there and extends effort to get to know his customers and also offers his help in doing certain workouts. What I like most about working out here is the overall atmosphere and vibe of the people working out there. Everyone is generally friendly and definitely not an intimidating place to be in.

Chelsea Blue Pitch is hidden away in the former Sta. Ana racetrack, a blue oasis in the middle of…read morethe ongoing Circuit Makati development project. It's a haven for football lovers, away from prying eyes (as compared, for example, to the pitch in BGC). It's also where I began my footballing adventures. The Manila Hurricanes football club started a series of football clinics for beginners and the majority of our sessions happened on these grounds. On any given day you could visit the pitch and be greeted by a variety of football players and fans of all skill levels. On Saturday nights you could hop in any of the available friendly games - just make sure you list yourself at the proper skill level. You wouldn't want to enter a game only to find it too intense/easy for you! The pitch is unique in that it is colored blue, just like the traditional club color of its namesake. Kudos to Chelsea FC in that the club is really taking time and effort to develop interest in football in our country (The Younghusbands were once Chelsea academy players).

Personally not a fan of the blue turf (I think it looks too artificial), but it does help…read morevisibility and that's what counts. The pitch, however, isn't as smooth as I'd like it. It's not level in some places, and the dust from the nearby construction work only worsens the experience. Bathrooms are clean, though a bit small. There aren't any showers yet, so prepare for this if you're planning a game. Parking is sufficient, but still under construction. Expect mud and rocks. Water is a bit of a problem. You'd want to buy your own before entering the complex as the field is a long way from the nearest convenience store. I'd imagine this place to be a much better venue in the future, when the surrounding areas get finished. There's a lot of potential here, but as it is now, there are other more convenient alternatives.

My friend Kim has a membership here and it makes me wish I lived in Makati (wish lang a) and had a…read moremembership as well, because this club just puts me in a state of bliss when we beg her to bring us here for a swim. From outside the place looks a little like a cold block of cement, but when you see the pools it just fills you with positive vibrations. Their lap pool is quite big and can fit five people doing laps, but what I really adore about it is that it's deep, reaching about maybe nine feet at the end. I'm an okay swimmer, but what I really like doing is diving deep into the water and just enjoying the moment of calm I feel surrounded by it, before I have to come up for air. And the Metro Club pool allows me this weirdo luxury. They also have a smaller pool for kids, which they can actually do laps in, as well as a tennis court, a gym, and bowling alley, which I've never experienced but don't really care for anyway. The bathrooms for the pool are astoundingly small with only two showers and one toilet in the men's room--I can't complain though, the pool is enough to cover that. I'd have to give a special mention for their food too, though, which is amazing and affordable too. After an exhausting three and a half laps we're usually too lazy to look for another place to eat and we just end up doing it here. It's a great, fattening ending to a taxing afternoon.

Founded in the UK, Fitness First is the largest privately owned health club in the world. Here in…read morethe Philippines, they have 14 branches. The Fitness First Platinums (like the ones in RCBC and SM Aura) have the best facilities. They have a pool and the newest exercise machines. The one I go to is Fitness First Greenhills which will also become a Fitness First Platinum when they move to The Viridian. The best thing I like about Fitness First are the Group Exercise Classes. I am very much addicted to Body Combat, Body Attack, Body Pump and Retropop. I don't really like doing weights and running for hours on end on the treadmill. I really like the challenge of having to memorize steps and improving my coordination. A great way to lose weight is to do Body Attack and Body Combat back to back three times a week to start. You'll FOR SURE lost weight and sleep like a baby at night.