The resort’s lighthouse at Subic. Photo by Amadís Ma. Guerrero, Contributor
Five years ago, three not-so-ancient mariners—Jesus Avecilla, Jr., Max Tan and Clyde Chua—sailed into Subic Bay, were enchanted anew by the place, and built a lighthouse.
It was (and is) a fully functioning lighthouse, traditional and yet modern because of its colors.
Not content with this, they went on to construct and develop a high-end boutique hotel known as the Lighthouse Marina Resort (marketing@lighthousesubic.com). And, according to the marketing staff, the resort hotel has surpassed all their expectations.
The Lighthouse Marina has 34 rooms, the best being the Aqua Room, Aqua Terrace, Aqua Veranda and the most pricey at P9,000+ the Aqua Suite (which has a Jacuzzi and do-it-yourself massage chair).
SALES executive Jozen Curva. Photo by Amadís Ma. Guerrero, Contributor
Main facilities include the Sands Resto Grill (which opens up to a panoramic view of the bay, more beautiful when there are mist-laden rainshowers), the three-tiered 720° Bar and the Business Room.
The latter is good for an “intimate group” of 20 persons to a “Tony reception” for 150 persons. It has been a venue for conferences, presentations, product launchings, corporate gatherings, and training and team-building activities.
“Many business deals have been closed here,” notes sales executive Jozen Curva.
“The Lighthouse Marina Resort has surpassed all our expectations,” declares marketing officer David Bayarong. “We are among the top ten hotels in Luzon, and that includes the hotels in Metro Manila.”
He cites statistics from tripadvisor.com to buttress his claims.
“We are No. 1 in business and No. 1 in hotels in the bay area,” Bayarong says.
And he explains: “There are two categories. There are other businesses here, like theme parks, adventure, bars, all kinds of establishments, so the Lighthouse Marina is No. 1 in business. And in the hotel business, travel and lecture, we are No. 1 as well.”
Marketing officer David Bayarong. Photo by Amadís Ma. Guerrero, Contributor
The marketing officer says the owners have other businesses in Manila but this is their only hotel business: “So they are not hoteliers, sailors mostly. The only thing we know in running the hotel is to serve our customers the best way we can.”
“Business is good,” Bayarong concludes. “We have surpassed our figures from the last couple of years. Every year we increase our past annual gross.”
The resort celebrates its fifth anniversary in August.
Curva maintains the resort “is not hard to sell because the lighthouse is beautiful. Adventure, security, nature … it’s all here. There are marketing collaterals, power of recommendations, word-of-mouth, and nowadays social media.”
She sums it all up in a giddy but sincere way: “The things that I have learned with the customers and the hotel industry is that happiness is a byproduct of happiness. You know, it’s fulfilling when you feel you are part of a memorable occasion, a wedding, adventure, new faces or just relaxation… If you are a people pleaser, then this is the place to be.”