Time flies at Mogambo Springs

I always lose track of time during my stay at Plantation Bay Resort and Spa because of its Mogambo Springs. A place of rest and relaxation, of indulgence and pampering, Mogambo Springs is a spa specially conceptualized to imitate paradise and satisfy modern-day Cleopatras. Most of all, you forget the time, throw your cares to the whispering wind and find yourself speaking poetic verses dictated to you by the flowing water and nature’s cacophony of chirping birds and rustling leaves. Ah, peace and tranquility!

"The spa was opened last year and has been a runaway success. We hired people who really knew what they were doing and then we acquired the skills ourselves, "the gracious Plantation Bay president and CEO Manny Gonzalez tells us. Their sports manager was sent to a spa school in British Columbia to learn the ropes and upon return, collaborated with the hotel’s engineers and management to build this one-of-a-kind facility.

Even before we arrived, Manila-based Pops del Rosario, Plantation Bay’s very accommodating public relations manager, told us that a stay at the luxurious resort would not be complete without trying out the services offered by the spa.

It was here that I spent most of my time during my stay at Plantation Bay getting relaxing treatments from beautiful and well-trained therapists amid a unique setting of peacefulness and tranquility. The place, named after a Grace Kelly movie, is evocative of mountain canyons complete with fog, which refreshes even the most tired traveler on the hottest day of summer.

"It is a 100 percent owned-and-managed outdoor spa, the first of its kind in Cebu. Our well-being treatments are coupled with good customer service, and our prices are very reasonable," Nenette Castillo, the youthful and svelte spa supervisor, explains.

Near the entrance are three pools, each designed for a different purpose. The hot whirlpool with Jacuzzi jets gives a soothing water massage, the saltwater pool offers an invigorating mineral bath or thalasso therapy and the cold pool with swim-up bar, waterfall, water sprouts and a high-pressure needle shower nook provides a nice hydro massage good for the muscles and blood circulation. Friendly and efficient Plantation Bay general manager Efren Belarmino also pointed out that healthful food and drinks are recommended by the spa at the resort’s restaurants, prepared by very talented and innovative executive chef Ed Chavez.

Inside the spa are small nipa huts which house comfortable treatment rooms with soft beds and a wide assortment of essential aromatherapy oils and skincare products. Guests can also find a scrub corner, dry sauna, open-air foot and chair massage areas and a luxurious private villa. Visitors are sure to notice the soft breeze lightly brushing the skin, the sweet smells of herbs and fruits and uplifting music which calms the spirit.

For the Swedish massage, I took in the refreshing steam from lemon oil mixed with hot water, after which my therapist began the one-hour treatment that eased the tension in my muscles and cleared my mind. There are also the chair, pool and aromatherapy oil massages which guarantee to release all traces of weariness from the body. The Green Clay Purifying Facial, which is designed to leave skin smooth and bright like fine bone china, also cleanses, purifies and hydrates the skin.

The most sought-after service here is the Sensational Foot Therapy. It treats tired feet to a salt foot bath and foot reflexology massage. After soaking the feet in salt, a foot scrub to slough off dead skin is done. The feet are rinsed with water, rubbed with foot lotion and massaged. The finale, a peppermint foot spray, is very refreshing to the feet. Guests can also opt for a head-to-foot body scrub for exfoliation.

Beach bums with sunburnt skin favor the Cooling Cucumber Wrap and Face Mask, which serves as the highlight of a long hard day under the sun, swimming in Plantation Bay’s fresh and saltwater pools. An all-natural cucumber concoction is applied to the body, giving the coolest and most revitalizing feeling which restores moisture to thirsty skin. The face is completely covered with small cucumber slices which free it of stress and gives it a noticeable glow. For those who just can’t get enough of the many addicting treatments, special spa packages which combine massage therapies, body and facial treatments are offered. I recommend the Ultimate Spa Experience – the complete spa pampering treat lasting three hours and 30 minutes which includes a pool massage, body scrub, foot therapy, facial treatment and aromatherapy oil massage in the privacy of the open-air Private Villa with its own whirlpool and shower. Perfect for honeymooners.

For all its world-class qualities, still the best asset of Mogambo Springs, which holds true for the rest of Plantation Bay, is its people. The 16 well-trained therapists are aware of the guests’ needs and are well-versed in customer service.

The spa enjoys brisk business with mostly Korean, Japanese and Filipinos enjoying the perfect combination of expert treatments, scenic setting and unequaled service. I simply can’t wait to go back there again and experience the quietude and stillness that my body, mind, heart and soul fervently long for. I can’t wait to be my forgetful self again and just let time fly into the cool perfumed air of the refreshing Mogambo Springs.