Thursday, February 5, 2009

Hotel to open more rooms in May ’09

ADMITTING that its occupancy rate has been declining since the last quarter of 2008, a hotel in Cebu City expects its revenues to contract further this year.

But the management of Sarrosa International Hotel and Residential Suites remains positive about the industry’s prospects and will continue to pursue its plan to construct an additional building that is set to be completed within the year.

Sarrosa general manager Alex Artes told Sun.Star Cebu last Wednesday that the hotel will be adding 151 rooms to its existing inventory of 173 to be able to get a bigger market once tourist arrivals stabilize.

Aside from the new rooms, the new 12-story building that will rise next to Sarrosa’s first building will house six function rooms and a larger lobby leading to a grand staircase. Artes said the hotel will also have new amenities like a spa and a gym that will also be set up this year.

The expansion building, which occupy 1,300 square meters, used to be the hotel’s parking area. Artes said the hotel will use the building’s basement and one upper floor as parking area.

Ground works for the structure started in February last year. The hotel hopes to open half of the expansion building’s rooms this May.

Once the building is completed, Sarrosa will undertake the renovation of rooms on the first building.

Although hotel bookings have decreased in the past months, Artes said revenues from the hotel’s “hassle-free” wedding and debut packages have helped the hotel cope.

The company has also envisioned opening a Sarrosa hotel in other key cities in Luzon once the market stabilizes. (DME)

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