Luxury for less at Quest Hotel
MANILA, Philippines - There’s a new hotel in the Cebu hospitality scene, and it’s stirring buzz for good reason.
The Quest Hotel and Conference Center is positioning itself as a reasonably priced hotel that sits on an ideal location that is the heart of Cebu City’s bustling business district.
A member of the Quest international hotel chain, the hotel also takes pride in being part of FilArchipelago Hospitality Inc. which owns such properties as the Crimson Resort in Mactan Island, Cebu and the soon-to-open Crimson Alabang. (FHI is a growing hotel company that aims to build more hotels across the Philippines.)
“Quest Hotel fills in the gap for an affordable hotel that offers top facilities and five-star service in Cebu. It offers all the necessary facilities and services that business and leisure clients would require, including business center, free Wi-Fi access, swimming pool, meeting and function rooms and a restaurant,” said Quest Hotel’s general manager James Montenegro.
Banking on a cool, clean and comfy feel and look, the 427-room Quest Hotel puts premium on cleanliness and safety, with interiors and other features steeped in elements that are stylish, modern and functional. And its being the newest kid on the block is regarded as its biggest edge over the competition. “The hotel is the newest hotel in the city so we have one of the most up-to-date facilities. As a Filinvest hotel, it is a must that the facilities from the rooms to interior restaurant facilities and to other amenities are of premium quality,” said Montenegro, adding that the hotel gives “a pocket-friendly rate that other hotels in the area find difficult to compete with.”
“As a new hotel, we receive a good number of first-time visits that are potential repeat customers. By making sure that these guests have a good experience, we are able to capture new clients. With good product and friendly and warm service, we are able to capture and retain guests,” Montenegro said.
“Most importantly, the hotel is comprised of managers and team members who are passionate about hospitality and have the expertise to manage the property and adapt to the ever-changing needs of modern-day travelers whether they are here for business or leisure,” he added.
With Quest Hotel located in the central business district, guests naturally enjoy easy access to major business offices as well as shopping malls, trendy nightspots and tourist attractions. It’s a short ride to downtown Cebu wherein visitors can take in some historical sights like the famous Magellan’s Cross, the Sto. Niño Shrine, and Cebu’s smorgasbord of museums, from Museo Sugbu and the Cebu Provincial Museum to the Halad Museum, the only music-themed museum in the country that celebrates Visayan musical heritage.
Within the hotel itself, guests will not run out of things to do. “There are various facilities and activities that our guests can do at the hotel, including dining at our restaurant that offers international cuisine either in an a la carte or buffet setting,” Montenegro said.
While named after a popular Cebu delicacy, Puso Bistro and Bar actually pays homage to Francesca Go Chong Kang, the mother of Andrew Gotianun Sr., founder of the Filinvest Group. She was described as the personification of a gracious host.
The restaurant takes inspiration from her heirloom recipes and her way of serving uncomplicated yet carefully prepared dishes. Interestingly, her home once stood in the sprawling lot where the hotel is now situated.
Apart from the resto, there’s also a swimming pool at the seventh floor for laps or lounging, and for further relaxation, the hotel also offers massage services at the comfort of the guestrooms or by the pool.
Meanwhile, as the hotel now operates in full swing after a soft-opening last February, a number of projects are in the pipeline to ensure that it will steadily gain market share.
The hotel recently launched promo deals for its guests such as the Grand Launch offer of P2,800 nett that covers a deluxe-room accommodation plus breakfast for two with access to all hotel facilities. There’s also the Cash Back offer that provides P1,000 credits for a night spent at the hotel. The credits can be used throughout the stay in exchange for food and beverage, laundry and massage services. Fifty percent of the remaining credit is converted back to cash upon checkout.
Quest Hotel is fortunate that the island-province of Cebu continues to be a choice destination for leisure, both by local and international travelers. “However, it also has a steady stream of business and corporate travelers and Quest Hotel is very fortunate to be able to tap into both segments,” Montenegro said.
He added that the market has been very receptive to the property, saying that since the hotel’s soft opening, it has maintained an occupancy rate of over 70 percent.
They also attribute it to the drawing factor and saleability of the destination and the city of Cebu itself. Montenegro said, “Cebu in general is a very good destination with a lot of potential and the property is hoping that with more efforts from the government and the private sector to make Cebu more attractive to tourists, especially international travelers, it will provide positive impact on both occupancy and revenue for all stakeholders in the city and the province.”
* * *
The Quest Hotel & Conference Center is located at Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City. For inquiries, call +63-32-402-5999 or +63-32-402-5998 or visit www.QuestHotels.com.
