If your idea of the perfect vacation includes white sandy beaches with palm trees swaying in the breeze, the Philippines is a stunning destination to relax and explore. But you won’t be alone, as the country’s tourism and hotel market is projected to increase by more than US$500 million over the next five years, according to Mordor Intelligence.
Ready to capitalize on this opportunity, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR) is well-positioned to offer exceptional experiences that capture the essence of the archipelago. As the largest hotel company in the Philippines, with 30 properties and 5,000 rooms spanning the country, it offers a diverse range of stays from budget hotels up to the luxury segment. This includes Fili, the first and only Filipino five-star hotel brand, which brings together the finest hotel offerings with modern Filipino elements.
“We’ve always been pioneers in what we bring to the Filipino hospitality landscape,” says Barun Jolly, Senior Vice President and Business Unit General Manager of RHR.
“We’re very ambitious and plan to double our presence across the Philippines over the next eight-to-10 years, but we believe this growth should be sustainable.”
“Our mission is to deliver great branded, distinguished, distinctive experiences in whichever hotel you stay at.”
As part of its growth plans, RHR is eyeing key destinations across the Philippines for its new properties, including stunning resort destinations such as Bohol and Siargao, as well as underserved metropolitan areas.
“There are over 100 cities and municipalities in the Philippines with a population of over 100,000 people, but not a single professionally managed hotel,” Jolly says.
“Our mission is to deliver great branded, distinguished, distinctive experiences in whichever hotel you stay at. When you walk into our hotels, you will always get a brand promise of clean bed, great internet and good breakfast. We want people to know we will give you a consistent experience every time, that is very important to us.”
Leveling-up hospitality
Since stepping into the role last year after an international career in hospitality, Jolly has been focused on three key pillars: systems, standards and synergy. This covers digital innovation, clearly defined levels of service across all RHR’s brands, and encouraging cross-selling across its properties.
Of these three, Jolly views technology as an enabler to not only increase productivity, but also free up employee time for more quality interactions with guests. One of RHR’s biggest successes in this area has been the introduction of self check-in kiosks across its midscale and upscale Grand Summit properties, allowing guests to check-in in under a minute. With an average of two kiosks per hotel, it frees up two staff members across 24 hours to provide more personal, high-value interactions at other touchpoints.
“Staff can instead focus on providing customized services such as helping guests plan their visit by sharing inside knowledge of the locale,” Jolly explains. “By using technology to free our staff from doing mundane tasks, we can provide a higher level of guest experience.”
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RHR has also launched an AI-powered chatbot called Pino, which allows guests to conveniently make direct bookings, as well as interactive in-room dining menus.
“We have a lot of Korean and Chinese guests whose primary language is not English, so when it comes to ordering food, especially over the phone, things can get lost in translation,” Jolly says.
“With our platform, it’s more visual and guests can indicate whether they have any allergens or preferences such as the level of spice. This gets sent straight to the kitchen and prepared according to their requirements.”
“As a company dedicated to the growth of the Philippines, we believe in growing local talent and as a result, some of our properties are entirely staffed by people from the locality.”
Yet despite all these innovations, RHR prides itself on being a professionally managed people-centric company.
“We invest heavily in talent development, empowerment and overall employee wellbeing and engagement; this is something that really sets us apart from the competition. As a company dedicated to the growth of the Philippines, we believe in growing local talent and as a result, some of our properties are entirely staffed by people from the locality,” Jolly says. “This is another one of our strengths because the people in the Philippines are naturally hospitable. Plus, as an English-speaking country, we are very receptive to global travelers.”
RHR’s continued success is also thanks to its long-term partners such as Simmons (Southeast Asia) and Diversey Philippines.
“We make sure we work with partners very closely, ensuring we engage them across our entire portfolio, rather than just a single business unit. But for that, they have to demonstrate high quality and a willingness to invest back into their product development,” he adds.
Sustainability sensibilities
Sustainability is another key area of focus for RHR, starting with the elimination of single-use plastic. In September 2024, glass bottles were introduced across its full-service hotels in Metro Manila, a move the company estimates will reduce eight metric tons of plastic waste per year. Multiuse amenities have also been introduced to all guest rooms across all RHR hotels.
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In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, RHR has also begun bottling water onsite at one of its hotels and distributing it to four other hotels within a five-kilometer radius, reducing the company’s scope two and three emissions. The company is also planning to install solar panels at several of its hotels, which it predicts will reduce fossil fuel-generated energy consumption by 10 percent. Other initiatives across all new hotels include smart light sensors, water flow sensors and graywater reuse for horticulture.
“We also do a lot to support the local communities we operate in,” Jolly says, “This includes providing schools with learning equipment, supporting local farmers, clearing up local areas and mangrove planting. We are environmentally conscious to make sure we are not only sustaining the environment but upgrading it.”
“We are environmentally conscious to make sure we are not only sustaining the environment but upgrading it.”
Whether dealing with sustainability, talent or expansion, Jolly believes the key to success is teamwork and empowerment.
“Our philosophy is always finding solutions from the bottom up rather than top down. Whenever we have an issue, we always consult people on the frontline to find a solution. Then we stick together and support them,” he says.
“RHR is a proud hotel brand, and with our talented staff and exceptional hotels, we want to share the Filipino spirit of hospitality with everyone.”
