Those memorable (Hilton) moments

In less than two years, the upscale Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa has carved its own niche in the burgeoning tourist town of Mactan island in Cebu.

Credit should go to its already established brand, being the flagship hotel of the US-luxury chain Hilton Hotels Corp., which marked its return to the Philippines after over a decade’s absence.

The imposing triple tower that comprises the R2 billion resort and residential facility rises tall above neighboring hotels and resorts. Its structure is visible to air passengers about to land at Mactan airport, to motorists crossing the Fernan bridge, and even from atop a hill in Cebu City, making quite an impact on guests even before they put down their bags to check in.

FRENCH-MEDITERRANEAN FLAVOR

Yet, the striking pink structure is certainly not its distinct feature. Guests discover a French-Mediterranean influence in the design and layout of the resort. It all begins with the unassuming entrance that leads to the Pink Lobby. Renowned designer Dan Kwan of TriBeCa Indonesia conjured the food and beverage outlets of the resort in such a way that they are located across and next to each other, gathering around the lobby, the central part of the property.The Pink Lobby also doubles up as an al fresco lounge and bar with nightly entertainment. A water fountain enclosed in blue and white glass tiles located at the center of the lobby, adds to the tropical feel.

Then there’s Seas, a specialty seafood restaurant that showcases a seafood market concept, the freshest local and international dishes and a five-to-six-course menu degustation. Across it, the Vanilla Beach Café transports diners back to the 50s and 60s with a beach ambience defined by a retro-colonial design and white-washed walls. The all-day dining resto serves regional, Mediterranean and Filipino cuisine. The Sapphire Pool Bar, meanwhile, overlooks the resort’s infinity pool and the 120-meter white-sand beachfront.

MOST EXPENSIVE BURGER

Fastly making a name in the local hospitality scene is Hilton’s signature outlet Manny O’s Wines and Tapas. Its much-publicized pricey dishes have been attracting regulars as well as curious gourmands. Named after resort owner and prominent businessman Manny Osmeña, this circular restaurant situated at the tip of a wharf gives the illusion that one is dining in the middle of the sea. Its most popular dish is the Wagyu burger, which Hilton general manager Peter Pedersen claims as probably the most expensive burger in the country. Priced at R1,300, the 250-gram Wagyu burger is made of Australian wagyu meat sourced from vegetarian cows. Said to be even more expensive than the Kobe beef, this melt-in-the-mouth, tasty burger patty is specially made for Manny O’s by Hilton’s Swiss-Italian executive chef Stefano Verillo. It comes in a bento box with soup, salad, cutlet and fries. Almost all dishes in Manny O’s are ideal for sharing because they come in large servings.

"There is a lot of marketing in the dish which serves the hotel well. I see nothing wrong with being expensive if you still have a lot of balance in value for money there," relayed Pedersen who added that the Wagyu burger is also popular for guests ordering room service.

LUXURIOUS ROOMS

The rooms do not fail to impress either. Nestled on the Punta Engano strip in the northern part of Mactan are the three Hilton high-rises. The two twin towers consist of 172 well-appointed guestrooms and 74 spa suites. The Hilton Cebu Tower, meanwhile, is composed of residential unites to cater to the growing market of long-staying tourists and expatriates in Cebu.

All rooms evoke a minimalist yet cozy design with its subtle splashes of earth colors. Amenities include a 25-inch television, hi-speed Internet access, in-room safe, mini-bar, individually-controlled air-conditioners. Most rooms also have a balcony providing spectacular views of the beach, Hilutungan channel, Cebu city skyline, Cape Engano and the resort’s next-door neighbor and competitor, the Shangri-La Mactan.

For a more luxurious accommodation, the resort’s 74 Zen-inspired spa suites boast of separate living and sleeping quarters, a private balcony with ocean views, oversized beds with fluffy pillows, an original jacuzzi brand spa bath, and the services of a dedicated spa butler. Guests won’t even have to leave their room to avail of Hilton’s signature treatment, the Mactan massage or other services. Toiletries include a variety of relaxing, stimulating aromatherapy bath salts, essential oils for the spa suites while all rooms are provided with Crabtree and Evelyn bath and body care products.

HILTON MOMENT

The highlight of a stay at the Hilton Cebu, according to the Danish GM also lies in those unforgettable Hilton moments where employees go the extra mile to give guests a more personalized, caring service.

"A particular Hilton motto or trademark that applies even here in the Philippines is our ability to give consistent personalized and even extraordinary service, where we go out of our way to create a Hilton moment," Pedersen revealed "A lady falls by the pool and tears her shirt. The team member who helps her finds out and goes to the local market to buy her a new shirt. Or a guest comes back from an excursion, hurt and bruised. They need some assistance in the hospital, we continue to make sure they have some food in the hospital. Or a guest checks out of the room and leaves a wallet full of cash. We look for that person and give it back. These are what we call Hilton moments. And we try to look for these moments and promote them within our organization, encouraging our team members to make more of such an experience for our guests."

In our case, our Hilton moment transpired upon our arrival at the resort with some media friends one night. The doorman greeted my friend Buddy with a warm, genuine smile and said "sir, nice to see you again." Buddy was at the resort earlier that morning and true enough, the doorman remembered him!

Pedersen also explained that they call their resort employees ‘’team member’’ and not ‘’staff’’ like what is generally practiced. ‘’Staff’’ refers to being a little secondary. For management executives, we call each other by first name. This is in line with our belief in promoting equality among employees in all Hilton hotels."

PARTICIPATION IN SALES MISSIONS

To increase its growing clientele dominated by the Korea, Japanese and locals, the Hilton Cebu resorts to aggressive marketing in several sales missions organized by the Department of Tourism.

One setback though is the hotel’s lack of a better image or more promotion in Metro Manila, according to Pedersen.

"Being a chain hotel, it is sometimes a little bit difficult just to be the only one on the block especially when local feeder market is Manila. We don’t have a flag up there. Our neighbors, they have two very good ones (referring to the Shangri-La Makati and Edsa Shangri-La) which works well in their favor," he pointed out.

A plan to build a Hilton Hotel in Manila sometime soon will answer this situation, Pedersen said.