Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu: Sunset-View Luxury Resort along Historic Magellan Bay

*Dusit Thani Mactan has one of the best swimming pools in Cebu!*

Launched in late 2018, Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort is one of the relatively newer resorts on the popular holiday island of Mactan Island in Cebu, Philippines. Conveniently a short drive away from the international airport, this five-star 272-room resort on the Punta Engaño peninsula stands out from the rest with its grand infinity pool, luxurious spa facilities, and panoramic sunset views over historic Magellan Bay.

The body of water fronting the resort was the site of the Battle of Mactan on April 27, 1521, where Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed by the men of local chieftain Lapulapu. Magellan’s Marker and Lapulapu Monument, the iconic landmarks at Mactan Shrine memorializing the key players of this historic event, are just a short drive south of the resort (12 minutes, 4.5 km), and well worth a visit during your stay.

As of April 2022, some structural damages on the property caused by Super Typhoon Odette (Rai), which devastated central Philippines four months prior, were still visible and renovation work was ongoing. Yellow and blue barricade tape cordoned off some railings and areas beneath damaged portions of the facades . Albeit unsightly, this was for the safety of the guests. A large shipwreck, pushed ashore from Cebu across the channel by the storm surge, stands on the shallows to the south.

Scroll down for the current room and day-use promos below, available until June 30, 2022.

*Dusit Thani has one of the nicest infinity pools!*

Amenities

The sprawling resort houses 272 guest rooms across three hotel buildings. We stayed at a Deluxe Seaview Room with a balcony overlooking the Infinity Pool and Magellan Bay. The room had a en suite toilet, shower and bath tub. The understated interior design was warm and elegant with refined touches such as marble table and counter tops, upholstered TV frame and headboard, and a large painting of lotus flowers above the bed.

Hands down, what sets this luxury resort apart from others is its amazing 100-meter Infinity Pool that stretches across the seafront. The 4-ft deep pool offers a panoramic view of Magellan Bay and Cebu island. While a majority of the resorts on Mactan are along east coast, Dusit Thani sits along a west-facing shoreline that offers romantic sunset views over the mountains of mainland Cebu. Aside from the pool, the Boardwalk area with outdoor lounge chairs and coffee tables is another excellent sunset-viewing spot.

Behind the main pool, there’s also a small and secluded dipping pool with an artificial waterfall, called the Rainforest Pool, which is ideal for intimate dates or private functions.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much of a sandy beach at this resort. At the northern end, there’s a small beach area next to private jetty. The sand isn’t fine and appears to have been purposely dumped onto the area, as it is made from crushed limestone. The water wasn’t particularly enticing for a swim, since it was very shallow.

Another outstanding facility is Namm Spa, which offers luxurious massages with professional therapists in private rooms with an en suite changing room, toilet and shower. Massage treatments are inclusive of 15-minute use of the steam bath before treatment begins. Thai-style massages were unavailable during our visit, so I availed of a one-hour Swedish massage instead. The spa also houses the temporary gym, while the resort undergoes renovation.

A 100-minute full rejuvenation and relaxation promo package at Namm Spa is available for only ₱2,500 nett until May 31, 2022, inclusive of 10-minute steam bath, 50 minutes Aromatherapy Massage, 30 minutes Nourishing Facial.

*The View is the hotel bar at the open-air lobby*

*Beef Salpicao, Crispy Pork Belly & Salmon Steak*

Dining Options

There are a handful of dining establishments open to guests, namely, Sunset Sports Bar, The View and The Deli. Situated next to the Infinity Pool, Sunset Sports Bar is currently the main restaurant of the resort, where the breakfast buffet is served for check-in guests. For lunch and dinner, they have an extensive a la carte menu of Thai, Western and Filipino dishes.

With the resort being a Thai brand, I was looking forward to the Thai dishes at the restaurant. Unfortunately, I wasn’t impressed by any of the dishes we had on the first night: Phad Thai Goong (₱680), Gaeng Kaew Kai (green curry chicken, ₱600) and Tom Yam Goong (₱860).

The best-tasting dishes we had during our entire stay were the Sunset Nachos Grande (₱650) – this one was big! – Deep-Fried Calamari (₱580) and Gambas Al Ajillo (₱1,080), which used large prawns, for snacks and appetizers. From the Main Course, my favorites were the Crispy Pork Belly (₱600) and Salmon Steak (₱1,400). The food prices are expensive, however, some dishes like the aforementioned nachos and Filipino soups (good for 3-4 persons) are big enough to share. Check-in guests also get 20% off food and beverage orders at Sunset Sports Bar.

Aside from the Sunset Sports Bar, there’s also The View and The Deli at the open-air main lobby. The former is a cocktail bar overlooking the sea, while the latter is a cozy cafe serving coffee, pastries and sandwiches. Tip: Selected items are 50% off at The Deli from 6 to 8pm, before closing time.

*Deluxe Seaview Room overlooking Magellan Bay*

Room Rates

Accommodation at Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort starts at ₱5,899 / ₱7,200 nett (weekday/weekend) for a Deluxe Room with buffet breakfast for two, and ₱7,100 / ₱8,400 nett (weekday/weekend) for a Deluxe Seaview Room. Extra person are ₱2,000 nett per head with breakfast.

Room inclusions: accommodation for a maximum of 2 adults and 2 kids (12 years old and below) sharing bed with adults; breakfast for a maximum of 2 adults only; 20% discount on food and beverage orders at Sunset Sports Bar; and 30% discounts on massage services. Rates are nett of government taxes and service charge. These promo room rates are available until June 30, 2022.

Find discounted room rates year-round here!

Day-Use Rates

On weekdays (Monday-Friday), day-use rates are ₱1,500 per adult and ₱1,000 per child (5-12 yrs old), inclusive of dining or spa credits worth ₱1,000 for adults, and dining credits worth ₱700 for children. On weekends (Saturday & Sunday), day-use rates are ₱2,000 per adult and ₱1,200 per child (5-12 yrs old), inclusive of lunch buffet and complimentary non-alcoholic drink.

There’s also a Barkada Weekday Package for only ₱6,500 for five adults, inclusive of ₱4,000 worth of dining credits. Day-use inclusions: use of beach, infinity pool, and rainforest pool from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, and use of beach towel and shower room. Rates are nett of taxes and service charge.

These day-use promo offers are available until June 30, 2022.

*Aerial view of the 272-room five-star resort*

*Magellan Bay sunset with Typhoon Odette shipwreck*

How to Get There

Cebu’s airport – the Mactan-Cebu International Airport – is located in Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan Island, 12 km away from Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort. From the airport, one take a taxi or Grab from the airport, or pre-arrange pick-up through the resort for an additional fee. Travel time is around 30 minutes.

If you’re coming from the mainland, one can opt to take public transportation via jeepney from Parkmall in North Reclamation Area, Mandaue City to Punta Engaño (Route no. 23). Travel time is around one hour.