Tropika: The 'green' hotel

TRAVELERS seeking a cozy hotel in the northern side of the city can enjoy this new business hotel in Lanang area offering comfortable and stylish guestrooms equipped with great amenities.

Hotel Tropika, which opened on July 10 this year, has 30 deluxe rooms, friendly staff providing VIP hospitality, and practical environmental initiatives.

Max C. Lozano, president of Hotel Tropika, boasts of its uniqueness among the smaller hotels in Davao with its generous use of space, tropical garden setting, and color-coded floors, it is also the only hotel in city where you are comfortably seated when you check in.

“It is designed to be distinguished from other smaller hotels because of the 28-square meter rooms,” Lozano said adding that they hope to add 24 more rooms to its existing 30 guestrooms.

Located less than a kilometer to boat jetties, Hotel Tropika is the ideal jump-off to Samal Island, Davao's swimming and diving paradise. The hotel also offers tours to Samal and to other tourist destinations in the city. Away from the hassles of downtown traffic, Hotel Tropika is also an ideal jump-off point from Davao to key cities in northern Mindanao.

When you stay at Hotel Tropika, you will truly experience Asian hospitality at its best. You will experience the freshness of green, vitality of orange, and the warmth of yellow.

In addition to its 30 rooms, which have one king or two twin beds fitted with pampering linens over plush pillow-top mattresses, Hotel Tropika has meeting areas and Aseya Restaurant that serves Filipino, Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese cuisine, open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. A spacious al fresco area is available for a breathe of garden air and a view of a nearby hotel-owned establishment that houses a coffee shop, among others. A massage spa will be up soon for guests who need to indulge after a long business day. A full-service business center located at the hotel lobby supports guests 24 hours a day. Other amenities that will meet other important need for a comfortable and convenient say includes a wifi internet access, airport shuttle, room service, massage services, laundry service, car rental, travel and tour assistance.

Lozano said Tropika, which sits on a 1.2 hectare property, is likewise proud of its unique and pro-active environmental initiatives. Pro-environmental practices are the hotel's commitment to preserve natural resources. "We are aware of our environmental responsibilities and recognize the urgent need for new solutions to ensure a sustainable future for the next generation."

Tropika's ambiance is programmed to be "green", said Lozano adding that they are working for an accreditation to be a totally green hotel. Recently, he said, they secured a certification from the Davao City Water District for potable drinking water from the tap.

In eliminating the accumulation of waste, Lozano enjoins its guests to help in its environmental initiatives, as follows:

* Towel and linen reuse program

* Minimize use of plastic bottles for water by replacing plastic bottles with glass pitchers that can be refilled from mineral water dispensers located centrally on each hotel floor.

* Bulk shampoo. Shampoo is provided from a bulk dispenser rather than individual packages. This approach cuts down on packaging waste that ultimately ends up as garbage.

* Bathroom paper use-all policy. The hotel provides two toilet paper dispensers in all guestrooms toilets to ensure the availability of toilet paper at all times and allows a roll to run out and be replaced ahead of the other.

* Al Fresco restaurant option. The restaurant has the option to open its doors to become one with the open air terrace section.

* Use of only energy saving Compact Fluorescent Lamps

* Water conservation. The hotel conserve water by controlling water flow in toilets and urinals; controlled flow shower heads in guestrooms and sensor controlled faucets in public restrooms.

* Non-smoking rooms. Tropika aspires to be 100% smoke—free guestrooms. Smokers are generally booked on the ground floor for easy access to the outdoor smoking areas.

* Newspaper program. National and local newspapers are available at the lobby. The hotel feels that having newspapers delivered daily to each guestroom will eventually add to more waste paper to dispose of.

Since operations started four months ago, Lozano said Tropika has been enjoying a healthy occupancy rate and expects rate to go up. This, of course, depends largely on the market but the situation is improving all the time. Tropika is already seeing many repeat customers.

Indeed, Tropika’s business is to take care of its clients and the environment, all in a tropical garden setting truly and uniquely Asian. Located in Km. 7 on J.P. Laurel Avenue, it has easy access to taxi cabs, and public utility jeepneys. It is located in close proximity to major corporations, banks, schools and other institutions in the northern part of Davao City. Also nearby are many fine restaurants, shopping, and the soon-to-open Abreeza Mall.

For inquiries, call telephone numbers 082 2343331, 2353251 to 55; website: www.hoteltropikadavao.com; email info@hoteltropikadavao.com.