Luxury Staycation at Mövenpick Mactan Cebu (2025) | Room Tour + Beach Walk 🏖️🌴

Are you planning a beach escape in Cebu and wondering if Mövenpick is worth the hype? Let me take you inside one of the most luxurious and relaxing staycations I’ve had recently — complete with a room tour, walk-through of the resort, and all the little surprises that made it extra special.

🌴 First Impressions

From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with refreshing welcome drinks — a small detail, but it instantly made us feel relaxed and pampered. The check-in process was smooth, and the staff were incredibly warm and accommodating.

🏨 Room Tour: Spacious, Fresh, and Insta-Worthy

Listen, my husband and I couldn’t stop gushing over how nice the room was — and honestly, it smelled really good, too! The room had a modern coastal vibe, complete with a stunning view of the ocean. Everything was crisp, clean, and curated to make you feel like you're truly on a break from the hustle.

Fun fact: I didn’t even realize there was a welcome basket in the room until the next day! 🎁

🚶‍♀️Walk Tour: Beachfront Bliss + More

We took a casual walk around the property and wow — the beachfront, the pool area, the garden paths, and even the lobby were all designed with elegance and relaxation in mind. Mövenpick knows how to balance luxury and comfort.

🍴 Dining + Treats

While we didn’t go all out with dining in this vlog, Mövenpick’s restaurant options are definitely worth mentioning — especially for those who want a gourmet experience by the sea. You can even grab some Mövenpick ice cream (a must-try!).

💬 Final Thoughts

If you're looking for a luxury getaway that's just a few hours from the city (or a quick flight if you're coming from outside Cebu), Mövenpick Hotel Mactan is an excellent choice. It’s great for couples, families, and even solo travelers who want a relaxing, beautiful space to unwind.

📺 Watch the Full Vlog

Let me know in the comments if you’ve been to Mövenpick or are planning to go! And if you’re looking for more travel tips, staycation ideas, or budget-friendly escapes in the Philippines, hit that follow button or subscribe to my channel!

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🌴 Staycation at Savoy Hotel Mactan + Mactan Newtown Beach: Affordable, Chill, & Near the Airport!

If you're looking for a quick getaway in Cebu that’s near the airport, affordable, and Instagram-worthy, Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown is a solid choice. We recently stayed there and explored the nearby Mactan Newtown Beach, and here's the full scoop!

🎥 Watch our full vlog here:

👉 SAVOY HOTEL Mactan Room Tour 🏨 | Mactan Newtown Beach + Walk Tour | Cebu Travel Vlog 2025 🇵🇭
 

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🏨 Savoy Hotel Mactan: First Impressions

Located in Lapu-Lapu City, just 15–20 minutes from Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Savoy Hotel is ideal for both locals needing a staycation and travelers with early or late flights. It’s also within Mactan Newtown, a modern mixed-use development filled with restaurants, shops, and a beach—yes, a beach!

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💸 Affordability

What surprised us the most? The rates were very budget-friendly considering the quality of the hotel. For around ₱2,500–₱3,500 per night, you get a clean and cozy room with good amenities. Perfect for couples, solo travelers, or even digital nomads looking for a work-friendly space with WiFi.

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✅ Pros

• ✅ Near the Airport – Around 15–20 minutes away, depending on traffic.

• ✅ Great Location – Inside Mactan Newtown: restaurants, 7-Eleven, cafes, even Jollibee within walking distance.

• ✅ Access to Mactan Newtown Beach – Guests get exclusive access for a small fee (around ₱150–₱200).

• ✅ Good for Remote Work – WiFi is decent and the lobby has chill coworking vibes.

• ✅ Affordable Luxury – You get clean rooms, a pool, gym, and friendly staff without breaking the bank.

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⚠️ Cons

• ❌ No direct beach access from the hotel – You’ll need to walk or take a shuttle to the beach area.

• ❌ Some construction nearby – Typical of a developing area, but not too loud during our stay.

