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thehungrykat1 · 9 years

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Marriott Grand Ballroom Opens in Resorts World Manila

Today marks the grand opening of the biggest and most prestigious Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) facility in the Philippines, the Marriott Grand Ballroom located in Resorts World Manila, the country’s pioneer integrated resort and casino complex. I have stayed at Marriott Hotel Manila several times before and I consider it one of my top hotel staycations, but the opening of this grand ballroom truly elevates Marriott Manila into a whole different class and will propel it to becoming the top destination hotel in the country.

The Marriott Grand Ballroom is unlike any other hotel ballroom or events place I have ever seen. It is not just located within an existing hotel, but it is actually a separate four-storey building that houses 28 different all-purpose halls and function rooms for various types of events and meetings, three fully functional restaurants, 1,500 parking spaces across six basement levels, its own loading bay and crew lounge, and most importantly the main ballroom which can accommodate up to 4,000 guests for those product launches, international exhibits, concerts, or even that dream wedding celebration. It’s like a hotel by itself! The Hungry Kat and members of the press were given a sneak peek and tour of the facilities last week and we were all truly astounded and amazed.

Once you enter the Marriott Grand Ballroom, you will immediately see that how elegant and luxurious this place truly is. The Marriott brand has always been associated with five-star luxury and amenities, no it is no surprise that they carry this same concept with the Marriott Grand Ballroom.

High ceilings and wide comfortable spaces can be found in the ground floor lobby area. This is so much different from attending events in other hotel ballrooms where you will have to go through the busy main hotel lobby and sometimes chaotic hotel guests to get to your destination.

Speaking at the Diplomatic Hall, one of the function rooms inside the Marriott Grand Ballroom where the press conference was held, Marriott Hotel Manila General Manager Bruce Winton says that he is confident Marriott Manila will secure its position as the premiere meeting destination in the country with the opening of the Grand Ballroom. This new architectural marvel offers a total of 8,000 square meters of function space in addition to the existing function areas in the hotel, giving a total of 10,000 square meters all in all, by far the largest in the Philippine hotel industry.

We were given a sample of how an event at the Marriott Grand Ballroom would be like with a delightful 4-course lunch set served to us at the Diplomatic Hall.

We had Norwegian Salmon Tartar Lemon Mustard for our appetizer and Velvet Potato Cream for our soup which had beef brisket, potato hash, and a poached egg yolk. I really liked this soup which is so creamy especially after breaking the egg yolk and mixing it with the potato hash and broth. Our main course was the Sous Vide Australian Veal Tenderloin with green pea puree and truffle veal jus. The veal was just so tender and I heartily finished this off. For dessert, we were served the Coconut Semifreddo Popsicle Mango Lychee Compote with coconut malto and mango rum lime gel. No, it’s not a real ice cream but just dressed up to look like one. With unique courses like these, any event at the Marriott Grand Ballroom will be made more memorable.

Executives from Marriott Hotel and Resorts World Manila were also on hand to welcome the guests and formally present the new ballroom. Aside from the Grand Ballroom, Marriott Hotel Manila is set to open the West Wing in early 2017 adding an additional 228 spacious guest rooms to their 342 existing rooms and suites. The ballroom will enable the Philippines to attract foreign exhibitors who are looking for a place that can accommodate events of this magnitude which was previously only reserved for other Asian countries like Hong Kong, China, or Thailand.

Now, we were all set for our tour of the Marriott Grand Ballroom! The main ballroom is located on the second floor accompanied by this long hallway which can also function as an extension or an exhibit hall for booths and other activities. The overall concept of the Ballroom’s design is inspired by the “Bayanihan” spirit with its modern and sleek design accentuated with a touch of Filipino heritage. This is evident with the lighted bamboo piece at the lobby, complemented with customized pieces by renowned Filipino furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue.

Before we entered the main ballroom, we were shown around by Ms. Anja Silling, a Hong Kong-based Art Consultant and International Interior Decorator commissioned by Marriott Manila to create a luxurious ambience through modern art pieces. The Marriott Grand Ballroom houses over a hundred pieces of modern art featuring local and international artists like Filipina sculptor Impy Pilapil, Filipino contemporary artist Roberto Robles, and Philippine-based Australian artist Tony Twigg.

We finally entered the main ballroom and this is how it looks like! This is actually just one fourth of the main ballroom which can be divided into four sections depending on the size of the function.

We then saw one side of the venue moving upwards! The ballroom uses state of the art SkyFold Technology - vertical folding partitions that come from the ceiling with the push of a button. This enables guests to design and organize their events to cater to their needs. Each segment of the ballroom also features utility boxes for data, internet, water and drainage, as well as catwalks and high steel platform structures for flexibility and easier decorations.

