Monday, December 29, 2008 [ sunstar.com.ph ]
WITH the Sinulog just a few weeks away, a new type of accommodation has crop up in Cebu City.
Sugbutel Bed and Bath has fully air-conditioned spaces containing 350 beds, whose rates are within reach to domestic visitors who are expected to come in droves during the Sinulog.
The new facility offers individual beds or bunks equipped with curtains, electrical socket and a safety box to secure hand-carry bags at P250 per person per night.
Sugbutel has taken over the former five-storey WG&A building on S. Osmeña Blvd., North Reclamation Area, Cebu City.
Ma. Odessa Briones, Sugbutel's sales and marketing team leader, said that Sugbutel is designed for the convenience of all types of travel markets, including foreigners, students in educational tours, backpackers and practical inter-island vacationers.
She said that for the Sinulog, Sugbutel already has some bookings, especially by tourists. The company behind Sugbutel is also promoting the facility to Sinulog festival contingents.
"Sugbutel is the first of its kind in Cebu. This (bed and bath) concept already exists in Japan through its capsule hotels. Here, with the concept being new, it's a matter of introducing it to the market," she said.
Service
She said that even if Sugbutel's rates are "very affordable," the facility offers quality service by providing spacious toilet and bath, entertainment lounge with home theater system, atrium bar and cafe, free wireless Internet connection, baggage deposit counter for huge travel bags and housekeeping services.
Sugbutel is also equipped with CCTV cameras, 24-hour back-up generator, and 24-hour security. It also offers roof top pavilion or penthouse, office and commercial spaces, and parking areas.
When it soft-opened last Dec. 13, Sugbutel has accommodated guests to the ground floor where the reception area is, the second floor that houses the 350 beds, and the penthouse that is being utilized for events.
When the bed and bath concept is accepted well by the market, Sugbutel will develop the rest of the building to offer more beds and other economical spaces for practical travelers, Briones said.
Sugbutel, a hostel type of accommodation, is located near the port area, as well as business and shopping districts in the Cebu City. It is one of the projects of the Carlos A. Gothong Holdings, Inc., a real estate company that launched One Edison Place in 2006. (NRC)
