World-class resort-hotel puts Sarrat town in tourism map

SARRAT, Ilocos Norte, Sept. 21 – Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, the newest resort and hotel that aims to bring this interior eastern town of Ilocos Norte in the Philippine tourism map opened its door to the public in time with the celebration of the 98th birth anniversary of the late Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos here.

RiverMount Resort and Hotel is the first of its kind in Ilocos Norte as visitors are surely awed by its building’s modern architectural design and its location of natural view that can be seen in the vast middle of a river and a mountain.

Coined from its natural site, the name ‘RiverMount’ is from the words river and mountain being strategically situated between Laoag City’s Padsan River and the mountainous terrain of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.

The green and blue hue creates an extraordinary view that truly amazes tourists and visitors here .

MJ Cordero, the resort consultant, said the hotel eyes the privilege of coming the first triple A resort and hotel in the North that can be at par with the hotels in the metropolis.

She said, “Ilocos Norte is very marketable when it comes to investments and it is the getaway of the tourists in the North, a reason why the investors keep on coming in the province.”

Resort owner Engineer Remigio Medrano said his vision is to put Sarrat, Ilocos Norte into the global map as one of the progressive little municipalities in the Philippines.

He visualized his town as the exemplary place that is self-sustaining and can provide stable income to its people.

Through this investment, Medrano said he wants to promote tourism and make Sarrat more progressive through tourism as its forte.

At present, the hotel already has 80 personnel, who are all native Ilocanos. It bespeaks for the vision of providing more employment opportunities in the province.

The hotel has a total of 49 rooms and a wide swimming pool area with an infinity pool overlooking the nature’s gift of trees and river.

Its architectural design was based on western style with a touch of Ilocano aura that is suitable for family getaway and gatherings.

With its beauty and tranquility, the hotel will surely draw more tourists to visit Ilocos Norte and will definitely bring additional flavor to the people’s choices coming here.

The owner plans to expand the investment to having a water theme park and a pavilion beside it to make it more appealing to the tourists. (CHERRY JOY GARMA/PIA-1, Ilocos Norte)