Up at The Manor
MANILA, Philippines - There is one thing I know about The Manor that is somewhat related to The Philippine STAR. For one, I know that our late publisher used to frequent the hotel whenever he was in the city. Now, I know of another. “I would like to write about Max Soliven,” said Heiner Maulbecker, managing director of The Manor at Camp John Hay. “He was the first Filipino I met — before I even arrived in the Philippines. Out of that was a friendship that lasted a lifetime.”
The German national continued giving us a few choice anecdotes about The STAR’s most well known columnist. But the real star of the moment was The Manor and how, in only 10 years, it became known as Baguio City’s premier hotel.
Selling Baguio as a resort destination is as easy as selling a hamburger to a really hungry customer — it’s just a matter of whether you want a glass of soda to go with it. The Manor can be described as that cool drink in a tall glass that goes extremely well with a city that needs no introduction.
Located right inside the Camp John Hay area, The Manor is easily accessible by car. It is surrounded by an impressive array of facilities such as the CAP-John Hay Trade and Cultural Center and vast natural activity areas. Serious golfers can play their game at the CJH Golf Club, where Jack Nicklaus designed a world-class 18-hole course. Families have a perfect place to bond at the picnic grounds amid the former American base’s towering pine trees; a two-kilometer Eco Trail perfect for outdoor activities; the Shalan ti Kabadjo, a place for pony rides in the lush Kabadjo forest; and the Butterfly Sanctuary. If golf or nature-tripping isn’t your thing, there are retail and food establishments near the hotel proper.
The Manor itself fits perfectly well in the context of its highland setting. The forest cabin design and architecture gives it an almost old look to it, but it retains that modern atmosphere that doesn’t feel stuffy or uptight. I’ve been to the hotel a couple of times before but only to buy pastries at the deli before going on my merry way down the mountain. This was the first time I actually sat down at the Le Chef restaurant and saw an entire park before me, complete with waterfalls, cherry blossom trees and a gazebo-cum-waiting shed at the end of a path in the distance. No surprise, a multitude of families and groups of people strolled about, taking pictures of the scenery with children running amuck on the grass. For something much quieter, the Piano Bar, with its open fireplace, sets the perfect mood for rest and introspection, said general manager Ramon Cabrera, pointing to the cherry blossoms enclosed within a white picket fence. As someone who just came on board The Manor late last year, Cabrera made some much-needed polishing, with an ongoing refurbishment of the façade of one wing of the hotel and soon, all of The Manor’s 177 guest rooms and facilities within the year. Cabrera said, “We started with our exteriors and, hopefully, we finish that before the rainy season. Slowly, we’re also doing the interiors.”
There are many room types for every kind of guest. Depending on his needs, a guest can choose a superior room or a deluxe, one-bedroom or two-bedroom suite. A lone honeymoon cottage is available for newlyweds. All rooms have cable TV, landline phones, Wi-Fi Internet access, a safe, a mini-bar, and coffee- or tea-making machines.
According to Cabrera, weekend vacationers such as families comprise the majority of their guests. The rest are mostly corporate groups from the lowlands or the local business parks which take advantage of the hotel’s easy access to many convention-friendly facilities. A business center ensures that work can still be done. If not, there’s always The Manor Health Spa with its gym facilities and spa and massage services to take away the stress.
Outside The Manor, there are many activities that can be arranged by the hotel. Maulbecker said, “You want to hike, climb, rent a kayak, we can do that, too. We can arrange for you to go to Ambuklao (Dam) where you can do these activities.”
Other changes that Cabrera has made involved creating a training department. Feedback has been positive. “I always believe in training our people, from the basics to exceeding our expectations,” he said. “It has been doing very good based on the data we have been collecting. I’m working with a very young team.”
The hotel is currently offering a graduation package for students until May 31. With a minimum of two nights, graduates can enjoy a special room rate of P1,550 per person, per night with breakfast included.
As Maulbecker put it, The Manor, at the end of the day, is all about providing good service at a good price. Much of that is also tied in to the master development of Camp John Hay as the ultimate vacation resort in the city. And it all starts with a town center. “That is the next thing, with little cafés, shops and places where people can live,” he said. “Young people need a place to chill out and that could be it. And we can have activities there like music festivals and art events.”
One nostalgic moment was when Maulbecker mentioned the revival of the 19th Tee, a restaurant by the golf course that got famous during the last century with its American-style food and towering glasses of ice cream. At least, that’s what I remember from the time my grandfather used to bring us there when we were kids. “The 19th Tee, we want to recreate that — make it an up-market fast food restaurant where you get all the things you remember,” he revealed.
The Manor evokes a charm that everyone expects from a resilient and resurgent place like Baguio City. In its 10-year existence, the hotel reflects those very same qualities — tying itself to the history of the highland city in a very, very good way.
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The Manor Camp John Hay is located on Loakan Road in Baguio City. For more details on its graduation package or bookings, call The Manor’s Manila Sales Office at (02) 687-6710, 687-6524 or 687-0351. For Baguio, call (074) 424-0931 to 47/50-53 or its Baguio hotline at (02) 845-0892 or 845-0911. Visit its website at www.cjhhotels.com. Photos by FERNAN NEBRES
