Christian unveils Park Inn by Radisson Davao

MANILA, Philippines - Christian Bautista set the tone for the night’s celebration in full color during the formal opening of the Park Inn by Radisson Davao. And what a colorful evening it was!

Kickstarting the event with a soulful rendition of his hit Colors Everywhere, the crooner, clad in a metallic blue jacket, serenaded the invited guests from Davao and its nearby cities, Cebu and Manila.

Adding glamour and excitement to the festivities was the eye-catching presence of Filipina-British model and TV host, Georgina Wilson. The statuesque beauty was revealed to be the face of the Park Inn by Radisson Davao as its celebrity endorser. Wilson is seen to add that va-va-voom zing to the hotel’s marketing and promotional activities.

Complementing the affair’s entertainment was a steady exhibition of suites of young men and women garbed in colorful costumes and bestride on stilts, mimes, tribal dancers, jugglers and living statues. The program was put together into dazzling effect by the former president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and now, creative director to the SM Hotels and Conventions, Nestor Jardin.

Seen in the crowd were movers of trade and industry, manufacturers and businessmen, entrepreneurs and traders, civic leaders and social arbiters, members of the academe and tri-media, government and NGO officials, entertainers and lovers of life — quite a veritable list. Spotted on the red carpet were Department of Trade and Industry Sec. Gregory Domingo, president of SM Prime Holdings Hans Sy, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group (Asia Pacific) president Simon Barlow and EVP for Revenue Generation Lucinda Semark, Department of Tourism regional director Art Boncato and Davao City councilor Al Ryan Alejandre. In the spirit of the celebration, the invitees came in shades of red, blue, green and yellow, reflecting the colors of the hotel.

“The opening of Park Inn by Radisson Davao marks a new era for the Park Inn by Radisson brand in Asia Pacific,” explained Barlow, who heads the Asia Pacific arm of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world’s largest and most dynamic hotel groups. “Guests can expect to experience the friendliness and vibrancy of the Park Inn. It is focused on delivering the modern essentials of a great hotel experience that will resonate well with international and domestic travelers.”

“As part of the Carlson Rezidor global hotel network, the hotel will benefit from the patronage of 10 million Global Club Carlson members. In addition, we believe the hotel and the brand will appeal strongly to the Philippines’ burgeoning domestic market of 35 million travelers seeking affordable accommodation that is fresh and uncomplicated.”

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Elizabeth Sy, president of SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., emphasized, “We are excited with this opening of Park Inn by Radisson Davao as we bring to the market a distinctly unique hotel brand with a very contemporary and vibrant look and feel. We are confident that the property will deliver a great hotel experience that will continue to thrive on the upbeat outlook on the Philippine economy and tourism.”

Overseeing this global vision of the hotel is Park Inn by Radisson Davao GM Geir Sikko.

Park Inn by Radisson Davao is set as a mid-scale hotel. Relatively casual yet hip, this can be seen in details such as the color scheme of bright red, blue, yellow and green used in the company cars, extending all the way to the interior of the hotel, with a color premise assigned for each floor. The lobby is bathed in warm yellows and greens, while its restaurant, named RBG — Restaurant Bar and Grill — is done in red, black, and white reminiscent of Piet Mondrian paintings. Color comes alive everywhere in this hotel, staying true to Park Inn’s global catch phrase Adding Color to Life.

A quick tour during the open house revealed that the rooms are spacious, bright, clean and well-appointed. Park Inn by Radisson Davao has a total of 204 rooms, 198 of them standard and the other six junior suites. In keeping with the overall design, it has an invigorating splash of bright colors, unlike the sterile designs of most other accommodations.

Radisson Blue Hotel Cebu director for Sales and Marketing Ann Olalo points out, “Amenity-wise, Davao’s newest hotel has a really nice pool on the second floor, a pool deck where one can sun-tan, read a book or unwind over cool drinks and snacks. There’s a gym with the latest in fitness equipment. There are also venues for meetings and small conferences, and there is free Wi-Fi connection everywhere in the hotel.”

Public relations manager Meg Sta. Ines described the overall theme as very modern design, with vibrant decors artfully and strategically placed throughout the building. “You don’t see hotels with all these colors,” she remarked. “When you stay with us, you don’t feel all too stiff. It’s all welcoming. You feel relaxed.”

And, of course, there’s the restaurant. RBG offers a mix of Mediterranean, American and local cuisine prepared in a style that is healthy and delicious. Overseeing the food prep is 2 Michelin star celebrity chef Ritchie Loteria of GMA Network fame.

Part of the menu features Filipino dishes, such as kare-kare, sinigang and the city’s famous specialty, the blue marlin. “We likewise serve our popular burgers and good quality rib-eye steak. We don’t use a lot of sauces and cream,” Olalo adds, “Whatever we do, we do it well.”

Located just 15 minutes away from the airport, Park Inn by Radisson Davao is also conveniently connected by a covered bridgeway to SM Lanang Premier, which houses the SMX Davao Convention Center. “The idea is to have a hotel where attendees of SMX conferences and other similar events could conveniently be billeted. It’s a good philosophy,” GM Sikko declared.

“Park Inn by Radisson Davao is a welcome addition to our existing hotel portfolio that includes the Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay, the Pico Sands Hotel in Batangas and the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City,” commented Sy. “Our plan for the near future includes the construction of Park Inn by Radisson hotels in Clark, Pampanga, SM North EDSA Complex in Quezon City, Bacolod City and Iloilo City.”