65-room ‘smart building’ to rise in Maribago resort

CEBU, Philippines — The Bluewater Resorts Group targets to open a 65-room smart building at the Maribago Bluewater Resort in Mactan Island by next year.

The Group’s marketing and communications manager Enrico Monsanto announced that the 65-room building, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, will be opened next year to keep up with fast changing customer preference for facility sophistication.

The building is also designed as green building that only uses and employs fixtures that have no or less environmental-impact, which is in line with the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) thrust in prioritizing sustainable tourism programs.

Smart amenities include the installations of VR (virtual technology), Artificial Intelligence (AI), an integration of chat-booths and AI to boost its 24/7 customer service, sophisticated internet connection, unlimited streaming, among others.

The Group is also exploring on using solar energy for the entire property’s power consumption.

At present, the Maribago Bluewater Resort operates a total of 190 rooms.

Earlier, the Group’s chief executive officer (CEO) Julie Alegrado-Vergara announced that the building will be called “Maribago Bluewater Residences", which will have an entire floor dedicated for medical tourists. Facilities on this floor will be designed to meet the distinct demand of this specialized market.

Maribago Bluewater Resort sits on a five hectare property and it currently utilizes about three hectares for its existing resort business.

Initially, the company will build one high rise tower expansion of the Residences concept and another may follow depending on the performance.

The Alegrados own the Bluewater Resorts in Maribago, Sumilon Island, Panglao, Bohol and Almont Hotels in Surigao and Butuan.

Last year, the company opened its healthcare arm, the ARC Hospital also located in Mactan Island.