Japanese hospitality "omotenashi" combined with Filipino warmth is said to be the advantage of Hotel Okura Manila, the first luxury Japanese-inspired hotel, strategically situated in front of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport — ready to accommodate the tired bodies of domestic and local tourists.

During an interview, Aaron Dominic Paguia, assistant manager for Marketing and Communications of Hotel Okura Manila, revealed that in the last quarter of 2019, the property has already soft-opened with 40 rooms available for guests.

"But since the Covid-19 pandemic happened in 2020, we decided to stop the operation," he said.

Paguia disclosed that Hotel Okura Manila is the first of its kind in the Philippines and part of the renowned Okura Nikko Hotel Management, a subsidiary of Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., that operates three hotel chains worldwide, namely the Okura Hotels & Resorts, Nikko Hotels International and Hotel JAL City, as well as Travelers International Hotel Group, Inc., owner and operator of Newport World Resorts.

"We are looking at expanding," he said, adding that as the hotel operation is now in full swing, there are 170 rooms ready to serve guests, while around 20 rooms, including the Presidential Suite, are currently under minor construction.

"All the amenities and the facilities are open already, but the last rooms will be made available for guests towards the end of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025," he added.