Upon entering the newly opened The Marison Hotel in Legazpi City, one can feel a distinct elegance—elegant but unassuming, posh but unpretentious—as its owners did not skimp on the quality of every item used and being used in the property.
Daisy Uy-So, president and chief executive of The Marison Hotel, takes pride in offering only the best. Most of the four-story hotel’s furniture and fixtures, Uy-So said, were imported from China just so they can maintain the “feel” the hotel aims to express.
“We want only the best so we look from the guest’s point of view,” Uy-So said, adding, “Apart from being the perfect base for anyone who wants to see the beauty and splendor of Legazpi, we offer maximum comfort and convenience for the whole family.”
Perhaps this being the Uy family’s first venture in the hospitality industry and the realization of their patriarch’s dream of owning a hotel, they don’t want to leave anything to chance. The family's main business involves feeds and fertilizer.
Before their father, Chisan Uy, passed, he had expressed his desire to own a hotel and leave something in the city that people can see. “I told him then that we were going to build a hotel, even though no one in our family has a background in the hotel business,” related Uy-So.
The Marison Hotel features a rustic industrial and contemporary chic style complete with exposed bricks, elegant centerpieces, plush couches and chairs in both public areas and guest rooms, and a good amount of wood and metal furnishings.
It offers 118 rooms, each equipped with a flat-screen television, a desk, coffee and tea making facilities, and bathroom. Some are fitted with a terrace and separate living room. Some rooms have a view of the Mayon Volcano.
Within the 2,000-square-meter hotel are facilities and amenities that make for a complete experience such as two outdoor swimming pools, a fitness center, and three dining options: the main restaurant, IL Morso Italian Restaurant; the Sans Cafe & Bar, which serves Illy coffee; and Chilo Bar on the roof deck which offers a wide array of mocktails, cocktails, wines, and beers, among others.
The Marison Hotel is also ready for business and conferences as Legazpi City gears up to become one of the top MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) destinations in the country. It has a fully equipped Executive Board Room that can accommodate up to 30 people and a big function room that can cater to up to 120 people.
“The opening of The Marison Hotel is a testament that the Bicol region has come into its own as a prime tourist and business destination in the country,” enthused Uy-So.
She added, “We enter the hotel industry with the firm belief that Bicol—especially Legazpi, has a lot to offer to both its local and international visitors. We are not only very eager to provide a premium hotel experience to our guests, but The Marison Hotel also looks forward to helping the Bicol Region welcome a much bigger tourist base in the years to come.”
The Marison aims to secure a four-star rating, thereby joining the big names in the hospitality industry in the city. But more than a rating to flaunt, the Uy family aspires for their new business to be a place where guests can enjoy the best hotel experience and where staff members realize their full potential.
“I can confidently say that our asset is our people. From the start, we let them know what we want. We don’t want politics. Dito lahat tulungan lang (Here, we help each other),” said Uy-So.
Aside from quality products and services, facilities and amenities, and well-trained staff, The Marison Hotel is an ideal jump-off point for exploring Legazpi City. It’s situated a quick five-minute drive from the Legazpi Airport, and about 20 to 30 minutes away from attractions like the Cagsawa Ruins, Ligñon Hill Nature Park, Daraga Church, and ATV tour adventure, among others.
The Marison Hotel is at Corner Imelda Roces Ave., Legazpi City, Albay. Call (052) 732-7777 or email reservations@themarisonhotel.com for inquiries and reservations.