MANILA, Philippines - Aesthetics without ostentation and comfort minus the frills are some of the characteristics of a new genre of upscale hotels now capturing business and leisure travellers in Asia, according to travel industry reports.
Along with new Australian, Singapore and Hong Kong brands, Seda hotels by AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Corp. (AHRC) was named in a recent study as a fine example of a new generation of properties gaining relevance among value-minded travellers. Its newest location, Seda Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, clearly illustrates why the brand has gained repeat customers in the four Philippine cities it serves. The brand’s three other hotels are Seda BGC in Taguig, Seda Centrio in Cagayan de Oro City and Seda Abreeza in Davao City.
The newly launched Seda Nuvali hotel with 150 room is located near malls, offices and entertainment destinations within a self-contained Ayala Land development, which is, in turn, the centerpiece of a 2,300 hectare Nuvali growth center that spans the municipalities of Sta. Rosa, Calamba and Cabuyao. The emerging urban hub has commercial and residential districts as well as civic spaces.
According to Seda Nuvali manager Jeffrey Enriquez, the strategic location of the hotel within a mixed-use development including office towers and a mall allows guests to stay-work-and-play option.
“Seda’s urban lifestyle hotel concept assumes that in addition to his primary business, every Seda traveller seeks to explore dining, retail and other attractions within the secure environment of a well-planned community,” he says.
In the interest of efficient space planning, the grand lobby associated with bigger international chains has been replaced at Nuvali and the other Seda sites by a more intimate seating area that incorporates an e-lounge with computers for the free use of guests. Clean lines and a neutral palette underscore the area’s furniture arrangements which communicate understated and quietly contemporary elegance. Moreover, works of internationally-known Filipino artisans Kenneth Cobonpue and Ann Pamintuan provide functional accent pieces. Photographs by Jaime Zobel de Ayala and Paco Guerrero likewise serve as a showcase for Filipino talent.
Unlike other Seda hotels, the Nuvali site is the first to integrate into its design the lake at its backyard. In fact a game room and children’s playroom unique to Seda Nuvali open out to the four-hectare water feature. Aside from being a water recycling facility, the landscaped lake is also the visual centerpiece of the Ayala Land community.
Seda Nuvali hotel’s performance since it opened in March this year confirms that it is indeed filling a gap in the area. Multinational companies that have industrial facilities in neighboring areas as well as a growing nucleus of Business Process Outsourcing firms have consistently been booking guests at the hotel. During weekends, individuals, groups and families attending Nuvali runs and triathlons and wakeboarding events give occupancy a boost. Many, mostly from Metro Manila, simply come for biking opportunities as well as outlet shopping.