Belmont Hotel Iloilo: An accommodation beyond the destination

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By Jennifer P. Rendon

Property giant Megaworld is redefining hospitality by offering more than just a place to stay.

Through its hospitality arm, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, the company is opening Belmont Hotel Iloilo, its third hotel development within the 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park in Iloilo City.

More than just another hotel, Belmont Hotel Iloilo offers an array of first-in-Iloilo amenities, further expanding Megaworld’s hospitality portfolio in Iloilo to nearly 900 room keys.

Located along Festive Walk Parade, beside Saint Dominique and a short walk from the Iloilo Convention Center and Festive Walk Iloilo, the 12-story Belmont Hotel Iloilo features 405 rooms in several layouts, including the one-bedroom suite at 48 square meters, premiere room at 30 square meters, twin room at 24 square meters, and queen room at 24 square meters.

The hotel also offers specially abled rooms at 30 square meters for guests with mobility needs, as well as themed kids rooms at 48 square meters connected to another room—a first-in-Iloilo concept that offers a more playful and immersive experience for families traveling with children.

A refreshing stay in Iloilo Business Park

Each suite at Belmont Hotel Iloilo offers a cultural experience through curated works by local artists that highlight iconic Iloilo landmarks and evoke the nostalgic charm of the 1950s, reinforcing Iloilo Business Park’s identity as Iloilo City’s center of arts and culture.

“We are excited to offer a truly refreshing experience for everyone at Belmont Hotel Iloilo, and this chapter marks an important milestone in our commitment to help boost tourism in the Visayas. Iloilo continues to be a premier destination for local and international travelers with Iloilo Business Park leading the way. We are proud to continue expanding our hospitality footprint in this township with a new and premier development for guests who want to experience the best of Iloilo’s thriving tourism and business scene,” said Cleofe Albiso, managing director of Megaworld Hotels & Resorts.

For Joy Alonte, general manager of Belmont Hotel Iloilo, the property is beyond the destination.

“We want to promote not just ourselves but also Iloilo,” she said.

Belmont aims to help locals and tourists deepen their discovery of Iloilo through its food, people, architecture, and arts.

“Everything you hear, everything you taste, everything you feel, everything you see, everything you smell, it’s all intentional and it’s all mindful,” Alonte said.

Once fully operational, Belmont Hotel Iloilo will bring Megaworld’s total hospitality portfolio in Iloilo Business Park to 880 room keys, representing nearly 25% of the city’s hotel room inventory.

Aside from Belmont Hotel Iloilo, Megaworld also operates Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, with 149 rooms, and Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo, with 326 rooms, within Iloilo Business Park.

A standout addition to Iloilo Business Park

The design and architecture of Belmont Hotel Iloilo introduce a distinct aesthetic to Iloilo Business Park, drawing inspiration from the iconic spirit of Miami’s Art Deco district.

Inside, guests are welcomed by a spacious, light-filled lobby with a colorful and festive theme that blends Iloilo’s rich culture with midcentury-modern design through a mix of modern finishes and vintage and retro elements.

Aside from the themed kids rooms, another first-in-Iloilo feature at Belmont Hotel Iloilo is a mini-art gallery on the second-floor amenity area, designed to host a rotating showcase of works by local artists and personalities.

Surrounding the gallery is a high-ceiling grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 310 people in a theater setup or about 300 in a banquet setup.

The ballroom can also be divided into four smaller function halls for more intimate events and celebrations.

The hotel also has meeting rooms with breakout areas that can accommodate a range of business functions.

At the third-floor amenity area, guests can enjoy a swimming pool and kiddie pool, along with a pool lounge and separate male and female changing rooms, each with an integrated sauna.

Wellness-focused guests can also use the hotel’s fitness center and private spa rooms for both exercise and restorative relaxation.

Guests can choose from three food and beverage outlets, led by Belmont Café.

The all-day dining restaurant has a private dining space and specializes in modern Ilonggo diner fare in global formats, with seating for up to 120 guests.

The hotel also features Zabana Bar at the lobby lounge, Megaworld’s signature hotel bar concept, as well as Float Bar and Grill at the third-floor pool lounge.

Within Iloilo Business Park, Belmont Hotel Iloilo is surrounded by attractions that include three museums at Festive Walk Iloilo: the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art, the first museum in the Visayas and Mindanao dedicated to contemporary art; the Brandy Museum; and Science XPdition.

The township also includes themed residential condominium developments, modern office towers—including LEED Gold-certified Enterprise One and Enterprise Two—as well as retail, dining, and entertainment hubs such as Festive Walk Mall and Festive Walk Parade.

It is also home to Iloilo City’s first Wolfgang’s Steakhouse.

Megaworld Hotels & Resorts currently has 16 operational properties with about 7,500 rooms in key tourism destinations including Metro Manila, Tagaytay, Cebu, and Boracay.

These include Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, Belmont Hotel Manila, Belmont Hotel Boracay, Belmont Hotel Iloilo, Savoy Hotel Manila, Savoy Hotel Mactan, Savoy Hotel Boracay, Hotel Lucky Chinatown, Twin Lakes Hotel, Kingsford Hotel Manila, Grand Westside Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo, and Mercure Mactan Cebu.

Megaworld plans to open six more hotels in key tourism destinations across the Philippines by 2030 to expand its portfolio to about 9,000 room keys, strengthening its position as one of the country’s biggest hotel developers and operators.