Horizon Homes lies at the heart of Shangri-La

JOHN Rice as GM will be the “face” of Shangri-La at The Fort.

The Shangri-La group did not set out to create something different for the sake of being different, yet its hotel-and-residences concept in Bonifacio Global City is set to be as distinctive as art that blooms organically from an artist’s spirit.

Nestled on the top floors of the Shangri-La Hotel tower at The Fort, Horizon Homes is ultra-luxurious with great views and full access to the hotel and its elite lifestyle club.

It punctuates the Shangri-La group’s first mixed-use development in Manila.

The Shangri-La Hotel at The Fort, with guest rooms located from levels 18 to 40, brings guests the excellent and trusted service philosophy that the Shangri-La group is known for.

Then there is the Shangri-La Residences (level 9 to 17), which is an elevated concept of serviced apartments and will effectively operate like another hotel; Kerry Sports Manila, an elite lifestyle and leisure club with both indoor and outdoor features that is only the third in the world after Shanghai and Beijing; as well as 6,000 square meters of retail destinations.

“The group did a mixed use development in Chengdu, China, but Horizon Homes has many more components and is a truly mixed use development in that sense,” said John Rice, who is managing Shangri-La Hotel at The Fort and its components.

For the most part, mixed use developers do not own and operate the entire property, and certainly not the hotel.

Unlike other developments with condos, the whole project stands within a single tower; Horizon Homes and the Residences are actually within the Shangri-La at The Fort’s tower.

Horizon Homes, therefore, is not simply branded but is physically and always will be a Shangri-La-managed property. “We were very deliberate, to bring the right product for the right market,” Rice said. “The idea of Horizon Homes is that they are very large units that reflect our brand values: longevity, commitment and family,” Rice said.

Development was so deliberate, in fact, that it took two designs and a reconstruction since the property was bought 10 years ago for the property to take final shape.

The Shangri-La group finally settled for spacious yet homey room configurations with shops and food and beverage offerings on the ground as well as a family-friendly sports club.

Standing on 160,000 sqm of space, the tower that hosts the hotel, the Residences and Horizon Homes takes up 60,000 sqm.

Near The Mind Museum, Bonifacio High Street, and right across from the proposed new stock exchange building, the development reflects the eclectic comforts of its environment.

“The design is sympathetic to how Bonifacio Global City works and indicative of Bonifacio High Street’s character. It’s pedestrian friendly and engaging,” Rice said.

Retail space takes up much of the tower’s ground-floor space, and the outlets fronting Bonifacio High Street are primarily food and beverage in nature. There are some fashion destinations towards the corner to 5th Avenue.

As guests go up into the hotel shops, they will find jewelry, gifts and more fashion-related shops.

“Every component in this entire development is aimed to be a market leader,” Rice said.

The Shangri-La Hotel at The Fort will occupy levels 18 to 40 of one of the tallest towers in the Philippines. It is also certified a “green” development.

Levels 9 to 17 belong to the Shangri-La Residences, which features one, two, or three bedrooms with access to the Shangri-La Hotel.

The exclusive Horizon Homes will be on levels 41 to 61. Residents can enjoy city living with views, 24-hour security, a personal concierge service, exclusive recreational facilities and convenient access to Shangri-La Hotel and Kerry Sports facilities.

In a sense, Horizon Homes also signals the Shangri-La group’s belief in the Philippines.

“Shangri-La very much adores the Philippines. Our principals strongly believe in this country,” Rice said. “And on Bonifacio Global City, we want to participate in what the Filipino people call the ‘future city,’ with all its aspirations and vision.”

The mixed-use development opens this year.

And so, as Rice said, “It’s exciting times.”