MANILA, Philippines - Just over two years since it inaugurated its first city hotel, Seda hotel by AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Corp. (AHRC), unveiled its flagship resort in the 325-hectare Lio Tourism Estate in Palawan. The 150-room Seda Lio will be the first major facility to cater to global and local tourists in the vast community in El Nido town masterplanned to showcase the biodiversity and natural attractions of surrounding Bacuit Bay. The new hotel-resort project will be distinguished by its location, architecture and facilities for both local and global tourists.
At its joint ground breaking ceremony with Ayala Malls’ The Shops at Lio, Junie Jalandoni, group head of AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts and Ayala Malls, said, “We launched Seda Lio to make the world-famous attractions of El Nido more accessible to both foreign and local travelers.”
To be completed in 2017, the beachfront resort is only a few minutes from the airport and can even be accessed by foot. Guests can take a leisurely stroll along the white sand beach leading up to the resort that offers breathtaking views of the Cadlao lagoon and surrounding mountains.
Seda Lio expands the current accommodation options consisting of luxury resorts on the adjacent islands and bed-and-breakfast types in town. The low-rise resort is on the Palawan mainland and offers numerous facilities catering to various markets.
AHRC chief operating officer Al Legaspi explained that Seda Lio hopes to attract families, corporate clients in need of meeting and event facilities, as well as couples planning destination weddings.
“We have more than 500 square meters of function space with the largest room able to accommodate 150 guests. This is expandable to over 300 guests with our spacious landscaped decks. At the same time, we understand the need of families for kid-friendly activities such like swimming and board and video games,” Legaspi added.
Seda Lio will have a dedicated children’s game room and expansive outdoor play area, and a 1,500-sq.m. swimming pool and deck. Seda Lio covers a four-hectare property that opens out to the Lio Tourism Estate’s main centerpiece, a four-kilometer stretch of beach with fine sand. Like the four other Seda properties in Bonifacio Global City, Cagayan de Oro, Davao City and Nuvali, Seda Lio will also be distinguished by its location within an Ayala Land community with easy access to restaurants, retail and other amenities.
A short stroll from the resort is Ayala Mall’s Shops at Lio. This low-rise development will offer daily essentials, basic services and home-grown dining concepts fronting the beach to serve both tourists and residents of El Nido. It will be completed towards the end of 2015.
“Seda Lio will serve as a model for sustainable construction and management to other future locators of the Lio township. The sprawling Seda Lio will only have three floors — deliberately designed not to jut above the coconut treeline. It will also maintain over 75 percent of the site as open area that will be landscaped with Palawan’s endemic plants. These features are in keeping with the sustainable masterplan of the entire Lio estate,” Jalandoni added.