Main Express Inn opens in Mabolo

CEBU, Philippines - A tour during the grand opening of "your friendly budget hotel" - Express Inn - last August 10 began with a look at its various rooms (Standard, Family, Deluxe, and Superior) of the eight-storey facility along M.J. Cuenco Avenue, Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.

There are six Standard Rooms (14 sq.m.), six Family Rooms (19 sq.m.), 12 Deluxe Rooms (19 sq.m.), and 60 Superior Rooms (17 sq.m.) in this city hotel fit for the needs of the typical businessman who craves for the perfect place near ports of entry, the malls, church, government offices, etc. after enjoying the comforts of bed-bath-breakfast in reasonable rates.

Rooms come with buffet breakfast for two at Sammy's Restaurant, free Internet access (Wi-Fi), 24-inch LCD television set with cable connection. Only the Deluxe Rooms have mini refrigerators, in-room laptop safety deposit box, and a bigger TV (32-inch LCD with cable connection).

Says branch operation manager Malu Ortiz: Express Inn is set on catering to the needs of having presentable rooms and, at the same time, apartelle. While some businessmen are on short stay, there are those who demand for a cross between condo and hotel amenities. 

Express Inn is technically labeled as a hotel-apartelle type because it is serving a number of clients seeking to live here for a longer duration. "We are interested to upgrade services for that growing market too, knowing that they would most appreciate it if they live a stone's throw away from malls, entertainment joints, government offices, the airport, the seaport, etc.," she added.

This is also in response to the call of the Department of Tourism to open more inns, hotels and apartelle rooms in the city in pursuit of additional accommodation accelerating arrival of visitors and more tourists from all walks of life.

She also mentioned that even if the Mabolo facility is already a branch of Express Inn Lapu-Lapu, the former is considered the main branch. A third branch is eyed on a 1,800-sq.m. lot in Mandaue City near JCentre Mall, promising bigger function rooms and an infinity swimming pool.

After checking the rooms, guests were given an orientation on the amenities of the function rooms wherein a maximum of 100 persons can be accommodated depending on the partition - Theater, Classroom, or Boardroom. Function rooms are classified as Mactan, Camotes and Bantayan to emphasize the Cebuano identity.

Express Inn Mabolo had a soft opening last July posting 14-room occupancy right away.

Currently, it is offering promo room rates from as low as P880 to as high as P1,580 valid until December 31, 2012.

Other promotions include a Wine Buffet at PhP488 every 5th and 20th day of the month; Beer Buffet at PhP450 every 15th and 30th of the month; and Unlimited Cocktail Galore at PhP298 every 10th and 25th of the month.  (FREEMAN)