Montebello Villa Hotel: Cebu’s not-so-secret garden
June 1, 2003 | 12:00am
Newcomers and tourists not so familiar with Cebu would find Montebello Villa Hotel a pleasant surprise. It stands as an oasis in the booming metropolis, nestled at the foothills of Banilad, which, of late, has also begun to taste the fringes of urban development. It is a pleasant spring of comfort amid the summer heat, and of quiet amid the increasingly rushed lifestyle that Cebu, the fast-growing city that it is, is starting to have.
The sprawling garden hotel – whose name is a combination of two Spanish words: monte for mountain or hill and bello for lovely or beautiful – is actually more of a Spanish villa than your ordinary resort hotel. Step inside and feel the transformation – from harried to idyllic, from bustling to relaxed.
According to Montebello assistant general manager Gerard Guilatco, the hotel first opened on Valentine’s Day of 1972 as a swimming pool club, boasting only a pool and a patio with tables for club members’ picnics. Guilatco, who, as a kid, saw the resort grew, fondly recalls, "The family dreamt of putting up a resort in the outskirts of Cebu. At the time, Banilad was only ricefields and cornfields. This was considered really the boondocks." It was the members themselves who soon suggested to the family to build some rooms. "On weekends, they wanted to stay away, or at least relax overnight," Guilatco recounts, "So the corporation put up three rooms."
The rooms, incidentally, still stand on their original location, solid witnesses to a gradual expansion. "Then came a two-room honeymoon cottage, a lagoon with fish and four or five rowboats," Guilatco says. The lagoon soon became a favorite spot for family fishing. "It used to have carp and tilapia but soon the tilapia overpowered the carp," he shares. "Some members bring in fish and let them loose. One time, we even found some turtles."
The gradual expansion over the years saw Montebello metamorphosing from a swimming pool club into a resort: 13 more rooms were added, then a restaurant, which had people booking it for functions. The property itself was expanded, even making room for horseback-riding. "We used to have rodeo and barbecue," recalls Guilatco.
In the 70s, the hotel was even surrounded by a vineyard, adding to the Mediterranean feel. Unfortunately, the vineyard closed – but the hotel still managed to maintain its Spanish-inspired style, thanks to careful and tasteful development.
Eventually, as the number of guests who patronized the place grew, Montebello Villa Hotel blossomed into what it is today, with the steady addition of more rooms and facilities. It now has 145 airconditioned guestrooms, sprawling gardens (which attract different bird species), restaurants, a bar, a coffeeshop, conference and banquet facilities, a business center and a beauty parlor. Its recreation center, which used to house tennis and pelota courts, is under renovation.
The hotel has become a favorite destination for those looking for a more relaxed getaway, and for local families who just want to unwind. It is also a preferred venue for weddings and wedding receptions. In fact, in the poolside garden, there is a bridge that they have eventually dubbed the Bridge of Love because it is an oft-requested backdrop for weddings. The bridge is framed by blooms – a perfect touch for romantic occasions.
"Its main selling point is that it is quiet and serene," explains Guilatco. "We get comments from guests that they really came here because of the garden atmosphere."
Indeed, Cebu is known for its beaches, but Montebello Villa Hotel continues to blossom in its niche. To this, Guilatco can only smile. "We want to keep it that way," he says.
For more information or reservations, contact Montebello Villa Hotel Banilad, Cebu City office, at (032) 2313681 to 89, or the Manila office at 890-3192 or 890-3194. Or visit its website at www.montebellovillahotel.com.
The sprawling garden hotel – whose name is a combination of two Spanish words: monte for mountain or hill and bello for lovely or beautiful – is actually more of a Spanish villa than your ordinary resort hotel. Step inside and feel the transformation – from harried to idyllic, from bustling to relaxed.
According to Montebello assistant general manager Gerard Guilatco, the hotel first opened on Valentine’s Day of 1972 as a swimming pool club, boasting only a pool and a patio with tables for club members’ picnics. Guilatco, who, as a kid, saw the resort grew, fondly recalls, "The family dreamt of putting up a resort in the outskirts of Cebu. At the time, Banilad was only ricefields and cornfields. This was considered really the boondocks." It was the members themselves who soon suggested to the family to build some rooms. "On weekends, they wanted to stay away, or at least relax overnight," Guilatco recounts, "So the corporation put up three rooms."
The rooms, incidentally, still stand on their original location, solid witnesses to a gradual expansion. "Then came a two-room honeymoon cottage, a lagoon with fish and four or five rowboats," Guilatco says. The lagoon soon became a favorite spot for family fishing. "It used to have carp and tilapia but soon the tilapia overpowered the carp," he shares. "Some members bring in fish and let them loose. One time, we even found some turtles."
The gradual expansion over the years saw Montebello metamorphosing from a swimming pool club into a resort: 13 more rooms were added, then a restaurant, which had people booking it for functions. The property itself was expanded, even making room for horseback-riding. "We used to have rodeo and barbecue," recalls Guilatco.
In the 70s, the hotel was even surrounded by a vineyard, adding to the Mediterranean feel. Unfortunately, the vineyard closed – but the hotel still managed to maintain its Spanish-inspired style, thanks to careful and tasteful development.
Eventually, as the number of guests who patronized the place grew, Montebello Villa Hotel blossomed into what it is today, with the steady addition of more rooms and facilities. It now has 145 airconditioned guestrooms, sprawling gardens (which attract different bird species), restaurants, a bar, a coffeeshop, conference and banquet facilities, a business center and a beauty parlor. Its recreation center, which used to house tennis and pelota courts, is under renovation.
The hotel has become a favorite destination for those looking for a more relaxed getaway, and for local families who just want to unwind. It is also a preferred venue for weddings and wedding receptions. In fact, in the poolside garden, there is a bridge that they have eventually dubbed the Bridge of Love because it is an oft-requested backdrop for weddings. The bridge is framed by blooms – a perfect touch for romantic occasions.
"Its main selling point is that it is quiet and serene," explains Guilatco. "We get comments from guests that they really came here because of the garden atmosphere."
Indeed, Cebu is known for its beaches, but Montebello Villa Hotel continues to blossom in its niche. To this, Guilatco can only smile. "We want to keep it that way," he says.
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