I have only been to Cebu once back in 2012 prior to this trip where CS and I stayed in Plantation Bay Resort and Spa for three days (read here). Since the resort was huge, had complete facilities and was like a village in itself, we did not feel the urge to leave the comforts of the resort to tour around Cebu City. Four years later, we embarked on another trip but decided to check out other resorts in Mactan to see what they have to offer. First stop was JPark Island Resort and Waterpark which is formerly known as Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort.
The entire check in process took no more than 5 minutes. Staff at the reception were a mix of Filipino and Korean as majority of the guests, about 70%, are from Korea. Along with the key card to our room and a map of the massive property, the staff also handed 2 complimentary welcome drinks that we availed at JLounge located at the lobby.
To cater to varied needs and budget of guests, JPark offers 7 different types of accommodation such as Deluxe, Mactan Suite, Cebu Suite, Executive Suite, Ambassador Suite, Royal Suite and Villa. A good friend gifted me with a voucher for a deluxe room that we upgraded to an ocean view for an additional Php1500 per night. Money well spent to wake up to a view like this!
Our deluxe room, located on the 8th floor of the main building, is a 38-sqm sized room equipped with a king bed, our own balcony with outdoor table and chairs, an LCD television with cable and DVD player, safety deposit box, a fully stocked mini bar and refrigerator, complimentary coffee and tea, and a bathroom with separate toilet and bathtub. It seemed like the resort has renovated the room to keep up with the times but there are several areas that were left unfinished like the walls where the refrigerator is and some missing tiles in the bathroom. For a five-star resort like JPark, one would expect not only topnotch service but high quality materials and facilities as well.
In the midst of summer, an air-conditioned room is anyone's best friend. But when you got a balcony overlooking the blue skies and vast seas, enduring the summer heat one easy task.
The Waterpark
True to its name, JPark Island Resort and Waterpark takes pride on having several pools suited to give kids and adults a great time while on vacation.The sight of the various shades of blue of the island pool from our room is a tempting invite anytime of the day. Of all the pools in JPark, the island pool is the last one to close at 9PM while others operate at 6PM latest.
Both the Captain Hook's Pool and Toddler's Pool opens at 9AM until 6PM only. Kids would enjoy playing in the slides and the pirate ship dipped in 1.6 ft deep waters. Lifeguards are around but adult supervision is still recommended as the pool can get really crowded especially on weekends.
CS and I spent most of our time lounging in the Beach Pool and the Amazon River. The resort provides pool floats so you can take leisurely rides along the river. As the floats are limited, better bring your own so you don't have to wait until you stumble one that's available. Its fortunate that we scored some colorful floats at the SM Department Store before the trip that got a lot of attention from foreign guests that we even joked about renting it out at some point.
The beach is rocky so wear your aqua shoes to protect your feet if you plan to take a swim. We weren't able to check out the marine life at JPark Island Resort but it seemed like the guests snorkeling were having fun so I guess fishes are still abundant in this side of Cebu.
The Breakfast
It came as no surprise that breakfast was a blend of Asian and Continental cuisine to indulge resort guests from the different parts of the world. There's a section for breads and pastries, salad, appetizers, hot meals, egg station, waffles and pancakes, soup and noodles, cereals, fresh fruits and assortment of desserts. Breakfast was laid buffet style and while guests kept coming in as the morning progress, the staff were quick to replenish the food so no need to hoard everything in one plate. The selection was decent and the taste were pretty much okay but the only thing I can really remember right now are the sweet mangoes and the extra crispy bacon.
JPark Island Resort and Waterpark is indeed a kid's wonderland. We had a great time at the resort but I'd probably think twice before paying the same amount that could get us a room in either Crimson or Moevenpick. Good thing we only paid for the upgrade, lucky to have generous friends!
~o~o~o~
JPark Island Resort and Waterpark
M. L. Quezon Highway, Brgy. MaribagoLapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines
Tel.: (6332) 494-5000
Website: www.jparkislandresort.com
No comments:
Post a Comment