Mövenpick makes big move to Philippine

Tina Arceo-Dumlao Philippine
Daily Inquirer Publication

Swiss group takes over management of Mactan hotel Mövenpick is not a familiar hotel and resort brand to most Filipinos, save for those who have lived or travelled extensively in Europe and the Middle East. 

But that’s about to change with the entry into the Philippines of Switzerland-based Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, which has officially taken over the management of a hotel in Mactan, Cebu, now named Mövenpick Resort and Spa. 

The Cebu property is the first in the Philippines of the upscale hotel management company, which is aggressively expanding its presence in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region. 

In a statement, Jean Gabriel Peres, president and CEO of Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, said: “We are very excited about our arrival in the Philippines. It is a significant milestone for Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts as it marks our 15th signed hotel in Asia.” According to Helmut Gaisberger, Mövenpick director for business development and interim general manager of Mövenpick Resort and Spa Cebu, Mövenpick plans to make an immediate impact on the market by offering visitors a new type of service with genuine caring for guests and clients at its core. Gaisberger also said in the briefing last week that there was unmet demand in Cebu for upscale services and unique food and beverage offerings that Mövenpick Resort and Spa, owned by Oikonomos International Resources Corp., can provide. 

“Food and beverage are what Mövenpick has always been known for and the market can expect something special to come out of the hotel in the coming months,” said veteran hotelier Gaisberger, who took over the Mövenpick portfolio after retiring from the Mandarin Oriental in Manila. The 246-room hotel used to be managed by the Hilton group of the United States, but the contract was “peacefully and mutually” terminated after a little over five years, thus paving the way for the takeover of Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, which struck a 15-year management contract with Oikonomos International, chaired by Manuel Osmeña. Said Osmeña: “We are delighted to have joined hands with Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, a highly regarded international hotel and management company. 

We look forward to a successful collaboration and to further position our resort as a preferred leisure destination within the Philippines and Asia.” To complete the management transition, Osmeña said that the property group has approved a budget of at least 100 million pesos (U$2.2 million) to renovate the hotel and give it more of the Mövenpick look and feel. 

He said in the briefing that the bulk of the budget will go into the renovation of the lobby “to improve the arrival experience,” repainting of the exterior and the redesign of the swimming pool and other leisure areas. “We want to give the hotel more of a resort feel and we also need to add function rooms to cater to the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions market,” said Osmeña. He did not specify when the renovation will be completed, merely saying that once done, Mövenpick Resort and Spa wouls be in a much better position to attract more guests from here and abroad. “We call this partnership with Movenbick the rebirth of the hotel,” he added.

asianewsnet.net

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