BY FRANCINE Y. MEDINA
Pioneered by the charming and energetic businessman Johnny Chan, the Bellevue Hotels and Resorts has grown from one hotel in 2003 to a series of properties, including a resort, in Alabang, Quezon City and Bohol. The Chan brothers — Ryan, Patrick and Dustin — who grew up as the company expanded, now have leading roles in the still-growing family enterprise.
Travel is all about good memories — and rest, lots of it. And when it comes to taking a break, especially after the crazy holiday season, going back to a favorite hotel has its sanity-saving benefits.
The Bellevue Hotels and Resorts’ (BH&R) properties are exactly that kind of place. A home away from home — where guests get the exact quality standards they experienced during their last restful stay at the property. But, of course, trust the three brothers who run the properties to make sure that a Bellevue stay will be peaceful, yes, but never a dull experience.
Pioneered by the charming and energetic businessman Johnny Chan, the first hotel was constructed seemingly in the middle of the vast and still empty Alabang Central Business District in 2003. Back then, Alabang was known as a posh residential area but not yet a hub for doing business. From the expressway, one could spot a huge mall, a world-class hospital, a few buildings that were still being constructed, and the district’s first ever five-star hotel south of Manila.
The Chan brothers now have leading roles in their company’s various properties. Eldest brother Ryan is managing director of B Hotels; the younger brother, Dustin, is managing director of The Bellevue Resort, which includes the property in Bohol. Patrick, the second son, is managing director of The Bellevue Manila.
BH&R has expanded its portfolio to include four deluxe and standard class hotels. The original property in Alabang has 456 rooms and is a favorite staycation place among families and an accessible rest and relaxation location for expats working in Southern Luzon’s techno hubs or export processing zones.
In time for the holiday season, Patrick is ramping up Bellevue Manila with timely renovations, including rebranding its buffet restaurant to Qsina. Inside Vue Bar, Patrick is launching a steakhouse.
Ryan’s B Hotel brand, on the other hand, in Alabang and Quezon City, continues to offer a trendy respite for business travelers who seek the basics in a hotel but with additional offers, such as efficient connectivity, a full bar and restaurant and superior beds for self-care after a long day of meetings or attending a conference.
Bellevue Bohol, on the other hand, is enjoying a high occupancy rate as revenge tourists want to enjoy its more than 150 rooms, a spa village, ballrooms and restaurants again
Johnny, the family patriarch, remains the company’s chairman and would meet weekly with his children over business matters and for what the family calls their “eat-inerary.” The family loves good food, good places to be together to catch up and take it easy. That feeling of comfort and tranquility is what each son endeavors to replicate in their respective properties.
“He still joins us for negotiations. He enjoys doing that part,” says Patrick “He enjoys engaging with people.”
“I actually want him to do a lecture and training for our team,” adds Ryan, “The art of negotiating by Johnny Chan. That would really be something.”
Not surprisingly, the Bellevue group has received top scores from travel portals like Tripadvisor and Agoda.
Green and diverse
The year 2024 will be a crucial one for the Bellevue Group, Ryan informs, as it is the year for the company’s expansion. “From the pandemic, we realized the importance of diversification in the business. Besides eyeing Palawan and Cagayan de Oro for our next expansion projects.”
For starters, the group launched Silang Village Square, which consists of dining and retail establishments along Aguinaldo Highway in Silang, Cavite. Ryan adds, “In the pipeline will be retail, commercial and residential projects. We realized that we can’t rely on just one industry.”
The Chan brothers are also looking towards developing a 4.5-hectare property into an open-air shopping and dining destination in Bohol. Patrick said that the project was conceived in 2018 but the pandemic obliged their team to hold construction activities until 2024.
Bohol seems to be a place close to the brothers’ hearts, as it is also where they have been committing themselves to initiate mangrove forest and coastal cleanups in partnership with the local government. In fact, Bellevue Bohol is a two-time awardee of the prestigious ASEAN Green Hotel Standard.
This green mindset, says Patrick, is replicated in all of their properties. “Even before it got trendy, we were already implementing practices like using glass bottles for drinking water in the guest rooms. We also introduced reusable dispensers for bath amenities.
“Our father also introduced the farm-to-table concept to the hotel. He was really into agriculture and the vegetables and herbs we harvested in our farm in Cavite were fresh and healthy ingredients for salads and other dishes.”
Other than their commitment to the environment, the Bellevue group, says Dustin, is also looking towards creating a future-ready property group. “We’re studying how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help us in our operations. We’re not there yet but I’ve seen how the cashless system in countries like China and Switzerland really improves service and efficiency. We’re studying that, but at the same time, we also want to bank on the hospitality of our team.”
“We just don’t want to utilize technology for the sake of doing it. It has to be easy and have value to our guests’ experience. Right now, we’re experimenting. We have a check-in kiosk at Bellevue Manila. It’s not as sufficient as the Singapore airport kiosks but we’ll be having that soon, hopefully.”
The future is looking bright for the Chan brothers and the properties where they have been bestowed stewardship by their father.
Ryan is looking towards the company’s growth in revenues and expansion. Patrick is focusing on further improving their operations as part of their commitment to their clients.
Dustin, on the other hand, says, “There are still a lot of projects that we can get into. One of them, for instance, is agriculture. We want to continue our father’s farm-to-table mission. That will be next in our pipeline, too.”
Work buddies, eating buddies, travel buddies and brothers by blood and spirit most of all, the Chan brothers prove that a family working together can really stay and grow together.
“Working with my family gives me joy,” says Patrick. “And I feel even the team that I work with here is also family. I don’t only try to be a leader or a manager but I also try to be a friend. We always try to encapsulate the sense of family in our culture.”
“What gives me satisfaction in my job is seeing the people around me grow and become not just better employees, but better people,” Dustin adds. “In the process of sharing my ideas with them and listening to their views as well, we are able to improve each other. That really gives me fulfillment.”
“Every year, our team has to meet quotas and goals, and when we hit those goals, then that gives me satisfaction at work,” Ryan notes. “It gives me intrinsic motivation because of the job well done by my team. The fact that we did it as a team gives me the courage as a leader to go and fight it out.”
Photography by MJ Suayan / Art Direction by Dexter De Vera / Grooming by Eddie Mar Cabiltes
