Citadines opens in the City of Smiles

ON Lacson Avenue, Bacolod City’s main street, Citadines Bacolod offers guests a view of massive Mount Kanlaon in the distance, the volcano that holds dominion over Negros island, a glistening blue sliver of Guimaras Strait, and a glimpse of the busy ports of Banago and Bredco.

The property is The Ascott Limited’s newest addition to the Bacolod landscape and is now the province’s largest international serviced residence.

Ascott Limited is a trusted Asia-Pacific hospitality brand present in more than 40 countries. In the Philippines, Citadines is present in Manila, Makati, Quezon City, Pasig, Cebu, Iloilo, and now Bacolod, with a future opening date in Davao.

During Citadines Bacolod’s opening last month, Patrick Vaysse, country general manager of The Ascott Limited Philippines, said they wanted “to provide an exceptional living experience for our guests, blending the comforts of home with the dynamism of Bacolod’s cultural heritage.”

Cecille Teodoro, cluster general manager and general manager of Ascott Makati and Somerset Millennium Makati, said that the decision to venture into Bacolod was pre-meditated as “all eyes were on how the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry would perform post-pandemic.”

She cited Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) 2022 figures, which credited Negros Occidental as the highest contributor, with contributions amounting to 25.8 percent of the Western Visayas’ gross domestic product (GDP). Bacolod contributed 13.9 percent (P132 billion), ushering in an increased economic growth of 9.8 percent.

These numbers and their optimistic projections, coupled with the city’s 780,000 tourists, gave them “ample reason to venture and open a property in the City of Smiles,” she added.

Department of Tourism (DoT) Western Visayas Regional Director Crisanta Marlene Rodriguez said that Citadines Bacolod’s entry into the city aligns with the increasing interest in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector, which Bacolod is actively developing as a key tourism product. The city’s strategic location and robust infrastructure make it an attractive destination for both leisure and business travelers.

For the love of the city

Teodoro also mentioned partners that help them “highlight all that Bacolod has to offer, from culinary to cultural experiences.”

Negros — its spirit, culture and history — is very much in the property’s details. At the reception area, a vibrant art piece depicts the various fiestas celebrated throughout the province: the Sinulog of Kabangkalan, Pasalamat of La Carlota, Pintaflores of San Carlos, Bailes de luces of La Castellana, Kisi-Kisi of Ilog, Dinagsa of Cadiz, and the Masskara of Bacolod.

A mural depicting Bacolod culture in the lobby

Then there’s the wall art installation, a real showpiece entitled Buglas, the old name of Negros island, at the ballroom foyer. Created by the Artisans of Hope of the Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC), the work tells the story of Negros, from a sugar monocrop economy to an evolving, diversified one. It also depicts landmarks and icons of the Negros landscape and culture.

Paintings on the bedroom walls by Nicole Bianca Gan Po provide a restful ambiance in the hotel bedrooms. “Farmers Under the Gold Sun” salutes the hardworking farmers, while “Out at Sea” depicts tranquil waters.

The hotel’s four ballrooms are christened Buglas, Masskara, Bacolaodiat (the Chinese New Year celebration in Bacolod) and Sinulog; a boardroom is named Dinagsa; and meeting rooms are called Pasalamat, Pintaflores, and Bailes de Luces.

According to Teodoro, each ballroom honors festivals, key locations and their native language to “drive curiosity amongst guests.”

Offering flavors

Citadines Bacolod’s food and beverage outlets strive to achieve a diverse selection, inspired by Negrense flavors and Asian culinary traditions. These include Fuego Bar and Lounge, where steaks top the menu; Pureza Lobby Café; and Adlau, for dining poolside.

Namit, the all-day dining restaurant, takes its name from the Hiligaynon word for “delicious,” while the grab-and-go counter at the lobby offering pastries is called Tam-is or “sweet.”

Citadines Bacolod’s executive chef, Jose Mari Medrano, taps into an amazing array of local producers, farmers and artisanal craft makers, with some ingredients made exclusively for the hotel. Guests get a taste of Negrense flavors in the saba leaf-infused coffee and the refreshing drink made from batuan (a fruit indigenous to Panay and Negros used as a souring agent in recipes) and muscovado (raw sugar).

One umbrella

Citadines Bacolod’s arrival in Negros Occidental is well timed, with the recent legislation that created the Negros Island Region (NIR), putting Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces under one administrative umbrella.

Teodoro is confident that the NIR will positively impact Citadines Bacolod, with more business opportunities coming into the region’s capital city.

Rodriguez concurred that the NIR’s creation is expected to have a profound impact on Negros Occidental’s hospitality industry: “more coordinated efforts in human and industry development, infrastructure development, and tourism promotion.”

Interiors

Citadines Bacolod’s ballrooms and other functions will be open by August. With the Masskara festival coming up in October, the number of its units available for check-in — 220 rooms from Studio apartments to two-bedroom Deluxe rooms — will be complete and ready for the influx of visitors.

Teodoro said that by next month, all of their outlets will be operational to fulfill their promise to “make Citadines the ‘place to be’ in the City of Smiles.”