• ❌ No breakfast included in the base rate – You can order from the café or eat nearby.

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🏖️ Mactan Newtown Beach Experience

This private beach isn’t the most pristine in Cebu, but it’s still a nice spot to unwind. The water is clean enough for a swim, and there are beach huts, tables, and even some food stalls during weekends. It’s not a resort-style beach, but for the price and convenience? Worth it!

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📌 Final Thoughts

If you're on a budget but want a hotel that feels a little more upscale, Savoy Mactan delivers. The combination of location, affordability, and beach access makes it a great spot for a weekend escape or even a first-night stop after landing in Cebu.

No Credit Card? No Problem! Travel Now, Pay Later with BillEase ✈️

Let’s be real — we all need a break sometimes. But what happens when your dream getaway is just within reach... and your wallet says “not today”?

Picture this, you're craving a quick trip, spotting great hotel deals online, but your budget isn’t ready and you don’t have a credit card. You are about to give up but what if I tell you this OLA called BillEase can make it happen for you?

And yep — I tried it myself.
Spoiler: it worked.

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💡 What is BillEase?

BillEase is a buy now, pay later (BNPL) app in the Philippines. It lets you shop or book services (like flights, hotels, and even gadgets) and pay later in easy installments — no credit card required. You just need to download the app, sign up, and wait for approval. Once you're approved, you can choose from several partner merchants or even use vouchers for travel-related sites.

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🏨 How I Used BillEase to Book My Trip

I used BillEase to book a hotel online — something I honestly didn’t know was possible without a credit card. They partner with various platforms (like Agoda, Booking.com via merchants like ShopBack, and more), and I was able to complete the whole transaction within minutes.

✅ No swiping a card
✅ No awkward bank loans
✅ Just simple, fixed monthly payments

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📹 I Made a Video my Experience

Since I know a lot of people are also looking for budget-friendly ways to travel, I filmed my experience and shared my honest thoughts in this video:

👉 BillEase | Travel Now, Pay Later with This Online Loan App!

Whether you're planning a quick weekend escape or a longer trip, this could help you travel smarter without breaking the bank.

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🎒 Final Thoughts

If you’re someone who:

• Doesn’t own a credit card

• Needs a bit more flexibility with payments

• Wants to book travel without waiting for your sweldo...

Then BillEase might just be your new best friend.

Let me know if you’ve tried it too — or if you have questions about how it works, feel free to drop a comment on the video. Don’t forget to subscribe while you’re there! 😊

A Day at Simala Shrine: A Spiritual Pause in the Middle of Life’s Chaos

Life gets loud sometimes. There are weeks when everything feels like a blur—deadlines, worries, and the constant pressure to keep going. That’s probably why my visit to Simala Shrine felt so different. It wasn’t just a trip; it was a pause—a deep breath for the soul.

I’d always heard about Simala Church in Sibonga, Cebu. Some call it miraculous, others describe it as majestic. But honestly, nothing quite prepares you for how it feels when you finally see it in person.

The first thing that caught my eye was the castle-like structure sitting peacefully atop a hill, surrounded by lush green. It looked like something out of a storybook. The architecture itself already pulls you into a sense of reverence. But the real beauty lies in the quiet moments you spend there.

I walked around slowly—no rush. Inside, people were praying, lighting candles, and writing down their petitions. The walls were lined with testimonies—letters of healing, passed board exams, restored relationships. You can’t help but feel something stir in your chest. Hope? Maybe. Gratitude? Definitely.

I said a little prayer, not just for myself but for everyone I love. Sometimes, that’s all you can do. And in a place like Simala, that simple act feels powerful.

