Raffles to open in Makati City, Manila

Nov. 13, 2012 - PRLog -- Opening December 2012 at 1 Raffles Drive, Makati Avenue

(November 2012):  Raffles Hotels & Resorts will expand its portfolio with the opening of Raffles Makati in Metro Manila this December 2012.   The official launch, followed by a Grand Opening in February 2013, will bring the company to nine hotels and resorts - from the flagship Raffles Hotel in Singapore, to China, Cambodia, the Seychelles, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Paris.   There are plans for further openings in Istanbul, Jakarta and China over the next 18 months.

John Johnston, President of Raffles Hotels & Resorts said:

“There couldn’t be a better time for Raffles to be opening in the Philippines. The country is full of a new-found optimism as the economy expands, with a modern infrastructure and an international presence.  We bring with us 125 years of heritage and experience in luxury service and a portfolio that includes some of Asia’s greatest hotels.   I believe this puts both parties in a very favourable situation, where Raffles is the right hotel company, at the right time, to be opening in Manila.”

Raffles Makati will be at the heart of a prestigious new development -  a brand new, striking, 30-floor tower, home to three very different areas in the one building:  Raffles Makati, with 32 suites;  Raffles Residences, with 237 one to four bedroom residences for private ownership;  and Fairmont Makati, a hotel with 280 deluxe rooms.

The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the world’s most exciting and cosmopolitan cities.    Home to a host of foreign Embassies and the Philippine Stock Exchange, Makati is the financial centre of the Philippines, an important hub for international affairs.  It is also an exclusive residential area with a vibrant arts and culture scene and world-class retail.

Tom Meyer, Managing Director of Raffles Makati and Fairmont Makati explains:

“There is a huge buzz and anticipation around this opening.  It has been 18 years since the last luxury hotel opened in this part of Metro Manila.  Raffles is able to bring the best of both worlds to this opening:  the most modern facilities, technology, exciting, stylish restaurants and bars - alongside the Raffles heritage of providing warm and graceful service, embodied by the legendary Raffles Butlers.  At Raffles we believe that good service is not just about what you give people, it’s about how you make them feel.  We call this “emotional luxury” and this is what we will be working hard to bring to this incredible city.”

Raffles Makati’s suites will be spread over the 9th and 10th floors of the new tower.  They have been designed by Singapore-based Bent Severin & Associates, whose impressive company portfolio includes Raffles Hotel Singapore, Raffles Beijing, the British Embassy in Copenhagen and the Peninsula in Hong Kong.

The look for Raffles Makati is contemporary, whilst drawing on the timeless quality of Raffles Hotel Singapore – echoing Manila’s own blend of old world charm and new world sophistication.  Each of the hotel’s 32 large suites has been designed to be an understated oasis of calm.  Every suite will have large floor-to-ceiling windows and mesmerising views out over the city.   A key design feature is the wooden flooring, covered with rich silk velvet and hand-tufted rugs.  In keeping with the vibrancy of Manila, bright colours have been chosen for the fabrics – satin, silk, and damask.    Locally inspired artistic accents – a ceramic pot, a bright painting, a woven basket – will bring a dash of local joie de vivre to the interiors and a sense of place.  

Good ideas need time to evolve and, after 125 years, the exceptionally good idea - Raffles’ Long Bar – will travel to Manila, to open in Raffles Makati.   True to its Singapore original, it will feature similar décor with tropical punka fans; an atmospheric black, ivory and terracotta tiled floor; long-stemmed ceiling fans and a 14 metre long bar where clients can enjoy not only a Singapore Sling but cocktails made to order.  A Makati Sling, anyone?

Another Raffles classic that is sure to be an instant hit at Raffles Makati is the Writers Bar.  Styled as a library, this will be a new take on the original Writers Bar at Raffles Hotel Singapore.

All the new restaurants and bars in the complex will be open to guests of both Raffles Makati and Fairmont Makati.  These include all-day dining restaurant, a contemporary pastry boutique, two lounges, as well as the Long Bar and the Writers Bar.   The hotel will have two large outdoor swimming pools, each with a wading pool and children’s pool and poolside lounges.  Guests will also share the Willow Stream Spa, with five treatment rooms and a full service hair and nail salon.  The Fitness Centre will offer inspiring views of the city, garden and swimming pool.  

Makati’s central business district is known as the ‘Wall Street of the Philippines’ and Raffles and Fairmont Makati will together offer an impressive range of state-of-the-art spaces for events and meetings, as well as a 24-hour business centre, all with a personalised business concierge service.

Step out of Raffles Makati’s elegant lobby, and there is a fascinating city waiting to be explored:  Intramuros, the old capital of Manila (dating from 1571) a standing reminder of the country’s Spanish period, with  centuries-old walls, bulwarks and plazas;  Fort Santiago, built in memory of those lost during the Spanish and Japanese periods;  Malacanang Palace, since 1863 the official residence of the country’s president;  and the Ayala Museum,  full of art and objects that trace the rich tapestry of Philippine history.

With its Grand Opening in February 2013, Raffles Makati is set to become a modern icon for this burgeoning, exciting city.  http://www.raffles.com

Further information:  Lucinda Buxton/Victoria Coombes, Mango PR
Telephone +44 (0) 207 421 2500
Lucinda.buxton@mangopr.com | victoria.coombes@mangopr.com

ABOUT RAFFLES HOTELS & RESORTS:  Raffles Hotels & Resorts is an award-winning, luxury international hotel company with a history dating back to 1887 with the opening of Raffles Hotel, Singapore.  The portfolio currently comprises eight luxurious properties, from secluded resorts to chic hotels in key locations around the world:  in Singapore, Cambodia, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles and Paris, each one is an oasis of calm and charm.  The company is embarking on a new phase of expansion, with openings in the Philippines, Turkey, Indonesia and China over the next two years.   With a compelling mix of cultures and styles, every hotel in the Raffles family has its own individual personality, with its own story to tell and its own sense of place.   However, each one is proud to draw on the timeless essence of Raffles – to deliver thoughtful, personal and discreet service to well-travelled guests.