Plantation Bay Resort and Spa: A Family Paradise in Mactan, Cebu

Dining

You are not allowed to leave Plantation Bay without gaining some weight! There are 4 restaurants at the resort: Palermo Café, Fiji Restaurant, Kilimanjaro Kafé, and Savannah Grill, all of which serve only the best of the best, and three of which are included in the Philippine best restaurants of 2013. I must say: both the presentation and taste are impressive. All the meals are cooked and crafted at the resort, even down to the bread and pastries that are served during breakfast.

 

 

Palermo Café is a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that serves the best Spanish Tapas and Italian Pastas. For their tapas, I highly recommend their Jamon Bellota, which is cured for 36 months and imported all the way from Spain and the Canadian AAA Tenderloin, which is also imported. Expect a savoury explosion with every bite.

 

 

For the pastas, the Spaghettini Al Nero, Plantation Bay’s take on squid ink pasta is a must-try. What’s special about their version is that it doesn’t blacken the teeth but still preserves the squid ink’s flavour.

 

 

Fiji Restaurant is located by the beach and serves a variety of food from the Pacific Rim. They serve Asian and fresh seafood dishes.

 

 

I recommend their bestseller, the Prawns Tempura, which is probably the biggest tempura I’ve ever seen! Try their mixed sushi platter, too.

 

 

The Kilimanjaro Kafe serves international cuisine and is open 24 hours for those who want to nibble on something in the middle of the night. Make sure you don’t miss out on trying their daily themed breakfast buffet.

 

 

You can have a go at their Filipino-themed breakfast where they serve daing, chicken empanadas, and chicken tocino, amongst other things. You can also enjoy some siopao, dimsum, and lumpia at their Chinese-themed breakfast table.

 

 

As you can see, we have bacon on every plate. Breakfast staples such as eggs, bacon, cereals, pastries, and breads are also served everyday. Their breads and pastries are baked daily at the Plantation Bay. Rumor has it that the Kilimanjaro Kafe serves the BEST Kare-Kare! This is a must-try!

 

 

Savannah Grill serves fast food meals like hotdogs and burgers. You might also want to enjoy a night out at Savannah Grill as they have acoustic bands daily. In the afternoon, board games of all sorts are available for both children and adults, too. We enjoyed an afternoon of drinking wine while playing an intense game of Millionaire’s Game. Savannah serves the best Power House Burger, try it out, and if you don’t agree then they will give you your money back!

 

Hospitable and Helpful Staff

Another one of the highlights of this trip was the class-A service we received from the staff members. From the warm morning greetings to the assistance with our luggages or room service, each staff member never failed to provide us with instant aid. They were all very helpful, accommodating, and approachable. Plantation Bay has a strict no-tipping policy, too. All staff members only have one goal: to ensure that each and every guest will have a pleasant stay, so that they will want to come back in the future.

 

Themed Nights

 

 

Another thing to look forward to when staying at Plantation Bay is their themed nights. Each night from Monday to Saturday at dinner time, a themed buffet is served while a world-class production is put on by he staff themselves. Your bellboys, waitresses, therapists, and receptionists will basically perform and entertain you for the night.

 

 

Mind you, these productions are well-orchestrated and the performers seem like they had been performing for years! You can enjoy this mini concert and get a chance to dance to participate and dance to the beat. Each night will be different. You can enjoy Rockin’ USA, Hawaiian Luau, and many more.