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MANILA, Philippines - Manila Pavilion Hotel recently unveiled the second phase of its renovation, which pays tribute to a significant person in the hotel’s history.

“We are very proud because this building, from the day that it was Hilton, has always been there and witnessed the significant events in this country,” said general manager Christopher Park.

Central to the second phase of the renovation is the creation of the Alcuaz function rooms, named after the late National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz who lived in the hotel for almost 20 years.

“We are very fortunate to have had him as our guest for more than 20 years. You could say that he’s a family member to us and we were his extended family,” he said.

With numerous exhibits overseas, Alcuaz was a prominent figure in the art scene here and abroad. After an accident in Germany, he came back to recover in the country, but soon resumed his travels, dividing his time between his Barcelona studio at Aragon Street and his corner suite at this hotel.

The function room is located where the old Rotisserie restaurant was located. Renowned for its prime rib, the restaurant served as an extended art gallery of Alcuaz, where some of his paintings took pride of place for almost 20 years.

The paintings are currently in secure storage in the hotel, and plans are underway to create a room where his artworks can be properly displayed. “The most important thing is to secure the paintings. We properly wrapped them, kept them in a temperature controlled room and always have the experts checking on their condition,” Park said.

Alcuaz’s City-view that shows the panoramic view of the old Manila and The Beatification of Lorenzo Ruiz that memorialized the papal visit of Saint John Paul the Great in the country are now displayed at the reception of the function room.

On the night of the launch of the Alcuaz function rooms, his son Christian Aguilar received a token of appreciation for his father’s contribution to the nation’s rich art history.

The new Alcuaz function rooms are equipped with high-tech audio-visual instruments and carefully designed interiors to ensure the quality of every event that will be held there. “The projectors and the screen are attached above the ceiling. We make sure that everything is top notch,” he said.

Alcuaz 1 can accommodate 180 persons in classroom configuration and up to 270 in theater, while Alcuaz 2 and 3 can individually accommodate 200 people in cocktail configuration.

Part of the second phase of the renovation is the conversion of three floors into superior rooms. “Our new superior rooms have earth-toned textures and feeling. With wooden type floors, nice orange and brown color palates, and it all matches very nicely,” he said. The hotel will also have two new presidential suites, premier suites and executive suites. The first phase of the renovation involved the conversion of the six floors to the new predominantly bright deluxe rooms.

“Our color schemes are very important to us, so the guests would really differentiate between the products and how they understand it, and it also reflects on the Alcuaz Function Rooms.” he adds.

Future plans include the refurbishing and reinforcement of the facade, which will ensure the structure’s ability to last for many more years.

“We want to maintain the look. So we’ll be working on finishing the outside with more modern textures and materials. We’ll also be illuminating the building in a new way, like they do in Vegas,” he proudly shared.

The Manila Pavilion Hotel stands as a quiet witness to the most significant moments in our history. And with the renovation program, we can anticipate that one of Manila’s iconic hotel will bear witness to more important events to come.

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Manila Pavilion Hotel is located at UN Ave. cor. Maria Orosa St., Manila. For inquiries call 526-1212 or visit www.manilapavilion.com.ph Photos by FERNAN NEBRES