Getting Ritz in Davao

MANILA, Philippines - It is heartening to know that fellow Filipinos are traveling around the country even more. The growing number of travel blogs and Facebook photo updates showing friends exploring local destinations proves that the country has so much to offer, and that Filipinos are happy to share the experience.

One destination that has become a mainstay in their travel itinerary is Davao City, a place teeming with cuisine, commerce, culture, and adventure. Travelers know that this is one city that promises a satisfying and enriching experience. Because of Davao City’s ever-increasing modernity quotient, tourists, investors, and families have been turning to the city as their preferred destination.

This growing market is certainly looking for value-for-money accommodations such as those offered by the Ritz Hotel at Garden Oases. The hotel has acknowledged the growing number of visitors to the city, thus spurring its leap in size. What used to be a small family-sized, 20-room standard provincial hotel has become a full-fledged service hotel that added 68 new rooms.

“We have the guests in mind when we decided to expand,” says Ritz Hotel at Garden Oases general manager Barry Schofield. “The new rooms have been designed to be spacious, comfortable, and environmentally friendly.”

Schofield points out that Ritz Hotel now has roomy interiors and big windows to minimize power consumption, and uses energy-saving lights and recycled materials. Room amenities have been designed to reduce disposal, with the new wing of the Ritz “setting a new environment-friendly standard in the area.”

He adds: “In the past, many hotels would stuff the rooms with needless fixtures and fittings, causing a lot of waste material and a lot of excess cleaning chemicals. The owners of the Ritz Hotel made a bold step in making the rooms appear basic yet at the same time meet and exceed the standard of the other hotels.”

The well-appointed air-conditioned rooms are classified as standard (19 sqm), deluxe, superior, superior deluxe, grand deluxe, and Oases suites (67 sqm). Among the facilities are high-speed WiFi access, LCD television, and IDD/NDD telephone system. There are even connecting rooms for families, so parents can keep a watchful eye on their children.

“It is not just about the rooms that make the Ritz Hotel the choice of business and leisure travelers,” Schofield says. He volunteers that the hotel is undergoing a complete refit to include the Garden Oases Chinese Restaurant. The hotel owners and their sales and marketing partner Quantum Hotels & Resorts are aiming for a more international menu which will offer a menu for all tastes, including healthier options for vegetarians.

“Quantum Hotels and Resorts is making an immense effort for the Ritz Hotel and its service, thus providing a five-star experience at a three-star price. The hotel has turned into a destination in itself. We plan to add more outlets to the hotel,” he reveals.

The lobby impresses inside and out, too. It uses LED technology lighting and heat-reducing windows. The Ritz Hotel also segregates all of its garbage and recycles whatever it can.

Schofield relates that they plan to be one of the first hotels in Davao to run its internal generators using vegetable oil, thus making the generators cheaper to run and adding to the hotels new approach to the environment. He remarks, “Once the generators are done, they will then power the hotel’s diesel vehicles on the same used vegetable oil so it will be self sufficient.”

In addition, the Ritz Hotel welcomes large groups who come to Davao for conferences, weddings, and other special events. It offers function rooms for a group of 20 to a maximum of 1,200. The Garden Oases Function Hall can accommodate the biggest number theater-style and can be divided into five smaller meeting rooms.

The general manager adds: “Visitors and guests who wish to hold meetings at the Ritz Hotel can enjoy a rooftop meeting facility with a view of the city and a view of Davao’s famous Mount Apo.”

“It is used often by business and corporate travelers, balikbayan visitors, and government groups. We recently hosted an event that brought in people from the far-flung areas of the region so they get to experience city life.”

The hotel is pretty accessible from the Davao International Airport as well. A good 20 minutes is all it takes. Visitors flying in can avail themselves of the hotel’s free airport transfer. Guests can enjoy some downtime at the in-house Zhi Ya Spa where they can enjoy fabulous treatments at very affordable prices, or at the Zen Café lobby area with its assortment of snacks and refreshments. They can take a dip at the outdoor swimming pool, play at the ball court or mini golf course, or watch their kids at the playground.

There is so much to make, see, and do in Davao City. With the Ritz Hotel at Garden Oases adding a pleasant experience for Davao’s visitors to look forward to, there is indeed plenty of reason why making that trip will be worth it.

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The Ritz Hotel at Garden Oases is located at Porras St., Barrio Obrero, Davao City. For more information, call (632) 706-0055 local 33 to 34, e-mail at theritzhoteldavaosales@quantumsuites.com or visit www.theritzhoteldavao.com.