Cebu 101: Where to Stay, What to Eat and What to Do When In Cebu!

 By Frank Ruaya & Mae Ilagan on March 12, 2013

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And so the adventures of Frank and Mae continue on and for this week,   they’ve decided to crossover Luzon island and fly directly to the Queen City of the south to discover  and experience its magnificence and to give you all a heads up on the things you never should miss when going to Cebu! 

There is no doubt that it’s truly more fun in the Philippines with all the various sites, sounds and experiences all readily there for everyone to adore!

Experience a luxurious and comfortable life + affordable rates and plans. Click here.

Choosing a place to stay is indeed very vital in any vacation of course! Keep in mind that these occasions serve as your reward to yourselves so before booking a hotel or a resort, it pays to do much research to get your money’s worth. For us, a place must have a good location, great amenities, fantastic food and one-of-a-kind service.. basically, a place which can remind you how great life is! Yeah, that’s how we epicureans think!

Ok time to start the journey again and take you to majestic Cebu with our photos!!  

Like most Filipinos, we also enjoy  booking flights whenever Cebu Pacific  sell very affordable fares! Cebu Pacific  made it sooo possible for locals to fly and see the country! Before, flying was considered as a luxury and only for a few who can afford it, but now Cebu Pacific fares are sometimes even more affordable than land travel!  Flying via Cebu Pacific is very easy and safe and no matter how other airlines would also offer affordable rates, we still go for a tried and tested name like Cebu Pacific!

The flight from Manila to Cebu lasted for about an hour via Cebu Pacific. We arrived at the Mactan Int’l Airport around noon and we were just in time for our check-in at our preferred resort for this trip - Crimson Mactan! 

 Crimson Mactan: Our home in Cebu  

Crimson Mactan is definitely one of those places which provide you with a glimpse of paradise! Yeah, the sites were breathtaking with awesome amenities and service! Everything looked so perfect, calm and serene! 

 hello paradise!

I’m so glad we made the decision to stay at Crimson Mactan!

We noticed that majority of visitors were foreigners. I couldn’t help but feel a bit melancholy… I wish more Filipinos would get to experience this paradise as well!  Perfect for romantic getaways, family outings and honeymoons!

 

 and now, we go to our villa!  Our villa was super cute! Looked more like a small home loaded with all the stuff you need!

 It felt like playing “Bahay-bahayan” the entire weekend!

 Here at Crimson Mactan, guests are given VIP treatment and much pampering! 

 Our villa was just perfect! From the design down to the intricate artsy details! Bravo!

cool ey?

It’s one of those places which make you feel so at home! We sooo love everything about it and we can only say great things about Crimson Mactan!

Our villa even had its own mini pool/Jacuzzi inside! It was such a delight to see Frank already taking a dip when I woke up 

 from all the places we’ve been to, Crimson Mactan had the most elegant and spacious bathroom with all the luxurious amenities you can ever think of!

it even had its own lcd tv! 

The Food:

Oh! Their buffets were all satisfying! I remember spending a lot of hours devouring on their dishes! We loved their desserts station so much! Their cakes were so delectable! We also loved their healthy smoothies!  The restaurant staff were also very warm and attended to our every need!

 they got a really nice selection of dishes at their buffet! Frank and I had such memorable meals during our stay!

Frank and I always look forward to breakfasts and we sure had wonderful ones during our stay at Crimson Mactan!

I even remember having breakfast for almost 4 hours!!  When you’re at Crimson Mactan, you wouldn’t wanna go out anymore.. SERIOUSLY!!

expect glorious meals at Crimson Mactan 

Crimson Mactan was just soooo perfect that we didn’t want to leave the whole weekend! But of course, it would be a shame not to experience the majesty of the Queen City of the South so Frank and I made and effort to search for MUST EXPERIENCE things when in Cebu!

When in Cebu City, please visit http://www.gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs. Avail of the opportunity to own a condominium unit in Cebu City at the low amount of only P 9,333.33 and House and Lot @ P 7,306.81/month only. Hurry while supply of units still last. Just call the Tel. Nos. shown herein: (053)555-84-64/09164422611/09173373687.

Business hotel to open soon

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By Katlene O. Cacho

Thursday, November 1, 2012

AN 83-room four-star international business hotel is scheduled to soft-open this December.

Best Western Plus Lex Cebu general manager Bernard Neil Tanchan said Cebu needs additional hotel rooms that follow international standards to cater to the growing business travelers.

“We have decided to venture into the hotel business given that the city lacks more international brand hotels that would specifically deliver international standards for medium-range markets,” Tanchan said in a press briefing yesterday.

Best Western Plus Lex Cebu is located on the corner of Escario St. and Juana Osmena Ext. The hotel will officially open in January.

The 10-storey business hotel is owned and managed by Cebu-based Tanchan Business Ventures Inc., whose core businesses include Cold Storage Inc. and Alpine Ice Plant.

Aside from the city’s need for additional hotel rooms, Tanchan said it is Cebu’s vibrant tourism industry that prompted them to invest in the hotel industry. The firm invested over P150 million to put up the hotel, which is the family’s first hotel venture.

The firm tapped the expertise of Best Western International Inc. (BWI) to help them run the business. Tanchan said the hotel staff is trained by BWI.

BWI is an American hotel brand based in Phoenix, Arizona. It is reported to be the world’s biggest hotel chain with over 4,100 independently-owned and operated hotels in 100 countries and territories worldwide.

Best Western Plus Lex Cebu falls under BWI Asia’s four-star hotel category. The hotel in Cebu is the first Best Western Plus hotel in the Philippines.

