The Cebu City Marriott Hotel, a member of the Marriott Hotel International conglomerate, is set to open 150 of the 301 newly renovated rooms next week, in time to meet its November 30 target of having all its guest accommodations fully operational.
Cebu City Marriott Hotel general manager Roy Abraham bared this new development, adding that the hotel’s refurbished lobby, lobby bar and lounge, restaurant, pool deck, pool bar, and al fresco dining, are now operational.
The newly renovated hotel now features a "concept lobby," a newly designed pool, a trendy restaurant and bar, and Wi-Fi connection in every room.
"This will be a truly exciting progress for Cebu Marriott’s business positioning for 2009, which is to be the best business hotel capitalizing on its brand equity and its being an integral part of the Cebu Business Park," Abraham said.
The Cebu City Marriott Hotel, which is managed by Marriott International, is a joint venture of Cebu Holdings Inc. and Ayala Hotels Inc., celebrated its tenth anniversary last February.
At present, reconstruction of the executive lounges, ballroom areas, meeting rooms, and the fitness center are underway, said Abraham.
Last June, Cebu City Marriott Hotel disclosed its plan to undertake over P 100 million worth of major refurbishments.
The hotel is slated to open its redesigned concept in January 2009, in time for the annual Sinulog festival.
In an interview, Abraham said Cebu City Marriott Hotel’s renovation project is a "welcome move" given the need for businesses in the hospitality industry to innovate its services to meet the demands of the "highly meticulous business travelers."
Abraham admitted that the hospitality industry is expected to feel, in the coming months, the trickle-down effect of the financial crunch in major economies of the world like the United States (US) and Europe, as travel incentives will likely be cut down.
But surprisingly, he said, Cebu City Marriott Hotel is still averaging a 77 percent occupancy rate, vis a vis the renovation project.
"In general, Cebu and the rest of the country is not strongly affected by the US crisis. It’s evident in such a way that hotels are still nearly booked. As long as tourism is still vibrant, there is no need to worry," Abraham said optimistically.
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