Seda Hotels is the multi-property brand of the Ayala Group of Companies. One of its newer hotels, Seda Central Bloc Hotel in Cebu’s IT Park district, opened in 2020 with 214 room including units with 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms.

by EMCEE GO

CEBU IT PARK IS THE latest business district in the city, the other two being the nearby Cebu Business Park and the old downtown filled with universities and the sprawling Carbon market and Cebu City Hall. Cebu IT Park is anchored by the new mall, Central Bloc, with Seda Central Bloc Hotel occupying the upper levels starting at the 5th floor where the hotel’s main lobby and public rooms are located.

Seda is the hotel arm of the large Ayala Group whose properties are almost all located in the busiest commercial areas of major cities such as BGC and Makati, Cebu Business Park and IT Park, Davao Business Center as well as a resort in Lio, El Nido, Palawan. A wholly-Filipino owned and managed brand, Seda’s design is modern minimalist with interior accents by Filipino artists and artisans.

The second Seda hotel in Cebu City, the first one being Seda Ayala Center Cebu Hotel, Seda  entral Bloc’s grand opening in March 2020 coincided with the global pandemic announcement, and with it, everything stopped. It did afford management time to polish its product, and by the time quarantine was implemented for travelers entering the country, Seda IT Park was well positioned to accept guests under the strict health guidelines implemented by the government.

December 16, 2021 brought an extra challenge when typhoon Odette left a devastating effect in Cebu. But belonging to the broad-based Ayala conglomerate, the two Seda hotels in Cebu fared way better than others. As a newly-built hotel, Seda Central Bloc was constructed with modern equipment that enabled them to run operations without interruption. When bunker oil got scarce, they were able to source out directly from oil depots. Water sourcing was also critical, and again, the Ayala Group lent its support by flying in experts to fill the gaps. The day after Odette hit, throngs of local residents were trying to book rooms at the two Seda hotels in the city. Their lobbies became a refuge with full-blasting air conditioning and wifi accessibility while outside, streets were littered with broken trees and fallen debris from construction sites.

Seda Central Bloc is a 17-storey property that offers a unique combination of hotel rooms for short stays and serviced residences with home-like conveniences like a fully-equipped kitchenette and washer/dryer for long-staying guests. It is strategically located in the heart of Cebu IT Park with direct access to Ayala Malls Central Bloc and is walking distance to a lot of retail and dining options.

The hotel’s main restaurant, Misto, boasts an open kitchen concept highlighted by an authentic Italian oven that can perfectly bake pizzas and bread in minutes. Buffet breakfast is offered from 6:00 am, with the restaurant open for dining until 10:00 pm. During weekdays an Executive Lunch at P699 net per set is good value, while dinner is a la carte. This all-day dining outlet serves crispy Lechon de Cebu and a medley of international and local dishes. Misto’s strong WiFi connection is also a favorite for those who want to work, and its Coffee-nectivity package with unlimited coffee or tea and a platter of pastries and sweets is available from Monday to Friday, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm for Php 599 net per person.

Straight Up is the hotel’s rooftop bar on the 17th floor. It offers a spectacular view of the skyline and the city’s vibrant business center. It caters to an active after-work crowd as well as locals and tourists who just want to enjoy the scene with cocktails and pica-pica.  

For events, Seda Central Bloc has a total of 7 banquet halls and meeting rooms for a variety of functions. It can accommodate a small meeting for five people to a social gathering of 120 guests. Sinamay is the biggest banquet hall, which can also be divided into 2 separate rooms for a smaller crowd. Jusi, Hablon, Tinalak, and Pina are the medium-sized rooms perfect for conferences or meetings of up to 28 people. For more private meetings, there are 2 boardrooms available that can hold up to 6 people. Thrina De la Calzada, the hotel’s Director of Sales further adds, “All our meeting rooms are equipped with modern facilities such as LCD projectors, drop-down white screens, basic sound systems, and microphones. Most importantly, our meeting rooms have access to high-speed internet access, which is essential for hybrid meetings that are very common nowadays.” 

GUESTROOMS & SERVICED RESIDENCES DELUXE ROOMS

Ideal for mobile guests staying a night or two, it has a king bed or twins, with a multi-purpose desk and chaise lounge that offers added comfort.

STUDIO RESIDENCES

Solo travellers will appreciate this fully-equipped residence with a kitchenette and multi-functional round table.

