BingoPlus VIP Club Brings Elevated Experiences with the Best of Iloilo and Cebu

 

Today, the Philippines’ regional destinations such as Iloilo City and Cebu City (the Queen City of the South) are becoming part of a wider world of premium experiences for members of the BingoPlus VIP Club who brought together premium dining, thoughtful luxury hospitality and opportunities to enjoy more of the country.

 

BingoPlus VIP Club

Last October 2026, as a meaningful expression of appreciation and to bring the VIP experience closer to home, the BingoPlus VIP Club team flew in to meet and host members from Iloilo and nearby areas. The special and exclusive evening gathering offered time to share a premium dining experience at Wolfgang Steakhouse, enjoying signature dry-aged USDA Prime steaks and curated wine pairings, conversations as well as an up-close and exclusive performance by a celebrity guest.

 

Wolfgang Steakhouse

At the same time, select VIPs from other parts of the Philippines were also invited to fly Business Class, to Cebu City, for “Light Up the Philippines,” with a luxury resort stay at Shangri-La Mactan as the setting for their getaway. The experience combined time to unwind with curated luxury activities, local food and unique hospitality of Cebu. Beyond the comforts of the famous resort, the trip gave members a taste of what the Queen City of the South and its surrounding destinations have to offer.

 

Shangri-La Mactan Cebu

Both experiences created opportunities for VIPs from different places to get to know one another, adding a sense of community to the escape.  Making the journey to members in their own region also gave them an occasion worth coming together for. 

Together, the two events also reflect how BingoPlus VIP Club is extending access to an elevated lifestyle beyond Metro Manila. Whether travelling to members in Iloilo or welcoming them to a Cebu getaway, the approach is personal: make members feel valued while opening doors to elevated lifestyle experiences worth remembering. 

BingoPlus VIP Club also regularly treats its high-tier members to exclusive, luxury lifestyle and fine dining events at other Wolfgang’s Steakhouse locations across the Philippines. In Metro Manila, there’s Wolfgang Steakhouse Grill – City of Dreams (Upper Ground, City of Dreams, 213B Asean Avenue, Parañaque City), Wolfgang’s Steakhouse – One Bonifacio High Street (LG/F, One Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City) and Wolfgang’s Steakhouse – Newport World Resorts (Mall at Newport World Resorts, Newport Blvd., Pasay City).

 

Private helicopter tour

These tie-ins are part of the club's "new nobility" VIP branding, which pairs membership rewards with luxury lifestyle perks like private helicopter tours, luxury car drives (such as BMWs), and VIP lounge access.

Hotel and Inn Review: Savoy Mactan Newtown Hotel (Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu)

 

Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown

Date of Stay: June 15 - 18, 2026

 

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: ********

Rooms: *******

Condition and Cleanliness: *********

Staff Performance: *********

Room Comfort: ********

Food and Beverage: ********

Other Amenities: ********

Value for Money: *******

A complimentary three-day-two night stay (extended to another night) brought me to the 18-storey Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown, the first hotel development of property giant Megaworld inside the 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown (the first Megaworld township development outside of Metro Manila with its own beachfront) in Lapu-Lapu City.  

Mactan Newtown

This is the third hotel under the Savoy Hotel brand (the others are Savoy Hotel Manila in Newport City, Pasay City and Savoy Hotel Boracay in Boracay Newcoast), a homegrown hotel chain established by Megaworld. Together with 15 other Megaworld Hotels & Resorts (MHR) properties, Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown is recognized, by the Department of Tourism, as a Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Establishment (MFAE).

 

The hotel entrance and driveway

Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown offers 547 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, making it the biggest hotel in Mactan Island, in terms of number of rooms, and the second biggest in the entire Cebu (after the 688-room Bai Hotel in Cebu City).  We were upgraded to a 54 sq. m. Junior Suite (Suite 1827) which had one queen bed plus a spacious living area.  

Our Junior Suite (1827)

The hotel also offers Classic Superior Twin (23 sq. m., two twin beds), Classic Superior Queen (24 sq. m., one queen bed), Deluxe Premier Room (37 sq. m., one queen bed), and the Presidential Suite (94 sq. m., with king bed, expansive living and dining areas, kitchenette, bathtub). 

 

Living area

Ensuite bathroom

All rooms are fully equipped with essential amenities such as magnetic door locks, air conditioning, in-room electronic safety box, 43” LED cable TV with 99 channels, blackout curtains, work desk, coffee and tea-making facilities, mini-bar, private bathroom (with toiletries, bathrobes and hair dryer) and wireless internet connection.  

