Resort Review: Cagayan Holiday & Leisure Resort (Sta. Ana, Cagayan)

Date of Stay: March 2-3, 2011

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: *******

Rooms: *******

Condition and Cleanliness: *******

Staff Performance: ********

Room Comfort: *******

Food and Beverage: *******

Other Amenities: *******

Value for Money: ******

Cagayan Holiday & Leisure Resort

The online gaming  Casino

The upscale, 7-hectare Cagayan Holiday and Leisure Resort (also called Sun City Hotel and Casino), within the Cagayan Export Zone Authority in Centro in Sta. Ana, is the first and the only high-end resort in northern part of the Philippines that offers complete world-class facilities and amenities. 

You wouldn't be expecting anything bordering on the luxurious in this part of the country but, upon entering the resort's gate, you would think you were in a classy resort the likes of which can only be found in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Reno or Macau. 

One of the resort's F&B outlets

This PhP400 million (HK$ 70 million) resort, a subsidiary of the Sun International Group Ltd.,  has 99 fully airconditioned  ocean view villas, a beautiful infinity swimming pool, spa, watersports center (jetskis, kayaks, etc.), all-terrain vehicles (ATV) for rent, target shooting range, KTV, casino, gym and 24-hr. food and beverage outlets offering Chinese, Western and Korean cuisine. 

Formerly opened only to high-rolling Chinese nationals from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, this Cagayan Economic Zone Authority-operated resort and its world-class facilities are now open to locals. 

Most of the staff in the resort are Filipinos, especially the uniformed kitchen staff, but the supervisor and receptionists were Chinese.  The restaurant, as well as the lobby, are wi-fi-zones. 

Bedroom with twin beds at the villa

Guests are transported to their Asian-inspired villas via a golf cart.  Each neat and clean villa has 2 cozy and relaxing bedrooms, 2 toilet and baths, a dining and living area, all decorated in the minimalist style with classy and warm tones. However, the available cable channels were  mostly Chinese, with only 1 or 2 English-speaking channels, a legacy of its being a Chinese-only resort before.  

Cagayan Holiday and Leisure Resort: Brgy. San Vicente, Sta. Ana, Cagayan.  Tel: +853 6644 8811 and +853 8844 4422.  Mobile numbers: (0917) 588-9916 and (0908) 894-7042.  E-mail: reception@cagayanresort.com. Website: www.suncity-group.com.