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📍 How to Get to Simala Shrine, Sibonga, Cebu

If you're coming from Cebu City, here's how to reach Simala:

1. By Bus

   • Go to South Bus Terminal

   • Ride a bus bound for Bato via Oslob

   • Tell the conductor you’re getting off at Simala Church or Lindogon, Sibonga

   • Fare: Around ₱100–₱130

   • Travel time: 2.5 to 3 hours

   • From the highway, you can ride a habal-habal (motorbike) to the shrine (₱20–₱40)

2. By Private Car

   • Use Google Maps or Waze

   • Search “Monastery of the Holy Eucharist, Sibonga”

   • There's parking near the church, but it can get full especially on weekends or holy days

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🙏 Planning Your Visit

• Dress modestly – long pants/skirts and covered shoulders are encouraged

• Bring a candle – or choose one there. Each color has a symbolic meaning for different prayers

• Go early – weekdays are quieter and give you space to reflect

• Stay hydrated – and bring a fan or umbrella, especially during hot days

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🎥 Watch My Simala Shrine Experience

If you're curious or planning your own trip, feel free to watch and journey with me here:

📌 Watch my YouTube Video Here – My Simala Shrine Visit

Don’t forget to like, comment, or share your own experience if you’ve been there too!

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I didn’t expect much from this trip, to be honest. But I came home with a quiet heart and a strange sense of peace. And in this crazy, fast-paced world, that’s a blessing in itself.

If you ever find yourself needing a reset, go visit Simala. Let your spirit breathe. 🌿

A Special Day to Remember: Xyza Brielle's Baptism — February 12, 2025

This blog post is definitely a little late—life’s been pretty hectic lately, and I’ve been swamped with work and everything else in between. But I didn’t want to let more time pass without sharing something truly special: my niece’s baptism, which took place last February 12, 2025.

It was a beautiful day filled with love, faith, and family. Watching this little one be welcomed into the Christian faith was such a heartfelt moment for all of us. From the ceremony to the soft giggles and the warm embraces, everything felt just right—like a gentle reminder of grace and new beginnings.

I put together a short video to capture the memories and share the joy of that day. It’s simple, but made with love. 

👉 Watch it HERE!

I hope you feel the same warmth and joy we all felt that day. Welcome to the faith, little one—your journey is just beginning, and you are so loved. 💧🤍

💸 Why Online Loan Apps (OLAs) Are Taking Off in the Philippines

In recent years, Online Loan Apps—or OLAs—have become incredibly popular across the Philippines. From students to small business owners, more Filipinos are turning to these digital lending platforms for fast, convenient financial solutions. But what exactly makes OLAs so appealing?

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📲 What Are Online Loan Apps?

OLAs are mobile or web-based platforms that allow users to apply for loans without having to go through the long, traditional bank processes. They usually require only a valid ID, mobile number, and a few minutes of your time.

🎥 Watch: My Video of Maya Personal Cash Loan

If you’re curious how one of these apps works in real life, I created a YouTube video where I share my experience using Maya’s Cash Loan feature—what the process was like, how much I borrowed, and my honest thoughts.

👉 Watch it here:

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🚀 Why Filipinos Love Online Loan Apps

Here are a few reasons why OLAs are trending in the Philippines:

✅ 1. Quick and Easy Process

Most apps offer loan approvals in as fast as 5–15 minutes. No long lines, no paperwork, and no need to visit a bank.

📱 2. Everything Is Done Online

All you need is your smartphone. Applications, approvals, disbursements, and repayments are all handled digitally.

🧾 3. Flexible Requirements

Unlike banks, OLAs don’t usually ask for payslips or high credit scores. This makes them more accessible, especially for freelancers and small business owners.

🔒 4. User-Friendly Apps

With clean interfaces and Taglish instructions, these apps are designed for all types of users—even those not tech-savvy.

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💡 Popular OLAs in the Philippines

Some well-known apps include:

• Maya Credit

• GCash GLoan

• Tala

• Cash-Express

• JuanHand

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📝 Final Thoughts

OLAs have made borrowing money more accessible for Filipinos—but as with any financial product, it’s important to borrow responsibly and always read the fine print.

Have you tried an online loan app before? Share your experience in the comments!

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The Hideout in the city

What?

