Admit it. We all want a little bit of luxury at times, do we not? Maybe spend a day or two at a luxury resort or maybe go on a luxury vacation? And luxury resorts in Mactan, Cebu are definitely bucket-list worthy!
I, for one, loves to indulge sometimes. Especially on stressful days where I’ve reached my limit and just wants to relax. Splurging on some luxury resorts in Mactan, Cebu is one that my husband and I loves to do.
Sounds expensive? Hmmm.. Maybe. But personally, indulging oneself to luxury at times can be great. There are always some amazing discounted rates on promos that you can look into. And of course, if well planned then expensive mistakes can be avoided! 😉
‘Why Mactan?’, you’d ask… Well, apart from the fact that I lived near this great island, Mactan, Cebu is considered to be one of the Philippines’ popular island resort. There are numerous hotels and resorts situated here for guests wanting a break from the city.
You may be wondering if I spend this much, how will I know if I’d get my money’s worth?
We got you covered with this review/ overview of some of our favorite luxury resorts in Mactan, Cebu that aims to help you decide and plan for your next getaway!
Just a note though: This post and the opinions are strictly my own. This is not a sponsored post. I will not be reviewing all amenities, only those that I’ve enjoyed during my visit. 😉
Table of Contents
Review of Luxury Resorts in Mactan, Cebu!
Plantation Bay Resort and Spa
Alright. So here’s the thing about luxury resorts in Mactan, Cebu: Plantation Bay. It’s pretty famous because of its man-made saltwater lagoons. And to be honest, it’s one of my favorites too!
I’ve always loved taking a dip here! There are areas that are deep but most are not. Just enough for you to swim leisurely 🙂 Aside from the lagoons, there are other freshwater pools inside the resort that you can take a dip in.
The rooms are a more on the classy side comparing to the more modern rooms that you’d expect on a luxury resort. But! It has a certain charm that still gives the feeling of luxury!
If you’re staying near the lagoon, the balconies are the perfect place to spend a quiet moment. 😉
Personally, I’d recommend the rooms near the lagoon. It’s such a nice feeling going to bed and waking up with this view!
Plantation Bay has several restaurants inside the resort itself. So finding a place to dine is not a problem. Unlike most resorts however, breakfast at the Plantation Bay is not included in your package. But as mentioned, you can always choose from those that are open or you can look for food somewhere else within Mactan 🙂
There are nightly entertainment shows at the Plantation Bay that also serves dinner. We haven’t tried one before as we opted for somewhere more relaxing 😉
Aside from the usual amenities that is common to resorts, Plantation Bay also has a wall climbing facility, archery and bird watching.
What I love most about Plantation Bay is that the resort is laid out like a village. You can either ride the golf cart to bring you from one place to another (within the resort of course) or enjoy a leisure walk around its cemented pathways 🙂
Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu
Among the luxury resorts in Mactan, Cebu that I’ve been in, the only beach that I’ve enjoyed so far is that of the Mövenpick. Honestly!
Apart from being clean and well-maintained, the beach at the Mövenpick has some few corals and fishes that you can enjoy while snorkeling. We spent our vacation swimming, but not on the pool, but on the beach!
The views are just as relaxing from the pool and from the beach club.
The rooms are pretty stylish and modern. It’s contemporary design is minimalistic and refreshing. I love the color combination of this particular room. Stepping inside it reminds you that you are indeed at the beach!
Perfect for a relaxing vacation!
It’s smaller than the rest of the luxury resorts in Mactan, Cebu, to be honest, but Mövenpick is unique in its own right. The white interior and furniture gives off a nice ambiance.
Do you love night life? Then, Mövenpick is just right for you! Nightly entertainment are shown at the Ibiza Beach Club. Good food and nice music is always the right mix for a fun-filled night! It’s a must-try for those wanting a more hip and fun night out.
JPark Island Resort Waterpark
Formerly known as the Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa, JPark Island Resort Waterpark is definitely a must-try if you want to enjoy more thrilling pool slides.
JPark is pretty popular with its waterpark. The slides are definitely a must-try for those wanting a bit of adventure while enjoying the water.
This luxury resort in Mactan, Cebu have several pools and slides that you can enjoy. So whether you love thrilling slides or just enjoy a nice pool to lounge, JPark has indeed a nice variety that you will love.
Aside the pools, the amenities including the structures in the resort are great. It’s like walking in a park with plenty to see and enjoy!
After a fun day at the pool, a nice and relaxing rest in one of JPark’s rooms is called for. And, who wouldn’t want to spend a relaxing day here?
Like many luxury resorts, JPark’s rooms are comfortable with modern facilities that fits everyone’s needs. The rooms are pretty stylish and elegant.
What I particularly love about JPark is their super cozy garden chairs. (I am weird that way. LOL.) We spent most of the afternoon sitting here and enjoying the view. Such a perfect set-up! 😉
Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan
Another luxury resort in Mactan, Cebu that is worth trying out is the Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan.
