Hotel Elizabeth arrives in Cebu

Photos by FERNAN NEBRES

MANILA, Philippines - Now Cebu gets to experience what Baguio has been enjoying these past five years. None other than the three-time Baguio Hotel of the Year recipient Hotel Elizabeth which has finally opened its doors to its Cebu clientele.

The hotel’s parent company, Fersal Hotel Group, could never be prouder, as this is their biggest and tallest hotel yet with 131 rooms spread in 12 floors.

The Hotel Elizabeth Cebu bears the hallmarks of its famous Baguio counterpart: the eye-catching murals, the grand lobby, the intricate designs, their unique brand of hospitality and service, practically everything that has made the hotel a landmark in the City of Pines.

Hotel Elizabeth director of operations Jean Salonga Fernando says opening the Cebu hotel makes complete sense. “People have been asking us where our next hotel would be located. We asked ourselves, ‘Where do people go on vacation?’ Historically, majority of the tourists who visit the country actually go to Cebu. It is both a metro city and a resort place, a perfect combination of business and pleasure, which is how we want our new hotel to be.”

Fernando adds that the Hotel Elizabeth Cebu is a boutique business hotel catering to businessmen and to people who travel with their friends. She says, “The setups of the rooms include three single beds. When you’re with a group of friends, you want something comfortable, nice, and clean. The usual setup is either just one bed or two beds. What if there are three of you?”

Accommodations at the Hotel Elizabeth Cebu are deluxe single, deluxe double, deluxe triple, junior suites, executive suite, penthouse suite, and honeymoon suite.

Guestrooms features and amenities include an LCD TV with cable channels, imported US linens and towels, in-room coffee and tea setup, mini bar, and fully automated fire safety system, among others.

As an opening treat, Hotel Elizabeth Cebu is offering 50 percent off on room rates until December.

“As soon as guests enter our premises, we want them to feel pampered. My expectation for this hotel is to become a tourist spot of its own. That is why the Hotel Elizabeth is known as ‘An Experience on its Own.’ If you look around other hotels, you would not find very intricate interiors like ours,” she says.

Fernando discloses that media personality Tessa Prieto Valdes, who is an interior designer by profession, brought her expertise to the table.

“Tessa travels as lot, so much so that the hotel’s Mediterranean touch and angle were reinforced. One thing she did was succeed in bringing out the personal touch in our hand-painted murals on our walls, staircase, and lobby. Every floor in the hotel has a mural, and each one has a special meaning to our family,” she says.

A peek into the Hotel Elizabeth Cebu’s floors reveal the Santorini Ballroom, the Tuscany Function Room which can accommodate 150 people, and two board rooms for business meetings.

The new establishment also boasts of the Terrazas Outdoor Garden, a gym, and a spa that offers massage services. Flora Café, the main food outlet, serves Mediterranean and international cuisine.

For guests in the mood for wining and dining, there is the Piano Bar. Cocktails and buffets are in order, with Fridays bringing in the cocktail buffet while Saturdays serve up the Black Angus or Japanese buffet. Ballroom dancing nights are also featured.

“One of the trademarks of the Hotel Elizabeth as well as the Fersal Hotel Group is the complimentary breakfast that we are known for. So imagine our current promo: 50 percent off on room rates and you get complimentary breakfast!” Fernando says.

Hotel Elizabeth’s accommodations include a deluxe single (left) and deluxe triple.

“There is also complimentary Wi-Fi all over the hotel. When you come here, you know that you can immediately get in touch with your family and friends or log on to Facebook. As a traveler myself, when hotels tell me they have free Wi-Fi, it makes my day,” she adds.

Bound to make anybody’s day as well is the Hotel Elizabeth Cebu’s personal touch. As what Fernando points out, the Hotel Elizabeth’s brand of hospitality lies in the sense of family among the hotel staff, which they themselves translate to the way they treat their guests. She says, “The Hotel Elizabeth in Baguio is renowned for treating guests like family, which is what we want our Cebu guests to experience, too.”

Guests at Hotel Elizabeth Cebu are also supplied with a location that allows them to take in as much of Cebu as they wish. It is centrally located in the middle of the city, so they are within reach of the Ayala Mall, Metro Mall, and the Ayala Business District.

“In terms of vicinity, we are where all the good restaurants are. If you cross the street during Sinulog, you are bound to be in the center of the excitement. We are about 20 to 30 minutes from the airport. Even if you want to go further, transportation’s not a problem. Aside from the public transportation, we have our own vehicles which will take our customers to places they want to visit,” she says.

The arrival of the Hotel Elizabeth Cebu should be welcome news to travelers seeking a place that combines interiors and offerings that please the senses, as well as services that are as heartwarming as they are worth remembering. 

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The Hotel Elizabeth Cebu is located at Archbishop Reyes, Cebu City. For more information, e-mail at cebusales@hotelelizabeth.com.ph, call the Central Reservations Office at (632) 912-2691 or fax at (632) 912-2693).