Webster defines Shangri-la as a remote beautiful imaginary place where life approaches perfection. When i think of Shangri-la, i imagine blue skies and clear waters on a cool sunny day. I imagine stress-free living with a bountiful selection of good food and great company. "Shangri-la" -- a very appropriate description of one memorable weekend that we had in June.
Shangri-la Mactan Resort & Spa is located in the city of Cebu, Philippines. When we arrived at the airport, a coaster from the hotel was already waiting for us. We were brought to the hotel where welcome drinks await us as soon as we entered the hotel lobby. There are two areas in the resort - the Main Wing and the Ocean Wing. We booked a room in the Ocean Wing which i would highly recommend for guests with children as it provides easy access to the pool, beach and activity areas of the hotel. We were booked in a premier room but was offered an upgrade to a Panorama Suite at a very reasonable rate so we grabbed it.
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| View from our room |
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| Living Room with a sofa bed |
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| Bathroom |
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| Bedroom with a balcony |
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| Nespresso for the coffee lover |
Our first day was spent lounging on the beach and enjoying the game room. We also played mini golf which was free of charge when you're booked in the Panorama Suite. Not a bad deal.
Early that evening, the kids watched a cultural show by the poolside and went back to the room while the parents proceeded to our scheduled massage at the Chi Spa. It's best to go early so that you can maximize your experience and enjoy the facilities such as the sauna and the hydrotherapy pools. The massages are done in your own private villa which is especially nice if you're getting a group or couple massage.
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| Chi Spa compound |
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| Private Villa |
Another highlight of our trip is the super fun activity area for the kids and not-so-kids alike. They have a giant slide for the bigger kids. We (yep, we as in the moms) took turns braving the giant slide. The dads were too scared to try. Yes, that's true.
Be sure to bring socks for everyone so that you don't have to purchase a new pair when you go. It's also a requirement to wear long-sleeved tops in the playground. I suggest bringing jackets for the kids so that it's easy to transform any outfit into the required 'long-sleeves'. Make sure you bring the same for all nannies who will be taking care of them.
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| Giant Slide |
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| Slides for the kids |
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| Ball pool -- this is also the landing spot of the giant slide |
One thing that we decided prior to the trip was to avail of the hotel buffet package. We got three buffet meals each day which sure made it feel like we were living in a luxurious cruise ship. It is especially convenient if you have kids with you so that you don't have to keep on thinking where to eat and there's no waiting time - which is particularly nice when kids are already hungry.
They had two venues to choose from for breakfast and lunch while dinner is always by the poolside. The multiple locations made each meal different so you don't really get bored eating the same food at the same venue all day.
Tides was being renovated then so breakfast and lunch were served at the main ballroom and the Acqua restaurant. We usually take our breakfasts at the ballroom and lunch at Acqua.
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| Check out the baby buffet area at the breakfast buffet |
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| The Shangri-la mascot visited us each morning |
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| Acqua restaurant |
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| Beach view from Acqua |
Our weekend getaway costs our family of four less than P30,000 for three days and two nights - including airfare, all meals and the couples massage at The Chi Spa. This was such a good deal thanks to my super resourceful friend, Kim, who tracked Shangri-la's promotional deals for us all year.
All of us left the place feeling so relaxed and rejuvenated. The kids had a blast and the parents did not feel like we needed a vacation from our vacation. We will definitely be back.
I highly encourage you to monitor the Shangri-la Mactan's
website for great deals that come by once in a while. The amount you invest for this trip will be worth the memories that your family will share for a very long time.
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