Get ready for grandeur at Waterfront Cebu City

MANILA, Philippines - In early 2011, Waterfront Philippines Inc., the country’s largest first-class hotel operator, announced that it would embark on a multimillion-peso renovation program geared toward further improving its flagship property in Cebu, the grand and stately Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

The project is divided into three major phases: the renovation of the grand and lower lobbies of the hotel; the renovation of the function rooms; and eventually the renovation of the larger convention facilities of the hotel. Phase one will be completed in the current year, while phases two and three will begin in 2013. Each phase costs around P100 million.

The Waterfront management is pleased to announce the completion of its grand lobby, which was opened to serve guests last May 3. 

“With the launching of the newly renovated lobby comes a promise of enhancing our present product and service offerings that will eventually yield to better guest experience,” said Weslie Gatchalian, assistant to the Waterfront president. 

On what guests can expect from the Waterfront lobby, Gatchalian said, “Separate canopies and entrances have been built for the hotel, casino and convention areas, which will certainly improve traffic patterns. Guests are guaranteed an even better check-in experience with a brand new reception area, which includes a more spacious Concierge counter and a wider Front Desk that will cater exclusively to individual travelers.”

Gatchalian added: “Brand new communication and IT equipment have been acquired to further ensure the smooth reception of guests. Other enhancements include a newly built ticket booth for conventions and concerts, Egyptian marble flooring, improvements to the ceiling’s three coves and the lobby’s balconies and staircases, and state-of-the-art sound and lighting equipment.” 

Apart from improvements to the lobby’s general structure, the Lobby Lounge itself will offer an all-new dining and lounging experience, with newly installed glass panels semi-enclosing each side of the lounge.

Fully equipped bar areas have also been installed in the middle of each of the lounge’s two sections, ensuring diners of more efficient and prompt service. 

To enhance the overall guest experience, the hotel’s Food and Beverage team, headed by its director, Alastair Granger, has put together additional features such as nightly entertainment from the city’s top performers, soulful afternoon music by soloists, a selection of traditional English afternoon tea packages that is available for guests from 2 to 6 p.m. daily, and an offering of fantastic gourmet desserts created by no less than the hotel’s French Group executive pastry chef, Daniel Lajoux. 

Diners will also have the option to choose from a variety of authentic French-style flambé creations, which are prepared by the lobby’s servers right before the guests.

A selection of fine wines is also available from the lobby’s very own wine dispenser, where guests may sample wines in three different quantities. To enjoy the wine dispenser service, guests must avail themselves of the Wine Card. 

All these services are only made better with the addition of a sophisticated Micros ordering system that the hotel has purposely tapped to ensure more efficient service at the Lobby Lounge.

Waterfront’s patrons can definitely expect even more grandeur later in the year, with the addition of other facilities. 

To complement the hotel’s main lobby, a group check-in counter will be set up, dedicated solely to corporate and travel groups; a larger duty free shopping area will be provided; and an additional Casino Filipino gaming space of 2,350 square meters will be launched in July.

Waterfront Philippines Inc., through its Waterfront Hotels and Casinos brand, is currently the largest Filipino-owned hotel chain in the country.

It operates five first-class hotel-casino properties in the major cities of Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Davao. In Manila, it operates the Manila Pavilion Hotel and Casino and G-Hotel by Waterfront, its latest venture in the boutique hotel category.

In Cebu, it runs the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, and the Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Mactan. In Davao, it operates the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao.

Cumulatively, the group runs close to 1,600 guest rooms, employs 1,670 employees, and has over 13,500 square meters of convention and gaming space.

Audited financial statements of the company for 2010 show that it registered P1.9 billion in gross revenues, with a gross operating profit of P389 million. The flagship Cebu City hotel contributed 40 percent of gross revenues.