There has been a rise in hotelier-owned businesses, innovations and products in the last two years. Brought about as a result of the Global Pandemic, which forced unemployment on millions of hoteliers.
MY RANGGO’s Sentiment Survey was carried out between June and July 2020. Just 4 months in to the “lockdown’ across the Philippines. 41% of the hoteliers who took part said they were not sure if they would return to hospitality. Some had already started their own businesses.
Certainly, working in the hotel industry has cultivated many admirable traits and skills in hoteliers. Among these traits are resilience, patience, attention to detail, the drive to make people happy, excellent communication, sales skills and problem-solving skills.
When the pandemic hit our industry big-time, many hoteliers found themselves out of jobs. Or earning significantly less than they used to. This forced them to explore other ways to augment their income.
Some went full-throttle into entrepreneurship. Taking their passion and marrying it with their hotel-learned skills to come up with a winning business formula. An it has been amazing, and encouraging, to witness the birth of so many new hotelier-owned businesses.
It is still a very difficult time for our industry. So, it’s always nice to support the entrepreneurial efforts of our fellow hoteliers, as they venture into business.
Here are ten of Hugot Hotelier’s favorite hotelier-owned businesses. And my list is just in time for the Christmas season. Wouldn’t these be awesome as gift ideas or as part of your Noche Buena feast!
Check out their products and services below:
10 Hotelier-owned Businesses To Support At Christmas
Do you love salted egg potato chips, but find the imported brands too expensive?
Hotelier couple Elo and Charles Rancap had the same dilemma. This led them to experiment with the idea of creating their own, more affordable version of the beloved snack. Named after their child Peyton, Peytato now has five delicious flavors to choose from.
Generously coated with their very own salted egg mixture, Peytato’s chips are made from real potatoes. They give the perfect, satisfying and flavorful crunch that will have you finishing one bag before you know it!
Flavors: Original, Spicy, Honey Butter, Truffle, Garlic Parmesan
Price: Php70-Php370
Grazing platters and charcuterie boards have gained popularity over the past few years. Delicious, luxurious, healthy and pleasing to the eyes, they are now becoming staples at parties. Or even while hanging out at home with a glass of wine or two.
Hotelier couple Chef Donald Dimayuga Pesigan and Christine Torio have put together a variety of grazing boxes to choose from. Great as a gift idea, event giveaways, party centerpiece or date night treat. They also offer decadent Swiss rolls and elegant wines to pair with their grazing boxes.
Prices:
Grazing Boxes: Ranging from Php1000 – Php3000 (Customizable too, just send them a message!)
Swiss Rolls: Php200-Php220
Hotelier and makeup artist Melissa Perjes has always dreamed of having her own makeup line. And she made that dream come true with Melissa Cosmetics.
The cosmetic line initially launched with only a few products such as lip tints, eyeliners and eyebrow pomade. However, the range has since grown to include other items such as lip scrubs, booty scrubs and tinted moisturizers.
Melissa wanted to create a local cosmetics brand that offers quality that can compare with more expensive imported brands. With cute packaging to boot, her products would definitely make nice stocking stuffers this Christmas!
A Marketing graduate, hotelier Kristine Clemente Austrie had always wanted to put up her own business, specifically in the Ready-To-Wear industry. However, her hotel career had taken her to great heights. With Kristine rising through to ranks to become a Front Office Manager.
The opportunity to return to her first love presented itself when she left the industry to focus on raising her two girls. Knowing how much mommies love to dress up with their daughters in twinning outfits, she took inspiration and created Zavie’s Closet.
Offering cute matching dresses and outfits for mom and daughter, her Instagram business account now has thousands of followers always waiting for her next drop.
If you are interested in dressing up in twinning outfits this Christmas? Check out her feed for available stocks. But hurry, each item gets snatched up in seconds!
Price: Ranging from Php180-Php580 for mother and daughter set
Hideout Skydeck Bar Tondo
Having the passion and personality to win over guests with his excellent service, hotelier turned restaurateur Jermaine Tungol has been quite successful working in the hotel industry.
His entrepreneurial skills have also led him to create several businesses. Including running a host of Airbnb staycation places in Tagaytay and a spa. Most recently, Jermaine converted his family’s ancestral home in Tondo into a bustling restaurant/bar/events place.
