Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar (Spanish for "Acuzar's Philippine Houses") is a beach resort, hotel, convention center and heritage destination in Bagac, Bataan, Philippines.[3]

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

View of the hotel grounds
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is located in Philippines
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar
Location within the Philippines
TypeHeritage beach resort
LocationBagac, Bataan
Coordinates14°36′09.6″N 120°23′06.9″E
Area400 ha (4,000,000 m2)[1][2]
OpenedMarch 2010
FounderJose Acuzar
Operated byMarivent Resort Hotel Inc.
Websitelascasasfilipinas.com

History

Jose Acuzar, the owner of New San Jose Builders, Inc., started to rebuild Spanish colonial-era mansions in Bagac in 2003. In March 2010, the area was opened to the public as the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. It was placed under the management of Genesis Hotels and Resorts Corporation.[4]

Las Casas Filipinas temporarily closed in early 2020 due to community quarantine measures imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but eventually reopened in July 2020.[5][6]

In November 2021 it was named the "Best Historic Hotel in Asia and the Pacific" by the Historic Hotels of America, citing it as one of the hotels that "best celebrate its history in the guest experience and provide exceptional customer hospitality and service."[7][1]

It was used as a filming location of Zorro,[2] Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral,[8][9] Heneral Luna,[9] and Maria Clara at Ibarra.

Features

Las Casas Filipinas covers an area of around 400 hectares (990 acres)[1][10] in Bagac, Bataan. For its lodging facilities, Las Casas Filipinas has 128 guest rooms and 63 "elite casas" as of January 2021.[10]

Heritage houses
Casa Hidalgo

The main attraction of the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is its heritage houses, which were transplanted from outside Bagac, Bataan. The houses are disassembled from their original location and reconstructed inside the premise of the Las Casas Filipinas. This method of heritage conservation has been contentious among conservationists since they believed that their original communities could have benefitted from the structures had they been restored on site.[11] The heritage park's proponent Gerry Acuzar claimed that he went with the method in order to save the structures from decay and neglect.[4] The heritage park was lauded by the Department of Tourism in 2021 under Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat for its preservation efforts.[10]

Houses included in the Las Casas Filipinas are evaluated for their historical, cultural and architectural value. Most structures dates back to the Spanish colonial era, but some buildings were built later such as the Casa Lubao which was built in 1920 during the American era.[4] The heritage park also include a torogan, a Maranao royal clan house from Lanao in Mindanao.[12]

Among the notable houses transplanted to the heritage park are: Casa Bizantina, Casa Hidalgo, Casa Jaen I, and Casa Unisan.

Other structures

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar also hosts a small church known as the Sanctuario de San Jose.[13] Other features include the Napiya Spa, a swimming pool.[14] The Tulay ni Lola Basyang is a bridge that crosses the Umagol River and is a replica of the old Puente de España in Manila.[15]

References
  1. "Why Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar should be in your next itinerary". Philippine Star. December 21, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  2. Dimaculangan, Jocelyn (March 27, 2009). "ON THE SET: Zorro in Bagac, Bataan". Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  3. "...a New San Jose Builders project". Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  4. Orejas, Tonette (29 April 2012). "Where memories, heritage line the streets". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  5. "Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar reopens – The Manila Times". Manila Times. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  6. "Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar to reopen doors in July after 3-month lockdown". The Philippine Star. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  7. Lim, Ron (November 16, 2021). "Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar named Best Historic Hotel in Asia". GMA News. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  8. "Las Casas revisits past through biopic film 'Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral'". BusinessMirror. September 28, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  9. "Iconic Locations Inside Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar To Cure Your "Goyo" And "Heneral Luna" Hangover". Metro Style. ABS-CBN Publishing. September 16, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  10. Quismorio, Ellson (31 January 2021). "DoT chief cites Las Casas' way of preserving local historical sites". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  11. Ranada, Pia (3 November 2012). "The tragedy of Bahay Alberto". Rappler. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  12. "Art installations inaugurate art space at controversial Acuzar 'heritage resort' in Bataan". Inquirer Lifestyle. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  13. "Las Casas perfect for shoots and weddings". Manila Times. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  14. "Tales of love, lust, and murder at Las Casas Filipinas". GMA News Online. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  15. Tugade, Edgardo (30 June 2016). "Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar: Restoring the lost glory of old Filipino houses". Manila Standard. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
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