Eye in the Sky: Crimson Resort and Spa - 5-Star Luxury in Mactan Island (Cebu)

Make no mistake about it. Crimson Resort and Spa is a 5-star luxury resort so if you're in a budget, steer clear! Located in an area newly named Seascapes Resort Town via Soong Road in Mactan Island, the leisure center is a Filinvest development geared for the big spenders.

It has 250 residential suites and 40 private bungalowsl The resort is framed by 3-level cascading swimming pools that head towards the sea. Unlike other resorts in Mactan, you cannot reserve days in advance. You have to call their front desk on the day of your visit to ask if there are available slots for "Day Use". This system prioritizes their members and residents, much like Pico de Loro.

Taxi rides from Cebu City can be sketchy because many taxi drivers do not know where it exactly is, owing to its wayward location and relative exclusivity. Though told that it's through Soong Road, one has to be watchful of the left turn somewhere because there are no large sign boards that lead you to it.

The area is actually near Angasil Port, but even this information doesn't help. What I've taken note is, once you're plying Soong Road, look for a billboard marked "Cobra - Tunay na Lakas: Crispy Heydell Marasa", once you see that, turn left to the nearby road, drive through a village until you find smaller signs marked "Crimson". If you're really lost, call their office and ask for directions - (63-32)-239-3900. That's the same number to call on the day of your proposed visit. For the 1-hour journey from Cebu City, prepare to pay between P250 and P300 on metered taxi.

A Day Use entrance of PhP2,000 per person includes lunch buffet, use of beach, swimming pool and a locker room for each guest. Though this may sound relatively cheaper than Moevenpick, wait till you get the total bill that includes several taxes and service charges and you will experience a fleeting bout of atrial fibrillation.

The beach front has cots and cabanas. Left side of the pool are wide futons (that could accommodate 2-3 persons per seat), one of the features of the Crimson boardwalk we liked best. There are other activities and gadgets available for a fee, of course.

DIZZYING BUFFET SPREAD

Our favorite: the buffet spread at Saffron Cafe is to die for! It's open from 6 AM to 10:30 PM for the in-house guests. There's just so much choices from salads to the main course, from desserts to other special entrees. The exquisite buffet at Crimson is something to be experienced. If you've stayed in their sister company, Quest Hotel along Archbishop Reyes in Ayala, Cebu, then you know exactly what type of luxurious operation we're talking about. It's no surprise then that Crimson has won awards from Conde Nast and the World Luxury Spa Awards for their Aum Spa, voted Top 8 Hotel Spa in the World in 2013. It also has a certificate of excellence from Tripadvisor. Other restaurants in the resort includes Tempo Lounge, Azure Pool Bar and Score Sports Bar. We shall feature the buffet spread and the beach on our next post.

If you have more queries, please do not inquire here. Check out their website: http://www.crimsonhotel.com/mactan/ or email them : info.mactan@crimsonhotel.com.

This is the Eye in the Sky!