Company Spotlight: The Remodeled Ramada

By AdA m Beh A r

NATIONAL CITY, CA -- Out of crisis comes opportunity. Just ask Edgar Santos and Anthony Corruthers, the Filipino team that runs the Ramada in National City. The Ramada is emerging from the pandemic stronger than ever before.

“COVID was a curveball for all of us,” says Santos, co-founder of Sharp Hospitality, which manages a portfolio of hotels that includes the Ramada in National City. “But we adapted and I’m pleased to say that the Ramada isn’t just surviving – it’s thriving like never before.”

How can that be?

They were fortunate to stay open throughout the pandemic, he explains, and used the down-time to complete a renovation that has transformed the hotel’s interior. The environs are warm, open, clean, airy, and expansive. Santos points out that the Ramada of National City, formerly known as the Clarion Hotel, is much more than a conveniently located hotel – now it’s a local entertainment destination and gathering spot, right in the middle of a new, revitalized National City: A place to see and be seen.

Amenities

The hotel offers a welcoming atmosphere and a number of impressive amenities including a heated outdoor pool, free high-speed WiFi, free breakfast, free parking, and onsite dry cleaning services. Its offerings also include spacious banquet facilities, an onsite bar, and plenty of meeting space. This nonsmoking (but pet-friendly) hotel also features a state of the art business center and fitness center, both of which have been recently upgraded. Beautiful sunsets and views of the San Diego Bay can be enjoyed throughout the hotel. The hotel’s 180 rooms are clean and spacious, and feature redesigned bedrooms and bathrooms, upgraded beds, and new flat-screen televisions.

Meeting Rooms

The Ramada is ideally suited for organizations and groups that are in need of a space to host events or hold meetings. The hotel has everything you need for a successful company retreat or conference, from an easily accessible, central location to nearly 3,000 square feet of event space, including two meeting rooms which can accommodate up to 200 conference or banquet guests.

Special Events

The Ramada at is the go-to place for hosting a special event, whether it’s a wedding, retirement party, debutante ball, or corporate function. Its 3,000 square feet of banquet space can easily accommodate up to 200 people. “We have a good Filipino base here. And we also get a lot of Filipino politicians who visit with their counterparts here in San Diego County. And we host a lot of those events.”

“South of downtown San Diego, the Ramada in National City is the only hotel with a banquet facility,” he says. “That’s a big point of difference.”

Entertainment With a full bar and restaurant and entertainment on the weekends, including original Filipino songs, the Ramada aims to be “the local hangout” as well as an entertainment, meetings, and special events venue. Call the hotel for entertainment line-up. Location, Location, Location

Positioned downtown between freeways I-5 and I-805, the hotel is a short drive, going south, to Baja California. Going north, it’s a hop, skip, and a jump to downtown San Diego and the Gaslamp Quarter, and also close proximity to the airport, San Diego Bay, and popular destinations like the Naval Base, San Diego Zoo, and San Diego Convention Center.

When you stay at the National City Ramada, you park for free. If you don’t feel like driving, you can take a twoblock stroll to the Trolley and public transportation. Ramada is located in

The New National City

In spite of the pandemic, National City is currently experiencing something of a renaissance, spearheaded by new developments, including Market on 8th. Located in historic downtown National City (41 East 8th Street), this multi-ethnic food and retail hall offers 11,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space. Santos knows hotels guests will enjoy Ramada’s onsite bar and restaurant, but when they want a change of scenery, the Market on 8th food hall is walking distance from the Ramada.

Origin Story

Santos was born and raised in the Philippines, and came to the U.S. when he was 19. Starting at the ground level, as a front desk agent, Santos worked his way up the hotel and hospitality ladder. Corruthers’ story has a similar arc, except he began as a bellman. They became colleagues at CHM Hotels, where Santos served as president and Corruthers as vice president. Sharp Hospitality was born in 2018 when they reunited to form a Filipino-led hospitality company, leveraging their 40 years of combined experience running hotels. The company’s portfolio currently includes five hotels, mostly located in Southern and Central California, including a second Ramada location, Spring Hill Suites, Holiday Inn Express, and Hawthorne Suites.

And in spite of the pandemic, Sharp Hospitality is a growing company. “We're in the process of adding two more hotels,” he says. The company is also a jobs creator. “As far as hiring goes, we try to focus on local residents as much as we can,” he says. He estimates that 50 percent of the Ramada National City staff are from the local community.

Be Their Guest

If you have family coming out of town – or are hosting a celebration, meeting, or special event – the Ramada in National City is the perfect venue. And right now, until March 30, they’re offering readers of “The Filipino Press” a special discount – 25% off the published rate!

Ramada by Wyndham San Diego National City 700 National City Boulevard National City, CA 91950 Ph: (619) 474-2800

Website: wyndhamhotels.com/ ramada/national-city-california/ ramada-san-diego-national-city/ overview

Prayer to Saint Expedite May the intercession of the glorious martyr , St Expedite, recommend us, O my God, to Thy goodness, in order that his protection may obtain for us what our own merits are powerless to do. Amen.

We supplicate Thee, Lord , to inspire by Thy grace all our thoughts and actions, that thou being their principle, we may, by the intercession of St. Expedite, be conducted with courage, fidelity and promptitude, at the time proper and favorable, and come to a good and happy end, through our Lord, Jesus Christ Amen St Expedite, honored by the gratitude of those who have invoked thee at the last hour and for pressing cases, we pray thee to obtain from the all powerful goodness of God, by the intercession of Mary Immaculate, (today or such a day) the grace we solicit with all submission to the Divine Will Amen