A Prestige Lounge @ The SM Store Bacolod

The SM Store Bacolod finally opened it's SM Prestige Lounge last May.  Lifestyle bloggers and writers from Bacolod and Negros Occidental were invited to have a first hand experience of it's amenities and cozy atmosphere. The area is very spacious (180 square meters) and elegant, fully carpeted with comfortable sitting areas, powder-cum-fitting rooms, a Nokia phone charging station, courtesy package counter and soon to be installed WiFi connection. It is a haven within SM Department Store for the exclusive use of SM Prestige members. 

photo courtesy of Sigrid Lo of Posh Post

There are only nine SM Prestige Lounges nationwide and SM Bacolod has one even ahead of SM-Cebu.  Other SM Department Store branches with an SM Prestige Lounge are: SM Makati / SM Mall of Asia / SM Cubao / SM Megamall / SM North Edsa / SM Pampanga / SM Southmall / SM Iloilo.  This prompted me to ask how many Prestige Cardholders does SM-Bacolod have for it to merit a Prestige Lounge.  The answer was surprising!  Let me just say that Bacolod where the SM presence started only 6 years ago in 2007, is almost at par in terms of the numbers of Prestige Cardholders with Iloilo, which had SM for more than 20 years (SM Delgado in 1979 and SM City-Iloilo in 1999).  This really proves that people from Bacolod and Negros Occidental are big spenders, although not necessarily richer!  

photo retrieved from Posh Post

photo retrieved from The Happy Trip

Negros bloggers with SM Bacolod management

After a brief tête-à-tête with SM Department Store management we proceeded to the Prestige Lounge.  There is a very accommodating and well-trained staff to attend to the needs of the members and their guests. Members are provided with personalized coffee and tea service like cafe latte, cappucino, black coffee or iced tea, and iced purified water. There are magazines, local and national dailies, and a flat screen TV to keep guests occupied. The staff will even assist members in gift wrapping and bills payment needs as well as attend to other shopping and member related concerns.  Members are required to present their Prestige Card  when they enter and are allowed to bring a maximum of three companions with them.  Picture-taking, sleeping and bringing in of outside food is not allowed inside.

The Prestige Card may be availed when an SM Advantage Card (SMAC) holder has reached an accumulated purchase of P300,000 within two (2) years. Thereafter, your SM Prestige membership is automatically renewed after two (2) years if you maintain the required spending of P150,000 at all SM Retail stores.  

In late 2009, I was informed through e-mail that my SMAC membership had been upgraded to Prestige since I have reached the required purchase...which of course shocked me because only then did I realized that I have spent THAT MUCH in SM!   But on hindsight, I buy almost all my groceries in SM stores, my clothes and that of my family, most hardware, small appliances...so yes, I guess I am a loyal SM customer and it's no wonder that I have a Prestige Card.  I have been a Prestige Cardholder for the last 4 years and thus, the Prestige Lounge is a big plus for me since my mom and brother who are both PWD's can relax here when they get tired of waiting for me while I make my shopping at SM where they got it all for me!