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InterContinental Manila to cease operations at the end of 2015
InterContinental Manila will bid farewell to its guests on December 31 after 46 years of service.
In a statement, Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) said that the hotel management contract between AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Corporation (AHRC)'s subsidiary and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) will expire by yearend.
"We thank InterContinental Hotels Group for the long and fruitful partnership which spans 46 years. It was one of the first developments that helped to establish Makati as a premier central business district, and this legacy will be upheld by the continuous enhancement of Makati," said Manny Blas, Ayala Land vice president and head of operations for Makati.
Leanne Harwood, IHG vice president for operations in Southeast Asia, said that the hotels group still manages Holiday Inn & Suites Makati, which is another AHRC property.
"We remain focused on our growth in the Philippines and look forward to further opportunities with the group," she said.
AHRC chief operating officer Michael Alexis Legaspi said that all InterContinental Manila regular employees were first informed of the closure.
"We express our deep appreciation to our hotel colleagues and assure them that we are looking after their welfare, and we will assist them in making the transition as smooth as possible," he added.
A day in 1 Ayala. #InterContinentalManila #IHG #InterContinental #Makati #Manila
A photo posted by InterContinental Manila (@intercontinentalmanila) on
The shutdown of InterContinental Manila is part of ALI's plan for a new commercial, mixed-use development that will transform the entrance of Ayala Center Makati into a modern gateway. It will have a first-of-its-kind intermodal transport facility designed for the commuting public.
"This is the next phase of our Makati revitalization plan which also consists of the redevelopment of McKinley Exchange, Ayala Triangle, City Gate and Circuit Makati," Blas said.
Some P65 billion had been earmarked for the redevelopment plan.
First five-star hotel
Designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, the InterContinental Manila hotel opened in 1969. It was Makati City's first five-star hotel.
A photo posted by InterContinental Manila (@intercontinentalmanila) on
Another Locsin-designed hotel in Makati, the Mandarin Oriental, also also its doors last year to give way to ALI's redevelopment project.
The Heritage Conservation Society at the time voiced its concerns over the fate of the hotels, which the group described as two of Locsin's "finest works."
The ALI responded that it has been conferring with appropriate government agencies and heritage groups for the said hotels. — Trisha Macas/DVM, GMA News
