Enjoy Philippines

Swiss hotel operator Movenpick Hotels and Resorts has disclosed its plan to build and manage five upscale hotel and resort complexes in the Philippines for US$350 million.

Movenpick said that aside from Movenpick Residences Cebu, it is building another hotel and resort complex in Palawan, two in Makati, and another in a province.  The Movenpick hotel in Coron, Palawan, which is nearly finished has 82 villas and luxury amenities.  The Movenpick hotel and residences in Makati along Kalayaaan Avenue will have 300 rooms and 300 private residences.
 

Hotel chain operator Tune Hotels plans to open its newest property in Makati by 17th July 2012.  The 213-room Tune Hotel Makati will be the fourth Tune Hotel to be opened in the country, after those in Angeles City, Cebu City and Ermita, Manila.

Tune Hotels said it would offer introductory price of PhP288 a night for stays at Tune Hotel Makati from 17th July to 31st December 2012. The offer runs until 21st May 2012.

Araneta Group and Accord have started the construction of Novotel Manila Araneta Centre a PhP2.5-billion hotel in Cubao, Quezon City.  The project is expected to be completed by 2014.

The 415-room hotel is located within the 90-hectare Araneta Centre, a commercial, entertainment and multipurpose complex owned and managed by the Araneta Group in Cubao.  The Novotel will be the first deluxe businessman’s hotel development in Quezon City that will cater to local and foreign businessmen as well as the middle-income market.

Marco Polo Hotels and Xin Tian Ti Development Corp. have signed a partnership deal to develop a PhP3-billion five-star hotel in the Ortigas central business district.  XTT president Samuel Po said the planned hotel will have 313 guest rooms and upscale suites and is scheduled to open by the fourth quarter of 2013.

Hobbit House, a restaurant in Ermita, Manila, has been named the weirdest in the world for its dwarf waiters and cooks.  The restaurant, which has a “Lord of the Rings” theme, topped the list of the “world’s weirdest themed restaurants” compiled by CNNGo.

The restaurant-bar was opened by former Peace Corps volunteer and college professor Jim Turner in Mabini Street in 1973, and was moved to M. H. del Pilar street in 2007.