Novotel and ibis Styles Manila Araneta City Heartists® capped off the year with remarkable success, celebrating a string of accomplishments that highlight their excellence in the hospitality and travel industries. The award-winning team of Araneta Hotels Inc. took center stage at the prestigious HSMA Virtus Awards, earning top accolades for their unwavering commitment to innovation and redefining the marketing landscape.
Novotel Manila further cemented its status as a trailblazer by winning the Travel Trade Media Excellence Award’s Midscale Hotel of the Year in the Philippines, thanks to its pioneering e-commerce initiative, My Novotel Manila Boutique. This innovative digital platform seamlessly integrates web-based commerce with hospitality services, setting a new benchmark for the industry.
Adding to their stellar year, the Heartists® achieved global recognition by emerging as champions at the recent Accor Choir Games, showcasing their unity, passion for music, and teamwork. These milestones mark a banner year for Novotel and ibis Styles Manila, solidifying their position as leaders in the hospitality industry and setting the stage for continued success.
Voices of Victory
Championing Excellence in the Accor Choir Games
Last October 30, Heartists® from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific (MEA and APAC) regions came together for the much-awaited second annual Choir Games finale. This celebration of extraordinary musical talent, dedication, and passion brought hotel and support office teams together in a harmonious display of unity.
The Choir Games have become a powerful platform for fostering heartfelt connections. Through the universal language of music, participants bridge divides, share stories, and honor the richness of human experiences, embodying the spirit of heartfelt care. This year’s theme, “Seasons of Love,” reflected an unwavering commitment to unity and compassion.
With over 95 choirs from 22 countries and more than 3,000 Heartists participating, the event was a true testament to music’s power to unite people across borders.
A Proud Victory for Araneta City
Novotel and ibis Styles Manila Araneta City emerged as grand champions of this year’s prestigious Accor Choir Games. Competing against over 1,000 hotel properties across the MEA and APAC regions, the team from Araneta Hotels Inc. earned this remarkable honor with a heartfelt rendition of the iconic song “Seasons of Love,” inspired by the timeless musical Rent.
Their performance featured eight vibrant chairs, symbolizing the characters of the musical, with each singer embodying themes of living in the moment, facing challenges, and nurturing compassion—values deeply rooted in the Filipino spirit.
Maria Manlulu-Garcia, General Manager of Novotel and ibis Styles Manila Araneta City, praised the group’s achievement:
“Through the harmony of our voices and the spirit of the song, we celebrate life’s fleeting moments, embracing challenges with courage, and nurturing compassion that transcends borders—values that light the soul and connect us all.”
Celebrating Filipino Culture
The team’s colorful chairs journeyed across iconic locations within Araneta City, including the Araneta Coliseum, Gateway Mall, Gateway Gallery, Fiesta Carnival, and New Frontier Theater, before embarking on a tour across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. This creative endeavor showcased the Philippines’ rich cultural heritage while emphasizing Accor’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The video production highlighted Filipino identity through translated lyrics, traditional folk and ethnic instruments, and touches of balagtasan, the cherished art of Filipino spoken poetry and debate. The performance underscored the Heartists’ belief that love is a universal language, connecting people across cultures and borders.
A Celebration of Talent and Dedication
The journey to victory involved two rounds of auditions, with participants undergoing professional voice and dance training beyond their daily duties. This dedication exemplified the message that hospitality is a “work of heart.”
Garth Simmons, Chief Operating Officer of Accor Asia, personally congratulated the team, stating:
“The Philippines is incredibly talented in music. This wasn’t just about performing—it was about cultural relevance. I’m super proud of everybody. The talent is amazing, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
The Heartists’ triumph at the Choir Games not only showcased their exceptional talent but also celebrated the spirit of unity, compassion, and cultural pride that defines the hospitality industry.
Trailblazer in Triumph
HSMA Virtus Awards Sales & Marketing Leader of the Year
The Virtus Awards, the premier accolade celebrating excellence in the Philippine hotel sales and marketing sector, marked its 10th anniversary with a grand ceremony on October 10, 2024, in Makati City. This milestone event, themed “A Decade of Distinction,” showcased the outstanding talents and contributions of the hospitality industry’s finest, selected from a competitive pool of 56 finalists nominated by HSMA member properties in August.
