Susan King-Bernardo, Chief Operating Officer, Crown Regency Hotels & Resorts
Travel and hospitality is a distinct market niche that requires a special kind of ingenuity to succeed. And, at the heart of this ingenuity lies a deep understanding of the customer. While customer experience is undoubtedly the king in the world of travel and hospitality, unfortunately, it’s not something that every company prioritizes. Though many businesses claim to put the client first, few genuinely follow through by taking concrete steps that demonstrate their unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. Keeping customer needs above all, some companies constantly look for new and innovative ways to improve their services and create personalized and unforgettable experiences for their guests. A prime example of one such pioneering company that stands out for its exceptional customer-centric approach is Crown Regency Hotels & Resorts.
Based in Cebu City, Philippines, Crown Regency is a completely family-owned and run hospitality company. It all started when the family patriarch, Jesus King started buying prime commercial land and then proceeded to rent them out throughout the late 1900s. Eventually, he started building small apartments to rent out. In the 2000s, when the family saw a demand for hotels, particularly in upscale to midscale segments, they opened the first Crown Regency hotel, located in Mactan, Cebu in 2003. The concept was unique with large suite rooms, availability of villas, and a city-hotel concept set on an island that is primarily a beach resort. The hotel performed exceptionally well and this encouraged them to further expand the Crown Regency brand. As a result, in a span of 11 years, they have built properties in key destinations across the country—Davao, Makati, Cebu, and Boracay with approximately 1,600 keys. “It has been quite a journey to build a strongly Filipino hospitality brand, but we believe that the brand’s uniqueness and resiliency are key to staying competitive in evolving times. In 2024, Crown Regency is set to open its 10th property and its second-largest resort on the shores of Bohol with 550 keys. This would bring our hotel portfolio to over 2,100 keys,” asserts Ms. Susan King-Bernardo, the Chief Operating Officer at Crown Regency Hotels & Resorts.
Offering Unique Facilities Travelers Of All Ages Can Enjoy
In an ever-changing and competitive industry like travel or hospitality, carving an unparalleled niche in the market is not an easy feat to achieve. However, as a leading travel and hospitality brand, Crown Regency does not just ace the market but also strives to create unique customer experiences by offering something different and memorable, especially with its facilities and amenities. For instance, it has the world’s first roller coaster located on a building, on the 38th floor of its flagship, Crown Regency Hotel & Towers in Cebu City. This flagship also features the country’s first and only Skywalk and is recognized as the tallest hotel building in Visayas and Mindanao regions. Up until 2017, it was the tallest building in Cebu City. “Our goal has always been to become a world-class Filipino hospitality group, specializing in creating unforgettable travel experiences. We want to be the destination within a destination. This is the guiding principle that has helped us evolve with each new development,” elucidates Susan.
In Boracay, Crown Regency also has the world’s largest pearl on showcase in the island’s first and only aquarium tunnel and the famous Wave Pool and Wave Rider at Crown Regency Resort & Convention Center, Boracay. “With each new hotel development, we always prioritize improving upon the customer experience. We aim to craft unforgettable experiences with full-service amenities and unique facilities travelers of all ages can enjoy. Lately, our brand has made a shift from focusing on city hotels to resorts due to the increase in travel demands of foreigners and locals to go outside the city for a quick vacation,” adds Susan.
Key Strengths Behind Crown Regency’s Unparalleled Success
While there are several aspects that have contributed to the success of Crown Regency, one key attribute that embodies the core strength of the company is its properties’ character and uniqueness. Its properties have specialty restaurants such as Fabulous Fifties Café, an American diner with real antique memorabilia, designed completely in-house, and Wang Shan Lo, an authentic Chinese restaurant featuring a Chef flown in from Hongkong. It also has unique facilities like Skywalk, Edge Coaster, and Wave Pool and full-service amenities including Spa, Salon, Gym, and Casino. Besides this, Crown Regency’s legacy of excellence is also grounded in its unwavering commitment to being flexible to ensure customer satisfaction. “We value our guests and always aim to please. If the customer requests something that’s within our capability to provide, we will go out of our way to provide it for them. We try to be flexible while still keeping within the bounds of our company policies and procedures,” opines Susan.
The company tracks its customer satisfaction through online reviews and surveys. Whenever it receives customer complaints, it always tries to address these in the quickest way possible. Another critical facet that has established Crown Regency as an industry leader is its strong portfolio. Crown Regency is one of the only local Filipino chains that have a wide presence in key cities across the Philippines and it ties everything together with its lifestyle membership program, Club Ultima, where members can exchange coupons for free nights at any Crown Regency or exchange coupons for international affiliates.
Continues Pursuing Excellence with Values at the Core
A pioneer in the truest sense, Crown Regency has always placed particular emphasis on providing its customers with nothing less than the best and this is the reason it has grown enormously over the years. Teamwork, excellence, resiliency, service, and stewardship are the key values that are deeply ingrained in its work culture and it always strives to embody these principles, whether it is serving guests or its employees.
Currently, the company is working on its newest property, Crown Regency Grand Paradise, Bohol, and plans to launch it in early 2024 with premium and world-class interior finishing and customer service. It will be the first upper upscale property in its portfolio. After focusing on upscale to upper midscale properties for the past years, the company is excited to introduce this property and show travelers how much more it can offer. After this, it aspires to target development in Siargao Island, the country’s surfing capital, and hopes to further expand into more resort destinations and key cities in Visayas and Mindanao. Crown Regency’s mission is to create experiences with a sense of place by crafting properties that are destinations within a destination with impeccable customer service. “We want to create a company that lasts for generations to come. At the heart of it all, we are a family business and we value continuity, sustainability, and growth not just for the business but for the family as well,” concludes Susan.