Like the Plantation Bay, Crimson Resort is laid up like a village. You can walk through the landscaped pathways or you can take the golf cart to take you from one location to another.
The pools and the landscape are some of the things I particularly liked most about it. Such a great way to relax on a weekend for a quick getaway.
The rooms are pretty modern with some traditional furnitures. What I liked most about Crimson’s rooms are the earth colors that they have chosen to color the room.
It adds a tropical and homey feel to it.
Crimson also has a couple of kid-friendly area for children. This is particularly important if you are on a vacation with kids. My nephew was pretty happy playing at the Crimzon Club and swimming at the Crimzone Pool. It is a kid-friendly pool that is spacious enough for kids to swim and play 🙂
Conclusion
Alright then. I think I am missing one. I’ll be saving it for later. Will update the post as soon as I am able 😉
The rooms are a bit expensive, to be honest. But I think the experience, ambiance, amenities and the service all make a stay to this luxury resort worth it!
Like what I’ve mentioned earlier, sometimes a bit luxury is great for a stress-free vacation at the beach! I hope this short review helped you decide in choosing a resort too!
What do you think? Have you splurged and indulged lately?
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Great post! I shall definitely refer to this if I ever visit the Philippines 🙂
Thank you, Fiona! 🙂
It’s not our normal kind of vacation, but I can see the attraction of these beautiful spaces and being pampered for a while, I need to give this chilling out thing a try.
Yes, a little pampering can be good too! 🙂
One of the girls I work with is heading to Cebu in November so I’m going to share this with her I’m sure she’ll start feeling really inspired and really excited once she see’s your amazing photos. I’m more of a budget backpacker than a luxury traveller but I have had some really nice similar experience in beautiful resorts (one in Colombia that stands out for me) so it’s always really nice for me to read about different types of travel.
Thanks for sharing!
Awww! Thank you, Byrony 🙂 I hope your friend enjoys Cebu! 🙂
The more diversity in our travels, the better I guess? 😉
Wow these are some amazing choices. All of these are really beautiful. I always hear nothing but good things about the Philippines. Hopefully I will get to visit one day.
Thank you, Victoria! Hope you do get to visit. We have so many wonderful places to offer 😉
Nice to read your article. . Keep it up marvi.. 😊
Thank you Resvy! 🙂 <3
I should admit I never thought about the Philippines as a travel destination. The Philippines has never been on my radar (I don’t know really why ?) but now I feel like I definitely need to go. Mactan island seems a great destination to relax with so lovely and luxury resorts. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Too bad! You’re definitely missing some really amazing places to explore! 🙂 and you’re welcome!
Although I mostly travel budget so I can afford to travel more often, it is nice to indulge in some luxury once in a while. This place looks like paradise!
Me too! Especially now, budgeting for travel is one of our priorities. 🙂 But places like this just couldn’t be resisted once in a while! 🙂
Love this! My one daughter is an archer, so I saw the archery shot and thought this is perfect! Plus, I mean, waterslides. Always a crowd pleaser.
Thank you, Megan! Wow!. I envy your daughter… I couldn’t even lift the bow properly as it was heavy for me. LOL.
I’ll admit that as much fun as it is to rough it while I’m traveling, I also a sucker for luxury! It looks like you had such a beautiful experience!
Great to hear that, Alyssa.. 🙂
Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu is a dream destination for me. We chose it as one of the best places for our prenup photography but Bali won us over. Anyway, we hope to visit one or two of these luxurious resorts next time.
Oh.. Too bad.. 🙁 I hope you’ll get to check these resorts soon 🙂
I agree. Once in a while, we do need a luxury pampering. The rooms look spacious and huge! I love the view of the lagoon from the resort. To wake up to that view would just awesome!
It is pretty comfortable. Just perfect for a relaxing getaway 😉
Great post! I love the pics!
Thank you, Nicola 🙂
You had me at waterpark! This looks amazing!!
Thank you 🙂
Loved that plantation bay has an archery! Most resorts don’t have one and I will definitely visit here. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 😊helps much!
Agree. This was an activity we did try. And it was hard for me.. hahah.. You’re welcome:)
This place looks great. Nice photos you got there. I usually travel solo, so I prefer hostels over resorts. But would definitely go for resorts if I have a travel companion. It is hard to make friends in resorts where all are traveling in groups.
Thank you 🙂 I do agree on that at some point. It’s lovey to be with a companion or a group when on a vacation just like this 🙂
I didn’t know that there are plenty of luxury resorts in mactan! Plantation Bay is the only one I’ve heard of mostly. I need to add these other resorts to my list. And yes, need to back a trip to Cebu asap!
Great to hear that 🙂 There are several great resorts here, I’m sure you’ll love them 🙂
Oh wow, these pictures definitely have me longing for warmer weather! So lovely to get a guide of all the resorts for those of us who just want to relax 🙂
Glad to hear you found this useful 🙂 It is still warm here in the Philippines, even though summer has already ended. I hope you can visit! 🙂
Isn’t there a Shangri-La in Mactan? I remember I stayed there once. There was also a Hilton there before, painted all Paris Hilton pink. Is that the Movenpick now? I have walked thru that water park, but did not swim or try the slides.
