http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2012-02-14T10:33:59Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/ http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/2/19/16930/9396 <![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/regentlogo.png" class="imgborder"> 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."<p> One of the most ambitious of these new projects will be the <b>Regent Manila Bay</b> by hotelier <a href="http://www.carlson.com/brands/hotels.cfm">Carlson</a>, bringing 5-star opulence to the Philippines. <p>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 NatalieWW 2008-02-19T16:42:04-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/5/3/7239/30266 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/martinis_MoP.png" class="imgborder"/><p> In bar openings this month ... the new <a href="http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/511000386.asp">Martinis</a> bar has opened at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/MANDARIN+ORIENTAL+MANILA/ian/109305"><b>Mandarin Oriental Manila</b></a> 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:</p><blockquote><p>We designed Martinis as a premier bar and meeting place, where customers can listen to light jazz, relax, and enjoy a license to chill</blockquote></p><p>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 amandak 2007-05-03T09:09:50-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2004/9/15/74141/0335 <![CDATA[<p><p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3/coconut_palace.jpg" align="right"></p></p> <p><p>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.</p></p> <p><p>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.</p></p> <p><p>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 markj 2004-09-15T07:45:13-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/