1st AC Hotel in the Philippines opens in Ortigas

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SUPERIOR ROOM

AC MANILA GRAND BALLROOM

THE country’s first AC Hotel by Marriott opened on May 15 in Ortigas with a grand launch.

The hotel, located at the Glas Tower in the Ortigas Center, occupies almost 25,000 square meters spread out across eight floors (including the roof deck) out of the building’s 60 (the rest of the floors are offices).

The hotel currently has 160 keys, spread out over nine categories: Superior King (80 rooms), Superior Double (40), Deluxe King (eight), Larger Room (eight), Junior Suite (six), Deluxe Suite (six), Studio Apartment (three), and 1- and 2-Bedroom Apartments (six each).

While BusinessWorld did not stay over during the media preview, we were able to catch dinner at their all-day dining outlet, AC Kitchen. There we were served a massive chicken inasal (half a chicken) with all the trimmings, with a little extra zest from lemongrass. We were also able to try some of their signature cocktails at AC Lounge, and AC Bar upstairs (with its signature g&t).

AC Hotel is part of Marriott International’s Select Brands, a different category from their premium and luxury brands. “Marriott Select Brands are driven by innovation,” says the website. “Through the utilization of new and diverse construction types, like modular builds, market-targeted design options and prototypes and innovative F&B solutions, we are designing the future of hospitality.”

AC Hotel takes its name from its founder, Spanish architect Antonio Catalán. Marriott acquired the brand in 1999, and the name has since spread to over 175 destinations around the world, from Chengdu, China to Melbourne, Australia.

“The philosophy of AC is all about details, efficiency, and its design experience,” said Melvyn Angeles, general manager of AC Hotel by Marriott Manila. Mr. Angeles described the hotel as pet and family friendly, with amenities that include a lounge, a library, an indoor swimming pool, and a fitness center.

They also have meeting and event spaces, including a ballroom. Complementing the ballroom are executive meeting rooms, a dedicated bridal suite, a media salon, and expansive pre-function spaces.

“There’s still demand here (for) corporate and lesiure,” said Mr. Angeles in a group interview. “There’s a lot of demand from corporate, even events,” he said.

While the hotel was only formally launched in May, they have been on a soft opening status since December. While this is the first AC Hotel in the Philippines, Mr. Angeles pointed out that there is another in Cebu, which broke ground in 2025 and is yet to be finished. 

What we noticed from their first floor to its roof deck was the attentiveness of the staff. There’s a little bit of confusion in the layout (due perhaps to the building’s mixed-use nature): one has to navigate two or three banks of elevators to get from the first floor to the restaurant, then another for the roof deck, and another bank of elevators for the rooms (we took a peek at our colleagues’ rooms; clean and chic). Throughout this journey, staff guided guests (media and non-media alike) patiently, and always had time to notice personal details (we overheard a conversation between a guest and a staff member about raising toddlers; another guided an older couple, lost in the elevator jumble).

Mr. Angeles said, “Our culture is all about taking care of people. That’s the bedrock of Marriott as a company.”

There are 13 Marriott properties in the Philippines, including the Manila Marriott Hotel at Newport World Resorts, the Clark Marriott Hotel, Sheraton Manila Bay, The Westin Manila, Sheraton Manila Hotel at Newport World Resorts, and Fairfield by Marriott Cebu Mactan.

AC Hotel by Marriott is located at Glas Tower, corner Ruby and Opal Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, Pasig City. For inquiries, visit acbymarriottmanila.com or call 8372-8888. — Joseph L. Garcia