Wednesday, November 14, 2007 Escaños renovate ancestral home, set up ‘new’ accommodation style
A Cebuano family has come up with a facility that answers the need for “bed and breakfast” type of accommodation in the province.
The present generation of Escaños have decided to turn their grandmother’s 58-year old ancestral house into a modern “bed and breakfast” facility, which is a popular form of lodging among Europeans.
“We saw that the house was dilapidated, already leaking. So we decided that when we renovate it, we can also earn income,” said Jimmy Escaño, chief executive officer of Jesus Escaño Development Corp., holding company for Casa Escaño and Don Merto’s Restaurant.
The two-story Casa Escaño, located along Juana Osmeña St., Cebu City has 11 rooms ranging from standard, deluxe, superior and family accommodations. Price per room range between P1,590 and P2,790. Apart from basic amenities, the rooms are also equipped with wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi).
Escaño told Sun.Star Cebu that the renovation and development of the ancestral house cost P10 million.
The “bed and breakfast” concept is popular among foreign tourists, especially among Europeans, and he hopes this will also become familiar among Cebuanos.
He said the concept of bed-and-breakfast is different from that of a pension house.
“Bed and breakfast is another venue for tourists who need cheaper accommodations than those offered by hotels. The difference with pension houses is that this has a homey atmosphere since it really used to be a home. You can walk in your slippers or short pants,” Escaño said.
Since its soft opening last Aug. 31, he said Casa Escaño has had longer staying guests- as long as one month- who were mostly foreign retirees and those intending to relocate in Cebu.
He said Casa Escaño also caters to local businessmen.
The house also includes the family’s restaurant venture, Don Merto’s, which can sit up to 80 guests.
The Don Merto’s at Casa Escaño is the restaurant’s second branch, the first located at the Banilad Town Center.
Escaño said the restaurant complements the “homey” atmosphere of Casa Escaño since it caters to age-old home-cooked meals, whose recipes date back to their grandmother, Doña Mena Escaño.
He said the restaurant allows foreigners to taste “true” home-made Cebuano delicacies.
“I encourage owners of old houses in Cebu to turn their place into a bed and breakfast destination (as well),” Escaño said.
