Waterfront at home in Cebu
February 16, 2003 | 12:00am
Or as in a classic case of vis-a-vis: Cebu is at home with Waterfront. A friendship seems to pulsate between Waterfront Hotels and the Queen City of the South. If not an element of familiarity, it’s the sense of sameness – both have apparently rode on a wave of growth in terms of stature. For Cebu, it’s earning the repute of being Asia’s "Next Economic Miracle" and for Waterfront, it’s the rapid rise to being the number one hotel in Cebu.
But there’s more, actually. Just as the country’s oldest colonial city continues to be entrenched in tradition – as indispensable as the women swaying to a muted Sinulog rhythm ("one step forward, two steps backwards") before the Basilica del Sto. Niño, candle on their hands waved vigorously for a churchgoer’s intercession – Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in Lahug (WCCH) and Waterfront Airport Hotel in Mactan continue to thrive on the basics of hospitality. That’s a grand, but personalized welcome for you.
Take the moment you step into the lobby lounge of Waterfront Lahug, for example. It’s suppose to summon that feeling of a red carpet rolled, with the high ceiling designed with a map of the old world, but it does not. Comfy sofas and handcrafted, world-class Cebu furniture spruce up the stretch of lobby space that there’s a lot of relaxed, light talk going around and thus, retaining what is most essential in any hotel. Waterfront marketing and PR officer Jomel Gonzaga explains, "We want the visitors to feel at home, and not to be overwhelm with the place. That’s a priority for us."
What would be unforgettable too is the accommodation. Waterfront Mactan has 167 guestrooms, while Waterfront Lahug has 562 well-appointed guestrooms, including two Presidential suites, a Chairman’s suite and a Penthouse, and rooms for the disabled available upon request. Rooms are replete with amenities, including a mini-bar, a safety deposit box, etc., that to say guests are treated well would be an understatement. The additional services being offered are likened to those of serviced residences, as there are laundry, dry cleaning, baby-sitting and airport transfers by a private car, to name a few, plus a health club for those living a wellness lifestyle. At WCCH, a fitness gym, a swimming pool, which is lit and heated in the evenings, and a spa are located at the lower ground floor.
Gonzaga, however, is particularly proud of their newly refurbished Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), which is adjacent to its Lahug hotel. With the renovation costing P50 million, Gonzaga adds that CICC, in addition to its grand ballroom and multiple function rooms, now boasts of "state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, and the Grand Atlantic Hall, the redesigned exhibition hall which, at 3,063 square meters, is one of the largest in the country." He also reveals that WCCH is now the largest and only convention-hotel in the country, with the center hosting past prestigious events such as the ASEAN Tourism Forum and the Advertising Congress.
And there’s the location, one of the more apparent advantages when staying at Waterfront. Fortunately, where Waterfront Hotels are situated are engulfed with much of the Cebuano culture, and proximate to points of business and pleasure.
Business travelers would find no other hotel as accessible to the Mactan International Airport than Waterfront Mactan. It is also a short ride from the historical shrine of Lapu-Lapu, which not only stands to remind of the Portuguese explorer Magellan’s foiled conquest of the island, but also stands next to the center of delectable Cebuano cuisine. Here, restos overlooking the sea tempt taste buds with cooked-to-order SU-TO-KIL (sugba or grilled, tola or tinola and kilaw, thinly sliced raw fish soaked in vinegar, spices and fresh coconut milk). Nearby, there are public beach resorts that cast that "sun-and-sand" charm of Cebu, where you can rent a cottage for P150 for the entire day and reward yourself with a priceless panorama of Bohol’s silhouette.
Waterfront Lahug, on the other hand, is at the heart of Cebu. One guest had commented that Waterfront is an imposing fixture in the landscape of the bustling city if you drive up Busay Hills, especially at night. Waterfront does something like that to nighttime Cebu. A view from its topmost floors yields an expanse of lights, just as imposing and breathtaking.
Travelers who seek entertainment and recreation can get started with Waterfront’s themed Casino, reminiscent of the architecture of Cebu’s old town plazas, and its food and beverage outlets like the Jiggy’s Bar, H20 Disco and Lucky Ace KTV Bar. You can move on to Ayala Center and the city’s circuit of bars, The Village. There’s an abundance really, which says a lot about the Cebuanos’ passion for partying. Cebu is perhaps home to the country’s grandest street party, the Sinulog Festival in honor of the Sto. Niño, the recent staging of which saw both Waterfront Hotels fully booked, and discoral, open-air discos fenced ("koral" in Cebuano) from gatecrashers with either plywood or steel wire.
