Le Monet gets it right

MANILA, Philippines - Our stay in Le Monet Hotel Baguio two years ago left us wanting more. After all, it was the kind of accommodation and hospitality that one would want to experience again and again. The service was consistent, and the facilities were excellent. It did make us wonder if the then-newly opened hotel would be able to sustain that level of service.

The good news is, we were able to return and rediscover that the positive first impression is still alive and well at Le Monet. First of all, one cannot beat the view and feel of Camp John Hay where the hotel is located. For visitors and residents who want to re-experience the kind of Baguio remembrance that lingers on – pine trees, nippy weather, misty mornings, foggy evenings, flowers in bloom – Camp John Hay is the place to be.

Le Monet provides guests with a veranda in every room, allowing them to take in the view of Camp John Hay and its relaxing natural environment. “Whether you stay in a deluxe room or a suite, you have a veranda all to yourself,” declares Le Monet general manager Dante Cruz.

Cruz adds that all rooms are filled with comfortable and comforting conveniences and amenities: LCD television, complimentary WiFi connectivity, mini bar, coffee- and tea-making facility, refrigerator, shower and bath features and a heated toilet.

“You come to Baguio to get cool and cozy, that is what you will get at Le Monet,” Cruz declares. “We sort of bring Baguio into the hotel and right into your room.”

Le Monet likewise brings Baguio to one’s plate. That is, to the buffet spread at in-house flagship restaurant Dinelli Gourmet Café.  The restaurant offers what the city, and indeed the province, is known for: crisp, fresh produce.

Sales and marketing manager Charmaine Joy Rama-De Guzman says: “In the two years of our existence, we have quickly made a name for ourselves when it comes to buffet offers, particularly among locals.”

Noticing our rather-surprised look at the last two words, she smiles. “People seem to forget that Baguio folks have good appetites. Everywhere you go in the city, you will find some place to eat. They have found that Le Monet actually serves a most satisfying spread. That is why we have a considerable number of loyal locals dining here. As what one frequent guest told us, one never leaves Dinelli Gourmet Café disappointed.”

Le Monet has come up with new and exciting Friday and Saturday dinner buffets. Friday is reserved for Asian cuisine while Saturday opens itself up to a more varied international spread.

“What we can promise our guests is the freshness of our ingredients,” chimes in public relations director Ana Mendoza. “We source our vegetables and meats from the best and most trusted suppliers. Nothing is recycled. We make everything from scratch to ensure the freshness of our offerings.”

De Guzman and Mendoza chorus that the hotel’s newly opened bakery is a must-try. The bakery offers a wide variety of breads, pastries and cakes, all freshly baked within the premises.

“Its use really is to supply the needs of the hotel for breakfast, buffet and desserts,” De Guzman says. “We want to ensure that the breads we serve are hot off the oven and new. The bread bowl for our clam chowder is made in Le Monet.”

Mendoza adds, “We have a creative kitchen team that comes up with these treats at the bakeshop. Even with the rest of our food offerings, we try to inject a bit of variety for our guests. We are actually flexible that if a group of people requires an exclusive buffet for themselves, then we go for it and make it happen. It is those things that make the difference in making guests happy.”

Cruz shares that big and exciting changes are happening in 2015. “Le Monet continues to answer the needs and requirements of its guests. For example, while we have existing function rooms for small-group meetings and events, we are going to build a large function hall for even bigger affairs. Plus, we are putting up 30 more rooms. We also answered the need for a little bit of heat in Baguio, so we opened our very own heated swimming pool!”

This dedication to guest satisfaction and excellent service earned Le Monet the number one “specialty lodging in Baguio” ranking in travel website TripAdvisor. All three hotel officials agree that it is all about the unparalleled service extended by the staff.

All these and everything else in Le Monet tell us that consistency in quality accommodations and services is what they are going for. From the looks of it, Le Monet is heading in the right direction and, dare we say it, getting it right.

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Le Monet Hotel is located at Ordonio Drive, Camp John Hay, Loakan Road, Baguio City. For more information, call the Manila sales office at (632) 376-5059, email sales.lemonet@ahmgi.com or visit www.lemonethotel.ph