Yes, there is the Mactan Shangri-La and I’m saving it for another blog post. It’s still on my bucketlist as its more expensive than the rest.:D .. Yes, Movenpick bought the properties years ago. I remember taking pictures of the Hilton Resort’s building years ago 😉
Crimson Resort’s bedrooms look so idyllic! I’d love to experience a stay at Movenpick so that I could go snorkeling at the beach – hard to decide between these hotels. One of those days I hope to make it to Cebu and will keep these hotels in mind for our trip!
I haven’t tried swimming at the beach in Crimson, so I don’t know if there are corals like in Movenpick. 🙂 But yes indeed, it is hard to choose between these as they are all unique! 🙂
This looks like an awesome place to stay at! I’m not one for staying at luxury hotels, but I would most definitely want to stay here! I can’t believe it has it’s own water park! Of course, I’d be all over the snorkeling in the area as well!
It’s a good thing to do once in a while to be honest 🙂
I’ve never been to Mactan (I’ve actually never been to the Philippines) but it looks like a wonderful place to relax.
I agree about how sometimes you just need a break, and staying in a resort is just what you need! I loved reading your experiences – you make me feel like I need a resort break soon! Oh and the Mövenpick Hotel buildings look so cute – I love the pastel colours!!
Glad to hear that you’ve enjoyed this post 🙂 What better way to relax, right? 🙂
Oh my goodness this is making me so jealous! Cebu is one of my top dream destinations that I’d love to go to someday!
There are plenty of amazing places here that I’m sure you’ll love 🙂
Firstly, I loved how in depth your review is and I couldn’t agree more: we do all need a little luxury sometimes! 😉
You are so lucky to live close to such a gorgeous area.
I am planning to visit the Philippines one day, perhaps I’ll add Mactan, Cebu to my list?
You should definitely include Cebu on your list 🙂 There are a lot of things you can do here and places that you can visit 🙂
I cannot wait for my next vacation!
😉
I have never been to the Philippines, but I will be sure to refer to your post if I ever head there! Snorkelling sounds really fun.
Great to hear that 🙂 Thank you!
Oh wow I’ve never heard of this place before. It looks absolutely incredible! Thanks for all of the info. It’s definitely worth looking into!
You’re welcome Bern 🙂
This looks like such a wonderful vacay spot! Love your photos!
Thank you, Talina 🙂
All of these are pretty wonderful, but my favorite is Crimson Bay because it looks like a village. Authentic atmosphere and a rustic touch adds so much more to a beach experience.
I wouldn’t disagree with you on that 🙂
Oh my well everybody needs some holiday with families ,friends or even being a solo traveller as a refreshment. I really would like to stay in the Movenpick hotel . Not just pretty but also very clean and seems like new ,is it? And I agree sometimes It’s better more expensive and get a real good hotel than very cheap and not worth it. Would like to visit cebu Philippines sometimes
Not really new, but comparing to the rest, well.. Maybe 🙂 Yes, to be honest. It’s very worth the money.
My vote would be for the room with the four poster bed and view, it looks lovely!
Very beautiful resorts, wonderful photos, nicely written.
Thank you 🙂
I rarely stay in luxury resorts, so it’s nice to see what they really look like! If I was to choose, I don’t know how I’d decide between the views and Lagoons of Plantation Bay; the colours, beaches and size of Movenpick; the waterpark at JPark; or the decor and spa at Crimson! Like you, I think Movenpick is the one I’d choose 😀
After seeing blogs like this on Cebu, it’s definitely been put on my list of places to go. Looks absolutely beautiful. Are the beaches always that uncrowded?
Well in some places and depending on the season as Cebu is one of the favorite destinations especially during summer here 🙂
Great post Marvi, I have the Philippines at the top of my bucket list! Totally pinning this to my Pinterest for when I make it to Cebu!
Thank you, Reena! Hope you do get to visit Cebu! 🙂
Ive been there. beautiful place!
Jane
I have to agree with you, sometimes we need to experience the luxury stay as well, it is like a gift for ourselves. My favourite from above is Crimson resort. Would love to stay there
Love to take a nice luxurious vacation once a year. It is nice to see how other people can live sometimes.
To be honest, we want our vacation to be as much luxurious as possible. And mactan resorts seem to provide exactly that to the travelers
Wow, I’m from the Philippines, too! I haven’t been to any of the hotels you mentioned, though I’ve been in Cebu maybe about five years ago? Haha. Thank you for the recommendations! 🙂
Hi Kababayan! 😉 I think nothing much has changed since you’ve been. LOL. Though there have been several new tourist spots that are getting pretty popular.. haha. You’re welcome! 😉
At times, one just have to say to oneself, ‘you deserve this luxury.’ When I’m in such moods, I’d treat myself to this luxury at Mactan.
A great review of some wonderful choice hotels. Thanks 🙂
Thank you, Lorelle! 🙂