Luxury hotel chain Nobu to rise at City of Dreams

MANILA, Philippines - Premier and luxury hospitality chain Nobu Hotel will become the second major hotel brand in the $1.3-billion City of Dreams Manila integrated casino.

Nobu Hotel is set to announce today its entry in the Philippines through the casino and hotel complex led by Macau casino giant Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd.

The company has operations in five continents through luxury hotels, residences and restaurants (Japanese restaurant chain Nobu).

“Nobu Hotels offer a sensual, sultry, fusion of laid-back luxury, high-energy nightlife, exclusive guest room retreats and spa services,” the company said in its Web site.

“It is the ultimate playground for our international client base and will be like no other,” it added. In 2012, Nobu Hotel opened its first branch at the Caesars Palace, followed by Nobu Hotel Riyadh while Nobu Hotel London, Bahrain and the Carribean are under way.

Nobu Hotel will follow in the footsteps of Australian billionaire James Packer’s Crown Towers brand that would also operate a six-star, 260-room hotel in City of Dreams Manila.

Belle Corp. vice-chairman Willy Ocier said in a text message that City of Dreams Manila is on track to start commercial operations in July or August this year.

Belle, the gaming arm and upscale leisure developer of the mall and banking conglomerate SM Group of the Sy family, is the builder of the casino and hotel complex in the Manila Bay reclamation area.

Ocier earlier said that the integrated casino project would have two to three five- and six-star hotel brands.

City of Dreams Manila would offer 365 gaming tables, 1,680 slot machines and 1,680 electronic table games. Previously, the casino planned to offer only 242 gaming tables and 1,450 electronic gaming machines.

It would be the second casino complex to open Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s 120-hectare Entertainment City, which is groomed to become the Philippines’ version of the Las Vegas strip. In March, port mogul Enrique Razon opened the $1.2-billion Solaire Casino & Resort.

The integrated casino project is the Melco Crown’s first gaming foray outside Macau where it operates the City of Dreams and Altira Macau casinos.

City of Dreams Macau is famous for its world-class gaming and entertainment offerings including the The House of Dancing Water Show and party place Club Cubic.