A new hotel rises in the heart of Metro Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - For every business traveler, to be able to find a secluded place that is not too far from the essentials of the city -banks, government offices, clients, and leisure places - would be something like winning the lottery.

Literally in the heart of Cebu City, yet with the feel not of the usual busy metropolitan Cebu, but that of a well-groomed exclusive village, the newly opened St. Mark Hotel could boast of such a location.

But proximity is just one of the come-ons of St. Mark Hotel, as General Manager Augie Lontok boasts that every guest of the hotel would expect five-star service.

"We are a true boutique hotel," says Swiss-educated hotelier Lontok.

"We may not have the facilities of a five-star hotel, but we have the small touches of a five-star hotel," he told The FREEMAN.

St. Mark Hotel's rooms are intimate and tell of pampering.

From the linens to the queen-sized bed filled with the most inviting pillows; from a well-appointed bathroom to sofas that look out to the lush greenery that surrounds the hotel. One would expect to wake up in the morning not with the noise of busy traffic but with the relaxing serenade of birds.

For business travelers, and even for leisure travelers, being connected to the web is a must, and Lontok said that at St. Mark Hotel there are no dead spots, and since use of the hotel's network is restricted to its clients, he assures that connection speeds are fast and uninterrupted.

"Our service complements our products," Lontok said.

Ninety percent of the staff of St. Mark Hotel, especially those in the managerial and supervisory posts came from luxury hotels and resorts. Lontok himself has almost 20 years of experience in international brands like Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Intercontinental Hotels, the Discovery Group, and Radisson Hotels.

This experience he has brought to St. Mark Hotel, mentoring the hotel's newer staff, as well as sharing and learning from other experienced staff in order to develop a brand that is truly Cebuano.

Lontok also shares that with the Redemptorist Church right across the hotel, weddings could never be more romantic, intimate, and cost-efficient with St. Mark Hotel as the venue of choice for receptions. This would be true for christenings and other church celebrations and family gatherings, as well.

St. Mark Hotel is quite small, with only 57 elegantly well-appointed rooms and seven loft-type residential suites at the penthouse floor. This assures of privacy and ensures that guests would be given the attention that they demand.

Come to think of it, business trips are made complete at the hotel, with its two boardrooms that can accommodate up to 25 persons, and a ballroom that can seat at most 70 guests, apt for conferences and banquets.

Indeed, what more would a business traveler want, when St. Mark Hotel may just have all the amenities that one would need for a successful business and leisure trip. (FREEMAN)