[ bworldonline.com ]
WITH the growing popularity of co-working spaces, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before hotels ditch their “business centers.”
Savoy Hotel Manila recently introduced The Squares, which it describes as the first-ever collaborative space in a hotel in the country.
The Squares is an added service for Savoy Hotel’s in-house guests who want to catch up on some work or those who want to hang out outside their rooms.
“We’re happy to claim it (is the first because), when we opened this, pre-opening pa lang we already envisioned that we will really be pioneering this kind of a service for our guests, and a lot of people who have discovered it are telling us that… this is one of a kind. Hindi pa ‘yan nakikita sa ibang [this is not yet seen in other] hotels, especially by virtue of our location,” Samantha C. Manuel, marketing and communications manager of Savoy Hotel Manila, told BusinessWorld in an interview last Jan. 22.
Located within the Newport City complex in Pasay, Savoy Hotel is right across Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, making it ideal for business and leisure travelers.
“Since we get a lot of travelers, iba-iba kasi ‘yung [there are different] lifestyle, behavior… a lot are young entrepreneurs on the go that sometimes they just check-in to catch a flight pero [but] also need to catch up on some work, also, so at least they have that option,” Ms. Manuel said.
She noted some guests, who are on staycations, also prefer to hang out at The Squares than leave the hotel.
“If ever I’ll be spending, at least it’s within the premises of the hotel, and I can be in my shorts, in my slippers,” Ms. Manuel added.
Savoy Hotel’s collaborative spaces are located in every two floors of the 12-storey hotel, with the main space located at the second floor.
All spaces will have its own kiosk for snacks and drinks, and will have an express check in/out counter.
The main space can accommodate up to 30 people, while the other spaces are half its size. The spaces have Wi-Fi connection and computers, as well as board games and a common television.
Savoy Hotel is also holding events for in-house guests in these spaces.
“Normally it’s in the last weekend of the month… Last year, we had workshops good for 15-20 people. We had wine tasting workshop, coffee appreciation,” Ms. Manuel said.
While The Squares has been open for seven months, Ms. Manuel said it is still in the soft opening stage.
Savoy Hotel has 684 rooms, ranging from standard to suites. It is situated Resort World Manila and Newport Mall.
The hotel was recently named Best New Hotel in TripZilla Excellence Awards 2018. Opened last June 2018, this is the second hotel carrying Megaworld Corp.’s homegrown brand. The first located inside Boracay Newcoast, its 150-hectare tourism estate in Boracay Island.
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