Filinvest set to top off new hotel in Baguio City this June

MANILA, Philippines – Gotianun-led Filinvest Development Corporation is set to top off a new hotel in Camp John Hay in Baguio City this June that will be opened in the first quarter of 2025. 

Grafik Pine House Baguio, which is being built on a 5,700-square-meter property in the former US military rest and recreation base, Camp John Hay, will be the Gotianuns’ first hotel under their new Grafik Hotel brand. 

Topping off or topping out is the placing of the last beam, usually a piece of steel, in a construction project. A topping-off ceremony is now commonly held by big companies. Filinvest said it has completed the building’s structural phase. 

In a disclosure on Monday, June 10, Filinvest said the new hotel will have more than 200 rooms, dining outlets, a spa, and meeting rooms. 

“After a strong 2023, we’re confident in full tourism recovery in 2024, showcasing the lasting appeal of the Philippines. As the Filinvest Group sets its sights on faster growth and making a positive impact on Philippine tourism and nation-building, our hospitality business aims to be a significant contributor to its overall plan,” Filinvest Hospitality Corporation (FHC) first senior vice-president Francis Gotianun said on Monday. 

Filinvest is enhancing its hospitality business after recording a 48% increase in revenues in 2023 as Philippine travel and tourism continued to rebound from the pandemic. Filinvest hotels and resorts, which are under its subsidiary FHC, got higher occupancy rates, higher average room rates, and increased contributions from its food and beverage business Baker J.

During the Duterte administration, the Filinvest Group won a bid for a 25-year lease to develop property for a hotel in Camp John Hay, under an accord with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and John Hay Management Corporation.

The hotel project will be managed by Chroma Hospitality Incorporated, a joint venture between Filinvest and Archipelago International of Singapore.

In a press release in October 2023, Chroma Hospitality country manager James Montenegro said Grafik Pine House Baguio will focus on health and wellness. 

“…Baguio is still close to everybody’s heart for a short holiday break. It’s a nice place to go to, right? It’s got lovely culture, great food, great experience. And we have a beautiful property there overlooking the golf course and on top of a hill, with a beautiful 360-degree view of Camp John Hay,” Montenegro was quoted as saying in an article posted on the Filinvest website.

FHC is also developing its second hotel in Mactan, Cebu – Grafik Mactan – which Montenegro said will be “art and experiential estate-driven” with a focus on beach design and island-hopping, among others.

Its first hotel in Mactan is Crimson Resort and Spa. Filinvest said this resort hotel has been renovated and it now has the Azure Beach Club, which it described as “a modern beachfront space that allows for sophisticated escapism while listening to music and enjoying cocktail concoctions.”

Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan also opened a Japanese restaurant, Aka, that offers omakase (personalized meal), kaiseki (multi-course meal), and an ala carte menu. 

FHC also owns Timberland Highlands Resort in San Mateo, Rizal province, which launched last February a new bike park for mountain bike enthusiasts. It is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 7 am to 4 pm and charges P550 per rider for a day pass.

FHC has its Quest Hotels in Cebu, Clark, and Tagaytay, focusing on meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions or MICE events.

Filinvest has also expanded its café restaurant, Baker J, which now has five branches: Alabang, Clark, Tagaytay, Taguig, and Rizal. – Rappler.com