HOTEL DE ORIENTE: The First Luxury Hotel in Manila (Now an Attraction in Bataan)

hotel de oriente bataan hotel de oriente manila hotel de oriente location hotel de oriente history hotel de oriente architect manila prince hotel history

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is bringing back this hotel alive in public.

Resort guests may tour the new facility, which was based on the old Hotel de Oriente built in 1889 along Plaza Calderon de la Barca in Binondo, Manila. It was considered as the first premiere hotel in the country featuring the finest architecture of the Spanish era. The hotel was destroyed during World War II.

Hotel de Oriente in 1890

HISTORY OF HOTEL DE ORIENTE

The Hotel de Oriente was built in 1889 by Don Manuel Perez Marqueti, the father of Luis Perez Samanillo, owner of the Perez Samanillo building in Escolta. It was a first class hotel and indeed, at one time was the only one in the entire archipelago. Don Perez Marqueti selected the site in Binondo at the Plaza Calderon de la Barca (now Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz) next to the La Insular Cigarette and Cigar Factory.

Its location was quite convenient, just a few blocks off the docks of the Pasig, next to the Chinese retail businesses and close to the busy Escolta shopping district, as well as the old walled city of Intramuros.

Hotel Oriente and La Insular buildings in 1899

The Spanish architect Juan Jose Huervas y Arizmendi, who also designed the La Insular building, was commissioned to design the hotel at a cost of $100,000. It had three floors with 83 rooms, stables for 25 horses, an attic, and a broad entrance floored and roofed in red clay tiles. It was an elegant building with seven bays along its front.

On the ground floor was a narrow arcade with Moorish arches, with the arch on the central bay rising to the top of the second floor. The windows and ventanillas on the lower floor were protected by iron grilles. There were windows also on the entresuelo (mezzanine). The windows on the upper floor had sliding glass shutters and ventanillas with iron grilles.

HOTEL DE ORIENTE TODAY

Today, guests may visit Hotel de Oriente Convention Centre for an additional P200 maintenance fee inclusive of tour, entry to a newly opened exhibit, and a specially handcrafted souvenir. Capping the tour is the screening of old documentaries featuring Manila’s past splendor.

The new convention hall is a three-storey building situated in between the resort’s river and the beach. While its façade was designed based on old Hotel de Oriente photos, its interiors are new, and uniquely fashioned to feature outstanding Filipino craftsmanship, floor to ceiling wood mosaics made of marquetry and parquetry, and hundreds of wooden sculptures.

The convention hall’s centerpiece is a marquetry work based on the Spoliarium, Juan Luna’s gigantic painting which can be viewed at the National Museum in Manila. The ceiling features a wood mosaic series of the murals of National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco.

The iconic staircase of Hotel de Oriente in Bataan

The convention center has two halls — Manila and Binondo — which can handle 1,000 persons each. The ceiling of the Binondo Hall at the ground floor features plaster of Paris cast works. The Manila Hall serves as the main venue, with a built-in stage and state-of-the-art sound system.

Located at the second level, it features a hardwood parquet floor, a decorated ceiling, still life paintings, and carved decor along the columns and walls.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a 400-hectare resort filled with heritage houses, located in the town of Bagac in Bataan. It is a three-hour drive from Manila via NLEx and SCTEx. [ HOW TO GET THERE ]

RENT A CAR?

WHY BOOK WITH 12GO?

12go.asia is one of the leading transport online booking service in Asia providing an e-ticketing platform to passengers, travel agencies, airlines and transport companies. They work with over 500 transport operators in Asia. The idea behind their work is to make a transparent and easy e-ticketing for mid- and long-haul voyages as well as to cover all possible routing options e.g. ferry, buses, trains, flights, private transfers and minivans.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Address: Barangay Ibaba, Bagac, Bataan
Email: reserve@lascasasfilipinas.com
Contact no.: 09178729361 / 09258055232 / (02) 8833-3333 loc 116-117
Website: www.lascasasfilipinas.com
Facebook: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar
Instagram: @lascasasfilipinasdeacuzar

HOW TO BOOK A DAY TOUR IN LAS CASAS

Tour Prices

Php 1,500 General admission plus tour weekdays
Php 2,500 General admission plus tour weekends

However, you can book a discounted day tour for only P1,200 via Klook.

Day tour is free when you book a stay at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.

ALSO READ

IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please message us on Facebook.

WHERE TO STAY IN BATAAN:

Bataan Hotels & Resorts | Bataan Condos for Rent

IMFWJ IS NOW ON YOUTUBE!

Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

hotel de oriente bataan hotel de oriente manila hotel de oriente location hotel de oriente history hotel de oriente architect manila prince hotel history hotel de oriente manila hotel de oriente location hotel de oriente now hotel de oriente bataan hotel de oriente manila now hotel de oriente architect hotel de oriente history hotel de oriente wikipedia