Indio:Bravo//

Q:Hello Mr. Indio Historian, I would just like to ask you about Luneta Hotel if you can share something about its history and its adjacencies. It's my assigned building for design and I need to do a background profiling for it, if it's not too much. Thank you sir :)

aieos

Hi @aieos! I’m sorry for the delay of my reply. Had been busy at work lately.

To be honest, it’s only when I saw your post regarding this hotel that I became aware of it, although I see it frequently in my walks at T.M. Kalaw. Here’s a research I did.

Some main points about the history of the building:

1. It was designed in 1918 by Salvador Farre, a Spanish architect that had a case at the Supreme Court with the University of Santo Tomas over the rights of a house in Intramuros which was previously owned by UST. The unfortunate architect lost the case. He nevertheless left a legacy that is Luneta Hotel.

2. The architecture of the hotel is unique in the early 20th century Manila landscape, a city that used to be full of American colonial, neoclassical, and art deco architecture. Luneta Hotel has French Renaissance ‘Belle Epoque’ design, built in 1918. Just looking at the facade it stands out as a surviving historic building.

3. It was badly damaged during the Japanese occupation, especially in the gruelling Liberation of Manila. I found out that there are horrifying stories within its walls. One account was told by Walter Dempster, Jr. (“comfort gay” aside from many cases of comfort women being raped) a survivor of Japanese brutality.

4. U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower once described this beautiful building, having once checked in in the said hotel:

“This Luneta was for more than 4 years the scene of my habitual evening walks. To this day it lives in memory as one of the most pleasant, indeed even one of the most romantic spots, I have known in this entire world. Leaving the front entrance of the Luneta Hotel in the evening, I could walk to the right to view the busy docks where Philippine commerce with the world was loaded and unloaded. From the hotel, looking across the peaceful waters of Manila Bay, I could see the gorgeous sunsets over Miravales. Walking toward the Club of the Army and the Navy, and looking down toward the city itself, I nearly always paused for a moment before the statue of the great Jose Rizal before returning to my quarters.” (quoted from HCS)

I hope the restoration of this wonderful piece of history be implemented soon. Have to drop by again one of these days and see for myself the progress of the building. The website of the hotel is still incomplete but you can now visit it at www.lunetahotel.com.ph. Giddy excited for this. :)