First built in 1973, the hotel has served countless travellers and high-profile guests. Photo Credit: Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
The Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila may have shut its doors on June
30, but questions still linger about the reported remaining 17 years on
its lease contract with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
The GSIS owns the land the hotel stands on and announced a plan late
last year by hotel owner, Philippine Plaza Holdings, Inc and Sofitel for
a major renovation. In June 2023, Sofitel even revealed expansion plans
on its lease contract under GSIS to add two more lots adjacent to the
main building.
So, when the news that Sofitel Manila was to close after 48 years of
serving Filipinos and foreign dignitaries such as Madeleine Albright and
former French president Francoise Hollande and celebrities like Richard
Branson and Ed Sheeran, the market was shocked, if not bewildered.
A legacy hotel
Designed in 1973 by national artists Leandro Locsin and Idelfonso P
Santos Jr., the property entered the local market under the Westin
brand, joining the brace of 12 hotels built to accommodate the delegates
and guests, attending the 1976 International Monetary Fund-World Bank
conference held in Manila.
In 2006, hotel management giant Accor took over the bayside landmark,
renaming it Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila. Veteran hotelier Rose
Libongco recalled: “I was the first director of sales and marketing of
Sofitel Manila. I transitioned the property from Westin to Sofitel and
stayed five years. Bernd Schneider was our general manager, and Accor
couldn’t have chosen a better officer to introduce Sofitel to the
Filipinos. He had an engaging personality, was strategically competent
and had impeccable social skills.”
Another Sofitel Manila employee she was eager to uphold was the late
Mo Ihsan, who was responsible for the service crew. His training method,
Libongco said, “was rigorous to the point of punishing. He turned night
into day and more until the steps, anticipation of guest needs and
service delivery were perfect. All the service scenarios were practised
until we (the Sofitel executives) and more importantly, the guests were
satisfied.”
Reasons for closure
Continuing problems with a property nearing close to half a
century-old and built on reclaimed land were always cause for concern. A
former Westin executive, who used to visit the hotel in the late 1990s,
remembered thinking that the renovation ongoing at the time, did not go
deep enough for the long term. He told M&C Asia: “As is often the
case with older buildings, renovation capital was primarily devoted to
the ‘front of house’, areas noticeable by guests.”
Even Steve Peña, president of Philippine Plaza Holdings, has
reportedly said “safety issues”, including over 20 alleged fire
incidents, caused the hotel’s shutdown. In its official statement, Accor
insisted: “This decision comes as part of our ongoing commitment to
providing our guests and colleagues with the best possible experience.”
While Accor would not comment on the possibility of a new Sofitel
Manila, its presence in the country appears unstoppable. Accor
Philippines’ current stable includes Novotel Suites Manila at Acqua, Joy
Nostalg Hotels & Suites-Managed by AccorHotels, Admiral Hotel
Manila-M Gallery, Novotel Manila Hotel Araneta City, ibis Styles Araneta
City, Movenpick Resort & Spa Boracay, Movenpick Cebu, Fairmont
Makati, Raffles Makati and Swissotel Clark Philippines.
Source: Travel Weekly Asia