QC's newest gem: Oracle Hotel & Residences

MANILA, Philippines - The Oracle Hotel and Residences, a 70-room boutique hotel, is the newest brainchild of entrepreneur/hotelier Sheila Bermudez-Romero, strategically located along the busy commercial strip of Katipunan Road in Quezon City.

The party celebrating the birth of a new landmark came into full swing with free-flowing wine, a buffet of delectable dishes, and the company of distinguished guests that included Congresswoman Lucy Torres-Gomez and mega-entrepreneur Ben Chan. On hand to greet Sheila were good friends Randy Ortiz, Miguel Pastor, Vivian Sarabia, Smart Foundation president Butch Meily, Dr. Arnel Nuguid, PBA players JC Intal and LA Tenorio.

Welcoming the guests were partners and siblings Trisha Bermudez-Calma and Bubbles Bermudez-Aguilar. QC Councilor Bong Suntay and wife Sheila, sculptor Daniel dela Cruz and wife Monica, former tennis star Felix Barrientos, Malou Romero, Talia Asuncion, Atty. Dey Dimaandal, Annabelle Bautista and Star Paper owner Jeremy Tan all had a great night. Industry guests included Ateneo’s Cholo Malilin, Wyeth’s Violy Bustamante and concert producer Chito Cabalu, among others.

Held at the hotel’s grand ballroom, Patricia Hizon hosted the event while comedy was courtesy of master impressionist Willie Nepomuceno. The party lasted till the wee hours with the music of the Juice Band.

The event also marked the official launch of The Oracle’s full range of services both as an elegant and comfortable home away from home and as a choice venue for a variety of functions.

Superior room of Oracle Hotel. The rooms range from single occupancy to family-sized suites

Set to be the city’s latest landmark, The Oracle, located on Katipunan Avenue right across Ateneo de Manila University, is accessible from the Ortigas and Makati Central Business districts via EDSA or C-5, and enjoys close proximity to universities, key government institutions and entertainment and commercial centers in the Quezon City area.

A Personal Touch

The Oracle Hotel and Residences is the first and only boutique hotel of its kind in Quezon City’s capital of higher learning, where the country’s premier educational institutions are located.

The entrepreneurial Bermudez-Romero delved into the project after seeing the need for comfortable and convenient accommodations for the area’s visiting population: parents who come to visit their children enrolled in the area’s schools, foreign and regional guests of the universities and other government establishments headquartered in the area, as well as companies who do live-in training and seminars.

The idea bulb burned even brighter as she discovered the growing popularity and the increasing charm of boutique hotels during her travels across Europe and Asia. She says, “These relatively small, mostly stylish and tightly run affairs with an obvious personal touch are something new in Quezon City. From the beginning, I imagined it to be very comfortable and convenient to those who live, work and study in the area as well as those who visit them,” said Sheila.

Bermudez-Romero spent close to a year in training with her consultant in running the hotel and in developing the concept from the drawing board. She personally handpicked her team of veterans in the hotel industry down to conceptualizing the hotel’s interiors. Sheila’s sister, Tricia B. Calma of Casa Calma Designs, executed her vision of a modern and chic hotel.

Details of a Fine Home

To a large extent, the hotel derives its character from one of Bermudez-Romero’s personal passions: art. Sheila, together with her husband, is a long-time art collector. All around the hotel, you will find thoughtful and fine details. “All the rooms have fun and abstract artworks on the walls. Even the key card sports a print of an artwork that I plan to change every quarter,” said Sheila. “The RFID cards will soon feature some of our art collection. Attention to detail is very important in running this business.”

The family behind Oracle Hotel: Freddie Bermudez, Sheila Bermudez-Romero, Bubbles B. Aguilar, and Marlyn Bermudez

The hotel rooms, which range from single occupancy to family-sized suites, are equipped with advanced electronic lock systems for added security, 24-hour broadband Internet, phones with local and international direct dial services, and flat-screen TVs from Samsung with 24-hour cable channels, on top of the standard amenities such as air-conditioners and refrigerators. For long-staying guests, the bigger rooms come with their own living areas and modern kitchens.

A Meeting Place with Distinction

The Oracle’s Hotel manager and director for sales and marketing, Angie Vicencio, a long-time veteran in the hotel industry, heads the team. She recognizes the strength of the hotel’s proximity to a number of high-traffic locations in Quezon City that makes it a strategic and convenient point of convergence.

The versatile ballroom, which can comfortably seat 150, and which is likewise outfitted with high-tech audio and video equipment, fine furniture, and banquet services, is perfect for large-group corporate functions or celebrations of personal milestones such as birthday parties, anniversaries and even weddings.

For everyday meet-ups, the hotel’s O Bistro and Café, an intimate venue that showcases leading Filipino artists on its walls, stays open to guests for breakfast up to after-dinner drinks. It also serves as a venue for smaller functions.

“And like a true convergence zone, the hotel is home to a host of other services, from a day spa, to a hair and nail salon, to dining outlets on the ground floor,” adds Vicencio.

For bookings and inquiries, contact Angie Vicencio of The Oracle Hotel and Residences at vicencio.angie@oracleresidences.com or call 926-7777. For more information, visit www.oracleresidences.com.