Federal Land unveils Grand Hyatt Manila

MANILA, Philippines —  Tycoon George Ty unveiled Tuesday his group’s latest project, the Grand Hyatt Manila, one of the most ambitious and luxurious hotels to rise in the Philippines.

President Duterte and Ty jointly unveiled the marker at the lobby of the hotel, which was opened to a small crowd that included some of the country’s wealthiest businessmen and members of the diplomatic community.

With an estimated capital expenditure of P20 billion, the 66-story hotel is a joint venture between Federal Land Inc., the real estate arm of Ty’s GT Capital Holdings Inc. and Orix Corp. of Japan.

The unveiling ceremony provided a glimpse of the hotel, which will formally open in the fourth quarter of the year, said Ty’s son Alfred, chairman of Federal Land.

“Meticulously designed with guests satisfaction in mind, this property houses 460 rooms and seven culinary destinations to satisfy the palate of customers,” Alfred said during his welcome message.

The posh hotel boasts of a high-ceiling grand lobby with a design inspired by the Banawe rice terraces, modern guests rooms, grand ballroom, a spa treatment room and functions rooms adorned with artworks showcasing Filipino heritage.

 Alfred said this was intended to showcase the Filipino culture and inspire foreign travellers to go around the country, a setting that distinguishes the hotel from others.

He said the project took 10 years of planning.

“Dr. George Ty conceptualized the project  10 years ago, ahead of the Philippine economy’s rise to prominence today, designed to cater to a discerning market and top-level travellers,” Alfred said.

“Once the hotel reaches near perfection, it is ready to open in the fourth quarter of this year,” Alfred said.

The Grand Hyatt, which would also have the 50-story Grand Hyatt Residences beside it, is located within Federal Land’s 10-hectare Grand Central Park Development in the Bonifacio Global City.

Another big-ticked project in the area is Sunshine Fort, a retail and residential complex  in partnership with two Japanese giants, Nomura Real Estate Development Co., a leading residential company established in 1957, and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., a top retail service group in Japan.

Sunshine Fort, which will bring Japanese tradition of excellence, innovation and artistry in the Philippines, is targeted for completion in 2025.

 Tuesday’s unveiling ceremony included some of the biggest names in the business and diplomatic community such as US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, tycoon and MVP Group chairman Manuel Pangilinan, Liwayway Group chairman and Special Envoy to China Carlos Chan, retail magnate Lucio Co, petroleum and logistics businessman Dennis Uy, DoubleDragon chairman Edgar “Injap” Sia and taipan Lucio Tan and his son Michael.