REDDOORZ App Starts Philippine Operations

Red is something that tied up all the nations in Asia (as mostly all flags have that color in one way or form), this is something they knew would be a good term that would tie up the properties they have in the app. They wanted to be far from the term hotel and make RedDoorz a byline if a person wants to rent off a room that is not pricey. They want it to also to cater to everyday people like you and me. Soon, they will also have backpackers properties in the mix and yes it’s available for download now on Google Play and the App Store. If you haven’t yet, get the RedDoorz app on your phone. 

CEO Mr Amit Saberwal says “We are a multinational company, we are delighted to be part of the Philippines. The most engaged market, a young population that is growing, which is our core market, together with Indonesia, Singapore and now the Philippines, we want to be part of that. As of now we have 31 employees, we use technology as our way of doing business dealing with 2-3 star properties who don’t have the resources as the bigger ones to make them connected with their audience, the milennial travellers. Our business identifies where we have demand and put there our supplies. We are big in artificial intelligence, we optimize the price, catering to business and leisure. We thrive in the domestic market and our brand play a big role in customers that go back to properties. The Philippines is the second fastest growing internet market and most people access data in wifi, soon it will all be mobile. Travel online market is big, we have 500 properties in 16 cities. We are excited to be in the Philippines.”

Their COO Rishabh Singhe adds “The Philippines is different and our team is local so we try and solve their travel issues locally too in an ecosystem that is easy, at affordable prices. They are staying in prime locations, but we do it with value for money properties in the same area. We have standards, we give them a checklist so if they do not qualify they have to upgrade. We have an app, a website, all channels, you also get earn points and use Red Cash to book the next time. You don’t need to use a credit card and get perks for members, we start engaging before your stay, while you stay and after your stay. If you are a 150 feet from the owner, they get alerted, you also get free wifi, water, and automatic when you arrive in the system. It is convenient. We would like to understand Metro Manila first then urban business centers elsewhere in other cities in the Philippines soon. The level we operate is value for money, RedDoorz, RedDoorz Plus and RedDoorz Premium. We have  24 hour local support, we keep it simple as possible.”

Former Congressman Tony Leviste of Batangas says “I want to congratulate RedDoorz and anything that help boost it is welcome. Budget hotels lack the technology and they are starting to sell it to the world, they will have that to answer as a partner of RedDoorz which is in Makati. My hotel has limited rooms, but have really huge malls around me, tourism and share holders like me will have really good properties. I’m a bit behind technology, but this is a good start.”

For what it’s worth, I like how they thought about catering to a well traveled and budget conscious market. In fact, they made everything simple, stress free and be of standard before they even get to have it in their app. That’s a good thing, when this explodes in Manila think of all the businesses it could help plus the convenience of staying if there’s monstrous traffic in Manila as they have done this in Jakarta. 

I’ll try this out soon, hope it’s going to be a nice experience.

KUMAGCOW

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A Special Afternoon at Discovery Country Suites Tagaytay

Had the pleasure of visiting Discovery Country Suites in Tagaytay City a couple of weeks ago with my Mom. As you may have seen on the Discovery Country Suites Facebook Page, I have dedicated a few words for her and I didn't even tell her it was posted there publicly. Discovery Country Suites also had a surprise in mind so when I asked my Mom to free her schedule a couple of days before that, I didn't tell her what it was all about. So when she went there and met the warm people of Discovery Country Suites, she didn't really know what she was in for. 

While they pulled her off and gave her a huge bouquet of flowers, a luxurious massage and a nice drink on the Discovery Country Suites lawn, they got us inside one of the function rooms in Discovery Country Suites Tagaytay and had us bake real deal chocolate chip cookies. 

They also got us to decorate these sweet treats so we could give it to our Moms later on with personalized dedications on them. I would have loved to show my finished product but we're too shy to do that on public blog posts LOL.

