De Niro’s Nobu Hotel to open in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - The luxury hotel chain Nobu of Hollywood actor Robert De Niro and Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa is expanding to Southeast Asia, and its first property is in the Philippines.

The upscale, 321-room Nobu Hotel will be the second of three hotels that will operate in the $1.3-billion City of Dreams Manila integrated casino in Entertainment City.

De Niro made a surprise appearance at the Nobu Hotel announcement launch at the National Museum in Manila yesterday.

“The proposition we have in City of Dreams Manila, especially with the introduction of the Nobu brand, is so compelling,” said Lawrence Ho, chief executive officer of Macau casino giant Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd.

“In partnership with Melco Crown Philippines, we will be creating a unique five-star destination for Asian and international style-makers and trendsetters, with a stylish new experience of luxury and hospitality created on a bespoke basis for City of Dreams Manila’s target markets,” Nobu Hospitality CEO Trevor Horwell added.

Inspired by world-renowned culinary genius Matsuhisa and championed by Academy award-winning actor De Niro and Hollywood producer Meir Teper, the 321-room Nobu Hotel will open middle of this year.

Offering a fusion of laid-back luxury, high-energy nightlife and exclusive guest room retreats and spa services, Nobu Hotel will be a playground for a Philippine, Asian and international client base, Melco Crown said.

The hotel will feature a Nobu Restaurant, including an outdoor cabana-style dining terrace situated on an exclusive platform deck with views of Manila Bay.

Guests will also enjoy the Nobu Tea Lounge in the lobby, and the Nobu Spa and fitness room on the raised platform deck.

In 2012, Nobu Hotel opened its first branch at Caesars Palace. Branches in Riyadh, London, Bahrain and the Caribbean are underway.

Nobu Hotel followed in the footsteps of Australian billionaire James Packer’s Crown Towers brand that will operate a six-star, 260-room hotel in City of Dreams Manila.

3rd upscale hotel

Belle Corp. vice-chairman Willy Ocier told reporters that the third upscale hotel would be announced in two months’ time, completing the portfolio of 900 rooms in the casino project.

“All six hotel towers will meaningfully enhance Manila’s tourism diversity and elevate the hospitality service excellence in the city,” said Melco Crown Philippines chairman Clarence Chung.

Belle, the gaming arm and upscale leisure developer of the mall and banking conglomerate SM Group of the Sy family, is the builder of the casino and hotel complex in the Manila Bay reclamation area.

When it opens in the third quarter, City of Dreams Manila will offer 365 gaming tables, 1,680 slot machines and 1,680 electronic table games.

It will be the second casino complex to open at the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s 120-hectare Entertainment City, which is groomed to become the Philippines’ version of the Las Vegas strip.

Last March, port mogul Enrique Razon opened the $1.2-billion Solaire Resort and Casino.

The integrated casino project is Melco Crown’s first gaming foray outside Macau where it operates the City of Dreams and Altira Macau casinos. City of Dreams Macau is famous for its world-class gaming and entertainment offerings, including The House of Dancing Water Show and party place Club Cubic.