Enrison Land expands into luxury resort development

MANILA, Philippines – Benedicto-owned  Enrison Land  Inc. (ELI) has spent nearly P1 billion for its first five-star resort in Bohol and is already drawing up plans for another upscale resort in Mactan Island, Cebu.

The Cebu-based property developer is involved in a variety of businesses including furniture and cement. Its first venture in the hospitality/tourism  industry is the three-star Be Resorts in Mactan Island, Cebu.

In an interview with the STAR,  Be Resorts president Grand Benedicto said the company has spent close to  P1 billion   to develop the five-star Be Grand Resorts Bohol  on a sprawling five-hectare beachfront property in Panglao Island,  in close proximity to the popular Alona Beach.

According to Benedicto, Be Grand Resorts is their first venture into  upscale resort catering to affluent individuals following their successful Be Resorts hotel venture in Cebu.

Be Grand Resorts opened just last month and is already enjoying a modest occupancy rate. The resort has 208 rooms comprised  of  189 hotel guestrooms and suites, and 19 luxury villas.

The resort has two lagoon pools, a kiddie pool, and a separate specially-designed scuba-diving training pool aside from its beachfront feature. It is still in the process of completing a separate  spa facility, although in-room spa/massage services are already available.

The resort is located  40 minutes away from the Tagbilaran Airport and is just 35 minutes away from the city’s shopping and commercial district.

Even  this early, Benedicto said, they are already planning another upscale hotel/resort on their three-hectare property in Mactan Island, a short distance away from their existing Be Resorts.

Benedicto is optimistic on the tourism potential of Bohol, which has already seen a boom in the number of small luxury boutique hotels and big tourist hotels such as Bellevue and Henann.

However, Benedicto said, Be Grand Resorts is the first establishment in the area that would cater to wealthy clients with their 19 luxury villas which feature a freeform pool.

The luxury villas would have their own butler service, as well as their own “farm-to-table” concept restaurant.

Bohol is experiencing a heavy influx of tourist as the Department of Tourism closely coordinates with the local government in offering eco-tourism tour packages.

Bohol has already began ground work for the construction of a much bigger, JICA-funded international airport to accommodate the growing number of domestic and foreign visitors.

Local entrepreneurs are likewise doing their part with a number of young scions of Filipino-Chinese families expanding on the family business such as that of local restaurants Gerardas which is now being managed by Aimee Calatrava-Lim; Estrellas, a new bakeshop managed by Ella Mae Labunog, which will offer European Danish pastries, baguettes, croissants and even New York bagels; and  Ginto Chocolates of Dalareich Polot, which is already being sold in the NAIA terminals.