Go Hotels @ SampWhoa: Celebrating A Decade Of Excellence And Outstanding Value

Robinsons Hotels and Resorts recognized that 2010 would be a very memorable year. It was the beginning of a new decade, but it was also the beginning of a new, fresh, value-essential brand. A budget-friendly brand with high-quality rooms and services. A brand with a very straightforward message. There are no extras. A brand that has become synonymous with low-cost, necessary travel. A logo for “Every Juan.”

Frederick Go, President and CEO of Robinsons Land Corporation, created the Go Hotels concept. The idea occurred to Go during one of his local business trips, he says. “I had trouble finding adequate accommodations despite the fact that the region we were in was well developed.” The notion of the “basic value” hotel was also influenced by the Gokongwei Group’s other value-for-money products, which include

Cebu Pacific and Sun Cellular were the two major carriers in the Philippines at the time. “Go Hotels provides intelligent tourists a chance to save money by providing hotel essentials for a base room rate, similar to the no-frills approach of budget airline Cebu Pacific.” Travelers who desire a no-frills, hassle-free stay continue to prefer this business model.

Go Hotels Mandaluyong, our first hotel, launched with 223 rooms, featuring 93 queen-size beds and 130 twin-bed rooms. The base rate offered at the time was simply unsurpassed for budget tourists. They could have a room with a simple but elegantly appointed bed and pillows, 100 percent cotton sheets, a shower, free Wi-Fi, and an LCD TV for as little as P388+ per night. This was also the first time we employed the “book early, pay less” concept, which was a huge hit with our loyal customers. GO Hotels’ first motto, “A Place for Every Juan,” was inspired by Cebu Pacific’s slogan “Where Every Juan Flies.”

By 2012, the network had extended to include Puerto Princesa on the picturesque island of Palawan, as well as properties in Tacloban, Bacolod, and Dumaguete in the Visayas region. The next year, Go Hotels Otis launched in Manila, and the group’s seventh Go Hotel opened in Iloilo.

Since then, the GO Hotels brand has grown significantly throughout Cebu Pacific’s destinations, largely due to its strategic location next to or near a Robinsons Mall. GO Hotels became an instant pitstop for travelers wanting to see the country’s exciting tourist spots because to this unique selling element. In Metro Manila, a new GO Hotel opened in 2014, this time in Ortigas, a dynamic and bustling business sector. Then came GO Hotels Butuan, our first value-essential facility in Mindanao, which caters to the rising needs of guests in the region. Hotels by GO

Lanang-Davao followed suit in 2016, opening its doors. With GO Hotels’ growing reputation for low-cost, high-quality lodging, the company decided to expand its presence by making franchise options available to the general public. www.gohotels.ph, a joint venture between Robinsons Hotels and Resorts and Roxaco Asia Hospitality Corporation, established five new GO Hotels in Metro Manila in 2016: Airport Road, Ermita-Manila, North Edsa, Cubao, and Timog.

To meet the growing demand in the Southern Philippines, a new GO Hotel opened in Iligan in 2018. Two more GO Hotels properties will be added to the growing GO Hotels portfolio in the near future. The upcoming GO Hotels Naga and GO Hotels Tuguegarao will provide even more reasons for guests to #GoExploreMore.

Pivoting to the New Normal on Health and Safety at Go Hotels @ SampWhoa
The current pandemic has put the tourism industry’s resiliency to the test, but Go Hotels has been fast to respond to its guests’ changing expectations, which include assurances of safety and wellbeing. As a result, we launched “Circle of Clean,” a program aimed at achieving a higher standard of hygiene and sanitation practices based on WHO and DOH New Normal recommendations to ensure that all of our visitors have a safe stay.

During the peak of the pandemic’s Community Quarantine Period, a few Go Hotels shifted to new business models and adapted to changing consumer demands. We started offering “Working On-The-Go,” which was billed as the new definition of “Working From Home.”

In addition, a number of Go Hotels accredited by the Department of Tourism, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration have opened their doors to returning OFWs who want to complete their obligatory quarantine procedures in the comfort and convenience of a hotel. “Our goal is to make Go Hotels a stronger brand, one that is a solid and great value hotel by bringing new unique selling points,” says Arthur Gindap, Senior Vice President and Business Unit General Manager of Robinsons Hotels and Resorts, on his vision for the next ten years.

The new GO Hotels unique selling factors – The 5Gs – will be unveiled soon.
Go Relax, where you’ll find everything you need to feel at ease;
Go Connect, which ensures that guests have access to the internet and that it is reliable;
Go Handy, which emphasizes convenience in terms of services and location; Go Local, which tries to provide recommendations for guests seeking an immersive localized experience; and Go Green, which encourages cooperative, sustainable, and eco-friendly tourism practices.

As Gindap adds, Go Hotels visitors will be pleasantly delighted to learn how much fantastic value they may get for a low price the next time they return. The number ten represents the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one. The number ten is also a symbol of celebration at GO Hotels. We’d want to express our gratitude to all of our guests who have supported our brand for the past ten years and will continue to do so in the future.

We will accompany you on your adventure. It’s been a decade, and there’s still a decade to go!

With its Circle of Clean regulations, Go Hotels meticulously executes elevated hygiene and sanitation protocols across all Go Hotels, based on the WHO and DOH New Normal requirements and in collaboration with industry expert Ecolab.