Raffles Hotels & Resorts will expand its portfolio with the opening of Raffles Makati in Metro Manila this December 2012.

　　Raffles Hotels & Resorts will expand its portfolio with the opening of Raffles Makati in Metro Manila this December 2012. The official launch, followed by a grand opening in February 2013, will bring the company to nine hotels and resorts, from the flagship, Raffles Hotel in Singapore, to China, Cambodia, the Seychelles, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Paris. There are plans for further openings in Istanbul, Jakarta and China over the next 18 months.

　　John Johnston, president of Raffles Hotels & Resorts said:

　　“There couldn’t be a better time for Raffles to be opening in the Philippines. The country is full of a new-found optimism as the economy expands, with a modern infrastructure and an international presence. We bring with us 125 years of heritage and experience in luxury service and a portfolio that includes some of Asia’s greatest hotels. I believe this puts both parties in a very favorable situation, where Raffles is the right hotel company, at the right time, to be opening in Manila.”

　　Raffles Makati will be at the heart of a prestigious new development—a brand new, striking, 30-floor tower, home to three very different areas in the one building: Raffles Makati, with 32 suites; Raffles Residences, with 237 one- to four-bedroom residences for private ownership; and Fairmont Makati, a hotel with 280 deluxe rooms.

　　Tom Meyer, managing director of Raffles Makati and Fairmont Makati explains:

　　“There is a huge buzz and anticipation around this opening. It has been 18 years since the last luxury hotel opened in this part of Metro Manila. Raffles is able to bring the best of both worlds to this opening: The most modern facilities, technology, exciting, stylish restaurants and bars—alongside the Raffles heritage of providing warm and graceful service, embodied by the legendary Raffles Butlers. At Raffles we believe that good service is not just about what you give people, it’s about how you make them feel. We call this “emotional luxury” and this is what we will be working hard to bring to this incredible city.”

　　Raffles Makati’s suites will be spread over the ninth and tenth floors of the new tower. They have been designed by Singapore-based Bent Severin & Associates, whose impressive portfolio includes Raffles Hotel Singapore, Raffles Beijing, the British Embassy in Copenhagen and the Peninsula in Hong Kong.

　　The look for Raffles Makati is contemporary, whilst drawing on the timeless quality of Raffles Hotel Singapore, echoing Manila’s own blend of Old World charm and New World sophistication. Each of the hotel’s 32 large suites has been designed to be an understated oasis of calm. Every suite will have large floor-to-ceiling windows and mesmerizing views out over the city. A key design feature is the wooden flooring, covered with rich silk velvet and hand-tufted rugs.

　　The now famous Raffles’ Long Bar will feature at the Raffles Makati outpost. True to the Singapore original, it will feature similar décor with tropical punka fans; an atmospheric black, ivory and terracotta tiled floor; long-stemmed ceiling fans and a 45-foot-long bar where clients can enjoy not only a Singapore Sling but cocktails made to order.

　　All the new restaurants and bars in the complex will be open to guests of both Raffles Makati and Fairmont Makati. These include all-day dining restaurant, a contemporary pastry boutique, two lounges, as well as the Long Bar and a Writers Bar. The hotel will have two large outdoor swimming pools, each with a wading pool and children’s pool and poolside lounges. Guests will also share the Willow Stream Spa, with five treatment rooms and a full service hair and nail salon. The Fitness Center will offer inspiring views of the city, garden and swimming pool.