Today I Learned: Discovery Primea’s Gilarmi Lounge Was Named After Miss Universe Armi Kuusela and Her Filipino Husband, Virgilio Hilario

If you’ve ever stepped into Discovery Primea, the five-star luxury hotel in Makati, chances are you’ve passed by the Gilarmi Lounge and probably wondered about the origin of the name. It does have the same cadence and romantic tone as the Italian names Armani and Parmigiani, but its roots are actually closer to home. “Gilarmi” isn’t just a random brand—it’s a portmanteau born from a real-life romance, bearing a slice of Manila’s history. 

The hotel's affable general manager David Pardo de Ayala took us on a trip down memory lane when Esquire Philippines met him at the Gilarmi Lounge no less. Over hearty offerings at Tapenade (Tomatoes with Burrata, Gnocco Frito, Risotto Carbonara, Pizza Tomatina, Rigatoni Bolognese, and Salad), he says, "Standing right here at this location in the 1960s was Gilarmi Apartments, owned by the very first Miss Universe Armi Kuusela and her Filipino husband, businessman Virgilio Hilario. Gilarmi is the combined syllables of their names." 

The Gilarmi love story, we discovered, is a tale worth telling. Kuusela, then 17, made history when she won Miss Finland and represented her country to the very first Miss Universe pageant held in Long Beach, California in 1952. Part of the Miss Universe activities was going on a world tour. This brought the Finnish beauty to the Philippines on February 22, 1953, upon the invitation Philippine International Fair Committee. She was requested to crown then-Miss Philippines Cristina Pacheco in Manila.  

Suffice it to say, Kuusela’s stay in the Philippines was pretty eventful. At a dance in Baguio City, she met the 25-year-old hotelier Hilario, and sparks flew. The Columbia University alumnus had a flair for a range of ballroom dances, it swept the young woman off her feet. Hilario himself was also obviously smitten by the blue-eyed lass that he followed her to Tokyo, Japan a few months after, where their whirlwind romance ensued. This later led to an engagement, where Hilario reportedly gave the beauty queen a three-carat diamond ring.  

The young couple originally planned to tie the knot on August 20, 1953, to coincide with Kuusela's 19th birthday. But an unexpected altercation at a nightclub with an intoxicated American journalist prompted them to move up their timeline. When they exchanged vows in Yokohama, Japan on May 4, 1953, the groom reportedly still bore a visible black eye from the encounter, according to an account published in Ricky Lo's column.  

The marriage may have required Kuusela to relinquish her Miss Universe crown, but their romance, immortalized in the film Now and Forever, became their most cherished achievement. Their union was blessed with five children. 

The couple eventually made Manila their home and founded the real estate development firm Gilarmi Corporation. Their landmark project, the Gilarmi Apartments on Ayala Avenue, earned the distinction as a pioneer of the serviced residence concept. 

Hilario unfortunately met his early demise on September 7, 1975, at the age of 48. Kuusela managed the corporation as well as well as the apartment until around 1979, before relocating with her second husband, American diplomat Albert Williams. The property was sold to JTKC Land (owned by the Tiu family) in 1990.  

Call it a mere coincidence or destiny, but GM Pardo de Ayala, who hails from Colombia, stayed at the Gilarmi Apartments on his first visit to the Philippines in the mid-90s. “I visited my girlfriend to show her family that I was a serious guy with honorable intentions,” he recalls, smiling. 

“When I stayed at the Gilarmi Apartments, the building already showed its age. It must have been a good 30-year-old building by then. But since it was my first visit to the Philippines, every sound, sight, and smell was new to me,” he says. “Little did I know that many years later, I would be opening a hotel on the same site.” 

When Discovery Primea was being built, it wasn't just about creating something new; it was about honoring the history of the ground it stands on, says Pardo de Ayala. “In the early 2010s, as we were establishing the hotel, the president asked me to reach out to Miss Armi in California to seek permission to use the name Gilarmi for the lounge,” the hotel GM recalls. “They graciously gave their blessing, and that’s how it started.” 

