Reclaiming the glory that was Ambassador’s

Forget Makati, these days Mabini calls the shot on exclusive hotels. With the area peppered with inns and lodges, the Ambassador Hotel comes first in line.

“The Ambassador is among the first five hotels in the country and had been the place for politicians and celebrities during the 70s.We had the weekly Joe Quirino shows here, performances by Pilita Corales and cultural shows,”said the hotel’s Chief Executive Officer Yolanda C. Chan.

Established in 1971 by Chan’s father, Eng’r Simeon Nicholas Chan, the hotel was among the best in the country during the 70s and early 80s.

It has been the house of the very first revolving discoteque — the Soundtrack Disco, which kept everybody prancing and frolicking till early dawn and the venue for gastronomic delights with the Imperial Garden Seafood Market and Restaurant serving salmon dishes and the Hiong Mun Lau Chinese Restaurant offering Oriental cuisine.

“At that time, the hotel wasknown as the place for the rich and famous,” Chan added.

Adjacent to the breathtaking Manila Bay and located right in the tourist-belt of Roxas Boulevard, the 16-storey hotel has for its interior elegant narra finish, marble and exquisitely delicate capiz shells with a whiff of international air. The hotel is now under major renovation as part of its refurbishment and improvement.

Each of its 270 deluxe rooms, providesa commanding view of Greater Manila to the east and Manila Bay to the west. All rooms are air-conditioned and equipped with modern amenities. It also has a swimming pool in the penthouse, a cozy bar in the ground floor and a 24-hour coffee shop.

“People still come to our place. The reason is that we have been around for over 30 years, we know the business and the secret to please our clients,” said Chan.

“Also, our guests can enjoy other services, like the use of swimming pool, for free,” said Norman D. Cordon, the Ambassador’s Chief Operating Officer.

“We now want to focus on our local market —the Filipinos.We cater to provincial officials who come to Manila on official business, students from the provinces who come to Manila for education trips, businessmen to attend or hold fora and otherfunctions, ‘balikbayans’ who need a comfortable place to stay.We want to be identified as a Filipino hotel, which Filipinos can afford,” added Chan.

The hotel’s newly-designed lobby gives ample space for minimalist fixtures and furniture. The rooms now enjoy modern touches.

Cordon said Ambassador’s other advantage is its accessibility. “The hotel is about 30 minutes away from the airport and can be reached through the M.H. Del Pilar and Mabini streets. Vehicles can enjoy a parking advantage, because we have large space for them.”

On the matter of security for the guests, Chan assured that Ambassador provides a tight security for them.

“We can also host wedding, birthday, baptismal parties, family reunion and other social gatherings,” he added.

The hotel recently opened the trendy Nu bar, which serves hearty meals and drinks any time of the day.Their Filipino chefs can prepare Filipino, Chinese, Korean, American cuisines.

Another popular spot in the hotel is the Casino Filipino’s arcade game center located at the mezzanine floor of the building. The gaming area is filled with more than 200 slot machines for everyone to enjoy.

Other facilities to be opened soon include KTV rooms in the fifth floor which can accommodate small to big groups; a wine cafe and a massage parlor. “The massage parlor will be a clean massage place for the whole family.We want to serve men, women and older people,”Cordon pointed out.

“We also wanted to bring back the cultural night.It’s in this hotel that we first showed native dances and performances and we want to have that back,” he said.