Best Western Plus Lex Cebu hotel consultant Fay Paras is confident the hotel will do well in Cebu, given the perceived gap in the international hotels here. She said Best Western Plus Lex Cebu is right in the middle to address both value-for-money and high quality of service.

Paras said the Best Western Plus brand offers “above-standard features and services.”

Its distinct amenities are designed for the modern-day traveler who is practical, updated and appreciates great comfort. The hotel’s room prices range from P3,200 to P3,800.

“We are targeting the business transients who frequent Cebu with an average stay of 1.5 days here,” Paras said.

BWI is upbeat on the expansion, citing Asia as one of its key growth areas. BWI vice president for international operations Asia & Middle East Glenn de Souza said the company plans to increase the number of member- properties in the Philippines from 12 to 19 by 2015 and from nine to 15 in Vietnam.

BWI will also expand in Indonesia, Japan and South Korea. Other growth markets include Malaysia and Singapore as well as emerging markets such as Bangladesh and Iraq.

In the Philippines, Paras said BWI will put up hotels in Pampanga, Boracay, Palawan and Bohol.

After Cebu, Tanchan is looking at opening a hotel in Palawan under the same brand in the next five to seven years. He said it will probably be a resort and spa hotel type.

Best Western Plus Lex Cebu has 60 superior rooms, eight business class rooms, 10 deluxe rooms, one junior suite and four deluxe suites. Among its amenities are a fitness center, business center and meeting facilities such as 120-capacity ballroom, meeting rooms and a board room. The hotel is also part of BWI’s reservation system.

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs. 

Avail of the opportunity to own a condominium unit in Cebu City for only P12,000.00/month with your own parking lot. Hurry while the supply of units last. Just call the Tel. Nos. shown below.

Tel. No. 555-8464/09164422611/09173373687.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on November 01, 2012.

Beaches of Cebu

Alegre Beach Resort Cebu is known for its natural beauty and quiet luxury

At Badian Island you will find a white sandy private beach directly at the resort.

Camotes Islands in Cebu have several excellent beaches to spend your holiday vacation. Bakhaw beach is one of them

The scenery of Alona Beach. Bohol island is located between Cebu island and Leyte island

Couple-Explores the beach as they await the sunrise view in Camotes Island

Fishermen-In the Island of Malapascua, one of Cebu’s top tourists destination

From top view-Of Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa Cebu’s beach front

Hagnaya Beach Resort and Restaurant-Located in Hagnaya, San Remigio, Cebu.

A relaxing hammock by the beaches of Cebu

Cruisin at Mactan Island

The Home of the Famous Whale Shark.. Oslob located in the southern part of Cebu

Sayaw Beach along the hi-way of Barili, Cebu

Sumilon Island-One of Cebu’s best kept secrets

Movenpick Resort & Spa Cebu (formerly Hilton Cebu Resort & Spa) is located in a relaxing coastal location within reach of the city proper

Vista Mar Beach Resort & Country Club, Located in Lapu-lapu Cebu

When in Cebu City, Philippines you can visit also gregmelep.com to complete your needs.

Panagbenga Festival for a Refreshing Experience in Baguio

By Vince Lakbay

We all love beautiful flowers which bring us immense happiness and mental relaxation at times. They have become part of almost every culture, while many traditional flower-based ceremonies throughout the world have revived to this date. Panagbenga Festival is one of such magnificent occasions, which is among the main tourist attractions of Baguio City in the Philippines. In fact, the festival originated only after the 1990 Luzon earthquake which devastated most of Baguio, with the loss of several invaluable lives. Its intention was the revival of tourism in Baguio, and was based on flower-inspired rituals of the Ibaloi community.

A Brief Introduction

Before the origin of Baguio, the region was home to ancient settlements of two indigenous tribes, the Ibalois and the Kankanaeys. 'Panagbenga' is a Kankanaey term meaning 'a season of blossoming'. In fact, the festival is held in February as a tribute to the flowers of the city. It is also a major inspiration to tourism, which is observed to suffer a period of inactivity between the Christmas season and the summer. February is special because in addition to Panagbenga Festival, the Chinese New Year celebrations also fall during this time. Needless to say, both festivals are a boon for local tourism in Baguio. Apart from the economic importance, the festival is also said to be a valuable opportunity for new generations to rediscover their culture and traditions.

Main Features

A significant feature of Panagbenga Festival is its parade of floats decorated with a variety of beautiful flowers. They may remind you of Pasadena's Rose Parades, but are certainly much more elaborate. Street dancing, adapted from the Benedian dance of celebration from the Ibaloi, adds colour to these processions. Clad in magnificent flower-inspired costumes, they perform lively dances to the beat of drums and lyres. Trade fairs are also held for tourists as part of the festival.

The Schedule

Panagbenga Festival follows a predetermined schedule. The opening parade is on the 1st of February, followed by a short opening programme. A trade fair is held at Burnham Park since the first Saturday of February. A parade and street dancing competition is held on the fourth Saturday on Session Road, while float and marching band competitions follow on the next day. 'Session Road in Bloom' starts on the fourth Monday, complete with flower stalls, side walk cafes and food outlets. The first Sunday of March marks the end of Panagbenga Festival, accompanied by field demonstrations, the closing ceremony and a colourful fireworks display.

Accommodation is not a problem when you want to attend the panagbenga festival in baguio city you just have to find the right transient house in baguio

When going down south to Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com to complete your trip.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vince_Lakbay