In a Facebook post by historian Ambeth Ocampo, netizens share their recollections about the Gilarmi Apartments. “When l came to the Philippines in 1992, to work in Pampanga, just months after Mt. Pinatubo erupted, the Gilarmi hotel was my first stop. I have clear memories of its rustic bedrooms, the all-you-can-eat buffet breakfasts, and the easy access across Ayala Ave to the resplendent Glorietta mall. The Gilarmi was exceptional in customer service that made a first-time visitor like myself begin to truly experience Pinoy hospitality,” writes a commenter.  

“I used to go to the 12-storey Gilarmi Apartments in the 1960s as our office (research project with UP Diliman and National Planning Association, Washington DC) was located there. Then the highest building in Makati, it had a swimming pool on the topmost floor. Though I wished to have seen Hilarios (especially Armi), I never saw a glimpse of them. Just content to see their pictures in the society pages of the national papers,” shares another.  

“Back in the ’60s, the Gilarmi Apartments represented a rather innovative approach to the then-nascent hospitality industry in Makati. In a way, that first step—the industry’s early evolution—started here. And since our hotel now specializes in the extended stay market, I find a connection there as well,” Pardo de Ayala says, adding that among their primary guests are expatriates, diplomats, and returning Filipinos. 

“It allows us to really get to know people—what they like, what they don’t like, what they anticipate, et cetera. And the fact that our hotel is a small luxury hotel makes it quite conducive to connect with them beyond simply a business-transaction level,” adds the seasoned hotelier. 

Discovery Primea, which opened in February 2015, was designed by world-renowned Japanese architect and urban planner Kenzo Tange (best known for leading the reconstruction of post-war Hiroshima) in partnership with Filipino architect Jorge Ramos. The hotel prides itself as “the only 100 percent Filipino-owned hotel operating in the luxury space in Makati,” offers Pardo de Ayala. 

Designed for both business and leisure travelers, the 68-storey structure features 140 hotel guest rooms and suites, along with 90 serviced residences offering breathtaking views of Manila’s skyline.  

One of the hotel’s defining features is its extensive food and beverage program. Instead of relying on a single all-day dining restaurant, the hotel houses multiple, highly specialized dining venues, each with its own identity.  

The Gilarmi Lounge, for one, hosts the renowned Gin Library, a must-visit in Makati for G&T enthusiasts; the Burger Library, known for flavorful pica picas such as Sisig and Wagyu Beef Salpicao; Tapenade, which serves a variety of Mediterranean cuisines; and Gilarmi Bakery, which serves freshly baked treats and coffee. 

They also have the 1824 Whisky & Cigar Bar, which specializes in premium whisky and cigar pairings; Flame Restaurant, which serves modern Asian cuisine; and Flame Al Fresco, which offers Josper-grilled specialties complemented by a selection of refreshing beverages. 

Furthermore, the hotel sets itself apart with a range of amenities designed for both high-level functionality and deep relaxation. It has a 20-meter heated infinity pool which offers a serene escape above the Makati skyline. Inside the suites, the commitment to a "home-away-from-home" experience is evident in the inclusion of full kitchens, washer-dryers, and a curated "pillow menu" to ensure a good night’s sleep. For wellness, the Terazi Spa offers an authentic Turkish Hammam bath alongside signature treatments like the traditional Filipino Hilot. 

Eleven years since Discovery Primea opened, how does he think Ms. Kuusela would feel seeing how the Gilarmi Apartments site has evolved? 

“I am very confident that she would be pleased with what we have done with the space. It's an ambitious development. It's world-class. The architect, Kenzo Tange, was a winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, considered a Nobel Prize of architecture. And I think in her heart of hearts, Miss Armi would be happy that we kept the Gilarmi Lounge as a little homage to her love story and her roots in the Philippines, which I know she treasures until this day,” Pardo de Ayala says.  

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