This P1.7 billion hotel, officially opened last November 12, 2019, was designed by Casa+Architects, Inc. while the interiors, featuring prominent circular designs to symbolize continuous service and harmony, were designed by world-renowned Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), the same firm that designed Marina Bay Sands and Fullerton Hotel in Singapore, as well as Shangri-La Dubai and St. Regis Abu Dhabi in UAE.

 

Front Desk

The hotel has a number of food and beverage (F&B) outlets.  The Savoy Café, for breakfast and all-day dining, offers the super cool Secret Menu, the awesome Filipino-inspired Sampaguita Menu, and the classic A la carte menu.  Open daily, 6 AM to 10 PM.

Savoy Cafe

Savoy Cafe

Every day, at breakfast, the gracious staff would greet us with the mabuhi (welcome) gesture, an official standard of hospitality and respect in Cebu, gracefully placing their right hand flat against their left breast, accompanied by a slight respectful bow or nod of the head.

 

Zabana Bar

Zabana Bar, at the lobby area, offers refreshing juices, the super special Zabana rum and a bunch of one-of-a-kind signature cocktails. Open daily, 9 AM to 10 PM.  The Pool Bar, at the third level, features a selection of light bites. Open daily, 9 AM to 9 PM. The Lobby Café offers coffee and pastries.  The Patio, located at the second level, is an outdoor dining area. 

 

Swimming Pool

Among the hotel’s amenities are a 24-hour Front Desk, a swimming pool and a dedicated kiddie pool (open daily, 7 AM to 9 PM), paved sunbathing lounge, business center, and a flower garden. 

Pool Bar

For corporate conferences and private events, the hotel also has a wide range of collapsible function halls and executive meeting spaces equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual systems.  These venues can be configured and tailored to fit various event sizes and setups.

Main Function Hall

The massive Main Function Hall, which can host up to 100 guests (depending on the setup, can be divided into three individual rooms aptly named after Ferdinand Magellan's ships (Concepcion, San Antonio and Victoria).  The more exclusive Function Hall 2, which can accommodate up to 40 guests, can be divided into two separate meeting rooms named after Magellan's remaining ships (Concepcion and Santiago).  For intermediate or medium-sized corporate meetings, smaller setups are also available.

Function Hall 2

For security, all luggage from  arriving guests are scanned by a baggage X-ray machine plus the four 16-pax Schindler elevators are also keycard-operated, restricting access to specific floors.

 

Elevator Lobby

Every day, my son Jandy would exercise at the hotel’s modern, fully-equipped fitness center (open daily, 6 AM to 10 PM), at the third floor.  It offers all the necessary modern cardiovascular exercise machines, strength training equipment, and free weights one needs to maintain your workout routine. 

Fitness Gym

On our last full day at the hotel, we had a relaxing 1-hour massage at the Sampaguita Spa, the hotel’s in-house spa (open daily, 12 noon to 12 AM).  

Sampaguita Spa

It features three treatment rooms (including couples rooms), and specialize in unique treatments infused with local oils, aromatherapy, and various massage styles (Swedish, Thai, Deep-tissue, Hot stone, Sports, and Reflexology).

 

Massage Room

As we loved walking along the beach, we visited the 75 m. long, white sand Mactan Newtown Beach (formerly Portofino Beach Resort) which is located 500 m. from the hotel.  Entrance is free (with beach towels provided) for guests at Savoy Mactan Newtown Hotel as well as in Mercure Hotel. 

Mactan Newtown Beach

Jandy and the author

Here, we checked out the Ceremonial Garden, a popular venue for intimate outdoor weddings, as well as the Glass House and the Grand Beach Tent.  The hotel offered complimentary shuttle services to and from the beach but we just walked as it was just a short distance away.

 

Ceremonial Garden

The hotel is located 500 m. from the Magellan Shrine, 3.2 kms. from the Mactan Island Aquarium, 3.3 kms. from the Jungle Cultural Entertainment Center, 4.7 kms. from the Mactan Marina Mall, 4.8 kms. from the Cebu Yacht Club, 5.6 kms. from the Gaisano Grand Mall Mactan, 5.8 kms. from the Marcelo Fernan Bridge, 5.9 kms. from the Mactan Island Convention Center, 8.2 kms. (a 20-min. drive) from Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and 17 kms. from Fort San Pedro, Fuente Osmena Circle and Magellan’s Cross. 

