Engaged and married in Sofitel
It was 2020, and marketing manager Abe Litonjua wanted to propose to his girlfriend Lizelle, a government employee. “My original plan was to do it outside Metro Manila together with our friends and family,” he told Lifestyle.
But the pandemic made this impossible. “I had to find another venue.”
He remembered seeing Sofitel’s special setup for Valentine’s the previous year—they had a gazebo and served dinner with a view of the beautiful Manila Bay sunset. Litonjua reached out to Sofitel and asked if they could set up the same thing for the surprise engagement in November 2020.
“They were very accommodating. Since the hotel was not yet open to the public, the whole set-up was intimate and exclusive. It was very special.”
Sofitel had always been special to Abe and Lizelle. “When you think of Sofitel, you will be reminded of two things: the seawall with its magnificent sunset view, and the food. Spiral was our favorite restaurant when there is something special to celebrate: our first Christmas as a couple, our career milestones, dinner with friends.”
In October 2022, they would return to their beloved hotel for their biggest celebration yet—their wedding.
“The same team accommodated our needs and we never had a difficult time planning our wedding. They had these packages which made Sofitel a one-stop shop for our wedding needs—venue, decorations, cake, food, transportation, accommodation. Everything was included.”
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And that’s not all. “Sofitel was very generous to upgrade our function room to the biggest that they have, which is the Sunset Pavilion. They remembered how much we loved our sunset proposal setup which is why they gave it to us.”
And yes, they had their first breakfast as husband and wife in Spiral.
When they heard that Sofitel was closing, they couldn’t believe it.
“We thought it was fake news, and when we realized that it was really closing, we were sad.”
They decided to book one last staycation in June. “We really said that we had to go there one last time. My wife made me wear my wedding suit and she wore a mini bridal outfit.”
They visited memorable spots from their wedding and engagement. “Of course, the sea view is now blocked and not the same as before, but we were very happy to recapture our memories in Sofitel.”
Abe and Lizelle are holding on to hope that their beloved hotel will return one day. “We are hoping that the closure is only for a while and we are excited to be welcomed warmly by Sofitel if it decides to come back.”
