Philippine Plaza under new mg’t

Philippine Plaza, one of the country’s leading five-star hotels, is now under a new management.

This, as the European hotel company Accor took over the management of Philippine Plaza after American hotel giant Westin Hotel opted to rationalize its investments into other hotel operations.

"There has been a change in the management because Westin decided not to renew the contract that expired this year and opted to look for other opportunities in its other companies like Sheraton," Rose Libongco, Philippine Plaza sales and marketing head, told The STAR.

Libongco said the new management would officially take over the hotel’s operations on Jan. 1, 2006 although an "interim" group came in this month.

Although the hotel is under a new management, Libongco said there will be no substantial changes in the way the hotel will be run considering that Accor is also engaged in the hotel and tourism business through the Sofitel chain.

Like Westin, Libongco said Accor has presence in 140 countries, operating hotels, casinos and restaurants.

"Hotel guests would not feel any change in the services since the new management opted to retain the same employees so they would be getting the same services from their favorite hotel attendants but they can see some improvements in amenities," she said.

Libongco said Philippine Plaza is now undergoing renovations, which include the putting up of a new restaurant which is set to open in February next year.

"With the renovations, our guests can expect the hotel to have a European look, and our new restaurants to have a European taste. It is going to be a delightful change," she said.