Hotel 1925 (Batangas City, Philippines)

Heritage Redesigned From the family who brought you Casa Marikit Ristorante Italiano, the very first fine dining Italian restaurant in Lipa City, comes an untold story of hard work and perseverance. Hailing from a very poor family and surviving the Japanese occupation, Rufino “PINONG” M. Mojares was saved by his enterprising spirit. Working from a very young age, he bought and sold anything and everything under the sun to make ends meet. From trading second-hand tires to selling appliances, manufacturing jeepneys, selling motorcycles and feedmilling, he started making his mark in the world of business. With the passage of time, his businesses grew and diversified. He closed some doors and opened new ones. Where there was once an open-space warehouse now stands a beauty to behold. What used to be a rough cement floor is now covered with machuca tiles. Old wood was turned into embellishment. The grand staircase preserves the scars and secrets of the past. So much of the new edifice belonged to the long ago. Hotel 1925 is a tribute to the boy who didn’t have enough money to replace his worn out slippers. A homage to the man who has built an empire. Rufino “Pinong” M. Mojares, born 1925. Located in Lamar, Pilahan Street, Brgy. Sabang, 1.5 kilometers from the center of Lipa, Hotel 1925 is a boutique hotel with 16 expansive suites that showcase a Spanish colonial design. The rooms feature machuca-tile flooring, custom-made wood furnishings, opulent upholstery and antique 1920 aparadors and comodas.