Art and Travel. They seldom go together. But here in Davao, they do.
So far, based on my mini-travels around the city, I’ve discovered two hotels that showcase the artistic side of the Davao. And when I say art, I don’t mean the usual paintings that you often see in a lobby or in every room in a hotel. Though it adds beauty to an otherwise boring room, that kind of art is easy to do – you just buy an artwork from a store and hang it on the wall, and boom… art!
The kind of art that you see in the two hotels featured in this article were made by local talents… hand-crafted and well-thought. Some would say inspired.
Now, I don’t know what inspired means, but I think know what a beautiful artwork is when I see one.
Do you share the same thoughts? If so, on your next travel down Davao, make sure that you pay a visit to our two featured hotels for this article, namely:
( See also: Search and compare 85+ hotels in Davao. )
According to one definition, art refers to “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”
When you get a chance to visit any of these hotels, you’ll find out for yourself that there is a piece of artwork that truly resonates with the beauty that is already in you.
Yogi Bera once said, “You can observe a lot by just watching.” Try that one for yourself by visiting these hotels.
The Ponce Suites
Location: Dona Vicenta Village, Bajada (close to the Pryce Tower and the Landco Tower)
Perhaps this place is the traveler’s top-of-the-mind when we talk about artworks in a hotel in Davao.
Coming right at the hotel entrance, you’ll be greeted by gigantic eagle sculptures. First time you see it, you might think that this hotel is a mysterious place where magicians and witches hone their tricks. But once you are inside the lobby, you’ll see a couple more wonderful artworks of paintings and sculptures. Many of which are handy works of Kublai Millan. He is a very popular artist in Davao and you can see his works – they have similar patterns – everywhere in the city and in nearby provinces.
The management calls it the unconventional hotel. And their website puts this line: “A hotel is best felt by the guests themselves therefore things are better left unsaid.”
Hmm… What else can I say? 🙂 You have to visit the hotel and see what’s waiting for you there.
Jade Dragon Suites
Hotel Location: Aurora Street, between Jacinto Street and Roxas Ave.
“It’s a luxury you can afford,” claims the hotel’s brochure. And true enough when I visited the hotel at one point, it’s a lovely place to be.
- Friendly staff (that’s requirement Number 1, I think)
- Modern design
- Very clean, from the tiles and all
- And affordable, too.
But where’s the artwork?
Okay that’s next. But first, let me introduce you to the concepts of why the management wanted to showcase artworks in their hotel.
Unlike Kublai Millan, the owners of the Dragon Suites are not professional artists. But they do come from Chinese descendants who consider cultures and traditions to be very important.
It’s part of their mission to help preserve our local culture and encourage local artists to be even more creative with their works.
The Jade Dragon Suites’ Art Gallery is witness to that mission. Artists may use the Art gallery of the to display their masterpieces for everyone to see. If they have clients, they can simply go there, introduce the artworks, and if they client wants to buy, a deal can be made. If you are an artist of meagre resources, I think that’s better than having your own art gallery.
Looking at the gallery, I personally like this painting the most:
Agree or not, beauty is really in the eyes of the beholder. You can find a lot of other beautiful painting by taking a virtual tour of their website’s gallery section.
Better yet, you can go there and see it for yourself.
This Zen-inspired hotel is among the newest additions to the growing number of small hotels. The location of the hotel itself is already very advantageous to travelers. It is a walking distance to the SM City Davao, in Ecoland Subdivsion.
The term “viajero” is derived from Spanish, which translates to traveller in English. Viajeros Inn has successfully branded itself as a hotel of choice for transients, backpackers, and city traveller looking for cheap accommodation without compromising the service.
Unknown to many tourists and travellers, both foreigners and locals, this popular beach destination in the south is not really in Davao City. The hotel-resort is located in the nearby Samal Island, some 45-minute boat ride away from Davao City. 
The most popular place at the Shrine Hills is the meditation center and church known as the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague. It’s one of the best places to pray, meditate, relax or just feel the fresh air and have an overlooking view of the entire city.