• Papa's 64th Birthday

We opted to do away with our usual birthday lunch or dinner celebration today for our dear old man so we decided to look for a new place to celebrate. Glad we didn't have to go far away to find the perfect venue... 

pardon us! i know its pop's birthday -- just wanted to share a poolside snap hehe

Where?

• The Hideout - a residential house located in hillsview drive subdivision in Lahug which is just within the city. 

Place rental: Php 1800.00/8 pax (good for 8 hours) wow!

Inclusions:

Free use of swimming pool  

Free use of kitchen 

Free use of dining area

Unlimited Karaoke

Add-ons:

Php 150/pax for additional guests over 8

Php 500 = use of 1 room

Billiards table = Php 350.00 (whole day)

Php 150.00 = use of gas range

The swimming pool is not that big but is perfect for small groups with a depth of 3ft - 6ft.

You can cook your meals at the location but we just brought with us our own food provisions since we found it more convenient.

They have a number of song choices for the oddballs like me who go cray for karaoke... I must say among all of us, there's no doubt it was ME who enjoyed it the most haha! 

We had the place for ourselves from 10am - 6pm today -- which was actually the best part! The hideout is a private place for you and your loved ones to chill in the city and enjoy each other's company as if you're in one of those out of town trips. 

Shells on the Shores of Lambug Badian

Beachfront

woke up like this snap! :)

Been looking forward to beach bumming since summer started this year and alas got the chance to crash an outing -- haha! Finally, Lambug Badian is another one that's off my bucket list. Heard about it from people's blog-pages but never really got the chance to see it till this weekend.

Thoughts:

Didn't expect much from this place... It was prolly my way of trying not to be disappointed if it turns out otherwise from the the blog posts I've read.  

Transportation:

We transported ourselves to Badian by taking a bus with Cebu-Bato (via Barili) route from the South Bus terminal. The air-conditioned Ceres Bus only costs php 130.00/pax to get there. Whew! It's a 3-4 hour ride, shout out to the man-friend for the good playlist we listened to throughout the entire trip. We had also taken power naps along the way and busied ourselves in munching on some chips. 

We dropped off the bus and took a motorcycle to get to the resort. Don't be deceived, the motorcycle fare only costs php 25.00/pax. 

Accommodation:

There's really not much to choose from if you're looking for nice and fancy hotels. However, they have cottages decent enough to stay and light on your pockets. 

We stayed at Magic Beach Resort. 

Standard Room Rate: php 1500.00
Air conditioned Room Rate: php 2500.00
Tent: php 500.00
Own Tent: php 200.00

The resort provides plates and utensils for their guests and a dirty kitchen to cook meals out back and a refrigerator too. The shower rooms and toilets were clean even though its common for all house guests.  

Food and Drinks:

Well, we brought our own food provisions to Lambug Badian. Buying drinks and chips was rather easy since they have convenient stores just right beside the resort. The convenient store also offers a Karaoke Machine to sing our hearts out for php 5.00 only and get to have two song choices. Now isn't that a bargain? 

Verdict:

The white sands, the blue waters, and the fine weather made it almost perfect -- But it was his company which made it complete!   

Here are some snapshots I took with my phone camera...

with my man! <3

Karaoke at the beach

Karaoke at the beach

Breakfast - shout out to mommy aimee for preparing our meals!!!

Fun on the sandy shores

Strike a pose with mother :)

Just strollin'

Kawasan Falls - #itsmorefuninthephilippines

Oh how I love being spontaneous!

Wearing our I <3 Cebu Shirts :)

Thoughts:

We had an unplanned trip down south one fine day and had the chance to dip in the cold waters of Kawasan Falls. Had absolutely no plans that day when Mama woke me up early urging me to go with them to Kawasan. Half awake, I found myself all packed up for the trip just like that. 

