Allyzza Kay Trinidad

Ralph de Leon and Dustin Yu tease suspense twists and mystery behind “The Secrets of Hotel 88”

Article (news)

Kyla Dennise Magbanua

<p>They&#x27;ve kept the viewers guessing with every twist and turn in the teaser, and now, stars of “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/2/12/iwant-brings-viewers-first-access-to-abs-cbn-and-gma-s-new-mystery-romance-the-secrets-of-hotel-88-1625" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u><em>The Secrets of Hotel 88</em></u></strong></a>” Ralph de Leon and Dustin Yu spill more hints about these secrets! The two actors share candid BTS moments and tease the mystery surrounding their roles in the February 19 episode of Kapamilya Chat. </p><p>Without revealing too much about the show, Ralph and Dustin described the series as “intense” and “full of happenings.” Ralph shared, “Sobrang daming nangyayari. Pero hindi siya kalat---everything makes sense and everything happens for a reason,” adding that the pacing is well-balanced and the secrets are all interconnected.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Ralph and Dustin on their characters </strong></div><p>Ralph plays Martin Madrigal, the brother of Gio (Brent Manalo) and Kiko (Will Ashley). He described his character as “mysterious” and “nonchalant,” hinting that more layers will be revealed as the teaser already shows glimpses of him in action scenes. “Tingnan natin kung ano ‘yung nagpapa-pitik sa kanya nang ganon,” he teased.   </p><div><br/></div><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=AByyZhn2ZoGMoWxR"></script></div><div><br/></div><p>Ralph previously starred in teleseryes such as “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/highstreet2024/articles-videos/5-kilig-instances-doc-kevin-showed-genuine-feelings-for-roxy-in-high-street-22607" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>High Street</u></strong></a>” in 2024, where he portrayed Kevin. Now that he’s back in the acting scene, how did Ralph approach Martin differently compared to Kevin?</p><p>He explained that the characters’ backgrounds and professions set them apart, Martin in “Hotel 88” is a businessman, while Kevin was a doctor. “Iba ‘yung family background. Si Doc Kevin kasi hindi masyadong na-explore ‘yung family background. Pero dito sa ‘Hotel 88,’ family is very important.” Ralph emphasized that family plays a crucial role in how the story unfolds and drives the characters’ decisions, which different from Kevin’s arc in “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/highstreet2024/articles-news/5-intense-altercations-between-archie-and-kevin-on-high-street-23086" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>High Street</u></strong></a>.” </p><p> Meanwhile, Dustin takes on the role of Edward Arellano, a family friend of the Almazans (played by Bianca de Vera and River Joseph). “Serious din si Edward, precise. May pagka-pabebe siya, pero may pinanggagalingan siya at ‘yun ‘yung dapat nilang abangan,” he said, describing Edward as serious yet soft-hearted.  </p><p>When asked what they liked and disliked about their characters, Ralph admitted that Martin’s snobbish, know-it-all attitude is the complete opposite of his real personality. Still, he appreciated Martin’s determination to prove himself.  Dustin, on the other hand, shared that Edward’s confidence, even in the wrong situations, can be frustrating, but his soft-heartedness makes him admirable.</p><p>Later on, Dustin teased DustBia fans about what to expect from Edward’s dynamic with Bianca’s character, Jade, while Ralph hinted at AzRalph fans about his character’s connection with AZ Martinez’s role as Sari.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>On working with fellow “PBB Collab” housemates </strong></div><div><br/></div><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=AByyZ0Cd_HaBWQZH"></script></div><div><br/></div><p>Their “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/pinoy-big-brother-collab" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em><strong><u>Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition</u></strong></em></a>” journey has become one of the most iconic seasons of the franchise, made even more memorable now that the former housemates are starring as lead cast members in a series---something that excites them to no end.</p><p>Dustin recalled how, back inside Bahay ni Kuya, they would only daydream about future projects. “Ako iniisip ko lang na baka sa social media lang kami magka-collab, hindi sa teleserye.” Now that everything has fallen into place, he admitted it still feels surreal. “Wow, grabeng [achievement] ‘to.” He added that working with both ABS-CBN and GMA makes the experience even more extraordinary. </p><p>Ralph echoed Dustin’s sentiments, saying they never imagined collaborating on a series between the two networks. At most, they thought they’d only work together on endorsements or magazine shoots. “Akala talaga namin impossible siya, pero thankfully nabigyan kami ng opportunity na ipakita ‘yung talento namin together,” he said, grateful to share the spotlight with his fellow PBB alumni. </p><p>When asked about unforgettable scenes, Ralph revealed that instead of stepping back, he leaned on his co-stars for emotional strength. “Lumapit ako sa kanila, kasi ‘yun ‘yung pinaghuhugutan ko. Dun ako nakakuha ng sobrang lakas na feeling. Sobrang lakas na emotion.” He credited his castmates for helping him embody the emotions needed for other scenes. Meanwhile, Dustin shared that for heavy moments, he focuses completely and gives his all-out performance during takes.</p><p>And as for their favorite off-cam memories, Ralph and Dustin happily recalled water activities like boating, riding speedboats, and jet skiing. “’Yung favorite ko talaga ‘pag kasama namin ‘yung prod,” Ralph added, saying it was fun to bond with everyone when the cameras weren’t rolling.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Ralph and Dustin talk fan theories </strong></div><p>An interesting question was posed to the two: if given the chance, would they bring their own guests to “Hotel 88”? Ralph quickly quipped, “Not at all. Sobrang gulo ng ‘Hotel 88’. Kung ako ‘yung mga guest dun, parang ‘di ko talaga ma-imagine na mag-stay ako dun.”  </p><p>Dustin, however, gave the opposite answer, saying he would gladly take some friends to “Hotel 88.” “Feeling ko kasi, hindi siya boring. Ipapakilala ko sila sa inyo. Feeling ko maiiba naman, mae-entertain ‘yung mga friends ko. At the same time, makakapag-beach kami.” He added that the hotel’s mystery would give his friends an extra thrill.   </p><p>On the topic of fan theories, Dustin shared that he personally reads them online and sometimes comes across ones that make valid points. He admitted that their curiosity resonates with him, since even the cast doesn’t know the full plot yet as filming continues.  </p><p>Ralph added that production keeps them in the dark about upcoming twists. “’Yung iba [na cast members] may mga secret na eksena na tine-tape na hindi namin alam,” he revealed. He mentioned that they even form their own theories, which has become one of the fun bonding moments during taping, and fans should watch out how the story would unravel. </p><p>Get ready to unfold the mystery with Ralph and Dustin in the upcoming series “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/2/12/iwant-brings-viewers-first-access-to-abs-cbn-and-gma-s-new-mystery-romance-the-secrets-of-hotel-88-1625" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u><em>The Secrets of Hotel 88</em></u></strong></a>,” premiering February 23 on <a href="https://app.iwanttfc.com/dFR6MWHAcVb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>iWant</u></strong></a>, with episodes streaming seven days ahead of free TV.</p>

<p>Stars of “The Secrets of Hotel 88” Ralph de Leon and Dustin Yu tease more about the mystery surrounding their roles in the February 19 episode of Kapamilya Chat. </p>

Stars of “The Secrets of Hotel 88” Ralph de Leon and Dustin Yu tease more about the mystery surrounding their roles in the February 19 episode of Kapamilya Chat.