 

Glass Pavilion

Transport services are also offered to guests traveling to and from the airport. They also offer concierge service, express check-in or check-out, 24-hour room service, luggage storage, dry cleaning service, daily housekeeping, laundry service and safety deposit boxes.

 

Grand Beach Tent

On our fourth and final day at the hotel, Ms. Princess Rikah Alfaro, PR and Marketing Assistant of the hotel, invited me to pick up a marker and write my shared experience at the lobby’s interactive, evolving Doodle Wall, a community masterpiece.  Meant to promote connection and shared experiences, it brings to life the hotel’s “Color Your Experience” philosophy.  In doing so, I became part of the growing community artwork.  Truly, a fitting end to a wonderful stay.

 

Hotel Lobby

The current artwork was illustrated by Danielle Nicolas Babor, an architecture student of Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) and son of Ms. Thea Babor, Marketing Coordinator of Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown.  The space also hosts revolving exhibits of local Cebuano art (available for sale to guests) from artists from the “Artists Beyond Borders” collective and “Grupo ng mga Aktibong.”

 

The Doodle Wall

Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown: The Mactan Newtown, Newtown Blvd., 6015 Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. Tel: +032 494 4000.  Mobile number: (0917) 868-6746 and (0917) 871-8007.  E-mail: reserve@savoymactan.com and info@savoymactan.com. Social Media Pages (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube): Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown | Facebook / @savoymactannewtown / Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown.

Hotel and Inn Review: Quincentennial Hotel Cebu (Cebu City, Cebu)

Date of Stay: February 25-26, 2023

 

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: ********

Rooms: *******

Condition and Cleanliness: ********

Staff Performance: *******

Room Comfort: ********

Food and Beverage: ********

Other Amenities: *********

Value for Money: ********

 

Quincentennial Hotel Cebu

Cebu’s first ever hotel with a faith theme, the 4-storey Quincentennial Hotel Cebu, located right next to Landers Superstore, was opened on June 20, 2022.  Commemorating 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines (1521-2021), its hotel lobby features paintings of circumnavigation maps and a tableau, done by Cebuano artist Henry Montebon, of the First Baptism, into the Catholic faith, of Rajah Humabon, his wife Juana, and their followers; and other Quincentennial highlights.

 

The hotel lobby

The hotel's story

The hotel is one of three hotel properties of Duros Hotels, Inc., founded by successful entrepreneurial Cebuano couple Rafaelito “Lito” A. Barino (Founder and Chairman of the Board) and Fe Mantuhac-Barino (President),  the others being the 102-room, 4-star One Tectona Hotel in Liloan and the 26-storey The Padgett Place Deluxe Suites in Cebu City.  The company is also planning to build the 100-room Airport Hotel in Panglao, Bohol.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: One Tectona Hotel” and “Hotel and Inn Review: The Padgett Place Deluxe Suites”

 

 The First Baptism, into the Catholic faith, of Rajah Humabon,
his wife Juana, and their followers

Jubilee Cross

The hotel’s 42 airconditioned, non-smoking rooms also have elements of the Quincentennial celebration including a Jubilee Cross, photographs of the different events and jubilee celebrations (all taken by Fr. Bonnin Olivar), hand-painted excerpts of a poem written by renowned Cebuano poet, Simeon P. Dumdum, Jr. and a Cebuano edition of the Holy Bible (Bag-ong Kasabotan, San Pedro Calungsod Edisyon Bible) which is a product of research by Roman Catholic Bible scholars for 25 years.

24-hour Front Desk

All rooms are furnished with 43” UHD flat screen Smart TV (with Netflix), NDD/IDD phone, electronic door locks, in-room safe deposit box, hair dryer, electric kettle, and minibar.  Its ensuite bathroom has a vanity basin & mirror, bidet and free toiletries. 

De Luxe Room

Rooms come in three categories. The 22.02 sq. m. to 24.23 sq. m. De Luxe Room (₱2,800) has one queen bed, the 22.02 sq. m. De Luxe Twin Room (₱2,800) has 2 single beds and the 27.84 sq. m. De Luxe Queen Corner (₱3,300) has one queen bed.

