FOR most people, leisure almost always meant expensive, but hotelier Jose Mari del Rosario proved it otherwise.
After a globetrotting career in hospitality, del Rosario finally took off his necktie, put on a crisp, blue shirt and opened what would be the first international hotel chain for the Filipino midmarket.
Microtel by Wyndham was his pasalubong to his countrymen. Through it, he sought to accommodate the emerging tourism markets in the countryside in the early-2000s. “I’ve lived in Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Japan and the United States, just to name a few, but I felt that the Philippines is always home,” the CEO recalled.
Even then, when he was still working in the luxe hotel segment, it became clear to him that the void in the travel market lies elsewhere. It wasn’t the grandeur of a hotel stay or the indulgence of complimentary baskets or high thread-count linens that drew his kababayan; it was a simple, secure home to call their own for the duration of their travels.
He shared, “When you travel around the country back then, you still have to worry: Am I going to be in a firetrap? Do I have to use a tabo? Is there hot water? Is there even electricity?” He wanted to address all these worries, and these became the nucleus of his business model for Microtel—a ‘no frills hotel’ that consistently delivers high-quality service and a safe and comfortable stay.
Five-star quality on a budget
Microtel chose Tarlac, Batangas and Cavite for its first three locations, but has since grown its hotel chain to 13 properties. Today, the no-frills hotel is present in all three major islands, and it is expected to further its reach with its 14th hotel in the works.
“We feel that the middle class is growing and getting more and more sophisticated, in terms of tastes. There’s a great opportunity for facilities like us; we just have to keep up,” del Rosario said.
Most of Microtel’s senior staff came from the same luxe-hotel background as del Rosario, and are now applying their years of professional experience in their daily operations. One of the key areas they are focusing on is, surprisingly, their chiropractic beds.
Stronger performance by going off-peak
“Why do we emphasize a good bed? You know, eight out of 24 hours, you’re in bed. Then there are also other factors that go with it, like good temperature and strong water pressure.” For hotel chains, he explained, the crucial hours are actually at nighttime.
Service during these hours leave a lasting impression to hotel guests, and so Microtel strives to tend to their clientele’s needs and provide them all the conveniences they deserve. This high standard poses a challenge for the chain’s operations team, which keeps an eye on the cost and level of efficiency in the organization.
For this, Microtel consulted with the Meralco Biz Partners to help them manage their performance as they bulk up at night. This resulted to Microtel signing up for Peak/Off-Peak program, which extends competitive rates to businesses whose energy demands fall during “off-peak hours”.
Since signing up in the program, Microtel has generated P2.3 million in energy savings which, Microtel Director of Operations Robbie Gonzalez says, is flowed back to the Microtel system to keep operating costs low, room rates affordable and service efficient. “We have a simple formula for our management style—good service emanate from happy employees, which will result in happy guests, and happy guests mean both happy management and loyal guests. In the end, we have happy shareholders,” del Rosario expounded.
When asked how Microtel has achieved so much in its years of operations, del Rosario answered, “We’ve had a vision, and we see its fulfillment in what we are doing. There is definitely sense in putting a world class yet value-priced hotel that appeals to the broader segment of the market. And I feel that we’ve done a good job in executing and delivering the product. Simply put, people stay in Microtel because they just have to try it.”