Deluxe premium room. Angelo G. Garcia

Family room. Angelo G. Garcia

View of Manila from the hotel. Angelo G. Garcia

Bedroom of the Aquino suite Angelo G. Garcia

Library of the Aquino suite. Angelo G. Garcia

Office space of the Romulo suite. Angelo G. Garcia

Seasons' Greek salad. Angelo G. Garcia

Seasons' grilled tiger prawns on bok choy. Angelo G. Garcia

Seasons' pork humba with kare-kare roll. Angelo G. Garcia

Patisserie's best-selling ensaymada Angelo G. Garcia

Ambassador Club Lounge. Angelo G. Garcia

MANILA – With only 20 percent to go, the 50-year-old Manila Pavilion would soon complete its renovation.

The exterior of the building has not changed, but the rooms and other facilities have undergone a major facelift, which has a budget of P300 million to P400 million.

Manila Pavilion was originally run by Hilton, and then Hyatt, until it was acquired by the locally owned chain Waterfront Hotels in 2003.

Considered as one of the country’s first high-end hotels, Manila Pavilion has been a landmark in central Manila, not only for premium accommodations but also for gaming. It houses a Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) casino, which is also undergoing renovations to keep up with the hotel’s modernization.

“The next step is the renovation of the casino. The casino is associated with the hotel but in fact, it’s a separate entity. The casino has never been renovated for all these years, so it’s a bit rundown,” explained Waterfront Pavilion Hotel & Casino Manila general manager Jean Francois Asimus.

“We already started with the second floor, and the other casino floors that would take about three to four months. We are trying to be an integrated hotel and casino,” he added.

Manila Pavilion is just a few steps away from Rizal Park and the LRT1 line, and minutes away from the country’s major museums and historical sites.

It currently has an average of 60 percent occupancy, mostly accommodating corporate guests and tourists (Chinese, Taiwanese, and Japanese).

ROOM IMPROVEMENTS

The building exterior of Manila Pavilion has been cleaned and given fresh coats of paint. There are also plans to upgrade the hotel’s Internet facility.

All the 340 guest rooms now look modern, spacious, and sophisticated. Wooden and upholstered furniture adorn the rooms, which have white walls and neutral-colored carpets. There are pops of bright colors from artworks, accent pillows, and chairs.

But like most luxury hotels, the beds make the room. The beds here are not too firm and not too soft, and come with down pillows. These are complemented by room amenities such as mobile phone docks, HD televisions, and Wi-Fi access.

“It’s modern without losing the feel of the old Manila Pavilion. It has its own rich history,” Asimus said.

Manila Pavilion had famous guests in its early days like Gen. Carlos P. Romulo and National Artist Frederico Aguilar Alcuaz. Paying tribute to these two important people, the hotel dedicated rooms to them, with a suite named after Romulo, and function rooms for Alcuaz.

Most rooms offer great views of Manila, from the greens of Rizal Park to the historical walls of Intramuros, the beautiful buildings of National Museum, and the modern skyscrapers of Binondo.

RESTAURANTS, LOUNGE, POOL

The buffet and a la carte restaurant Seasons is Manila Pavilion’s flagship dining concept, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Here, guests can choose from various local and international dishes, from Greek salad to grilled tiger prawns on bok choy, and New York cheesecake.

Patisserie, on the other hand, is its in-house café, which is famous for its soft and cheesy ensaymada. It comes in flavors like ube, Malolos (with salted egg), and original cheese.

Since the hotel attracts corporate guests, too, Manila Pavilion has an Ambassador Club for businessmen. The club has a dedicated floor with 28 rooms including four suites, as well as a business center and lounge.

There are also two presidential suites and executive suites for PAGCOR guests, and a pool that attracts many staycationers.