So if you’re traveling to Cebu armed with a wishlist – a place near the beach, or just across the airport, and which offers both Cebuano hospitality and frivolity in a world-class ambience, all of which define that wanting to feel at home – Waterfront offers such an experience. And this commences with a hearty greeting of Maayong Pag-abot from a smiling hotel staffer opening Waterfront’s doors for you.
(For bookings or inquiries, contact the Waterfront Manila Sales and Reservations Office at (02) 687-0888 or fax at (02) 687-5970.)
But there’s more, actually. Just as the country’s oldest colonial city continues to be entrenched in tradition – as indispensable as the women swaying to a muted Sinulog rhythm ("one step forward, two steps backwards") before the Basilica del Sto. Niño, candle on their hands waved vigorously for a churchgoer’s intercession – Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in Lahug (WCCH) and Waterfront Airport Hotel in Mactan continue to thrive on the basics of hospitality. That’s a grand, but personalized welcome for you.
Take the moment you step into the lobby lounge of Waterfront Lahug, for example. It’s suppose to summon that feeling of a red carpet rolled, with the high ceiling designed with a map of the old world, but it does not. Comfy sofas and handcrafted, world-class Cebu furniture spruce up the stretch of lobby space that there’s a lot of relaxed, light talk going around and thus, retaining what is most essential in any hotel. Waterfront marketing and PR officer Jomel Gonzaga explains, "We want the visitors to feel at home, and not to be overwhelm with the place. That’s a priority for us."
What would be unforgettable too is the accommodation. Waterfront Mactan has 167 guestrooms, while Waterfront Lahug has 562 well-appointed guestrooms, including two Presidential suites, a Chairman’s suite and a Penthouse, and rooms for the disabled available upon request. Rooms are replete with amenities, including a mini-bar, a safety deposit box, etc., that to say guests are treated well would be an understatement. The additional services being offered are likened to those of serviced residences, as there are laundry, dry cleaning, baby-sitting and airport transfers by a private car, to name a few, plus a health club for those living a wellness lifestyle. At WCCH, a fitness gym, a swimming pool, which is lit and heated in the evenings, and a spa are located at the lower ground floor.
Gonzaga, however, is particularly proud of their newly refurbished Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), which is adjacent to its Lahug hotel. With the renovation costing P50 million, Gonzaga adds that CICC, in addition to its grand ballroom and multiple function rooms, now boasts of "state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, and the Grand Atlantic Hall, the redesigned exhibition hall which, at 3,063 square meters, is one of the largest in the country." He also reveals that WCCH is now the largest and only convention-hotel in the country, with the center hosting past prestigious events such as the ASEAN Tourism Forum and the Advertising Congress.
And there’s the location, one of the more apparent advantages when staying at Waterfront. Fortunately, where Waterfront Hotels are situated are engulfed with much of the Cebuano culture, and proximate to points of business and pleasure.
Business travelers would find no other hotel as accessible to the Mactan International Airport than Waterfront Mactan. It is also a short ride from the historical shrine of Lapu-Lapu, which not only stands to remind of the Portuguese explorer Magellan’s foiled conquest of the island, but also stands next to the center of delectable Cebuano cuisine. Here, restos overlooking the sea tempt taste buds with cooked-to-order SU-TO-KIL (sugba or grilled, tola or tinola and kilaw, thinly sliced raw fish soaked in vinegar, spices and fresh coconut milk). Nearby, there are public beach resorts that cast that "sun-and-sand" charm of Cebu, where you can rent a cottage for P150 for the entire day and reward yourself with a priceless panorama of Bohol’s silhouette.
Waterfront Lahug, on the other hand, is at the heart of Cebu. One guest had commented that Waterfront is an imposing fixture in the landscape of the bustling city if you drive up Busay Hills, especially at night. Waterfront does something like that to nighttime Cebu. A view from its topmost floors yields an expanse of lights, just as imposing and breathtaking.
Travelers who seek entertainment and recreation can get started with Waterfront’s themed Casino, reminiscent of the architecture of Cebu’s old town plazas, and its food and beverage outlets like the Jiggy’s Bar, H20 Disco and Lucky Ace KTV Bar. You can move on to Ayala Center and the city’s circuit of bars, The Village. There’s an abundance really, which says a lot about the Cebuanos’ passion for partying. Cebu is perhaps home to the country’s grandest street party, the Sinulog Festival in honor of the Sto. Niño, the recent staging of which saw both Waterfront Hotels fully booked, and discoral, open-air discos fenced ("koral" in Cebuano) from gatecrashers with either plywood or steel wire.
So if you’re traveling to Cebu armed with a wishlist – a place near the beach, or just across the airport, and which offers both Cebuano hospitality and frivolity in a world-class ambience, all of which define that wanting to feel at home – Waterfront offers such an experience. And this commences with a hearty greeting of Maayong Pag-abot from a smiling hotel staffer opening Waterfront’s doors for you.
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