imverge

I recently stayed at this new hotel to cross off a bucket list item.... swimming with whale sharks.

The resort is about 6km away from the airport and the taxi charged a flat rate of 575 pesos. The taxi to the airport from the resort was by the meter and cost 380 pesos. Resort has 24hr security which includes airport like metal detector and X-ray machine.

I arrived at the resort just before noon and was happy that my room was ready. The checkin experience was very pleasant. As a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium member, I was offered BOTH breakfast AND 1000 points in lieu of the fact the resort does not have a club lounge. Now, I was here for a total of 6 nights broken up into 2 reservations because I wanted to use my remaining 2 SNA (that had expired but then I revived in time by attaching to a new reservation) Anyhow, I was upgraded to a junior suite with an ocean view for the entire 6 nights which I really appreciated. The suite was beautifully decorated. I also appreciated the fact the resort was using reusable shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottles. I hope they will do away with the plastic water bottles in the near future. WiFi was good throughout the resort except in the bedroom which was spotty. The only other annoyance was the flashing smoke detector light over my bed. The flash is very bright and flashes every 8 seconds, trust me I counted! For someone like myself who likes it DARK it was so annoying. I did mention this when I checked out and was told that unfortunately there is no way to reduce the intensity of the flash.

The resort is new and it shows. Everything was in top condition. Only tower A is currently open, they were still putting in furniture in tower B. Fyi... this is a residential/resort complex. The residential tower which. is set to the back (away from the water) is still under construction. I did not hear any noise while I was there. The resort has it's own private beach which is small but I never saw more than 3 people in the water, Most people enjoyed the pools as the water was cooler than the ocean water. Although, I can see it getting crowded during busy season when both towers are open and never mind the residents who will also have beach access.

Breakfast was very good. The staff were always smiling and upbeat. Really good selection of food from eggs to noodles to asian meat dishes. I really enjoyed the freshly made French toast with real Canadian maple syrup! The restaurant like everywhere else on the resort was spotless!

I also checked out the cafe in the lobby, it was the perfect spot for a light bite. I had a chicken wrap and pasta salad - they were fresh tasty. Once again the service was delightful.

Checkout using my Marriott gift card went vey smoothly.

Over-all the resort was really wonderful. The staff were always willing to go the extra mile to make you happy.

Here are some photo's...

MileHighColorado

thanks, I am headed there in 2 weeks.

SkyTeam777

Will be there next month, but disappointed there is no club lounge.

yscleo

Swim with whale sharks sounds really good. We'd like to do that.
Did you arrange that through the hotel, or separately, and how far from the hotel was that?

UASPG

For those who have stayed at this property, I was wondering if you knew why the Sheraton was not on that recent list of the 12 best properties in Cebu.

https://www.journeyera.com/luxury-resorts-cebu/

ftrichard

Off topic... if you have trouble finding this excursion then a variety of Whale Shark trips can be booked using Klook and full details are there. It's an early start because Oslob is quite some distance from Cebu as you'll see on Google Maps and our driver was nodding off by the end of the day when we eventually returned. We did the Whale Shark + Canyoning day trip booked using Klook from Cebu and it was a great day out however - to manage your expectations - you and hundreds if not thousands of other people are also experiencing their special moment-of-a-lifetime with these beasts of the sea who turn up reliably to be fed at dawn. A serene moment of quiet contemplation and connection with nature this is not. Definitely worth doing if you're in Cebu though and we really enjoyed the Canyoning too.

SkyTeam777

Wanted to add that the hotel is exceptionally modern with the best and most friendly staff. Since no one mentioned, instead of a club lounge, eligible Bonvoy members are treated to free wine, beer or vodka-tonic from the lobby deli to enjoy in the lobby with a tray of snacks. A lovely surprise. On top of that, the welcome gift for Titaniums, if you choose, is a full bottle of wine and a snack instead of the points. Other properties reduce it to just local beer or mini wine splits. This hotel is phenomenal in design, service and pools.

ftrichard

It's a resort. Marriott closed whatever club lounges there were at its former SPG brand resorts years ago so it shouldn't be a surprise or disappointment any more. No lounges at resorts goes with the Marriott brand standards for elite benefits at resorts like no guaranteed late check outs. Indeed, the Marriott Ocean Park in Hong Kong re-designated itself a resort a few years ago despite specifically to exclude Bonvoy elites from its club lounge because it was proving too popular with all the staycationing HK Bonvoy elites. And they got away with it. If you want a lounge at a resort then you have to go off brand. It's been like that for years now.

ntamayo

The week we were there, we got a letter inviting us to join an "elite happy hour" in the garden area on Friday of that week. When we arrived, it was a roped off section of the garden where the board games are, with staff checking off names at the entrance. There were a couple of tables with appetizers and desserts, and staff taking our drink orders. We enjoyed the happy hour, but didn't get a chance to ask if this is a weekly event for elites or just for that week.

SkyTeam777

it’s daily and held in the lobby with drinks and snacks. It’s essentially like a replacement for a lounge. It’s very nice.

sxc234

As a lowly platinum member, what can one expect for room upgrades at this property?

yscleo

Do you remember what time is the daily Happy Hour?

Isochronous

What's the Kids Club like?

Isochronous

Also what is the quality of the beach - some reviews say it's nice, others say it's rocky and the water dirty?

SEA777GUY

Just completed a 4 day stay at this property. I was totally blown away. One of the best stays I have had in years.
Everyone I came in contact with was friendly, personable , and experts at customer service.
At CI as a titanium, I was given a UG to a beautiful and spacious suite overlooking the beach and water. Make sure to get the welcome drink of the mango juice, it's so good! As mentioned above as a Titanium member, I was offered BOTH breakfast AND 1000 points in lieu of the fact the resort does not have a club lounge.
The GM Ms Dottie came to greet me and was regularly out talking with guest other than hiding in an office. Very refreshing to see.
The room was appointed very nicely and comfortable. Great shower with good water pressure as well. Quite a bit of hallway noise however.
I had one issue during my stay that was quickly dealt with and resolved with going above and beyond.
As stated above the smoke detector blinking in the dark is an issue, but i got used to it.
It is pushing it calling it a resort, as the property has a small footprint and beach. The beach area is sandy but a step above soft sand. Small pebbles make it painful to walk barefoot.
I really recommend staying at this property. I will absolutely return.
I am pushing it for as location for the 2025 post do after SIN.

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