A P2 billion hotel will rise inside Megaworld’s 34-hectare The Upper East Township in Bacolod City, Cleofe Albiso, Megaworld Hotels and Resorts managing director, announced Tuesday evening, November 22.
Megaworld will break ground for the construction of the 12-storey Kingsford Hotel Bacolod in 2023 and it is scheduled for opening in 2028, she said.
The hotel will be located between the four residential condominium towers of One Regis, Two Regis, One Manhattan, and Herald Parksuites at the Upper East, Albiso said.
It will feature a unique and iconic design that blends its modern glass architecture with a podium showcasing neoclassical architecture. There will also be a golden statue of a MassKara dancer at the top of the building, Harold Geronimo, Megaworld vice president, said.
This new hotel will offer almost 300 rooms in varied categories and will be packed with “first in Bacolod” amenities and features, Albiso said.
It will be a game-changer in Bacolod’s hospitality industry, she added.
“We are bringing the Kingsford Hotel brand to Bacolod, our second one next to Manila, with so many upgraded facilities and amenities, including a wider choice of room categories and several food and beverage outlets. This will certainly be another iconic landmark for The Upper East and even for the entire City of Bacolod because of its unique architecture that truly stands out when you pass by Upper East Avenue,” Albiso said.
The new hotel will have four food and beverage outlets, which will include a specialty restaurant, an all-day dining restaurant with both private dining and alfresco dining areas, a Zabana Lounge at the ground floor, and a Grill Bar by the poolside with both indoor and outdoor dining areas. It will also have its own Gift Shop in the Main Lobby area and a two-level retail arcade outside the hotel lobby fronting the plaza.
The hotel will also have a high-ceiling, pillarless Grand Ballroom with a banquet-style seating capacity of 400 persons. It will also have three smaller Function Rooms with an individual capacity of 80 to 100 persons each. The Grand Ballroom and the function rooms will also feature a pre-function foyer area.
Most of the hotel amenities will be located at the landscaped third level, which includes an adult swimming pool and kiddie pool with pool deck, outdoor lounge areas, fitness and contemplation deck, state-of-the-art Fitness Center, Sauna and Steam Rooms, and a Kid’s Club with activity areas.
Just by the mezzanine above the pool area, there will be an outdoor events place with a capacity of 220 persons. It will also be connected to a landscaped outdoor garden area.
“We are bringing the best to Bacolod because we have a very sophisticated market here. We want to help boost Bacolod’s position as a very attractive MICE location. We are building this hotel that will hopefully match the requirements of the very discerning business travellers,” Albiso said.
The hotel is expected to create 300 jobs.
Bacolod Tourism Officer Teresa Manalili said the city’s 20 hotels have 1,587 rooms, Mabuhay accommodations -1,734, resorts – 150 and condo hotels – 200 for a total of 3,671 rooms.
She said another hotel is a welcome development because Bacolod does not have enough hotel rooms and conference halls for big events.
They are hoping the city’s room accommodations hit 10,000 in the future, Manalili said.*