Organized by the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA), the Virtus Awards continues to set the gold standard for recognizing exemplary achievements in Philippine hospitality. HSMA President Loleth So unveiled this year’s four coveted awards, which included three individual honors—Associate, Manager, and Leader—and the Team Award for Outstanding Marketing Campaign.
A standout moment of the evening was the recognition of Erwin Doña III, Director of Marketing and Communications at Novotel and ibis Styles Manila Araneta City, as the Virtus Outstanding Sales and Marketing Leader for 2024. Doña’s visionary approach to marketing has redefined its role from a creative discipline to a strategic pillar that drives revenue and elevates hotel branding.
“At Novotel and ibis Styles Araneta City, we see marketing as more than storytelling or market analysis—it’s about listening to our customers, interpreting data, and creating actionable solutions. This marks a new era for marketing, where it serves as a critical driver of revenue growth, a role our organization fully recognizes and values,” said Doña during his acceptance speech.
This recognition marks Doña’s second Virtus Award. In 2018, he won the Marketing Campaign of the Year Award for a campaign celebrating Filipino heritage at another property. His continued success underscores his innovative contributions to the hospitality industry.
The hotel’s sales and marketing excellence has a strong legacy. In 2022, Michee Crudo, Director of Sales, was named Virtus Outstanding Sales and Marketing Leader, and the marketing team was a finalist for the 2023 Marketing Campaign of the Year Award. These achievements solidify Novotel and ibis Styles Manila Araneta City’s reputation as a powerhouse of talent in Philippine hospitality.
As the Virtus Awards celebrates a decade of distinction, it continues to inspire innovation and elevate the benchmarks for success in the country’s hospitality landscape.
Elevating Marketing Innovation
Midscale Hotel of the Year – Philippines at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2024
Novotel Manila Araneta City proudly claimed the title of Midscale Hotel of the Year – Philippines at the prestigious TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2024 – Asia. This accolade recognizes the hotel’s groundbreaking creation of My Novotel Manila Boutique, an innovative digital platform that seamlessly integrates e-commerce with its hospitality services.
As the flagship Novotel property in the Philippines, Novotel Manila Araneta City aims to go beyond traditional hospitality by redefining convenience and accessibility for today’s travelers. My Novotel Manila Boutique is a testament to this vision, offering tailored solutions that cater to the evolving preferences of modern guests.
Developed in collaboration with a digital cluster team in Bangkok during the pandemic’s push toward digital transformation, the platform allows guests to access exclusive offers, staycation packages, and bespoke perks from the comfort of their own homes. “With its intuitive design, My Novotel Manila Boutique empowers future guests to customize their experiences with offers that meet their unique needs,” says Darwin Labayandoy, Hotel Manager of Novotel Manila. The platform features a wide array of options, including exclusive accommodation packages, dining credits, buffet deals, spa treatments, wellness services, and even cinema or concert tickets.
The platform’s TakeMeOut food delivery service showcases the hotel’s culinary excellence, offering signature dishes alongside indulgent desserts from its Indulge line. Additionally, it supports seamless event planning for gatherings, weddings, and special occasions. To further elevate the guest experience, My Novotel Manila Boutique integrates with the Accor Live Limitless (ALL) loyalty program, providing members with exclusive benefits, rewards, and access to special events.
With secure payment gateways and compliance with the latest privacy regulations, the platform ensures data protection and peace of mind for its users. Novotel Manila’s marketing team has also enhanced its digital strategy through targeted online advertising and creative content, offering an online experience that mirrors the warmth and hospitality guests enjoy in person.
A Year of Accolades
Novotel Manila and ibis Styles Manila Araneta City have celebrated a remarkable year of achievements. Novotel Manila was recognized as Best F&B Performer in the Region at the Accor Asia Awards, reflecting its commitment to culinary excellence. The hotels also earned the prestigious LISTeN Program Award for their Reservations team and secured multiple medals at the Philippine Culinary Cup. Additionally, they were honored at the Asia’s Best Employer Brand Awards and celebrated the Exemplary Leader Award presented to Maria Manlulu-Garcia, the first female and Filipino General Manager of Accor in the Philippines, by the esteemed Dr. Tarita Shankar.
These milestones underscore Novotel Manila’s position as a trailblazer in the Philippine hospitality industry, setting benchmarks for innovation and excellence in the midscale hotel segment.
