Robinsons Land expands its network of Go Hotels

Robinsons Land Corp.’s Go Hotels formally opened in the Ortigas Center business district Monday, marking its 8th location in the country.

The latest location is a block away from Robinsons Galleria, and would add another 198 rooms to the brand’s portfolio, which started with the opening of Go Hotels in Mandaluyong City four years ago. The eight hotels offer a total of over 1,000 rooms.

RLC president Frederick Go said they expect to open two to three hotels —either Go Hotels or other brands under RLC—every year to cater to growing demand for no-frills accommodations, especially in provincial areas where the company has a commercial presence.

For Go Hotels Ortigas Center, the hotel currently has a P2,388 “walk-in” rate and Go expected this location to do well.

“There’s a lot of the business market here in the area. It’s quite popular. I think this will be our highest room rate hotel in the Go Hotel chain,” Go said.

Go Hotels is located in the company’s Robinsons Cyberscape Alpha building along Garnet Road. The location is near office buildings, shopping centres, a hospital and transportation hubs within the city.

“It’s an essential value hotel. The reason we call it essential value is because we give what is essential to the traveller. A good bed, a good shower, a room safe, free Wi-Fi. Everything else to us that you may see in a five star hotel is frills. We don’t charge you for things you may not use,” Go said.

The location, which had its soft opening earlier this year, has an average occupancy rate of 70 percent to 80 percent, a statement showed on Monday.

In its statement, Go Hotels said its marketing strategy is similar to that of Cebu Pacific Air. Both RLC and Cebu Pacific are owned by the Gokongwei family’s JG Summit Holdings Inc.

“The strategy is to offer a lower price that covers the necessities and to charge for additional perks,” the statement showed.

“The hotel does away with meals, gym and sauna, swimming pool and business center. It may charge for extras such as breakfast to be provided by a restaurant of the Cravings group, toiletry kits, luggage room, transportation service to the airport and a ten-day travel insurance,” it added.