Tatler Philippines – August 2026

Summary

Eric Dee, Jr and Bea Soriano-Dee, photographed at their Quezon City home by Mark Chester Ang, anchor Tatler Philippines August 2026 with a 12-page feature on marriage and business partnership that also launches the magazine's first 60-page Travel Special. The issue covers 9 travel destinations from the Amalfi Coast to Greece's Peloponnese, plus a 6-page dining guide with exclusive HSBC cardholder offers.

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The cover feature ("A Life in Tandem," p.76) follows the Dee couple's 15-year marriage and joint stewardship of the Dee family's retail and property holdings, including the 12-store SM North Edsa annex development. The Travel Special (p.138-184) covers 9 destinations across 60 editorial pages: a photo essay on abandoned buildings reimagined with flora (p.138), leading photographers' travel secrets (p.142), hotel-fashion brand collaborations (p.154), the Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok (p.158), solo-travel advice by columnist AA Patawaran (p.166), a 13th-century monastery turned Amalfi hotel (p.170), lesser-known world cuisine spots (p.174), and the Peloponnese region (p.184). The Scene section covers 6 events including the Tatler Front & Female summit, the first Tatler Golf Classic at Sta Elena, and chef Rhoda Magbitang's Top Chef Season 23 win.

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Regular sections include Editor's Note (p.21), The Guest List (p.20), a Calendar (p.48), Talk of the Town (p.46) and The Last Word. Style runs 14 pages: The Wish List accessories (p.56), Style Index with Kylie Versoza (p.66), and Watches Picks (p.68). A 6-page "Beyond One Language" feature (no page number in contents) explores Filipino literature in regional languages.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story

p.76 · A Life in Tandem
Eric Dee, Jr, 42, and Bea Soriano-Dee, 38, have been married 15 years and jointly run the Dee family's retail, property and hospitality interests. Their flagship project—a 12-storey mixed-use annex at SM North Edsa—broke ground in 2025 with a PHP 2.5-billion construction budget. The couple's rule: no business talk at the dinner table, and a weekly date night with phones off.

▸ Travel Special

p.158 · The Green Standard
Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok: 375 rooms, a 2,000-sqm organic garden, and a 1,500-sqm wellness centre with Thai herbal steam rooms. Rates start at THB 8,500 per night. The hotel's garden supplies 30 percent of its restaurant's herbs and vegetables.

p.170 · Peace, Goodness and a New Perspective
A 13th-century monastery on the Amalfi Coast converted into a 5-star hotel—Monastero Santa Rosa. 20 rooms, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and a cliffside infinity pool overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Rates start at EUR 800 per night in high season. Book 6 months ahead for a room with the original vaulted stone ceiling.

p.184 · Between Stone and Salt
The Peloponnese slow-travel guide: 7 days, 4 towns. Nafplio (2 nights, 38 North degrees hotel from EUR 250/night), Monemvasia (2 nights, Monemvasia Castle Inn from EUR 180/night), Gythio (1 night), and the Mani Peninsula (2 nights, Vagia Village from EUR 160/night). The best olive oil comes from the Kalamata region.

▸ Features

p.42 · Hail to the Chef
Filipino chef Rhoda Magbitang, 39, won Top Chef Season 23 on Bravo with a sinigang consommé that scored 98 out of 100. She now runs Kultura, a pop-up in Honolulu, and plans to open her first Manila restaurant in 2027. Her tip: "Use calamansi instead of lemon in any seafood dish—it's more acidic and cuts through oil better."

p.88 · Ready on Cue
The Notebook musical arrives in Manila in October 2026, starring Morissette and Laurence Mossman. The production budget is PHP 120 million. Ticket prices range from PHP 1,500 (balcony) to PHP 8,000 (VIP orchestra). Pre-sales open August 15 at TicketWorld.

▸ Style

p.56 · The Wish List
14 accessories for the traveling professional: a Rimowa Essential Cabin (PHP 36,000), a Tumi backpack with USB port (PHP 12,500), a Montblanc cardholder with RFID blocking (PHP 5,800), and a Muji packing cube set (PHP 1,200).

p.66 · Style Index
Kylie Versoza, 29, creative director of a Manila ad agency, explains her 5-piece travel uniform: a Uniqlo Airism black turtleneck, Zara tailored trousers, Acne Studios leather jacket, Adidas Ultraboost sneakers and a Celine belt bag. All fit into a single carry-on.

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Editor's Take

The 60-page Travel Special is the issue's clear anchor—9 destinations with specific hotel rates, restaurant names and booking timelines that make it a practical planning tool rather than a photo album. The Dee couple cover story is competent but conventional: the "no business at dinner" rule is the only distinct insight in 12 pages. The dining guide with HSBC offers (p.174) crosses the line into advertorial—the bank's logo appears 4 times in a 6-page section that's labeled "in partnership with." The Tatler Golf Classic launch (p.28) is a 4-page advertorial with no prize purse or winner information.

Strengths
• 60-page Travel Special with bookable hotel names, per-night rates and seasonal booking windows
• Chef Rhoda Magbitang Top Chef win reported with specific score and recipe detail
• Sindhorn Kempinski garden-to-table model with measurable output metrics

Weaknesses
• Dee cover story produces only 1 notable insight across 12 pages
• Dining guide with HSBC offers is 6 pages of branded advertorial

Verdict: Recommended — Buy for the Travel Special alone, which covers enough destinations for both a European and Asian trip.