Las Casas De Acuzar to Expand Hotels in QC

By Rose de la Cruz

Known for its heritage houses and Spanish-inspired restaurants, the New San Jose Builders Inc., builders of Las Casas de Acuzar, first ventured into a sports hotel along EDSA and Timog and would soon open six other upscale hotels in Metro Manila, mostly in Quezon City which is largely served by boutique hotels.

Paul Kerr, president of resorts, hotels and sports of NSJBI, a diversified real property company which owns the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan and the posh restaurant along Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City, said they hope to complete and operate the Victoria Sports Hotel this year.

Kerr announced that the group is opening six other hotels in QC which would come in various brands four of which are sports hotels (with the first one to operate is the Victoria Sports Hotel near the Kamuning station of MRT),  another beside the

Victoria de Manila 1 along Taft Avenue across Philippine Women’s University, one in Hidalgo, Quiapo and one in Monumento.

This will be augmented by two non-sports hotels under the brand Las Casas Collection brand—one would be a 200-room hotel beside Las Casas in Roosevelt and one on Timog Avenue, the Victoria Arts and Theater.

He said the reason for focusing in Metro Manila, particularly in QC, is that there is a huge unfilled market for hotels in Quezon City which has very few large hotels that would offer complete amenities and vital services.

Most of our condominiums now will offer sports and hotels as part of the recreational facility.

Kerr (who spent over 20 years in the hospitality industry 3 years of which are in the Philippines) said Novotel, being an international brand, is not their direct competitor but SEDA Vertis Hotel (of the Ayalas) being a homegrown brand could be the direct competitor but not from a recreational standpoint but in terms of sports hotels, there is no competition yet.

“We will target more four-star audience with lifestyle emphasis whereas SEDA Vertis is very much a business hotel targeting a 5-star audience,” he explained.

For all six hotel projects and two Las Casas Collection hotels, the timetable is six years or 2026 with the first one, Victoria Sports EDSA targeted for end of 2020. The rooms are now in the final stages or finishing touches. But the condominium is already operating and so with the sports club but the hotel is still in the finishing stage.

He said the QC market is huge which boutique hotels but there is no large hotel with over 100-150 rooms.

Kerr said the four sports hotels will be known as Victoria sports hotels and the Las Casas Collections will have their own name.

The flagship is Las Casas in Bataan has been prospering and becoming more well known in the market and is starting to target foreign visitors as well. It is adding a marina which would hopefully be finished end this 2020 where eventually there would be a yacht club and further developments.  Year-round occupancy in Bagac is less than the industry average but it was designed for low-occupancy because of day tours.