By all accounts, 2007 was a banner year for Philippine tourism, with the number of foreign arrivals topping the three million mark (the previous record for yearly visitors was 1.9 million). According to Department of Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, 2008 promises to deliver even better numbers, with his department focusing on the "opening of new hotel projects and properties."
One of the most ambitious of these new projects will be the Regent Manila Bay by hotelier Carlson, bringing 5-star opulence to the Philippines.
The Regent Manila Bay will be part of a unique hotel-within-a-hotel development, offering luxury accommodations within the Radisson Hotel Manila Bay. The hotels will share a common structure but will have many separate amenities, such as driveways, entrances, lobbies, guest facilities and staff. It will also include a signature restaurant, lounge, fitness center and swimming pool -- all exclusively for the use of Regent guests.
The 80-rooms, including 10 "basic" suites, 69 executive suites and one presidential suite, all overlooking scenic Manila Bay, are expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2009.
A Regent hotel inside a Radisson? That's almost as crazy as the three-hotels-in-one that is set to open in Times Square. Almost. But we don't think anything is crazier than that.
In bar openings this month ... the new Martinis bar has opened at the Mandarin Oriental Manila in the Philippines. Situated in the Makati area, along with plenty of other nightlife, Martinis seems to be aiming for a pretty upper-class crowd; the General Manager said:
We designed Martinis as a premier bar and meeting place, where customers can listen to light jazz, relax, and enjoy a license to chill
Interior design follows a more or less art deco style and the baby grand piano in the middle is intended to up the sophistication factor. There are plenty of cocktails and of course, in honor of the name, a big variety of martinis--a few interesting sounding ones on the list include ginger martinis, sake martinis, dirty martinis and (the one we really want to try) choco-chilli martinis. Live music starts every night at 7pm and carries on until two in the morning so there are plenty of chances to check out Martinis, before you check out.
As winter storms brew here in the Northeast, our search for the perfect overwater bungalow is intensifying. Know an overwater bungalow resort hotel we need to check out? Hit us on the tip line.
Turns out HotelChatter has a bunch of daily readers in the Philippines. Cool. As a hat tip, we picked out our favorite Filipino resort, which just so happens to be an overwater bungalow property, go figure.
El Nido Lagen Island Resort has 18 over water accommodations (51 total cabins) all in a quite, idyllic cove hidden by limestone cliffs and island forests. Furthermore, there is no shortage of castaway activities--snorkeling, swimming with jackfish, and canoeing are all available for guests.
You have to hop a island jumper from Manila, then take a boat (free for guests) in order to get to Lagen Island. Oh, and there is U.S. State Department travel warning on the Philippines, has been since last June, so you will officially qualify as an "adventurer" upon your return from paradise.
After the jump, we have enclosed a El Nido Lagen Island video, set to Jordan Knight's Tender Love to serenade this resort. We can't take credit for the video, nor the somehow appropriate soundtrack. If you don't have our sense of humor, hit mute before pressing play.
Most people will agree with the statement "the customer is always right" in the hotel business. But to take this to the higher level and state that the "customer is the king" is pretty incredible.
The Fridays Boracay Hotel states this belief and holds true by offering details such as limousine service from the airport, a free beverage and "warm welcome" upon arrival at the hotel, along with its "luxurious rooms." According to the hotel's guest reviews, they are keeping their word too.
The resort promotes minimalism when it comes to necessities at the hotel, since Kings rarely pack for themselves:
Things you have to pack for traveling to Fridays Boracay Hotel, Boracay Island are just clothes and some private things. Any other parts for your daily life Fridays Boracay Hotel already prepared for you as their slogan "Customer is the king".
The best part is that you don't have to have the wealth of a King to stay here. Just $65.00.
If you have a ton of money, here's an idea: build a glamorous hotel in the Philippines...and do it fast! Until the Philippines gets more hotels, they actually don't really have room for any more visitors.
The Manila Bulletin Online explains how there just isn't room for the amount of tourists interested in the Philippines:
Tourism Secretary Joseph 'Ace' Durano said the Philippines has now reached its full capacity for international arrivals expected to surpass the targetted three million by the end of this year. Durano said it means 'even if 10 million people would come to visit the Philippines if we can only accommodate three million then you can only get three million. We have already hit the ceiling of our capacity in both air seats and hotel rooms.'
We must admit, that whole supply and demand thing really makes this country all the more appealing. Now that we know that space is precious and limited and that guests may be turned away because there just isn't enough rooms for them, we are desperate to get our invitation. We'll walk past the "return--no room" line with a snide grin at the airport, yet hoping all the while that our hotel has indeed, kept our reservation.
The second to last Amazing Race pit stop was one of the most spectacular.
The Lagan Island Resort sits on the remote Philippine island of El Nido, and served as the resting place for the three final teams.
After a long day of cliff climbing and kayaking contestants were treated to this plush waterfront resort, which features 18 water cottages, 9 beachfront cottages, and 20 forest rooms.
This incredibly beautiful and remote resort allows guests full access to Bacuit Bay, and is definitely a place to consider for that "they'll never find me here vacation".
What a great place of the Amazing Race contestants to gear up for their final leg.
The Coconut Palace, reportedly built by the shoe queen, Imelda Marcos, in an attempt to the Pope, was the pit stop for the penultimate leg of the Amazing Race 5. Apparently Pope John Paul II was coming to Manila and she ordered that this structure of mostly coconuts be built to house the pope.
These days the palace is no longer a hotel of any kind (despite its 7 bedrooms) and serves as a museum, a tourist attraction, and a venue for fancy parties.
After teams spent a long day of chasing an ox around a mud pit let's hope CBS upped the ante and put the contestants and crew up in a sweet Manila hotel like The Peninsula Manila.
The 498 room Peninsula Manila is really an upscale business hotel in the midst of Manila's busiest business district, and boasts free broadband in every room, so contestants could send an email home to their families.
Furthermore, the Peninsula is a five star hotel for right around $100 a night, and possesses some very good hotel security in Manila. Sure you would have to take a taxi to and from the Coconut Palace, but we are hoping CBS greenlighted an all star hotel like the Peninsula for contestants to rest in before their final race leg.
By all accounts, 2007 was a banner year for Philippine tourism, with the number of foreign arrivals topping the three million mark (the previous record for yearly visitors was 1.9 million). According to Department of Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, 2008 promises to deliver even better numbers, with his department focusing on the "opening of new hotel projects and properties."
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by NatalieWW
Most people will agree with the statement "the customer is always right" in the hotel business. But to take this to the higher level and state that the "customer is the king" is pretty incredible. 
If you have a ton of money, here's an idea: build a glamorous hotel in the Philippines...and do it fast! Until the Philippines gets more hotels, they actually don't really have room for any more visitors. 
