LAST month, Park Inn by Radisson Davao celebrated the #SeasonofLights via a Christmas Tree-Lighting ceremony.
First to delight the guests upon entry is the hotel’s 14-foot sustainable bamboo tree, accented with woven baskets made by the Matigsalog Tribe from Marilog District, Davao City while patterns inspired by Mandaya and Yakan weaves on the Christmas stars complemented the whole hotel interior.
The Park Inn by Radisson Davao team then greeted honorable guests from Office of the Vice President, represented by Generose Tecson, Davao City Vice Mayor Melchor Quitain, city councilors, foreign consuls, city tourism officials, SM Lanang Premier executives, corporate guests, and media friends, clad in their modern Filipiñanas and Barong Tagalogs to blend with the Filipino Christmas theme.
The affair officially started with a heavenly harmony from the UP Mindanao Koro Kantahay through their rendition of Kumukutikutitap and Diwa ng Pasko. Christmas messages were then delivered by Sven Toune, Park Inn by Radisson Davao’s General Manager who is celebrating his first tree-lighting ceremony in Davao, Peggy Angeles, SM Hotels & Conventions Corporation’s (SMHCC) Executive Vice President; and Davao City Vice Mayor Melchor Quitain.
“I am brimmed with excitement and happiness now that we are slowly going back to normal, restrictions are almost non-existent, we can finally travel anywhere in the world and most importantly, celebrate life with our loved ones. It’s also good to see hotels in Davao being fully booked, conventions and exhibitions right here and there are finally taking place and more visitors are coming to the city,” Sven Toune pointed out.
Christmas is indeed the season of sharing and as part of Radisson Cares program, the hotel launched Cookie for a Cause where 20 percent of the total sales is pledged for the priority needs of SAKADAB or Samahan ng May Kapansanan sa Dabaw, a village for PWDs (Persons with Disabilities) in Davao City. Cookie for a Cause is available at the hotel’s Christmas store and the project will run until January 6, 2023.
The awaited Christmas Tree lighting was then led by the executives and the hotel’s department heads. The property’s interior was filled with bright lights and gleeful smiles as the Christmas season is finally ushered.
The evening was extra momentous as the atmosphere transitioned to the official launch of the hotel’s newly uplifted and refreshed restaurant, VANDA. The launch was opened by the mesmerizing interpretative dance by St. John Paul II College of Davao’s Siningtala Dance Company to tell the story of Waling-waling. Along with the beat of the percussions, VANDA was exhilaratingly opened and presented to all of the guests.
VANDA was derived from Vanda sanderiana, a species of orchid and commonly called Waling-waling, the acknowledged “Queen of Philippine flowers” that is endemic to the island of Mindanao, where the Bagobo tribes worship it as a deity. The Vanda is one of Mindanao’s prides and it is only fitting that Park Inn by Radisson Davao’s newly uplifted and refreshed restaurant will be named after it. The restaurant works towards the goal to promote the wonderful gastronomic experience one can have when delighting in dishes incorporated with local ingredients found in the island.
This is only the beginning of the hotel’s upkeep plan in the pipeline as Park Inn by Radisson Davao is gearing towards its momentous 10th anniversary next year.
Follow Park Inn by Radisson Davao on their socials, @parkinnbyradissondavao on Facebook and @parkinndavao on Instagram for their offers of the season.
#SeasonofLights #FeelTheLocale
(MAIN PHOTO: (L-R) Davao City Vice Mayor Melchor Quitain, SMHCC Executive Vice President, Peggy Angeles, and Park Inn by Radisson Davao’s General Manager Sven Toune, who led the Christmas tree lighting).