Berjaya opens first property in the Philippines

Berjaya Manila Hotel has opened in Makati City in the Philippines, marking the Malaysia-based hotel chain's first venture into the archipelago.

"We are targeting a diverse customer base from leisure travellers to the sizeable balikbayan (Filipinos residing abroad) market. But being in Makati, we expect a lot of our guests will be business travellers," said Rudy Romulo, general manager of Berjaya Manila, adding that the hotel expects overseas guests to be coming mostly from China, Singapore, Malaysia and the US.

The 26-storey property contains 167 rooms divided into seven categories from  Deluxe rooms measuring 31sqm to Executive suites at 78sqm. Right now, only 158 rooms between the 6^th and 21^st floors are open for business. The upper four floors are undergoing refurbishment.

"We are doing the refurbishment phase by phase. This is not a new-built property and we are upgrading some facilities such as the internet infrastructure to meet quality standards. When the refurbishment is completed, we will be moving one notch higher in category class from a three-star to a four-star hotel," Romulo added.

Designed along contemporary lines, each guestroom is fitted with cable TV, internet, in-room safety deposit box, minibar and more. Other facilities include a swimming pool, business centre and three dining outlets: El Prado for Filipino and international cuisine, El Paseo for snacks and appetisers and Las Rambas for cocktails. There are also two big function rooms that can hold up to 200 people. The function rooms can be divided into a total of six smaller rooms for intimate group events.
 
Berjaya Manila is located along Makati Avenue, just minutes away from major business buildings and shopping mall in Makati City, the country's financial hub.

To mark the opening, the hotel has business packages from PhP3,488 (US$75) per night for a Deluxe Room, single or double occupancy. It includes daily breakfast, free internet, and a one-way shuttle service to nearby office buildings within the Makati area.

For more information, visit http://www.berjayahotel.com/manila/index.asp

Gigi Onag