 

Hallway lined with photos of old Cebu churches

Map of Circumnavigation of the Globe

The hallways are adorned with rows of photographs featuring, among others, Cebu’s oldest churches and the various charitable work conducted by the Catholic Church in Cebu and the Duros hotel group.

 

Restaurante Trinidad

Restaurante Trinidad, the fine dining restaurant opened last February 25, 2023, serves appetizers (Tortilla de Patata, Calamares, Gambas al Ajillo, Croqueta Jamon, Croqueta Chorizo, etc.), Spanish (Chicken Adobo Paella, Paella Negra, Jamon Serrano and Parmesan Cheese, Rabo al Vino Tinto, etc.) and Filipino (Lechon Kawali, Puchero Filipino, etc.) cuisine and desserts (Churros con Chocolate, Burnt Basque Cheesecake, Maja Crepe, etc.).  

A buffet of Spanish and Filipino cuisine

The galleon-inspired coffee shop (Cafe de Fe), with portraits of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and other explorers, where breakfast (Corned Beef Hash and Egg con Sofrito, Crispylog, Huevos Rotos con Picadillo o Zarza, Torrijas Sweet with Banana and Bacon, Pesto Omelette, Ham and Toast Bread, and Pork Tocino) as well as lunch and dinner (Boneless Pata Hamonado, Pollo Alforno con Potate, Lengua Estofado, Callos, Herbed Fish Stew and Beef Salpicao) is served.  

Cafe de Fe

The hotel also has a 24-hour Front Desk and conference hall (El Baptisterio). Free WiFi is available throughout the property. They offer airport shuttle, luggage storage, room service and free parking.

 

Portraits of Ferdinand Magellan (left) and other explorers

The hotel is an 18-min. walk to SM City Cebu and is located 1 km. (a 10-min. walk) from Ayala Center Cebu, 3.3 kms. from Fuente Osmena Circle, 4 kms. from Colon Street, 4.5 kms. from Magellan's Cross, 10 kms. from the Temple of Leah, 12 kms. from Mactan-Cebu International Airport and 14 kms. from Fort San Pedro.

 

El Baptisterio Conference Hall

Quincentennial Hotel Cebu: 23 Minore Park, Cardinal Rosales Ave. cor Pope John Paul II Ave. (formerly, Juan Luna Ave.), Brgy. Luz, 6000 Cebu City, Cebu. Tel: (032) 520-4488. E-mail: reservations@cebuquincentennialhotel.com. Website: www.cebuquincentennialhotel.com. 

How to Get There: Cebu Pacific currently flies 13x daily from Manila to Cebu. Apart from this, the airline operates direct flights to Cebu from 21 other domestic destination such as Cagayan de Oro, Clark, Davao, General Santos, and Iloilo, among others and 2 international destination. CEB is set to restore 100% of its pre-COVID network and capacity in March 2023. It now flies to 34 domestic destinations and is set to bring back all its 25 international destinations in the first quarter of the year. Website: www.cebupacificair.com.

Hotel and Inn Review: One Tectona Hotel (Liloan, Cebu)

Date of Stay: February 24-25, 2023

 

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: *******

Rooms: *********

Condition and Cleanliness: *********

Staff Performance: ********

Room Comfort: ********

Food and Beverage: *********

Other Amenities: *********

Value for Money: *********

 

One Tectona Hotel

The exquisite, four-star One Tectona Hotel, the first premium hotel in the fast growing town of Liloan (now on the verge of becoming a city) in northern Metro Cebu, is a development of Liloan-based Duros Land Properties, Inc. (DLPI, now on its 11th year), founded by successful entrepreneurial Cebuano couple Rafaelito “Lito” A. Barino and (Founder and Chairman of the Board) and Fe Mantuhac-Barino (President).

 

In operation since December 7, 2022 and nestled on a hillside, the 14-storey hotel (the tallest building in northern Metro Cebu), with its beautiful view of the faraway blue sea, dense vegetation and sweeping forested pocket hills that will take your breath away, offers a perfect marriage of home, business, and recreation in one idyllic location.  It was named after the endemic teak tree (Tectona philippinensis) that locals call yati. 

