No other hotel in the Philippines today can boast of a heritage as illustrious as the Manila Hotel. When it rose against the Manila skyline 97 years ago, the first five-star hotel in the country was born. Fresh and lily-white, the gracious establishment was soon dubbed “Showcase of the Philippines” and “Address of Prestige,” as prominent figures milled around in the Grand Dame’s ethereal lobby, from heads of state to movie stars to royalty. Its roster of famous guests includes Gen. Douglas MacArthur, US Presidents Lyndon Jonson, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton, their Royal Highnesses Edward and Charles Princes of Wales, Ernest Hemingway, The Beatles and Michael Jackson, just to name a few. This year, as it celebrates its 97th anniversary, a new Manila Hotel is presented before us. “We are poised to make the Manila Hotel the ultimate, ultimate destination in Asia,” declares the hotel’s general manager, Leon Keekstra. “We are keeping the luxury of its past and 97 years of excellent service, but have upgraded it to suit the contemporary times with modern renovations — the rooms, dining outlets, pool and garden, spa and even an outdoor deck for sunset dining.” While it opted to maintain its classic and elegant interiors, the Manila Hotel introduces its renovated guest rooms this year. The rooms are fully equipped with the most modern facilities and amenities such as waterproof LCD TVs in the bathrooms, Italian marble baths, premium bathroom amenities, iLuv radios, in-room safes and VingCard electronic door locks. And while the new guest rooms exude elegance and sophistication, they still showcase the beauty of authentic Philippine interior design, remaining true to the classic interiors of the Manila Hotel that we have always known and loved. Of course, the renovation of the rooms is but part of the many changes that the hotel has undergone in 2009. Manila Hotel’s 97th year also saw the grand opening of the Mabuhay Palace, its newly opened Chinese restaurant and flagship outlet. The Mabuhay Palace is distinguished for its extensive array of dishes culled from China, Hong Kong and Singapore and cooked to perfection by master chefs Hou Zhen Hui, Josephine Candelaria and Lin Jie Min. The food will never disappoint and the interiors of the restaurant complement it perfectly. Its imperial Neo-Classical design features a one-of-a-kind wall art that was meticulously sculpted with genuine jade and precious stones to narrate the tale of the great Chinese philosopher Confucius. Moreover, just a minute away from the five-star restaurant is another newly renovated outlet in the hotel: The pool and garden. The pool itself was reconfigured and re-engineered with brand new state-of-the-art pumps and filter system, and the installation of decorative spouts and jets add novel flavor and complements the new quartzon finish of the swimming pool. Children can safely splash around in the new kid’s pool, just as those who love basking in the sun while enjoying cocktails can lounge in the Dedon Orbit chairs that line the sun deck, facing the picturesque Manila Bay. Beside the swimming pool is an event space that overlooks the bay and the famous Manila sunset — perfect for outdoor parties and weddings. Timber trellises with colorful flowering vines, punctuated with tall royal, coconut and Madagascar traveler palms filter the sun’s rays, creating a shaded area pleasantly cooled by the sea breeze. Original tree and shrub planting such as sea grapes, barringtonia asiatica and bougainvillea were conserved and enhanced with additional landscape and mood lighting. Fiery red gingers, orange heliconias, succulent bromeliads, luscious philodendrons and fashionable dwarf bamboos are some of the thousands of new plants that have beeb added to the garden. Another highlight is the new Manila Hotel Spa, located by the bay. The spa offers an unprecedented five-star relaxation experience to its guests with its modern facilities and excellent service. To complete our rejuvenation and wellness interests, next to the spa is the Manila Hotel Health Club. Manila Hotel’s newly opened gym features state-of-the-art and high technology Life Fitness Strength Conditioning and Cardio machines. They come with touch-screen LCDs, iPod control and a virtual trainer. In addition, going up a flight of stairs will reveal a superb locker room that feature electronic lockers that use wrist watches instead of keys, and rainfall showers with complete amenities. And just when we think it can’t get any better than this, the Manila Hotel Health Club also has its own Pilates yoga and aerobics room, a dry sauna and steam room
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