LOOKING forward to your next long hiatus out of town? Why not celebrate Christmas and bid adieu to 2019 with a bang in the Queen City of the South, or greet the New Year or experience the jovial and colorful Sinulog Festival with a style?
Cebu is a fascinating destination that never fails to meet every tourist’s expectations. With its many offerings, from pristine beaches to verdant forests, rich dive areas, historical and religious sites, cultural spots, traditional festivities, and gastronomic hubs, options for “must-visit” places are a glut. Providing a much-needed boost to its bustling tourism industry, of course, are the various types of accommodation suited to travelers’ budget.
Setting a new benchmark in the hotel industry here is Citadines Cebu City. This is the newest Apart’hotel property by leading international lodging owner-operator The Ascott Ltd. (Ascott), in partnership with homegrown developer Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI).
“Ascott Limited is thrilled to welcome guests into the newly opened Citadines Cebu City to elevate the Cebu experience. This is Ascott Limited’s first property among the four with Cebu Landmasters Inc. The strategic alliance will focus on properties in key cities in the Mindanao and Visayas regions—such as Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Dumaguete and Iloilo,” said Daniel Wee, Ascott’s country general manager for the Philippines.
This 22-story serviced residence boasts of its top-notch accommodation units and amenities, as well as impeccable personalized services. In a nut shell, it marries world-class hotel operations with authentic warm Cebuano hospitality—exactly what business and leisure guests want from the Philippines’s fastest-growing economic hub.
Home away from home
TRUE to the brand’s youthful DNA, Citadines Cebu City is well thought-out—stylish yet comfortable, making every guest feel at home while in a hotel setting. It’s like the Armani Exchange of the hotel world as seen in its international contemporary interiors. Interestingly, they’re mixed well with the local flavors.
Lending a luxurious appeal is its opulent design and select use of fine furniture pieces and embellishments. The sunny coastal hues of blue, teal, orange, yellow and green are visually welcoming.
Here, functionality meets sustainability. Its efficient layout and careful space planning make the guests feel secured like in their comfort zones.
What makes it “green” is the utilization of environment-friendly and easy to maintain materials. Proof of which is the use of natural building materials, interlace of wood and metal strips, cane waves, stones, inlaid pieces of shell and even local weaves.
The interplay of highly controlled lights, ceilings that meet the walls, ornamental recess in walls and frames of latticework created by artisans exude a homey and relaxed atmosphere.
All these and other small details answer each of the specific needs of the guests, making them feel at ease and comfortable like the way they do at their own home.
World-class accommodation, topnotch amenities
UPON entering the hotel lobby, the hotel’s staff wear a big smile on their faces and greet the guests with a welcome drink. They may opt to laze on the comfy seats scattered around while waiting for their turn to check in, or simply leaf through the pages of well-curated reading materials like what they usually do in their house’s living room.
Drawing their attention is the reception area’s superb architecture accentuated with original creative masterpieces of Cebu’s famed artists in the likes of Kenneth Cobonpue, Bobby Lagdameo and Inky Livie.
A few moments after, they expect to be handed with the room keys. Designed to be functional yet cozy at the same time, Citadines Cebu City offers 180 serviced residences that are a mix of studio queen, studio twin and one-bedroom suite.
Each unit boasts of its own serviced kitchen, wireless Internet access, and even a built-in-washer and dryer. Also, it offers concierge and housekeeping services, while a 24-hour reception and guest service team guarantees safety and security.
Top-tier amenities include a pool, a gym and a launderette. The property’s food and beverage partner is Abaca, one of Cebu’s premier food establishments. It also has conference and meeting facilities catered specifically to business travelers.
Easy access to points of interest
STRATEGICALLY located within the Base Line Center, which houses numerous lifestyle conveniences, Citadines Cebu City is indeed accessible to various points of interest in and out of Midtown Cebu’s vicinity.
The hotel is a stone thrown away from famous tourist spots, such as Magellan’s Cross, Basilica del Santo Niño, Fort San Pedro, Casa Gorordo Museum, Fuente Osmeña Circle, the Taoist Temple and the Provincial Capitol.
For the foodie, several restaurants offering Cebu delicacies, including its world-renown lechon, are close by. Ascott’s hosts are always available to guide guests in planning their trips even in far destinations like the Oslob that is famous for its whale sharks or buy danggit and other native food items as pasalubong at Carbon Market.
“So everything is within reach. That’s why it’s very convenient for our guests,” said Residence Manager Nanette Moreno.
Ascott, a wholly owned subsidiary of real-estate firm CapitaLand Ltd., is a Singapore company that has grown to be one the leading accommodation owner-operators.
It has over 59,000 operating units in key cities of the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as about 42,000 units which are under development, making a total of more than 101,000 units in 680 properties.