The hotel is one of three hotel properties of Duros Hotels, Inc., the others being the 42-room Cebu Quincentennial Hotel and the 26-storey The Padgett Place Deluxe Suites, both in Cebu City.  The company is also planning to build the 100-room Airport Hotel in Panglao, Bohol.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: Cebu Quincentennial Hotel” and “Hotel and Inn Review: The Padgett Place Deluxe Suites”

 

De Luxe Room (613)

Its 102 luxuriously furnished, elegantly designed, Zen-inspired rooms (87 De Luxe Rooms and 14 One-Bedroom Suites) are all airconditioned, with private ensuite bathrooms (with bidet, rainshower head and complimentary toiletries), private balcony, area carpet, blackout curtains, work desk, coffee and tea making facility, bath robes and complimentary slippers.

Work desk and closet

The private ensuite bathroom

It also offers all the modern conveniences such as 43” UHD flat screen Smart cable TV, electronic door lock, hair dryer, mini fridge and complimentary wi-fi.  Highlighted with masterfully crafted wooden panels and accents, all rooms are and are furnished with modern yet contemporary furniture. 

View from room.  In the foreground is the clubhouse

The hotel's garden

Nestled in stunning scenery, surrounded by natural scenic foliage and cozily tucked in the mountains of Yati, One Tectona was designed to cater to active living and wellness, providing everyday inspiration with a wide variety of outdoor activities. It seamlessly delivers style and comfort to residents who seek a break from the hustle and bustle of the city while providing easy access to it. 

Teak Modern Cuisine

The hotel's two swimming pools

The hotel also has an international restaurant (Teak Modern Cuisine), coffee shop, two swimming pools, function hall, conference rooms, commercial area (with 4 units), events center, sports bar, outdoor gym, game room,  meditation garden, lounge lobby clinic, jogging and walking trails, spa (Spa in the Woods), meditation and yoga area (under scenic foliage) and al fresco dining. Its business center, with office spaces for small-to-medium size enterprises, has its own private entrance, lobby and elevators.

Front Desk

Reception Area with its golf-themed painting

Function hall

As sixty percent of the market of One Tectoba Hotel is for golf tourism (it is popular among Japanese and Koreans), the hotel, inevitably, has a golf theme.  These are seen from the paintings of golfers seen in the suites and the rest of the hotel and the tableau of the golf course once you get out of the elevator on the ground floor, all done by Cebu-based artist Henry Montebon.  Even the coffee cups in the restaurant are golf ball-inspired.

 

The 18-hole, par 72, 65 hectare golf course

The hotel also offers golf packages to the exceptional, international 18-hole, par 72, 65-hectare golf course in Brgy. San Roque (a 5-km. drive) in Liloan Golf and Leisure Estates which is surrounded by Duros’ residential development Woodlands Resort Communities and other future developments.  

The Woodlands Golf Academy

The driving range

Its well-appointed clubhouse, with jacuzzi, sauna, spa and infinity swimming pool, offers sumptuous meals to go with the relaxed dining ambiance.  Woodlands Golf Academy, the first golf school in Cebu, offers different lessons to newbies as well as those upgrading their skills in the sport.  The course also has a golf putting green.  The golf course focuses on bringing tourism to the fresh, mountainous areas of Liloan. All residents of One Tectona Condominium enjoy golf playing privilege at the golf course. 

The private clubhouse

By private car, the hotel is located 15.7 kms. (a 40-60 min. drive) from Cebu City, 14.3 kms. (a 38-50 min. drive) from Mactan Cebu International Airport, 4.2 kms. from SM Consolacion, 3 kms. from Gaisano Grand Mall Liloan, 2 kms. from Mendero Medical Hospital and1 km, from Divine Life Institute of Cebu.

 

The infinity pool with the hotel in the background 

One Tectona Hotel: Brgy. Yati, Liloan, Cebu. Tel: (032) 424-6363.  Mobile number: (0998) 869-8593. E-mail: info@durosland.com. Website: www.durosland.com. Facebook: /duroslandph. Instagram: @duroslandph. 

How to Get There: Liloan is located 21.9 kms. (a 1-hour drive) from Cebu City via the Cebu-North Coastal Rd./Consolacion-Tayud-Liloan Rd. and Central Nautical Highway.

Cebu Pacific currently flies 13x daily from Manila to Cebu. Apart from this, the airline operates direct flights to Cebu from 21 other domestic destination such as Cagayan de Oro, Clark, Davao, General Santos, and Iloilo, among others and 2 international destination. CEB is set to restore 100% of its pre-COVID network and capacity in March 2023. It now flies to 34 domestic destinations and is set to bring back all its 25 international destinations in the first quarter of the year. Website: www.cebupacificair.com.