Gothongs unveil new concept in real estate accommodation

Introducing a new real estate concept called as “serviced executive studios” to Cebu’s booming and urbanized metropolis, a new industry player which has reaped success in the oil business recently topped off its 10-story Alpa City Suites development in Mandaue City.

Alpa City Suites is considered by its developer Alpa Land, Inc. as a “first-of-its kind development in Cebu” because it introduces a new concept of serviced executive studios for rent.

In a press conference held recently, vice president of Alpa Land Inc. Barbara “Bambi” Gothong-Tan told reporters that Alpa City Suites will operate like a hotel as each of these studios will have amenities such as a front desk and housekeeping services. However, unlike a usual hotel room, it will have a kitchenette and a breakfast nook.

“For the added convenience of guests, the entire building is equipped with broadband and wifi connections. The ground floor will have a convenience store and a coffee shop. The experience we see the guests enjoying will really be the luxuries of a hotel room but with the warmth of home,” said Gothong-Tan.

Located at the corner of H. Cortes and F. Cabahug Sts., Alpa City Suites accommodates 84 fully-furnished, serviced, and self-contained executive studios; 48 of which are executive type while 36 are deluxe type. These studios are priced at P38, 000 per square meters.

These serviced apartments are targeted and specifically designed to address the needs of the traveling executives especially form the BPO firms, expatriates, and businessmen for a high-quality living especially when their travels require a longer stay in Cebu.

The new concept of Alpa City Suites was a brainchild of Gothong-Tan having observed that these days; most major metropolis in the world such as Manila, Bangkok, Singapore, and Sydney are tapping into this innovative segment of real estate development.  

“We in Alpa Land realize that Cebu is fast becoming an important city in global business and Alpa City Suites is our humble contribution to the backbone of our competitiveness as a destination,” she pointed out.

After its construction last September, Alpa City Suites is targeted to be completed by the last quarter of this year as it is currently

Alpa Land, Inc. is the real estate company of A.D. Gothong Group Holdings, Inc., and a sister company of A.D. Gothong Manufacturing Corporation, the makers of Bambi oil.

Gothong-Tan shared that the company was established as her late patriarch Albino Gothong thought of establishing a company in the A.D. Gothong Group of Companies that will focus on the real estate business.

“We have put our properties under this company which, until recently, were really just incidental to our business in oil. In 2006, the family decided to consider the long-term prospects of the property business by becoming a player in the industry,” Gothong-Tan said.

She further added that, “Alpa Land is determined to seek out opportunities in the different sectors in real estate, by innovating on products which are relevant to the markets we serve.”

Aside from Alpa City Suites, Alpa Land is also operating office buildings and the newest of which is the AD Gothong IT Center in Mandaue City which was built to suit the needs of companies in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

Gothong-Tan also shared that in their real estate venture, they will put more focus on the hospitality and the commercial developments. Currently they are under planning stages of a commercial strip development in one of their properties in Mandaue.