But that’s exactly what Juan Jose “Juan Jo” Sanco had to face when his father, Bong, bought the circa-1970s Marmont Hotel in Barrio Barretto, Olongapo City, in 2011.
Now named Hotel Bella Monte, management of the property fell into his lap owing to his Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) degree, coupled with his innate curiosity and determination to make something out of the family business.
Sanco recalls how his father, a landscaper and former owner of antique shops in Greenhills, was once at Sit N’ Bull, a bar across from the hotel that he frequented.
The elder Sanco somehow took a liking to the property and, even though it had seen better days following the Mt. Pinatubo eruption — “it was run down” — bought “the historic but forgotten hotel” anyway from its second- or third-generation owners, the Montelibano family.
“He’s a lover of old things,” Juano says.
Learning the ropes
Born and raised in Metro Manila, Sanco spent summers in his youth in Olongapo. So when he was named front desk officer, admittedly at the lower end of the ladder, he wasn’t exactly a stranger to the city, which has since been his home and is best associated with the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
As a newbie on the job, what Sanco lacked in experience he made up for with his willingness to learn.
“I’m a curious person. I love asking questions,” Sanco says. “I used to watch our staff work — along with other maintenance duties.”
Apart from physical renovations, which had to be done in stages under the supervision of Bong, who has a knack for design and points out that the hotel’s structure — and its Spanish design elements — remains sound, the other area that needed fixing was operations.
And that’s where Sanco stepped in, eventually leading to his appointment as general manager just before the pandemic.
Sanco says one of the early challenges he had to address was communication, as “not everyone here is proficient with English.”
Because the hotel's clientele is largely international, Sanco made sure that his staff not only spoke conversational English but also had the confidence to communicate and interact with guests.
“I had to find a middle ground,” says Sanco.
From there, he introduced further changes to the way Bella Monte was run, particularly since the family remains hands-on in managing the property.
“I had to teach them attention to detail,” says Sanco, admitting it was no easy task. “Cleanliness before guests.”
Restoring Bella Monte
With operational and management improvements underway, the next challenge was upgrading the rooms and other facilities, focusing first on the ground and second floors of the three-storey property that interestingly includes a helipad.
“Today we’re beginning a new chapter — one focused on restoring the property while preserving the character that makes Bella Monte unique,” states an announcement on the hotel’s official Facebook page.
Since Bella Monte translates to “beautiful mountain,” the name helped inspire the look of the rooms — from studios to suites — catering mostly to long-stay guests.
“So the area we can maximize is 99 rooms,” says Sanco. “But today we’re juggling 30 rooms.”
With roughly 40% of the room renovations completed, entailing not just new paintwork but actual physical improvements, Sanco says the work became easier with the hiring of an architectural consultant.
“I’m blessed to be working with staff with construction experience. I also do a lot of research,” says Sanco. “Whenever I have an idea, I present it to them.”
The result, Sanco says, is that “one has a sense of peace” when staying for a day or two, or even longer. Pieces from his father’s personal art collection also adorn the rooms.
Also of note is the hotel’s swimming pool, which has been extensively retiled. As for the lobby, where ceiling and other work is ongoing, the large antique acrylic-crystal chandelier from the Marmont era is being restored and rewired before being transferred to another section of the hotel. A new chandelier will take its place.
The hospitality business
As for the capital expenditures needed to fund the renovations, Sanco says they rely solely on sales.
“Budgeting is number one and ensuring salaries are met,” says Sanco, although he is not averse to taking in an investor or turning to banks for loans.
Marketing, meanwhile, is done entirely through social media – you can catch Juan Jo ‘vlogging’ on latest developments – where they hope to attract local tourists and introduce boosted posts once budget allows. And via word of mouth.
Of course, I had to ask about food and beverage operations, a key part of the hotel business. Sanco explains that, for now, he has partnered with different restaurants in the area.
“So for me it means less expenses as we’re focused on renovations,” he says, although a proposed dining hall is in the offing.
“What we do is that we tailor fit experiences to our guests. We ask them what they want and lay out options for them,” Sanco continues.
Now fully settled into his role as general manager, describing his management style as “reasonable yet strict,” Sanco credits his mentors for how he has grown into what has become a 24/7 job.
“Whenever I have questions, I ask. And I listen a lot,” says Sanco, who also looks to other hotels for ideas on operations and how they do things. It also helps that his father Bong is open to ideas.
“When it comes to major decisions, I consult him,” says Sanco. “I also take full responsibility.”
Further serving as motivation are his people.
“They work hard towards our goals and are sacrificing,” Sanco says. “Knowing that 20 families depend on us is fuel.”
With the opening of a function hall that can accommodate 150 guests in the pipeline, allowing the hotel to host events such as weddings and reunions, Sanco’s ultimate goal is to make Hotel Bella Monte “an extension of our home” and have guests feel right at home.
“It is our story that makes us different,” Sanco says. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
Features Reporter
