DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/28 June) — A Bangkok-based hotel and resort company has just made its mark in Asia by launching its brand of luxury serviced apartments in Mindanao.
Dusit Thani Residence, a Dusit International affiliate, will be erecting 168 full-service suites called Siam 8000, a two billion peso, 1.2 hectare project located in the city’s business hub in Lanang.
The other Dusit Thani Residences are located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, making Dusit Thani Residences Davao the first in Asia.
The Davao project, owned and developed by Torre Lorenzo Development Corporation and managed by Blue Development, Inc., will be a first of its kind in Mindanao.
At the launching on Friday, Andrew Sparrow, CEO of Blue Development, Inc., said Dusit Thani Residences Davao will blend urban residences living with “fine” hotel amenities associated with the brand.
The residential project is expected to have its turnover on the fourth quarter of 2018.
The suite variants of the Davao project —from studios to one to three-bedrooms suites—will come with room service, housekeeping, laundry, personal concierge, and valet parking and a number of personalized services.
Why Davao?
Sparrow said they came to Davao because it is among the safest cities in the world. “And we want people to experience that,” he said.
“If Davao is growing, the hotels should grow with it,” Sparrow added.
Evelyn Singson, President and vice chair of the Philippine Hoteliers Incorporated (the owning company of Dusit Thani Manila) said they chose Davao because it’s a major city in the South that is progressive and home to companies and agricultural enterprises. She said texecutives from abroad will eventually wind up here to do business and Dusit comes in as a perfect with with Davao where tourism is strongly associated with safety.
The Davao project is set to address the “badly needed” international quality accommodations. In the Philippines, there are only 28 international hotels compared to the hundreds in nearby Asian countries.
He emphasized the need for this high-end product. He said there is high demand and a huge lack of supply for the upscale sector and that luxury consumption comprises 17% of the country’s gross domestic product.
By 2018, he predicted, there will be a demand for three Dusit Thani hotels. “And we are only giving one third of that,” he said.
Sparrow also said that aside from BPO and finance, tourism in Davao is a sector that he sees is steadily and is quickly growing—and Dusit Thani Residences Davao will be riding that wave.
The project, when it opens, is also set to open jobs to at least 300 employees—from the management to additional contractual and outsourced workers for functions.
Sparrow said the branded residence community is a fast appreciating asset, at a rate of 20-30%, compared wiht other property investments. A sustainable mechanism to maintain the project is backed by the Dusit Thani brand, making every corner of the residence spic and span according to their standards. This includes acoustic treated walls, lighting coordinated controls, engineered hardwood floors, etc.
“The architecture is contemporary and mindful of the comfort of our guests. The design incorporates tropical elements that allow for shading and ventilation while maximizing the use of natural lighting,” Tomas Lorenzo, president of Torre Lorenzo, said.
Dusit International and Torre Lorenzo have tapped Rchitects, Inc., to lead the project development. The firm has created landmark resort and hotel projects in Boracay, Bohol, Ortigas, Cagayan de Oro and Palawan. Rchitects, Inc. is working with Manny Samson + Associates (MSA), a leading interior design company focused on decorating for hospitality projects across Southeast Asia. (Jesse Pizarro Boga / MindaNews)