Mövenpick makes pre-launch waves

CEBU, Philippines - Get ready to witness a total transformation that will elevate your five-star hotel experience to the ultimate resort lifestyle.

Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island, opening this month, will offer newly-designed rooms, out-of-the-box dining concepts, and the much-anticipated Ibiza Beach Club that will create a party atmosphere the Philippines has never seen before. The entire upgrade and transformation will cost P500 million.

Barefoot elegance

Each step you take will tell you that you have landed in a truly exceptional destination.

The lobby greets you with the scent of the finest coffee brewed from the towering Venus coffee machine by Victoria Arduino. An art piece in itself, it is made of pure copper and handcrafted by master artisans and metal sculptors in the small village of Macerata in Southeastern Italy. The Venus is the same coffee machine used at the Vatican by Pope Benedict XVI, and premier tourist destinations like the Eiffel Tower, the Moulin Rouge, L'Opera, and Caffe Greco. Now, you can take one sip after another of this special brew right in Mactan Island.

From there, the room opens up to a space that connects you with all key passages of the hotel. On your left, you will find The Forum, an elegant yet refreshing lounge featuring hard-to-find Cognac brands such as Hennessy Richard, old Macallan single-malt whiskey, and function areas equipped with Bose audio systems.

To your right is The Sails, the Mövenpick's all-day dining restaurant with themed buffets that flow into the main lobby and the al fresco area. You may dine in whichever setting suits your mood.

Natural, rosewood floors line your path to outdoor recreation and entertainment. Four exclusive Garden Cabanas with sweeping vistas of the private beach allow you to enjoy massages, and a private space for some downtime. Parasols around the property are Ferrari-branded to remind you of how utmost quality is considered in every detail.

And this is just the start of the experience.

Every piece of furniture and design detail makes a sleek and stylish statement, with world-class Filipino designers Manny Samson, the Almario sisters Ivy and Cynthia, and Fred and Butch Valdes at the helm through design consultancy group I5.

The rooms, offering the view of the sea, are fitted with interiors that suit your taste for both style and comfort. The toiletries, from the luxurious house of Chopard.

Now is the time to throw out any idea of old world formalities. Mövenpick knows you prefer to live in the now, and the sophistication of contemporary design is exactly what it will give you.

The real taste test

The hotel has invited Mexican-Spanish Executive Chef Johnny Rodriguez on board to conceptualize your every meal. Having recently come from L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, a hotel frequented by Hollywood's well-heeled, Rodriguez's culinary skills were also honed at Caesar's Palace in one of America's favorite cities for food, Las Vegas.

At the Mövenpick, Chef Rodriguez has carefully crafted every meal from your breakfast and dinner buffets and ala carte dishes, to Mediterranean tapas and the highlight among all: the Brazilian Churrasco grill featuring fifteen selections of premium meat. Every bite is authentic, succulent, and irresistible. Definitely something you will want to sink your teeth into.

Moving to the beat

Raise your glass and party in Balearic fashion at the Ibiza Beach Club. Already being talked about by Cebu's influential set, the club will welcome international celebrity DJ Toni M, and a booth worthy only of world-class performers. Toni M has shared booths with some of the world's most famous DJs and producers including Kaskade, Mark Farina, Groove Armada, Phonique, and Andy Caldwell. Each night will bring a different kind of beat, and as you drink in the high life, signature cocktail in hand, you will feel that there is no other place you would rather be at that very moment.

A luxurious package deal

You could also get even more out of your Mövenpick life with the Ibiza Beach Club package. The special treatment the hotel's guests are already expected to receive will be elevated notches higher. As a VIP guest, you will be taken care of the moment you land in the Mactan International Airport where a Porsche Cayenne will pick you up to take you to the hotel.

There, privilege after privilege awaits you.

A welcome package for two includes the beach club's own line of Ibiza resort wear and lifestyle gifts. A complimentary bottle of whiskey, vodka, gin, rum, or two bottles of internationally-awarded Manny O wines will also be ready for your arrival.

Once settled, enjoy breakfast at the oceanfront, and a choice of two activities per person per day such as a 2-hour spa treatment, an introductory dive in Mövenpick's own marine sanctuary, or a 2 1/2-hour tour of the islands with a picnic basket for you and your guest.

Cooking and tasting classes give you a rare look into the secret behind the hotel's signature dishes, and an afternoon Mixology class will let you try your hand at creating the perfect cocktail.

The package options start with a minimum of two days, and also come with a roster of activities such as yoga, pilates, and Aqua Aerobics, as well as 30% discount on the Garden Cabanas and all food and beverages.

Beyond the usual view

Two hundred forty-six rooms at the Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island give you the choice of Deluxe, Club Deluxe, One and Two Bedroom Suites, and Club One Bedroom Suite accommodations. But two unique rooms will offer a stay like no other.

The Presidential Suite, at the hotel's top floor, will give guests a 180-degree view of the picturesque Hilutungan Channel. Meanwhile, the Ibiza Loft Suite will provide you with a two-level, three-bedroom space with a 120-degree sea view and the ideal venue for your parties. All activity happens on the loft while the sleeping quarters lie at the lower level, keeping your party private and isolated from your neighbors resting on the floor below.

More than hospitality

Combining classic Filipino hospitality with Swiss attentiveness, professional expertise and reliability, Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island will enable you to enjoy top service, dining, and leisure impeccably and with utmost precision. All within a posh beachside setting.

With all this being but a mere sneak peek into what Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island will have to offer, word has it this hotel could very well be the best leisure destination to come to Cebu in quite some time. And it hasn't even opened yet.

Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island is located in Punta Engaño, Mactan Island. Call +63 32 492 7777, email [email protected] or visit www.moevenpick-hotels.com/cebu for news and details.