Raffles and Fairmont Makati: Un-identical TWINS

MANILA, Philippines - Makati City has long held the distinction of being the financial capital of the country — a preeminent, most unalloyed version of a utopian city, at least as far as its wealthiest sections go.

The Central Business District, in particular, has been a shining testament to the visionary drawing pens of property planners (Ayala Land foremost among them), along with the watchful gaze and involvement of local government officials, resulting in an unalloyed hub of activity and favorite venue of work, play, and leisure.

Along with this envied reputation, Makati is the undisputed hotbed for premium hotels and lodgings — a playground and lounge for the most discriminating set. For 18 years, the status quo and undertow of competition has been constantly evolving with the increasingly cosmopolitan and sophisticated palate of local and foreign travelers and tourists.

Well, the city’s already highly evolved hospitality industry has been given another shot of adrenaline.

Right smack in the heart of the Ayala Center rises a 30-story tower that houses not one but two famous marques — Raffles and Fairmont — and three distinct products. There’s the 32 all-suite Raffles Makati, the 280-room Fairmont Makati, and 237 serviced-living units of the Raffles Residences.

The opening last Dec. 3, at 3:33 p.m., marked the culmination of a “four-year buildup from a hole in the ground,” according to managing director Tom Meyer. “It’s supposed to be a very harmonious time for the hotel, and business, to open.”

Not that this Ayala Land venture needs much luck to succeed — judging from excitement over the spanking-new, prime-located building rising on the corner of Makati Avenue and Pasay Road. More interest was generated when people learned of the famous brands that were to occupy the edifice.

Raffles Hotel & Resorts traces its roots to 1887 with the opening of the now-iconic Raffles Hotel Singapore — a favorite haunt of historical figures and other celebrities. It is renowned for its “thoughtful, personal, and discreet service to well-traveled guests.” The Raffles chain now boasts presence in seven additional properties: Cambodia, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Paris, and (of course) the Philippines.

On the other hand, the first Fairmont Hotel (the Hamilton Princess) opened in 1885 in Bermuda. Since then, the portfolio has grown to over 60 properties across the globe.

The brands share a building, food outlets, 1,700 square meters of function rooms, including an 859-square-meter grand ballroom — and nothing more. Meyers volunteers: “I think what really differentiates the two is that the Raffles has more of an Asian approach to the way that it does hospitality, while the Fairmont brand has a more North American heritage.”

“They are run completely separately,” he continues. “We actually have two presidents: John Johnston for Raffles, and Jennifer Fox for Fairmont.”

Expressed in terms of clientele profile, Meyers explains that the Raffles is tailored to a more leisure market, while the Fairmont caters to more corporate requirements. “The Fairmont, with its 280 rooms, has a larger footprint, and is connected to the main ballroom,” he shares — perfect for meetings and corporate events “while catering to the top end of the market.”

Meanwhile, the exclusive, all-suite Raffles Makati enables the staff “to focus on the needs to the guests; to be more bespoke about how we care for them. It’s an oasis for well-traveled guests,” says Meyer. Comprising Raffles Residences are one- to four-bedroom apartments — ideal for short or long-term stays.

The managing director also insists that they don’t want to be everything to everybody, but you can argue that this new development in the sunnier side of Makati is exactly that — a complete, one-stop destination for most conceivable expectations.

The Spectrum is an all-day dining establishment that features five “culinary theaters”; the Café Macaron serves fresh sandwiches, desserts, pralines, and pastries; the Writers Bar offers quiet and space; the Fairmont Lounge is the venue for afternoon tea and light meals; while the Long Bar (a nod to the original in Raffles Singapore) is the worthy venue for imbibing the famous Singapore Sling — and then some.

In the premises, too, are five fully equipped treatment rooms, hair salon, full-service nail studio, mineral pool, and an outdoor swimming pool.

And, no, Meyer isn’t cowed by the intense competition in this part of town. “Competition is great,” he insists. “I think some of the best standards of hospitality are in cities where there’s great competition. It makes sure that all of us are continuously innovating and looking to the future in terms of what we’re doing.”

He adds: “We’re the newest hotel to open in this part of Makati in 18 years. A lot of the properties that we’re competing with don’t have the sense of newness that we have. I think that this is a unique advantage. No matter how you renovate or how you try to spruce up and refresh your product, I think eventually, time is going to tell.”

The spanking-new building that houses the Raffles and Fairmont marques boasts new technologies and reflects contemporary trends. “Hotels designed in the ’70s and ’80s were meant to keep the outside out,” Meyers says. “We have floor-to-ceiling windows that gives you lots of daylight. There’s a sense of brightness.”

In a way, the Raffles and Fairmont Makati work on a happy dichotomy of history and modernity. The property works on a fresh perspective of high technology and energy efficiency while providing the service and experience befitting, and expected of, the iconic names.

After all, Tom Meyer will probably tell you it’s just about location, location, location.

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For details, call Raffles Makati at 555-97-77 and Fairmont Makati at 555-98-88. Visit raffles.com/makati and Fairmont.com/makati. The hotels have Facebook accounts as well: facebook.com/RafflesMakati and facebook.com/FairmontMakati.  Photos by Fernan Nebres