Now this is how big the main ballroom really is! It boasts of 3,000 square meters of pillarless space which can accommodate up to 4,000 guests for cocktails and 2,500 guests for banquet set-ups. Other ballrooms in the country have pillars or posts in the middle of the ballroom, but not the Marriott Grand Ballroom. It can actually fit two and a half airplanes inside, although I don’t know why you would want to put an airplane inside this massive structure.

The ballroom also has 176 programmable Pillow Ceiling Lights that can change to 360 colors and can even adjust the ceiling height from 12 meters to 10 meters for more intimate gatherings, another first in the Philippines.

Just imagine having your wedding at the Marriott Grand Ballroom! This is set to be the most prestigious address for any social event in the coming years with its opulent space, glamorous photo venue, state of the art technology, elegant bridal suites with private gardens, versatile ceremonial halls, and impeccable service. I wouldn’t mind having my own dream wedding here in the future! (wink)

Another unique feature is the VIP Sky Box, an area above the main ballroom where select VIP guests or other important celebrities or dignitaries can stay during the function. It even has its own lounge and LCD TV.

The place is so massive that there are special service elevators connected to the main ballroom where you can even bring in cars or other big stands or displays like for those car and trade exhibits.

We were also given a special behind the scenes tour of the kitchens behind the main ballroom where Executive Chef Meik Brammer and his crew work their magic.

If you thought that the main ballroom is all there is at the Marriott Grand Ballroom, then you are very wrong. There are 28 versatile meeting spaces and function rooms within the building and you can design these blank canvases for small or large meetings and events. The function room with the octagonal table facing the chapel is a popular meeting venue, while classroom type or cocktails setups can also be arranged.

You can even have your children’s parties right here like this Twitter-themed birthday celebration.

It is easy to plan and prepare for your special event with the help of the team from the Event Studios on the ground floor.

Here, you can start conceptualizing your event or function and Marriott Hotel Manila’s dedicated planners and event organizers will make sure your dream event comes to fruition. Their price packages are very competitive and flexible to suit your needs and budget.

They can also customize your wedding or birthday cakes from design to completion. I even saw this gigantic Marriott Hotel chocolate cake that was being molded and prepared for 3 days already. That is a lot of chocolate.

Marriott Grand Ballroom is also the only ballroom that has its own set of restaurants! There are 3 dining hot spots located on the ground floor open all day to serve guests. Allegro is an innovative deli that serves up a fresh approach on quick and delicious recipes on the go.

You can just choose what you want from the very convenient counters offering bottled beverages, chilled sandwiches, and ready to go desserts in a jar. They also have smoothies, coffee, gourmet salads and savory chef crafted sandwiches like the Maple Smoked Beef Striploin which definitely gets my approval.

Located just next door is Mian which is a modern Asian noodle bar offering refined and unique noodle dishes fired in an open kitchen.

Whether you are looking for traditional Asian fare or a twist of something new, Mian’s menu offers a variety of tempting selections like dumplings, rice bowls, and desserts. I tried their Chicken Guinataan rice bowl and it was definitely different from the usual boring rice bowls.

Lastly, Crema is an upscale gourmet coffee shop that offers a sophisticated ambiance perfect for short meetings or just a quick break.

You can grab a cup of Crema’s premium coffee creations or Felchin’s hot chocolate and pair it with their wide selection of cakes and pastries.

Try their Cinnamon Roll or their Walnut Granola Yogurt Muffin which are perfect for a quick snack. They also offer smoothies, juices, and homemade yogurt.

But that’s not all. If you don’t know where your driver, yaya, or other employees and crew will stay during the function or event, Marriott Grand Ballroom has a Lounge downstairs which also serves delicious but budget-friendly meals. You don’t have to bring their baon or send them outside to McDonald’s to buy their meals. Imagine this hotel-quality rice meal for only P80, or P150 for a complete set with soup and drinks. This is meal that anyone would gladly have. Just don’t call it a Yaya Meal, okay?

With all these amazing features and amenities, the Marriott Grand Ballroom is definitely going to shake up and rule over the entire hotel and MICE industry. As of today, they already have some advanced bookings up to 2016! Thank you to Marriott Hotel Marketing Communications Director Michelle Garcia and Assistant Marketing Communications Manager Aimee Lagman for inviting us to this awesome tour. I’m really excited to attend other events that are lined up at the country’s biggest and most luxurious grand ballroom.

MARRIOTT GRAND BALLROOM

No.10 Newport Boulevard, Resorts World Manila, Newport City Complex, Pasay City

Contact No: 988-9999

www.manilamarriott.com

www.facebook.com/Marriotthotelmanila

#MarriotManila #Marriott #MarriottGrandBallroom #Ballroom #NewportCity #ResortsWorldManila #TheGrandLaunch #Hotel #Philippines

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