Dusit Thani Manila has become increasingly popular as a business events destination. It has one of the largest ballrooms in Makati and a top location beside SM Mall, but it is the F&B offerings that are attracting an increasing number of corporate groups.
Japanese restaurant Umu has taken over the former Vietnamese restaurant and now seats 70 people for private events. The main dining area opens onto a terrace overlooking the central courtyard and pond, making it a popular choice for evening cocktails and group photos. Incentive groups enjoy the Sunday Crossover brunch, where all four hotel restaurants open their doors with buffet and a la carte items as part of one package.
The large pool terrace has hosted a number of events, most recently the 50th anniversary celebrations for Thai Airways. The terrace features a large pavilion with audiovisual equipment, an ideal venue for presentations and speeches. Dinner menu packages start at US$4,100 for 150 people or US$4,700 for buffets. Package includes floral centrepieces, an ice carving, use of LCD projector and screen, and a mobile disco. There is a 25 per cent surcharge for outside catering.
VENUE BOOKINGPeninsula Manila will open Salon de Ning in December. The venue will feature four main rooms displaying travel souvenirs across themes like Zeppelin, Shanghai and shoes. Groups can book the entire venue for functions of up to 150 people standing or 100 seated. Larger groups can also be accommodated. Recently Peninsula catered for 2,000 people at the nearby NBC Tent at Fort Bonafacio.
Former luxury gaming venue, Hyatt Manila has repositioned itself as one of the city’s best business hotels. A new women-only floor opened in August with foot baths, feminine amenities and an all-female staff. The hotel also offers more comprehensive programmes for banquets and gala dinners.
Themed menus start at US$24 per person for groups with a minimum of 40 people. Choose between German, Chinese (US$24), Filipino, Indian (US$25), Italian (US$44) and Japanese (US$68) cuisine. Themed buffet dinners are US$35 per person and include a live cooking station. The Filipiniana theme includes a live palitaw dessert station with freshly grated coconut, mango coulis, banana, caramel sauce and berry compote. The Casino Royale theme includes the best of several cuisines with assorted Japanese maki, Hainanese chicken, roasted peppered and herb-crusted beef strip loin as well as a live crepes flambé station.
Full-day meeting packages start at US$41 per person including a three-course plated lunch or upgrade to a buffet (US$46), Chinese lauriat (US$51) or restaurant lunch at Market Café (US$55).
OUTSIDE CATERING
For events with outside catering, Mandarin Oriental has an experienced team that has worked with most of the top venues in Manila. The hotel offers packages for several venues including The Blue Leaf, a cluster of pavilions near Fort Bonafacio that can host 750 people. Also recommended is Fernwood Gardens (fernwoodgarden.com), which has the additional bonus of sky domes in the event of bad weather.
Mandarin Oriental’s packages start at US$5,680 for 100 people or US$7,200 for 150, valid until December 2011. Packages include a number of extras such as corkage waiver for 15 bottles and a live string trio or mobile disco. Both the western menu and international buffet (from US$6,055 for 100 people) have five menus to choose from. Add cooking stations for sushi and sashimi (US$5 per person), Caesar salad (US$3), tempura (US$16), pasta (US$4), oyster selection (US$1 per piece) or a whole tuna with Japanese pickles, marinated ginger and wasabi (US$30 per kilo). Carving stations start at US$4 per person.