By Landon Blackhall and Sean Callander
There’s been a running gag in the past couple of days at Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa – with the sun shining and so much to do, no-one’s going to be too disappointed if they’re eliminated in the early stages of the PokerStars.net APPT Cebu Main Event.
Since it opened in October 1993, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu has won various awards from international institutions such as AsiaMoney, Business Traveller, Conde Nast, HotelClub.com, Smart Travel Asia, Time Magazine, Travel Weekly (for “Best Spa”) and Zagat World’s Top Hotels, Resorts and Spas.
The hotel was honoured as “Top Hotel in Asia” by the HotelClub Awards Asia 2008 after more than 120,000 votes were cast for more than 7100 hotels and resorts across Asia.
Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa features 547 rooms, palm-studded lawns, free-form pools, shady pavilions where you can set yourself up like a sultan and a choice of food and beverage outlets.
There’s also a huge spa complex, CHI, where the range of esoteric treatments includes watsu, a water-based shiatsu massage that involves floating on your back in a warm pool and doing your best jellyfish imitation.
CHI is designed as a secluded Spa Village, where one can enjoy the privacy and luxury of one of the largest spa treatment villas in Asia. The CHI Villas are complete with spacious relaxation areas, a private garden patio, sunken tub, herbal steam room and shower.
The snorkelling in the marine protection zone right off the Shangri-La’s beach is one of the highlights. The beach staff provides bread to feed the fish and you’ll be surrounded by the marine life almost as soon as you slip into the water.
There are also other ways to cool off, including jetskiing, kayaking, sailing and windsurfing. Some are taking out their frustrations by bashing around the six-hole pitch-and-putt golf course or on the tennis courts. There are also pool and table tennis tables, as well as volleyball, badminton and water polo for those still looking for some competition. We may never leave …
Watch APPT Cebu 09: Day 1A Introduction on PokerStars.tv
