#HistoryInStyle at Rizal Park Hotel

MANILA, Philippines — There were weekly bingo games with prizes of as much as P3,000 – practically a king’s ransom in those days when a bottle of Coca-Cola could be had for 10 centavos. Also Easter egg hunts, with the club all dressed up like Christmas. And friends would shoot the breeze over hamburgers as only Americans could make them.

The Manila Army Navy Club held many memories for those of a not-too-long-ago generation, and they can relive those fond moments once again as the club has taken on a new life as the Rizal Park Hotel. 

“At least 60 percent of the original Manila Army and Navy Club has remained,” claims Juan Paolo Sumera, general manager of the freshly unveiled Rizal Park Hotel right in the heart of the Distinguished and Ever Loyal City of Manila, by the Manila Bay.

Famous for its colonial American roots, designed by city planner and architect William Parsons, the Army and Navy Club was the first exclusive social club in the country, celebrated as the center of the capital’s social life since 1898, while still within the walls of Intramuros. It moved to its present location fronting Rizal Park, then called the Luneta, in 1911.

Through the years, the building was used for a variety of purposes, such as a bomb shelter and evacuation center during the Japanese occupation, and once served as the city architect’s office. However, the building soon suffered inevitable decline and was eventually shuttered.

Today, this National Historical Landmark has been restored and transformed into an attraction which faithfully recaptures the glory that was the Manila Army and Navy Club.

From a distance, the property highlights the original façade. Even the minutest of details, such as the vintage wrought iron fence, are still in use.

The lobby is impressive, with a high ceiling from which cascade magnificent chandeliers, surrounded by mostly pearl-white walls. Windows of more modern glass instead of the previous capiz shells are held together by the same arches of days gone by. The black and white tiles were likewise adapted from the original ones.

At the center of the elegant hall is a round table with a huge floral arrangement, which never fails to draw visitors. “This happens all the time, which is why it has been proclaimed as the most-Instagram-able spot in the hotel,” Sumera continues.

On opposite sides of the main entrance rise two identical grand staircases with wooden railings and steel bannisters, with a predominantly red carpet. The left staircase was meticulously restored, while the right was recently added to achieve a symmetrical balance.

At the Courtyard – a rare sight in hotels – were several charming set-ups of tables and chairs, shaded by umbrellas, surrounded by plants and blooms and statues of the goddess Venus and a peeing boy, reminiscent of Manneken Pis, a small bronze sculpture which is a well-known symbol of Brussels. “These two statues are original,” Sumera tells STARweek, “about 106 years old.”

All of these renovations, which kicked off four years ago, were based on old photographs and history books. Owner Simon Lee Paz, a businessman and lover of history and heritage, did extensive and exhaustive research, guided by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. He tapped the expertise of Jun Palafox of Palafox Associates for its façade and Manila-based decorators Arco Group for its interiors.

All that effort has paid off, as the hotel projects an image straight out of history books, respectably doing justice to property’s tag line #HistoryInStyle. Sumera says it best when he confirms, “The historical is feeling here: you live it, you feel it.”

“In terms of area, we have covered the entire former Manila Army and Navy Club edifice a whole 100 percent,” Sumera states, as we walk through the then soldiers’ lounge and now Café Rizal, and the three adjacent function rooms, which could comfortably accommodate 20, a dozen and another 12 guests, respectively.

Café Rizal boasts a choice of over 120 different dishes in its all-day buffet. “For those who wish to experience some recipes preserved from the past, the spread includes hefty servings of American steak cooked to your liking and special burgers with American cheese, topped with crispy and caramelized bacon. In the future, pork chops, a favorite from the early days, will be a menu mainstay,” declares food and beverage manager Hansel Nahlen.

“The surprise, though, is that we have expanded to a second building.” Sumera gestures towards a common corridor, which leads us to the next property. “In addition to our 76 rooms, there will be 34 more under way in Phase Two.”

“The first two floors is a PAGCOR-operated casino, while the third, at the end of the year, will be inaugurated as a Grand Ballroom with a seating capacity of 1,200. The fourth level aims to be a gym, plus an infinity pool facing the iconic Manila Bay sunset – inspired by an erstwhile swimming pool in the lot back then,” he explains.

But what is perhaps most anticipated is the opening, before the end of the year, of a fine dining Chinese restaurant, with a seating capacity of about 200. Construction is at a frenzy, even as four chefs from Guangzhou are busy putting together the menu for the restaurant (the chefs, including roasting and dim sum experts, are currently manning the Chinese section of the buffet at Café Rizal). Two more chefs from Hong Kong are expected to join the kitchen team at the as yet unnamed restaurant.

Ever since he was a child, Manila-born Sumera, whose father dabbled in heavy equipment, has always been fascinated by the world of hotels, since his mother used to bring him to many early in his life. “I’ve always adored the gracious things in life, such as great accommodation and excellent food.”

An alumnus of Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati, where majority of his classmates went on to take Engineering courses, he opted to study Hotel Management (he had wanted to pursue journalism) at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde from 1998 to 2001.

After graduation, his first job had him waiting tables, but he has since climbed up the hospitality ladder. He was a key player at Hotel Celeste in Makati, the Remington Hotel of Resorts World, Oakwood Asia Pacific and the Hotel Intercontinental Manila.

He continued his education via a master’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality Administration and Management, and later became a professor for over ten years at his alma mater for Front Office Operations, Information Systems and Principles of Tourism Courses.

Sumera is well aware of the birth pains of new hotels, as he has successfully assisted in opening four properties. Part of the challenge is establishing standards which, to him, is an extremely essential part of a newly-unveiled property. “We can train personnel and aim for the whole nine yards. However, we really only observe the results once we start operations,” he says.

“What’s refreshing about the Rizal Park Hotel, though, is that it’s an independent brand, which means that we are free to experiment and come up with our own plans, from rooms to food and beverage, to operations to marketing, and to the other components.”

Sumera, happily married (his wife is in the gaming industry) and a father of three children – a girl and two boys – fervently wishes to see the hotel grow – and the way it grows is an important mission he has set for himself. “I desire this to be the best hotel right in the heart of Manila.”