By Revin Mikhael D. Ochave, Reporter
CITADINES ROCES Quezon City by The Ascott Limited is aiming to be fully operational by the middle of January next year.
“We are looking at mid-January next year (for full operations),” Citadines Roces Quezon City Assistant Residence Manager Thea Karissa Peregrino said during an interview last week.
The serviced residence, located along Don A. Roces Avenue in Quezon City, was initially set to open in December.
“But by the middle of December, many clients will already be lost since they always book in advance. We don’t want the customer experience to suffer,” she said.
Ms. Peregrino said she expects Citadines Roces to have a 60% occupancy rate during the first three months of its operation.
“It is conservative. We don’t want to oversell,” she said.
Citadines Roces is the brand’s first property in Quezon City, but the seventh Citadines in the Philippines. The property offers 200 suites ranging from studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments.
“Before, the trend was really more on the long-staying guests. But now, it is getting 60:40 or 50:50 split with staycation and weekenders,” Ms. Peregrino said.
Citadines Roces has function rooms that could accommodate up to 200 guests. Other amenities include an all-day dining restaurant, function spaces for meetings and events, a swimming pool, a fully equipped fitness center, and a resident’s lounge. The parking area can accommodate 114 vehicles.
The property is aimed at business and leisure travelers searching for a comfortable and convenient getaway experience within Metro Manila.
“We have 26 floors. Guest rooms are from the 10th until the 25th floor. The function room is on the ninth, and the amenities and the reception on the eighth floor. Then we also have a restaurant on the ground floor,” Ms. Peregrino said.
She said the property is already seeing demand from offices of media companies and government agencies in the area.
“We saw a potential because of the media outfits (located here). We don’t have that in Makati. Also, the government offices nearby and multinational companies. There are also many customers from Japan and Korea who are possibly looking for an alternative accommodation within Quezon City,” Ms. Peregrino said.
The service residence is also targeting staycationers and long-stay guests.
“In a hotel, you don’t have the cooking aspect. You don’t have the kitchen hubs. You don’t have the washer and dryer. Here in our service apartment, you have all that in the convenience of your room,” she added.
The Citadines brand is under The Ascott Limited, which is the lodging business unit of Singapore-based real estate developer CapitaLand Limited.