1-BEDROOM RESIDENCES

Long-staying guests love its space and home-style layout that features a separate master bedroom, living room, and dining area for four, as well as a kitchenette and a washer/dryer.

2-BEDROOM RESIDENCES

Versatile and convenient — this residence is perfect for a family or group of 4, or a couple needing an extra room.

3-BEDROOM RESIDENCES

The hotel’s top-of-the-line residence can accommodate 6 persons with 2 additional bedrooms and a bigger living room, dining area and kitchenette.

In-room Amenities: Media panel and/or HDMI, USB and audio-visual connectivity; LED HDTV with cable channels; IDD phone; WiFi connectivity; mini-bar; coffee and tea making facility; safety deposit box Residence Features: Tableware, refrigerator, kitchen equipment, cookware, utensils

Q&A WITH RON MANALANG

Eight months after typhoon Odette, we caught up with Ron Manalang, Seda Central Bloc’s hotel manager, over coffee at the hotel’s stylish coffee shop. A career hotelier with more than 20 years experience gained from working at the Mandarin Oriental in Manila, the Marriott in Atlanta, and the Seda brand’s eponymous BGC hotel, Ron was well equipped to handle the double challenges of COVID and Odette. What lesson and new things have you learned from the almost 2-year pandemic lockdown? 

Ron: We have different means and methods of coping with difficult situations, but with proper motivation and guidance, our team is able to rise above any challenge. During the pandemic, we relied on technology and were constantly in touch through chat apps, which was important in resolving last-minute issues. Staying connected helped us manage the situation well. Of course, adherence to safety measures was extremely important and still is,” he adds. “Preventive measures can save lives and avoid potential liability. Last, but not the least, versatility of products and service helped us offer solutions to clients whose needs changed due to the pandemic. Flexibility and innovation were key in broadening our offerings and tapping new markets.”

Service is integral to your operations, especially since we have now google review and Tripadvisor that ranks in real time, how do you address a bad review?

Ron: Having been in the industry for quite some time makes me no stranger to negative reviews. Negative reviews can happen even to the best of hotels. My formula is to ACKNOWLEDGE, APOLOGIZE and MAKE IT RIGHT. Acknowledge customer feedback. Let them know that you understand their dissatisfaction. Go through each of them and summarize the issues pointed out. Then apologize and make it right. Like any other customer service issue, there are a lot of ways to recover from a poor customer review. If you have a chance to speak to our new DOT Secretary Christina Frasco, what suggestion can you give to improve our tourism sector?

Ron: Tourism as we all know, in all its forms, is a very important strategy for economic growth. Just like the hospitality industry, tourism is service based. It’s important to develop a supply  chain of ecotourism attractions for visitors. Economy wise, this will diversify multiple sources of revenue. Second, ensure safety and security—tourists look for safe and secure locations. Third, provide a clean and healthy environment. Cleanliness is important to every tourist especially if they are visiting foreign destinations.

Fourth, do marketing that is web related and makes an impact in promoting key and attractive locations. Lastly, have medical facilities like hospitals and clinics, first aid and emergency stations in all key tourist locations.

What can we expect from Seda in the next 12 months?

Ron: Seda Central Bloc will be the best place to call “home” for visitors in the city. We will see more movements in international and domestic travel, and give us a chance to fully showcase our hotel as the perfect choice for business and leisure stays. For dining, we are excited about the new showkitchen in our Misto restaurant. This will see an expansion of its culinary offerings and enhance our guests’ dining experience. We are also coming up with new promotions and entertainment for our rooftop bar, Straight Up, which has become a popular nighttime hang-out, not just for the IT Park crowd but many others from beyond the vicinity. Our Christmas offers will be announced soon, including special menus, holiday room and party packages, gift baskets and of course, our New Year countdown at Straight Up.

What is a typical working day for you?

Ron: No two days are alike because I encounter and learn something new every day. I start with a walk-through to ensure that the premises are in tiptop shape, where guests feel at ease, safe, and comfortable. I also drop by the offices to have a brief chat with the employees, then have a meeting with the department heads for updates and discuss any concerns. It’s important for me that the team is engaged and motivated and that they feel their role is important to the success of the business. The day won’t be complete without talking to guests to get feedback, first-hand. But I also attend to administrative tasks and of course, spend time going over key analytics and performance data.

What do you and your family do during weekends and holidays?

Ron: We like going to the mall and when we have time, go out of town.