Holy Moly! Costabella was the real deal – the full-service resort we didn’t plan on staying in our entire time abroad. I’ve never been so happy about spending so much money at one hotel but every single thing we did was worth it.
Let’s start with hospitality and prompt service.
We were ALWAYS greeted with a warm smile and a welcoming “good morning” or “good afternoon” by every employee we passed by. This little touch went a long way. We really felt special. The staff remembered us and constantly asked how our excursions went, how we enjoyed the food, and if we needed anything to make our stay more comfortable.
The pool did not disappoint! There were two fairly large pools to choose from. One pool had a kiddie side and a deeper portion for adults to swim in while watching their kids simultaneously. The other pool had a water slide and a consistent depth. This was the pool we spent the most time in…for the water slide, obviously! If you didn’t want to swim in the pool and the ocean is more your speed, not to worry – there is a private lagoon with a floating deck. One thing I really appreciated about the hotel was their effort to control touts. There was a fence and a wall to keep touts away from the hotel and more importantly their guests. I can’t think of anything more frustrating than being woken up on the beach by someone trying to sell you something you don’t want.
The food was AMAZING! We really lucked out with a great menu and even better restaurant staff. There are two restaurants on the property. The larger of the two serves a more diverse menu ranging from western food, seafood, filipino food, and a wide assortment of desserts (YES PLEASE!). The smaller restaurant focused on filipino food and other asian delights. Our favorite of the two! The service in the restaurants was phenomenal. They were very attentive and knew their menu items well. Breakfast was included with our room and was served buffet style. There were constant dishes: french toast, fruit, rice, fish, filipino sausage, a fresh omelette counter, and a fresh soup counter. There were also rotated items each morning: beef stroganoff, mac and cheese, potatoes au gratin, etc. It kept us full for most of the day and then we would indulge in Linner (lunch and dinner + dessert). On Saturday evening there was a live band who played songs upon request and they were fantastic. My mom reaaaalllyyyy liked them – it’s still up in the air if they liked her adding her own lyrics, but what can ya do?
We also treated ourselves to a 90-minute massage. It was the most expensive massage we’ve had on this trip but it was the best one. We were in a private room with two excellent masseuses. I really appreciated their questionnaire beforehand because it let me customize my massage. We picked out our own essential oils that would be used and we received delicious cold and hot tea. It was incredibly peaceful and rejuvenating after 5 weeks of being on the road.
Saving the best for last – PARASAILING!
This was the most spontaneous thing we’ve done on this trip. The hotel offers a variety of water sports to choose from but none of them interested us until this very moment. We were sitting on the beach (we called it our birdcage), when we saw people playing on the jetskiis and my mom looks at me and says, “want to do that?” and I said, “yes, or parasailing!” and then I got up and ran (a full sprint) to the woman coordinating the jetskiis and asked if we could go parasailing right then and there. Of course she said yes and less than 3 minutes later, we were being harnessed into the parachute. SUCH A THRILL!
My mom screamed bloody murder while we made our way from the jetski to the boat and at that moment I knew it’d be an excursion she would never forget and never want to relive. 😉
We floated 150ft in the air for 15 minutes. PLENTY OF TIME! Our legs were going numb and my mom was on the verge of a mental breakdown thinking the rope would loosen and we would plummet to our deaths. I kept reminding her how much fun we were having and it helped ease her mind. It wasn’t until afterwards that I reminded her that there was a parachute attached to us and it wouldn’t be as fast of a drop as she imagined. AND, it wasn’t until afterward that she said, “OMG! THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN!” lol
We had such an amazing time just enjoying the perks of a resort. It was so different from our accommodations during the previous 5 weeks. I couldn’t have asked for a better 4 days in Cebu with my Mama.
This has to be one of your top Blogs yet! I am falling off the chair laughing while reading this, visualizing your mama “sing” the words?? to the songs that are being played – screaming in mid-air while flying through space – having the time of your life’s!! Most of all I am thrilled that you put your money cares aside and treated yourselves to this fantastic facility to be treated like the “Chomik:” royalty you are!
As this travel experience is nearing the end what a perfect way to leave with the memories of this exciting time in Cebu! I am sooooo happy for both of you and without getting too silly – I love you both!!
This was my most favorite to write because it was such an amazing stay. Costabella is honestly the most amazing hotel I’ve ever stayed in and I’m so glad I experienced it with my Mama. Today is our last day and we fly out tomorrow! I can’t believe how fast the time has gone. Absolutely insane! Looking forward to talking with you over the phone soon! LOVE YOU GRAMMIE!