Hideout Skydeck Bar serves delicious Filipino cuisine and has become a regular place to hang out. Their Skydeck can also accommodate events such as baptisms, birthday parties and even small weddings.
With a few private VIP rooms newly added to the place, Hideout is the perfect place for a meal, a few drinks with friends, a karaoke session or a venue where you can hold your next celebration.
With his hotelier background, you can be sure to get service that is 5-star!
Hideout Skydeck Bar Tondo, 1238 Morga Tuazon St., Tondo Manila (beside Mary Johnston Hospital)
Contact No. 09178881345
Hotel Bell Captain Duan Camba has always had an entrepreneurial spirit, even while working in the hotel industry.
Combining his passion for fitness, along with his hotel-earned skills of resilience, dedication and service, he started out by launching his own line of fitness apparel called Inked Athlete Later on, he expanded his product line to include vitamins and supplements, needed to achieve fitness goals.
With a lot of hoteliers being quite health-conscious and many being gym buffs like him, The Good Stuff has gained a loyal following among the industry.
Now with two branches, you can visit them in Pasay or Sampaloc, or just order online (they offer COD!)
Locations:
PASAY BRANCH: Pasay City near NAIA 3 and RESORTS WORLD – Brgy 183 Villamor Airbase
SAMPALOC BRANCH @ Algeciras St. cor Piy Margal near UST & Welcome Rotonda
Fiona Cristobal has an incredible knack for business, growing her line of scents Serenity Essentials with over a hundred resellers and distributors nationwide.
Early January of 2021, Fiona started conceptualizing a new business based on a passion that she has had since she was a child; art. She has always enjoyed making crafts and DIY art projects.
Coming from the hotel industry, she understands the importance of personalization. And how it makes people feel good to have things customized especially for them. Fiona started offering foiled portraits. And has since expanded her line to include cake toppers, mugs, vinyl’s and stickers, gift cards and tags, flower boxes, invitations and ornaments.
Jr Dalida was working in the hotel industry in Singapore when the pandemic hit. Returning back home to the Philippines, he began his now-thriving Gourmet Tuyo business.
Lorna’s Gourmet Tuyo in Olive Oil is made in the seafood capital of the Philippines, Roxas City, Capiz. Paired with garlic sinangag, fried egg and kape, this Gourmet Tuyo is sure to hit the spot!
From the freshest catch, to natural sun drying, then bottle infused and finally vacuum sealed for freshness. They can assure you premium quality at its best.
This is one gift your family and friends will be sure to appreciate!
Tita Cucinera was born from a simple request from a colleague who had been housed in the hotel for a long time.
Given the limited movement and food choices that being locked down in the hotel brought, she requested a pasta recipe. A recipe which became everyone’s favorite; Sardine Linguine. The dish that started it all!
The recipes expanded to include other gourmet pasta dishes such as Pad Thai, Carbonara, Pasta Sisig, Tuna Pesto, Three Cheese Baked Penne, Japchae, Lemon Garlic Tuyo Pasta and baked pans. The best-selling beef samgyup and Sushi Bake instantly became the best comfort food at work, and at home.
Repeat orders and recommendations upon recommendations sustain hotelier couple Giselle and Rchie San Jose’s humble business.
This business started when hotelier Billie Soriano borrowed her mamu’s oven (hence, the name) back in 2014.
Since then, she has been experimenting with different delicacies and flavors. To see which ones would make it to the final menu offering.
Starting out with their signature giant palm-sized chocolate chunk and walnut cookies, their cookie line now includes other delectable flavors such as oatmeal, raisin and walnuts, chunky peanut butter, chunky chocolate and peanut butter, choco-hazelnut and mango and cashew cheesecake cookies.
Billie also makes amazing mini burnt Basque cheese cupcakes, which are perfect for snacking.
These would make such a great gift for family and friends, or a tasty treat for Santa Claus!
They say that if you purchase from a small business, a real person does a happy little dance!
Let us support these hotelier-owned businesses, who are trying to make the best out of our current situation by utilizing their talents and resources.
And if you are someone who has a great business idea or product. But you have been ‘on the fence’ about whether or not you should power through. This could be your sign to go ahead dive right forward!
Take inspiration from these ten courageous and talented hoteliers who are slowly but surely making their entrepreneurial dreams come true.
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