GoHotels in franchise talks with foreign group

MANILA, Philippines - A foreign group is aiming to make its presence felt in the Philippines through GoHotels, the budget hotel brand of the Gokongwei-led Robinsons Land Corp. (RGC).

RLC president Frederick Go said the company is in talks with a foreign group that has expressed interest to enter into a franchise agreement with respect to GoHotels.

Go said the group wants to put up as much as 20 GoHotels in and outside Metro Manila.  He said these branches could form part of the 30 GoHotels to be built over the next five years to meet the strong demand for affordable accomodation, particularly by local tourists.

Following the successful opening of its first site in Robinsons Cybergate complex, the group is opening branches in Bacolod and Dumaguete this year. Programmed for opening in 2012 are branches in Palawan, Iloilo, Cebu and Tacloban.  New sites programed for 2013 are in Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Zamboanga, Batanes and Gen. Santos City.

Built on the lot of the old Robinsons Apartelle, GoHotel Pioneer offers 225 no-frills rooms with flat screen television and free WiFi connection targeted for budget-conscious travelers. Patterned after sister airline firm Cebu Pacific’s novel pricing scheme where early birds get the lowest rate, the Go Hotel Web site is offering accommodations for as low as P388 a night.  Regular room rates start at P1,888 per night.

Go said they intend to build Gohotels in areas where RLC has a shopping center.

GoHotels is  the fifth hotel property of RLC next to the 285-room Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila, 263-room Holiday Inn Galleria Manila, 210-room  Cebu Midtown Hotel and the 108-room Summit Ridge Hotel Tagaytay.