Boutique hotel in Banilad attracting more tourists

MORE tourists are staying at a boutique hotel, The Henry  in Banilad, Cebu City.

Mirro Reperuga, The Henry general manager, says the boutique hotel has done well since it soft opened in November 2012. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Since they opened last November 2012, the hotel  had an average occupancy rate of 67 percent last year with December ending at a high 80 percent, said Mirro Reperuga, The Henry general manager, in an interview last Monday.

As of January this year, the hotel registered an 85 percent occupancy rate.

“The number of guests staying with us is increasing even during the last quarter last year when we were hit with the calamities,” said Reperuga about The Henry, which is owned by Innovo Terra Properties, a Manila-based firm.

Innovo also partnered with Hospitality Innovators, Inc. (HHI) to help them manage the hotel located along Maria Luisa Road in Banilad, Cebu City.

The hotel is the 15th hotel managed by HHI, said Reperuga.

“We have only 38 rooms with unique set-up. No two rooms are alike,” Reperuga said.
Since they opened, the market they attracted are the young people who travel with style and are looking for an “out of the box” hospitality experience.

“The market mix includes domestic, American, Chinese, and European,” he said.
Reperuga said that globally, boutique hotels are  much preferred places to stay  especially for the younger travellers.

In the country, however, the boutique hotels recently became a trend which Reperuga said is an opportunity they are planning to maximize.

Department of Tourism regional director Rowena Montecillo said in an interview that the opening of a unique product like The Henry will help promote Cebu to more tourist market segments in the world.