For people looking for great staycation deals, Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle has reopened after an extensive renovation.
Formerly called the CSB Hotel, it is the first and only hotel-school in the country, a brainchild of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) faculty and architects Manny Samson and Rogelio Villarosa.
The recent refurbishing was a necessary, crucial step, said DLS-CSB president and chancellor Bro. Dennis Magbanua, FSC, because the school “needed to walk the talk.”
Located on Arellano Ave. cor. Estrada St., Malate, Manila, the hotel opened in 1996 exclusively for DLS-CSB’s then newly created course, School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (SHRIM).
In 1999, the teaching facility became known as Hotel Benilde; by that time it had served as a creative center for young minds who wanted to succeed as hoteliers or restaurateurs in the Philippines and abroad.
Benchmark
Its recent renovation and second renaming as Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle is the school’s way of renewing and reinvigorating it as the foremost example and benchmark for subsequent La Salle properties and projects.
Brother Magbanua envisions Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle as the country’s premier “Teaching Hotel” where DLS-CSB SHRIM students have a practical and hands-on appreciation of hotel operations.
It uses the “living laboratory” approach in teaching, giving students a more holistic, relevant and meaningful learning environment.
DLS-CSB says all SHRIM students leave the school fully trained and prepared to face the demanding world of hotel, restaurant and institutions management.
49 rooms
Aside from providing students a world-class teaching facility, the establishment has also opened its doors to the public. The four-star hotel boasts 49 rooms, all Wi-Fi connected and equipped with the latest amenities.
There’s a 40-inch LED flat-screen smart TV in all rooms, a mini bar, in-room safety deposit box, electronic make-up-room and do-not-disturb buttons, advanced proximity card door lock system, and music docks fully accessorized to connect with the latest phone ports.
The hotel interiors have warm, inviting colors. But of course, the designs bear subtle La Sallian hues. The carpets have patterns of chevrons, a direct nod to the clothing worn by Lasallian brothers. Chevrons are also subtly seen in the room signs and select spaces in the rooms.
2 restaurants
Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle has two dining places, Café Romancon and Vatel Restaurant.
Café Romancon, named after St. Benilde Romancon, has a casual, relaxed ambience. It services in-house and walk-in guests with an international menu.
Vatel Restaurant has a more elegant, fine dining setup. Located on the roof deck, it offers a panoramic view of the Manila and Makati skylines. A partnership with Institut Vatel, an internationally renowned hotel management school in France, the restaurant serves a three-course meal for an average of P300 to P400.
Très bien!
Call Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle at tel. 2305230. Log on to dls-csb.edu.ph/hotel.