The Interiors

The place originally was a vacation house of the owners of the Discovery Leisure Company and they didn't quite use the space and spent time here only yearly. The smart thing would be to lease it out and they thought to have had a bed and breakfast even before other establishments of the same kind sprouted in Tagaytay. You can say that they were pioneers and with the renovations started immediately so they could accommodate people who would want to spend a weekend, a month, or several ones when they're in Tagaytay as this place just screams serenity, comfortable country living which you can travel a few hours from Manila. The interiors pretty much is an upscale woodsy shabby chic without the glitzy ceramic pots for tea and weathered furniture. I think it was really made to be a country home rather than a hotel-esque environment hence the look. The place gets packed during the weekends though so it's better if you book a few weeks so you could secure a room, or the whole house if you've got money to spend.

New Places to Stay: Makati Junction Hostel

The owners and the Clingers at Makati Junction Hostel (Photo credit to Rodel Flordeliz of NognogintheCity.com)

It's a new place that deserves to be mentioned. This is the new Makati Junction Hotel located at the Annex Matheus Building at General Luna St. corner Don Pedro, Makati City. I had fun when the Clingies and I visited the place a few days back. You see, I've always have high standards with hotels, and hostels were much like a different league for me so I don't really expect much if I'm staying in one when I'm out of the country. I guess in the Philippines, this might just change your mind when looking at hostels. Yes, I think I found a spot that I can say, be worthy of fun, worthy of the trip to be there.

The interiors and design was done by Edwin Uy, a well renowned Architect in Manila. When this project was given to him, he had hesitations because the place was pretty much like a dump when he found it. The building was new, but the floors and everything else looked dated. There were things here and there that he knew would be a pretty tough job to work on. He mentions "If you really saw what this place looked like when we started, you wouldn't think it would turn out this way. It was hard because we also had a similar adjacent building, we painted the walls, the windows, the rooms, the hallways, the tiles were "baduy", even the air conditioning, we had to make everything else from scratch to make it all look different."

"The kitchen is made of a trailer, and needed a ten wheeler truck, plus a crane to put it in (it was a nightmare waiting to happen). They decided to cut it up on a weekend and opened up the windows so they could get it all in, then rebuilt it by welding it back. We felt we needed something different to give back to Pinoys. It has to be Pinoy. It's a global Filipino, the millenas, that's how it started. We took a trip but only got drunk when we got there. When we found it, we offered it to him (Edwin Uy) and he said NO. It was a huge work and we were in a budget, City really pushed it and it was scary. We did go over budget a little but it is a challenge, and he liked that challenge. It's an economical way of making interiors. From there, it just came through. The lights on the ground floor, it wasn't easy either. It's 123 individual lights so just imagine the magnitude of it. The board is the map of the world and those who stay are encouraged to pin up something from their country to signify they're here." says Ms. Cyndy Jarabata who owns the hostel.

When we saw the ground floor, we felt Edwin Uy seems to be very experimental. It was like taking the things from outside the street in.

His play in textures, colors and graphics is unbelievable. I think he's been given a lot of freedom when it comes to the aesthetics, I like it a lot. The common room would be so nice to hang out in. The decor would also be a nice conversation piece. Aside from that, the kitchen, the tables, the chairs, the windows, everything else contributes to a whimsical play on Makati, to show what it's like to live there.

I don't know any other hostel in the area that encourages hooking up, but I know it's conducive for talk and communing. The rooms are also set up to accommodate male, female, or coed bed spaces and could fit up to 100 people in one go. This is one of the firsts among a number of hostels and hotels that they want to put up. They showed us the rooms later on with the help of their very warm staff.

As for me and my friends the "Clingies", we'll definitely be back there and try out the stay. There's more things to discover and more reasons why to stay in this new place in Makati. There are hundreds of people to meet and who knows, it could happen right here in Makati  Junction Hostel. It's a stones throw away from Makati Avenue and about a few meters away from the fun district. You just have to try and stay in a place that's unique, ultra modern and fun because that's where you'll meet the most interesting people. You can call them at +632-5016575 or visit them at Annex Mattheus Building at General Luna Street Corner Don Pedro in Makati City. 

Fun hehe!

For more information about their hostel:

Makati Junction Hostel

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Visit their official website

http://www.junctionhostels.com/