Flooded hotel to re-open Monday

MANILA, Philippines - Sofitel Philippine Plaza is set to resume operations on Oct. 10, nearly two weeks after a storm surge spawned by typhoon “Pedring” inundated the ground floor of the five-star hotel fronting Manila Bay.

Sofitel Philippine Plaza general manager Goran Aleks made the announcement and said the hotel has fully restored the destroyed facilities.

“The hotel will be opened for business on Oct. 10 and will be operational for guest rooms. The hotel’s Club Millesime, banqueting and events, and pool facility will likewise be opened,” Aleks told a press conference yesterday.

“This opening date was determined based on the pre-condition that Sofitel’s standards of quality, safety and security will be 100-percent achieved,” he added.

Aleks said the hotel’s famous Spiral restaurant would be renovated as it suffered major damage during the storm surge.

“Plans are currently underway for its design and construction and it is expected to be launched in the first half of 2012,” he said.

Other facilities located on the lower ground floor of the hotel, including Le Spa, SoFit, The Zen Institute, Philippine Tordjman Le Salon and Gymboree, are scheduled to open in November.

The Sofitel Philippine Plaza boasts of spectacular views of Manila Bay.

The heavy rains and strong waves from Manila Bay were too much for the seawall that was supposed to protect the hotel.

Flood waters started entering the ground floor of the hotel, forcing staff to immediately evacuate the guests.

Aleks said they evacuated all their guests to nearby hotels at 3 p.m. last Tuesday.

He gave assurance that no guests or employees were injured during the onslaught of the typhoon.

However, four or five cars at the parking lot were destroyed by the storm surge, he said.

Aleks also refused to disclose the amount of the damage caused by the typhoon.