Hi-tech thrills, new menus, sustainable comforts, an herb garden, robots and unique coffee cups

But the freshest air comes from Makati Shang’s hotel manager, Udo Wittich, who talks about the hotel’s fresh beginnings with an open mind and heart.

“Change comes every day. In the hospitality industry, every day is different, every customer is different. You must listen to the market,” Wittich says. “Makati Shangri-La is an iconic landmark that has long been woven into the rich history of Makati. For the past three decades, the hotel has provided a tranquil sanctuary within the city’s business district.”

Wittich proudly says that the hotel is bringing nature inside through more greenery at the Lobby Lounge. 

“You must listen to the community,” he says, as he talks about the hotel’s transitioning towards sustainability and caring for the environment. Makati Shang is forgoing single-use toiletries and shifting to wooden key cards to reduce single-use plastic usage. Adopting the garden-to-table approach to dining, an herb and vegetable garden at their patio is in the works.

“We are doing our share to make the world a better place,” notes Wittich. “Like most restaurants all over the world, our Chinese restaurant no longer carries shark’s fin on the menu. Shang Palace will introduce eight new dishes on its 100-percent-Cantonese menu. We have new chefs, young and old. We are adding a bit of modern music to the restaurant’s traditional repertoire of classical Chinese music.”

Yes, fresh beginnings—their current catchphrase—will be seen in the restaurants. Sage, the hotel’s grill place, will be hot once more with its updated look and the creation of Sage Spirits, such as the Sage Martini using the hotel’s handcrafted vermouth and sherry infused with sage. 

“Sage will have grilled meat as well as plant-based food,” adds Wittich. “We will have a famous Argentine specialty chef.”

Opening in the upcoming months are the much-awaited Circles Event Cafe and the well-loved Inagiku Japanese restaurant. But the hotel is so ready to serve banquets, as reservations have come in for weddings and events this year and the next, says marketing communications manager Annie Ick-Gatchalian. Restaurant bookings have poured in for today and the next weeks, according to sales and marketing director Liezl Andraneda.

Keeping its place as one of Makati’s leading corporate business hotels, it introduces the first of its kind Horizon Club Business Room. “Each room will have an Omnidesk adjustable table paired with an ergonomic chair and hi-tech features such as dual-screen 4K monitors, speaker phone, mobile stands and fast-charging cable adaptors. We have facilities in our basement parking for charging electric cars,” says Wittich.

The Health Club, with its state-of-the-art weight training and cardiovascular training systems, Jacuzzi and cold plunge, as well as the outdoor pool, children’s pool and tennis courts, is ready. 

Another fresh beginning for the hotel is giving the opportunity to students from schools like the University of Makati to apprentice in hospitality management.

Now being tested is the use of robots for housekeeping and banquet events, during which they can carry as much as 10 plates at a time to the dishwashing area. “We have to consider if robots are usable in carpeted areas, for instance.”

Also being tested now are special coffee cups, the first of its kind in the country, says Wittich. “Everybody will want to order coffee when they see these cups.”

Fresh beginnings, indeed, for the 30-year-old Makati Shangri-La, as it embraces the modern future. So, unlike the fictional haven in the 1933 novel, it will have AI robots. But the old comforts of a familiar haven—soft, warm beddings and all—will still be there.