How we transported ourselves to Kawasan:

We took a bus at the South Bus terminal at 3am. The fare was only around Php120 to my surprise going to Badian. It was approximately a 3-hour ride to get there so I was able to catch up with sleep and slept my way through the whole bus ride. Since we left early dawn, we managed to get there at 6am in the morning which was perfect. 

The Experience:

It was my first time to visit the place... I was psyched! I gotta say I was pumped up since I got out of bed that morning! Must have been so pumped we went swimming as soon as we rested our bags at the table we rented for Php 300 which I find affordable though. The water was literally ice-cold, yet the cold did not bother us anyway.... haha! They have tables, bathrooms, toilets, and rooms for those who wished to stay for the night. It's great to know you can witness such a beauty without having to travel far away from the city and you don't even have to spend much.

Verdict:

It was nature at its finest! Will definitely go back one of these days... #itsmorefuninthephilippines

Here are a few snapshots we took with my phone camera (sorry for the low quality photos) :

moi

my love

just look at that bamboo raft!

wearing our buoyancy vests that we rented for php 50.00

Fiesta Señor

As always, the streets and every corner of the city are flooded with people at this time of the year. The Sinulog Festivity is just around the corner. It is a grand celebration in honor of the Señor Sto. Niño which is celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January. The Novena mass jump-started the celebration last January 10, 2013 and the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño has been filled with devotees since then. 

Camotes Islands

Woke up early on a Sunday feeling nostalgic about some good old memories with my dear friends in some of the trips we've made. I wanted to do something out of the ordinary today like go to the beach yet I'm stuck at home with nowhere to go. In the end, I found myself scanning and browsing our old pictures with our last short vacation with my Khaville family in Camotes.

The Camotes Islands are a group of islands that form part of the province of Cebu, in the Philippines. The island group is located east of Cebu Island, southwest of Leyte Island, and north of Bohol Island. We went there about a year ago and stayed in some pretty descent resort. It was truly a very nice place and  I even wanted to go back there if only time allows. I remember the endearing white shores, the clear blue waters, the wide calm lake, and my favorite underground lake which was very inviting. I had no plans of swimming in the dark waters but the sight of it just took my breath away and just found myself in the water just in an instant. 

Here are more pictures we took during our stay... :)

 

The Man Who Cried Wolf?

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit Cebu this afternoon. I was sound asleep when my mother woke me up terrified about the ongoing shuddering of the earth's crust. Half awake, I managed to stand up and a bit terrified myself of whats happening. We found ourselves hugging and standing right to each other that very moment at the door instead of running outside the house for precaution of possible falling debris. We stood there barely moving until the earthquake stopped. I would have grabbed her and ran out of the house if only I were in a sound mind, but I was  guilty of paranoia myself which I evidently got from her. Soon enough,  my brother arrived since they were sent home from school, then my boyfriend, and then my father came home as well. The next thing we know, we found ourselves watching a whole lot of panic stricken people running on the streets as if trying to get away from something. It pretty looked like a scene from some movie like "2012". Then we heard people saying that there is a tsunami on its way and that the water level in the South Road Project has risen above sea level. People were shouting, and some were already carrying their belongings trying to move out to some higher grounds. Seeing this, my mother went paranoid again. She was really afraid and insisted that we should also leave. However, my father thinks otherwise. He decided to go to SRP himself to find out if any of this was true. Thank god, he got home safe with a positive news that it was nothing and that it was in fact low tide. The experts then confirmed that a tsunami would not be possible and there is nothing to worry about. Some people just spread false alarms out of their idiosyncrasies and scare the hell out of everybody. My mother calmed down but there was still one member of the household who wasn't home yet -- my sister! She stayed at TGU tower since it was the highest place she could be with that tsunami scare and was worried because a whole lot of different stories has reached her. She called a few minutes later after the network clogs has cleared, telling us to evacuate our home because the streets are flooded which apparently brought us to a bunch of laughter. Yes, we got scared but after everything that happened, we just have to laugh about it and thank the lord for keeping us safe and that after all, it was not real.