Cebu’s first heritage hotel opens

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu’s first cultural and heritage hotel recently opened with an offering of 79-room accommodation for Cebu visitors.

Palm Grass Cebu Heritage Hotel is a first of its kind in Cebu, a seven-storey facility that highlights Cebu’s culture and history.

Hotel manager Bebilou Espina said the hotel aims to revive the interest on Cebuano history and culture through a historical gallery, a mini-library and a mini-book store carrying stories on Cebu’s heritage.

Located in Cebu’s downtown area, along Gen. Junquera Street, the themed hotel has 10 suites named after Cebu heroes.

Its function room is named after the Battle of Tres de Abril. All 79 guest rooms contain artworks of local artists depicting the lifestyle of Cebuanos during the pre-Spanish and Spanish colonial periods.

A coffee shop-cum-restaurant located at the ground floor is named after Lumaya, which according to folklore, is the founder of the Rajahnate of Cebu. A mini-bar called Hardin Dagami will be available at the roof deck, which will have its own garden and an open wellness gym.

Palm Grass Hotel is owned and managed by descendants of Cebuano Katipunero Isidro Guivelondo. According to local history, Guivelondo’s house in Mabolo was the meeting place for the planning of the Tres de Abril uprising.

The hotel also pioneers the first saltwater swimming pool located at the 7th floor, Espina said.

The hotel is a project of the Guivelondo-Blanco family, which according to the family's statement, "is a tribute to the legacy of our parents Caridad Tan Guivelondo and Mamerto Arcilla Blanco whose ancestors were actively involved in the 1898 Cebu Revolution." — (FREEMAN)