By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter

HOSPITALITY CHAIN The Ascott Limited is looking to add more than 2,700 rooms to its portfolio of hotels, resorts, and apartments in the next five years, a company official said.

“We have about 2,700 [rooms] in the pipeline,” Katrina S. Tordilla, senior manager for business development at The Ascott Limited, told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of a Nov. 18 event.

“We’re still looking to add even more as we continuously look for partners and hotel owners who want to be part of our expanding portfolio here in the Philippines,” Ms. Tordilla said in a Viber message.

Ascott is keen on expanding in other “up-and-coming” destinations such as Siargao, Laguna, Cagayan de Oro, and Sto. Tomas, Batangas, she said.

“We’re expanding even in secondary cities nationwide. So, not just in Manila, Makati, or Cebu, but also in destinations that are really up-and-coming.”

The company is also seeking to bolster its food & beverage (F&B) and meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) capabilities to cater to regional locations such as Bacolod and Cebu, Ms. Tordilla said.

In Bacolod, many locals do staycations or walk-ins at Ascott’s F&B outlets, with the company having the largest hospitality property in the province, Ms. Tordilla noted.

Cebu is also a strong location for Ascott as it serves as a business hub for the entire Visayas, she added.

Visitors under the MICE segment often book for the weekdays, while tourists and staycationers fill up the rooms during weekends, according to Ms. Tordilla.

“Our product is very flexible for both short-stay and long-stay,” she said.

“So, we have long-stay clients who stay with us from two weeks to six months to a year, and then we also have clients who do day-to-day check-ins and check-outs.”

Next year, Ascott will be opening two hotels — the Somerset Gorordo in Cebu City and Somerset Valero in Makati City, Ms. Tordilla said.

In 2026, the hospitality chain plans to open four more serviced apartments: Ascott Double Dragon Meridian Park Manila in Pasay City, Citadines Greenhills Manila in San Juan City, Citadines Southwoods in Biñan, Laguna, and Citadines Paragon Davao.

The company has over 30 properties in the Philippines under its portfolio, both operational and in the pipeline.