The SM Group of tycoon Henry Sy has signed up international hotelier Hilton Worldwide to run its future flagship hotel—a luxury 350-room establishment to be called Conrad Manila.
In a press statement Thursday, SM Investments said its hotel and convention unit had started building the eight-story Conrad Manila at the sprawling Mall of Asia complex. The hotel, which will be put up beside the SMX Convention Center, is expected to be completed by 2015.
There are two levels of retail and entertainment facilities planned for the Conrad Manila. There will be an all-day restaurant, two specialty dining places, a bar and lobby lounge. It will also have a business center, a fitness club, a swimming pool, a spa, a 1,446-square meter ballroom, function and meeting spaces, and parking facilities.
This will be the first Conrad Hotels & Resorts-branded property in the Philippines. Conrad is Hilton Worldwide’s global luxury brand catering to the needs of the modern, sophisticated traveler.
“We are very happy to formalize our partnership with Hilton Worldwide as it combines their expertise of a global, award-winning hospitality company with SM’s strong local market expertise. Given Conrad Manila’s excellent accessibility to and from all areas of Manila, we are confident that it will deliver best-in-class service to capitalize on strong demand from both domestic and international business and leisure travelers,” SM Hotels president Elizabeth Sy said.
Hilton Worldwide is a leading global hospitality company, with 93 years of experience in the lodging sector. Its brands comprise more than 3,900 hotels and time-share properties, with 650,000 rooms in 90 countries and territories. Aside from Conrad, other Hilton brands include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations.
“We are extremely pleased to be introducing the Conrad brand’s uniquely intuitive service and personalized experiences to the Philippines,” said John T.A. Vanderslice of Hilton Worldwide. “Conrad Manila will represent a destination for a new generation of smart luxury travelers for whom life, business and pleasure seamlessly intersect—people who know that the greatest luxury is the luxury of being yourself.”
Conrad Manila is the fifth hotel to be introduced in the Philippines by SM Hotels.