Torre Lorenzo Development Corporation teams up with global hotel giant Dusit International to bring five-star luxury to the southern Philippines.
Davao has long been known as one of the country’s key commercial and industrial hubs, but now it can proudly call itself a center for leisure and tourism with the opening of the dusitD2 Davao Hotel last Sept. 6.

Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat and Lim Boon Kwee look on as President Rodrigo Duterte and Tomas Lorenzo unveil the commemorative marker
The result of a longstanding collaboration between Filipino company Torre Lorenzo Development Corporation (TLDC) and Thai hospitality giant Dusit International, the DusitD2 Davao has also been hailed as a development that will help address the growing need for better accommodations in the southern city, which has been welcoming nearly two million tourists a year since 2017.
Attended by President Rodrigo Duterte, together with Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the launch was held at the expansive 1,140-sqm. Dusit Thani Grand Ballroom. Earlier in the day, the official ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by the President’s son, Davao Acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte. The event was also marked by TLDC’s donation of P10 million for the education of the children of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel wounded in the line of duty, a grant to be given in P1 million increments over a 10-year period.

Davao City Acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte joins TLDC CEO Tomas Lorenzo, Dusit International COO Lim Boon Kwee, DusitD2 general manager Christopher Wichlan, and key members of the staff at the ribbon cutting for the new development.
Located on a three-hectare property in Lanang, the bustling heart of Davao City’s rapidly evolving central business district, DusitD2 Davao currently offers contemporary luxury in 120 rooms and suites, all tastefully designed by Manny Samson of Emsae Design. Each one is equipped with all the comforts of modern living such as flat-screen televisions offering a variety of local and international channels, luxurious bedding, a private balcony, and a complimentary minibar. Guests can also enjoy excellent cuisine at Madayaw Café, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant; take a swim in the courtyard swimming pools; get pampered by expert therapists at the Thai-inspired Naam Spa, and enjoy cocktails and nightcaps at the Siam Lounge in the lobby. Come October, gourmets can also enjoy authentic Thai cuisine when the Davao outpost of Dusit’s famed Benjarong restaurant opens.
All these comforts are aligned with TLDC and Dusit International’s shared drive to give guests the best possible experience. According to TLDC CEO Tomas Lorenzo, “We want our guests to feel cocooned; ensconced far away from the bustle. After all, if you do all your work, you want to detach at the end of the day.”

The hotel entrance exudes a contemporary urban aesthetic.
The dusitD2 Davao is just one of several developments in what is touted as Davao City’s first-ever luxury complex. Sharing the same space is Dusit Thani Residence Davao, a unique residential development managed by Dusit International, which allows unit owners to enjoy the same amenities as hotel guests. Consisting of 168 fully-furnished and equipped units, spaces range from 33-sqm. studio-type flats to spacious 148-sqm. three-bedroom apartments with a nine-sqm balcony. As of press time, all but 19 units have already been purchased. Also in the pipeline: the Dusit Princess Davao Hotel which will offer the plush luxury the Dusit brand is known for, but given touch of local flavor. However, Lorenzo was quick to point out that the Lanang developments are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg as two other projects are set to change the game in the leisure industry — not only in Davao or even all of Mindanao, but for the rest of the country as well.
“The Beach Club at Lubi Plantation, managed by Dusit, is our way of delivering a high-end luxury experience on a private island,” he says with pride.

The courtyard leads to a number of leisure options including the swimming pools, fitness center, lobby lounge and the Naam Spa.
Lubi means coconut in the local dialect, and this particular development was modeled after the coconut plantations found all over Sri Lanka in the first two decades of the 20th century. Located on Kopiat Island, approximately 1.5 km. and 30 minutes by sea from Davao City, the Beach Club is currently open only for day visitors who can enjoy a number of activities from swimming, to tennis, and even indoor games, as well as great food from Tarictic Grill and a soon-to-open American diner-style restaurant. It is seen as a great alternative for day-trips and team-building activities and, as it has a chapel on the premises, a romantic wedding venue.

A stunning view of the swimming and wading pools in the Dusitcourtyard.
Lubi Plantation is also where Davao’s first all-villa five-star resort will be located, with the impending opening of the Dusit Thani at Lubi Plantation. Thirty-six well-appointed beachfront villas, several of which will also feature private plunge pools and butler service, will soon be open for those who want a refined take on island living. An outpost of Dusit’s award-winning Devarana Spa is also in the works.

Guests can enjoy excellent meals in a relaxing setting at the Club Lounge on the 6th floor.
With Davao opening up to more direct international routes and its emergence as a center of commerce and culture in Mindanao, TLDC and Dusit International aren’t just meeting the demand for more accommodations in the region, they are also changing the very tenor of the leisure scene as they transform it into a place that offers the very best in accommodations, comfort, fun, and cuisine.

Architect Manny Samson has imbued the interiors with a modern sensibility.
“TLDC and Dusit have been very much aligned in our vision of catering to Davao’s growing demand for premium developments,” Lorenzo says of the ongoing evolution. “It is truly an honor for us to partner with them in offering the latest premium developments in the region.”

Well-appointed guest rooms offer the ultimate in comfort for those flying to the southern city.