The presidential suite of the Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao.

MANILA, Philippines - If there’s one thing that captures the overall aesthetic of a hotel--defining its concept of luxury, exclusivity and service in a more meticulous detail, it has to be its presidential suite. As the hotel’s crowning glory, this room of rooms pulls all the stops in creating an experience that is at once expensive and evocative: space is virtually a non-issue, furniture selection is top-notch, and the feel is that of a royal residence, albeit with the wrap-around views of the city and the landscape.

Royal Mandaya Hotel (www.theroyalmandayahotel.com) in Davao City has been providing comfortable accommodation to guests since the ‘90s but it is only until recently that it has unveiled its own interpretation of a presidential suite, together with a collection of executive lounges in the sixth floor of its second tower, collectively presenting the recent incarnation of the brand and refining the experience of clients who want to have a luxurious stay, without the attendant high cost.

Imagine: upon entering the presidential suite, you are immediately welcomed by a lounge area with a three-seater sofa and two high-back chairs, facing a 46” LCD TV.  The dining table, the “Fleur de Bronze”  by Cebu Filveneer, is a design statement and in close proximity to a mini-bar and a service counter. The bedroom area, on the other hand, features a king size bed, flanked with two night tables and vertical accent mirrors in gold capiz. Within sight from the bedroom separated only by glass is the bathroom which is outfitted with a rain shower, an eco-dual-flush toilet, and a granite counter top vanity.

Tasked to create this and the other exquisite room confections is Arch. James Jao, noted for his modernist sensibility and use of sustainable materials. The architect took a swerve from his clean, modern lines to a profusion of shapes and colors and textures--all somehow cohering together to evoke the opulent lifestyle. A wall accent for one is a medley of circular mirrors and shells; the dining area is composed of wood, glass and stainless steel; while the bedroom is all about cotton sheets, satiny drapery, and spot lighting.

What pulls these different elements together is the color scheme: “the turquoise blue of the deep ocean water and cnidarians’ natural coral.” Arch. Jao explains further: “The turquoise blue was used at the executive lounge to create a fresh but very sophisticated interiors complemented by the warm wood furniture and the oyster colored walls. The presidential suite was done in different palettes of oyster color for the walls, sofa, drapes and padded headboard.”

Inflected with the colors of the sea, the prestige rooms evidently feature materials from the watery depths, including four different kinds of inlaid shells in the wall accent and capiz. The furniture, on the other hand, came from different places. “The upholstered furniture in oyster and turquoise blue fabrics were made in Pampanga. The wood veneered tables and chairs were made from Cebu. The Tempurpedic mattress is from Manila,” says Arch. Jao.

Technology was also used in making the rooms savvy and luxurious. Some of its facets are the motor-operated roller shades from Hunter Douglas (which give instant covering between the bedroom and the bathroom separated only by a sheet of glass), the lighting fixtures from Megaman (whose every bulb consumes a mere five watts),  and the eco-engineered wood flooring from APO.

Part of the challenge of creating the presidential suite and executive lounges was conforming to the existing utility lines of the building. “We were able to maximize the space despite the limitations and were able to come out with an exciting space,” says Arch. Jao. Sourcing of finishing materials was the bigger challenge as most stocks had to be ordered and shipped from Manila and other different places.

Despite all these challenges, Arch. Jao proves that through innovative use of materials, a well thought-out balancing of furniture and space, and the symphonic orchestration of details, one can realize beautiful and highly functional room creations, such as in the case with Royal Mandaya--a city hotel with lofty aspirations.