Basking in the glory of Bohol’s newest gem

Henann Resort Alona Beach provides a sumptuous staycation, too, what with the freshest catch from the sea being served by the staff whose smiles register sincerely on their faces.

The newest kid on the block has turned out to be the grandest and most fabulous of them all. Ever since its introduction to the public, it has never stopped rocking Bohol.

Not one of the 400 rooms and 12 villas of the Hennann Resort Alona Beach on the island of Panglao in Bohol was left unoccupied on the weekend the resort first launched last Aug. 22. Truth is, occupancy of the resort started picking up ever since it soft-opened in May. Visitors from neighboring provinces like Cebu, Iloilo and Bacolod, as well us leisure worshippers from Metro Manila and other Asian cities, have trooped to Henann Resort — some, we were told, are repeaters, guests who have instantly fallen in love with this newest development of the Henann Group of Resorts.

It is very easy to fall in love with Henann Resort Alona Beach. Yes, it’s massive in size (6.5 hectares) but very gingerly it grows on you until you find your own nook, a sliver of paradise within a paradise. You discover peace and comfort inside your own villa or deluxe or premier room. The rooms feature coastal-inspired modern interiors equipped with amenities and comfortable furniture (courtesy of the ingenious workmanship of beautiful Cebuana furniture maker Nora Sol).

Within the comforts of this haven, you find your own space — make that lap space — in any of the resort’s three big and refreshing swimming pools.  My best friend Bum Tenorio and I had always maintained that the best pool experience we had was in Naiade in Mauritius, where the three round pools mimicked miniature oceans. We were glad to tell each other that the three humongous pools of Henann Resort in Bohol have topped our experience in Mauritius. At this resort in Panglao, swimming pools are a part of the guests’ lives from morning to night. Chest-deep pools are wrapped around the hotel. There are two pool areas near the beach. The cluster of pools closer to the beach witnessed Bum and me celebrating our 20th year of best-friendship. What a celebration it was as we watched the stillness of the aquamarine ocean from the pool, the swaying fronds of palms giving that extra charm. In all three pool areas, a sunken bar is found. Henann Resort remains the widest beachfront in all of Alona.

 “Our dreams have certainly come a long way,” said Dr. Henry Chusuey, owner of this expansive property, which also boasts the biggest convention center in Bohol, during the inauguration. “We consider Henann Resort Alona Beach a milestone in our company’s 17-year history as this is our first property outside Boracay. We had our soft opening in May of this year and we have been getting positive feedback since.”

Chusuey continued: “The architecture and design of our resorts in Boracay served as an inspiration for Henann Resort Alona Beach’s overall look and feel. We also utilized local materials like laminated shells and coconuts to showcase the natural beauty of the Philippines.”

In 1998, Chusuey built his first paradise in Boracay named Boracay Regency Resort with only 43 rooms. Now, his resorts in Boracay and Bohol have a total of 1,200 rooms. The continued growth is a testament to the Midas touch of Chusuey when it comes to resort business. But more than that, his success is shared among his 450 staff members.

 “We make it a priority to give back to the community by employing locals. We currently have a staff of 450 and most of them are Boholanons,” Chusuey said.

He stressed that his resort in Bohol offers five-star service but “our rates are relatively lower. We give value-for-money experiences. Our end goal is to make our guests happy. We just want them to experience the Henann brand of service.”

Bum and I enjoyed all the more our stay in Henann in the company of our dear friends and loving couple Joanne and Ed Ramirez. It was Karl Chusuey, the handsome vice president for marketing of the Henann Group, who arranged our land tour of Bohol.

From Henann, Ed, Joanne, Bum and I all discovered anew the treasures of Bohol  — the tarsiers, the Chocolate Hills, the Loboc River cruise, even the ruins of centuries-old churches, which are now undergoing reconstruction after they were damaged by the October 2013 quake. 

Anywhere we looked, Bohol was clean. Its roads are better than some of the gated communities in Metro Manila. Our tour guide Gigi Kho even told us that peace in Bohol is observed as the crime rate in the province is almost zero and insurgency is nil. People are respectful, even local government officials who graced the launch of Henann Resort Alona Beach like Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto and Bohol Representatives Arthur Yap and Rene Relampagos kissed the hands of the elders as they showed their respect.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, the guest of honor at the inauguration of the resort, was all praises for Chusuey and his vision. “We should be thankful to Henry Chusuey because he has utilized the most important aspect of the human force. His vision has created jobs,” Drilon said amid the applause of the crowd. Chusuey’s face was reflected on the monitor screen — he had a sincere yet humble smile. The loudest clap perhaps came from his beautiful wife Anna Lissa (who is the vice chairman of the Henann Group of Resorts) and their young children Alfonso, Karl and Christina who are now an intrinsic part of the family business. Alfonso is the executive vice president while Karl is vice president for marketing. New graduate Christina started to become involved in the accounting department at the head office.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV was also seen enjoying the resort during the inauguration weekend. Ditto businesspeople Cecilio de Pedro, Gigi Montinola and Enrique Chua, whose daughter Sheree and her best friend Monica Araneta-Tiosejo proved to be very kind and welcoming resort buddies to us, too.

Henann Resort Alona Beach provides a sumptuous staycation experience, too, what with the freshest catch from the sea being served at its Sea Breeze and Coral Café restaurants. The food and beverage at the resort become more enjoyable because they are served by the staff whose smiles register sincerely on their faces. You don’t need to crane your neck or raise your hand when you want extra service from the restaurant staff. They always seem to anticipate your needs  — be it a glass of water or a serving of margarita. Now, that’s service deluxe, beyond five-star.

The launch of Henann Resort Alona Beach on the island of Panglao in Bohol is proof that the province is back on its feet after it was shook by the devastating October 2013 earthquake. The grandness of the resort is a symbol of the lofty promises that Bohol is rising again at a pace that is reflective of the development that’s taking place in the area. Soon, a state-of-the-art airport will be built in Panglao. Henann Resort is ready any time of the day to welcome the continuously growing number of visitors to Bohol.

Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius have invaded our shores through Henann Resort Alona Beach. There is really every reason to stay at the resort and if you leave, you have every reason to come back to this newest and grandest kid on the block.

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For more information on Henann Resort Alona Beach, call (632) 230-3000 to 03 or e-mail manila.hbl@henann.com or reservations.hbl@henann.com. You may also log on to www.henann.com/bohol.

Email the author at miladay.star@gmail.com.