liezle’s little corner @ friendster

I had an opportunity to go to Shangri-La Mactan,Cebu for 2 nights and 3 days. I don’t think I can afford the luxury of Shangri-La Mactan if not for the Company where I work. Hee,
really thanks! Though it was an official trip [which others will not
like], I still had a great time because I was in the company of good
people. Likewise, we were able to enjoy some of the resorts facilities.

Shangri-La
Mactan as many would know is just one the many chain of Shangri-La
Resorts and Spa. It is one of Philippine’s premier five-star resort.
Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa is a lush garden retreat ideal for
vacationers and families, with kid’s play areas, a wide range of
restaurants, and CHI, one of the largest and most luxurious spas in the
region. [and expensive ^^]            

Situated on tropical Mactan Island in the Philippines the resort is a short distance from the airport and ideally located for both leisure and business travelers.

The
14 hectares of lush tropical greenery resort is equipped with private
beach cove, 2 swimming pools one of which is called Infinity Pool and
the other one is a multi-level pool, health clubs, gyms, sauna, steam
bath and massage room.

Recreational
activities include para sailing, sailboats, kayaking, windsurfing,
scuba diving, snorkeling, speedboat fun rides, water and jet skiing,
golf, tennis and many more. There are facilities for toddlers, kids, teens and adults too.

There are many restaurants and Lounges to choose from. There’s Tides a buffet of international dishes. Tea of  Spring which offer Chinese cuisine. Cowrie Cove where one can experience a different level of wining and dining by the sea. Acqua [yes, that's the spelling] that offers Italian cuisine
in the plush modern interiors that also offers a panoramic view of the
Ocean Wing pool and the clear blue ocean. There is also the Buko Bar and Grill
where one can quench that thirst with fresh coconut juice served
straight from its shell, sip exotic cocktails and watch cultural shows
at night. And there is also the Lobby Lounge which is overlooking the lush tropical garden, the resort’s multi-level pool and the horizon beyond. It also offers live entertainment nightly.    

There are so many things that can be done while staying in Shangri-la Mactan. You can also go to the major shopping areas and shop for souvenirs by taking the free shuttle bus. 

During
our stay, I had the comfort of staying in Superior Bay View with my
lady boss who also happens to be my photographer on the last day of our
trip. The room overlooks lush gardens with a view of Mactan Bay.
The décor comprises an inviting blend of traditional and contemporary
Philippine styles. The room offers a private balcony with a coffee
table and seating for two.

View from room 8092

On
the last day of our stay, I went to Chi Spa just to look and take
photos. Honestly even if I can afford the rates which is 3 to 4 times
more compared to 1^st class spas in Manila, I don’t think I can have a massage in Chi Spa ^^ I think it really caters to foreign guests. Btw, out of curiosity I asked if all the treatment rooms are occupied, and to my surprised all were occupied. I was told that reservations must be made in advance for them to accommodate me. ^^ Anyway, you may check here to know the rate at Chi Spa.

The
resort was fully booked last week and I think about 80% of the guests
were foreigners [there were Caucasians which I don't know the
nationality, lots of Koreans, many Japanese [on vacation because of
Ubon], Chinese and Singaporeans as well].   

Shangri-La Mactan is paradise. I love the serene world that it offered me. I love the prevalent mood in which feelings were sheathed in thoughts.

What
makes also the stay worthwhile is  the service quality of the staff of
Shangri-La Mactan.  It  is one of the best. They have superior service
and the staff show genuine warm hospitality. For the short time that we
stayed in the resort, with all the demands and changes from our group
the staff were all very accommodating. I received many positive
feedbacks about the overall experience our group had during our 3-day
stay in Mactan. It’s really amazing how they’ve  managed to create a culture of service across the organization. It is highly commendable.

During
our stay we were able to squeeze in a half day tour  but unfortunately
we weren’t able to see all that was included in our itinerary.

First stop is Liberty Shrine which is located in Punta Engano, Mactan Island,  a good walking distance from the Resort, this monument stands to honour the spot where on April 27,  1519 the first Filipino hero, Lapu-Lapu, and his warriors killed Magellan in battle and drove his troops back to the sea.

Then to LapuLapu Monument
where the battle between Mactan Island Chieftain Lapulapu and the
foreign aggressor Ferdinand Magellan occured in April 27, 1521 . It
depicts the hero holding a bolo (large sword) in one hand and a pestle
on the other. Said weapons were believed to have been used during his
combat with Magellan. This monument stands as a reminder of Filipino
bravery.

We then proceeded to Alegre Guitars
factory. Mactan, Cebu is known for making the finest guitars in the
Philippines.  Cebu has a guitar-making industry. Most (if not all)
guitars are hand-crafted and sell well below the price of more well
known guitars. This is taken at the Alegre Guitar factory in Abuno on
Mactan Island.

From
Mactan we went to the Cebu City which is about 45 minutes to an hour
trip and went straight to Majestic Restaurant to have our lunch.  The
restaurant offers Chinese buffet with over 50 viands for a price of
P350net!

After our sumptuous lunch we went to the higher part of the city where the astonishing architecture of the Taoist Temple can be found.

This
work of art is located in the wealthy residential community of Beverly
Hills about 6 km north of downtown Cebu. This temple is said to be
preserving the teachings of Lao-Tse, the 600 B.C. Chinese philosopher.
A soaring, multi-tiered, multi-hued attraction accessible by three
separate winding routes. Attractions here consist of a huge colorful
dragon, a replica of the Great Wall of China, spacious balconies
offering scenic views, souvenir shops, mini library with instructional
materials, and dozens of escalating steps.

Our last stop before heading back is Magellan’s Cross.
Planted in April 21, 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan; spot where the first
Christian Filipinos, Rajah Humabon and Queen Juana and about 400
followers, were baptized by Fr. Pedro Valderema. In 1525 to 1740, the
Agustinian priests built an open shrine for the cross but the natives
began to take chips from the cross believing it had miraculous power so
a kiosk-like structure was built to protect the cross from total
destruction. To protect it further, a hallow cross of tinadalo wood was
made to encase the original cross which still stands today.

Devotees line up to light a candle and make a petition outside
of the Basilica de Sto Nino in Cebu City.

After
Basilica de Sto Nino, we then went back to Shangri-La.  The tour was
too short, there could have been more places to go to but we really do
not have much time.  When we got back, i immediately changed into my
swimwear and headed to the beach and pool ^^

Ahhhh, life is so good!

 

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 23rd, 2007 at 7:57 am and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.