Modern tropical hideaway on Mactan island

CRIMSON Hotel Filinvest City

Summer is a great time to explore beautiful properties around our islands. For instance, resort living in Cebu has never been so exciting as with the new tropical settings developed on the island of Mactan.

Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan is a sprawling six-hectare resort with 40 luxurious villas with private, plunge pools and another 250 guest rooms. The complex combines both comfort and style with contemporary Asian design. There are four theme restaurants and bars, a grand ballroom and event hall, various sports and water sports facilities, a private beach, and a three-tiered infinity pool. The best amenity may just be Crimson’s 2,000-square-meter Aum Spa.

Master-planned

Crimson was master-planned by an international team. World-renowned architectural and interior design firm Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo from California, teamed up with landscape architecture firm Belt Collins from Hong Kong, and interior design firm ERFE & Associates from Manila, to produce a resort that will transport its guests to a Bali-inspired home with unique Cebuano touches.

Beautifully landscaped gardens and contemporary, muted tropical aesthetics punctuated by elements of wood, stone and woven natural Philippine fibers resonate throughout the resort.  With Crimson’s well-appointed rooms and amenities and an infinity pool that plunges into the ocean, guests truly experience a sense of calm and peace in this modern tropical hideaway.

VILLA at Crismon Resort & Spa Mactan

Clustered around the main resort building, Crimson’s Villas are categorized into four, with the Ocean Front Villa as the most exclusive, having an unhindered view of the ocean. Each villa is 115 sq m, designed with luxury in mind in the open-plan living room, pull-out sofa sleepers, spacious bathrooms with sunken tubs and separate rain shower, four-poster, canopy, king-size beds, and best of all, a private plunge pool.

Crimson is just 15 minutes away from the Mactan International Airport, in the midst of Mactan’s eastern coast, which is already one of the country’s most prestigious tourist destinations. The resort is managed by Filarchipelago Hospitality Inc.

The Crimson Resort group recently opened another hotel, right in the heart of the booming Alabang section of Metro Manila. The Crimson Hotel Filinvest City (www.crimsonhotel.com/manila) has the same luxury and charm that all other Crimson properties have.

GM Robert Bormes explains that Crimson’s young and dynamic team lets every guest experience its gracious Filipino hospitality. The modern amenities, chic lobby, exceptional dining and stellar service are all part of the Crimson lifestyle.

The guest rooms, with rich and contemporary aesthetics, appeal to people who appreciate cutting-edge touches without sacrificing comfort, familiarity and homeliness. All 345 guest rooms, 20 of which are suites, are done in champagne and earth tones, and are equipped with amenities adhering to international standards.

Restaurants and bars

LOBBY of Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan

Café Eight is the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, while The Lobby Lounge serves delectable sandwiches and treats. The Deck Bar is an open-air cocktail bar that features Dedon Nestrest loungers, perfect for relaxation and engaging conversation.

The hotel also has the Grand Ballroom, a 564-sq-m hall that can accommodate up to 500 guests in a cocktail setting. There are also six meeting rooms with state-of-the-art, audio-visual facilities, a full-service business center and concierge services.

Both Crimson hotels are developed by Filinvest Hotels. The Filinvest Group has future projects already in the pipeline, including destinations like Tagaytay and Boracay. The latter property opens in 2015 with 190 rooms. I can hardly wait to visit!

Josephine Gotianun-Yap, CEO of Filinvest Development Corp., has a vision to create an international brand in the hospitality field. She is well aware that there are so many Pinoy talents in the hospitality industry all over the world, and so there is no reason we cannot create our own superior hotel brand. With her energy and passion, I am sure Josephine will make Crimson a household name in the hotel industry one day.

Visit www.tessaprietovaldes.com or follow @tessavaldes on Twitter.