With just an hour of sleep and only airport noodle soup for breakfast, imagine our relief when the accommodating staff of Plantation Bay attended to us and escorted us to the van in less than 5 minutes from when he saw us. Upon arrival, we went to the room, dropped off our bags, and headed straight to one of the restaurants.
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| Photos taken at Fiji and a photo of part of Plantation Bay's shoreline. |
We ended up at Fiji, the Asian food outlet of Plantation
Bay. The ambience is very relaxed, still with a tropical touch with the help of
the seat covers, and the paintings that have been there since the resort
opened. The paintings remind me of the works of Fernando Amorsolo – very
beautiful. We ordered and were very satisfied with the grilled platter, which
had clams, prawns, salmon, and lobster. They also make their own ice cream, so
do try this out. I tried the peanut butter chocolate ice cream and I must say that
it’s one of the best ones I’ve had so far. It has the right kick of peanut
butter yet it doesn’t overpower the flavor of the chocolate.
Too bad we weren’t able to go for a swim as the weather
wasn’t cooperating for most of our trip (Typhoon Gener was in the country at
the time). We were also only able to walk around the ‘community’ just a little
bit as it was drizzling most of the time. I’m sure it would be lovely to take
leisurely strolls around the resort.
What amazed me at Plantation Bay was that they had all of
the items we asked for on their menu. We had dinner at Palermo, the
Italina/Spanish/Meditteranean outlet. We ordered a serving of Jamon Serrano and
their cheese platter to start, plus their bread and some olives. We also
ordered the puttanesca, which was recommended by the waiter. Yes, it’s a bit
“safe”, but some hotels and restaurants still don’t do it well – and for your
information, they do. I was also impressed by how they actually have on stock
the selection of wines they have on their menu. We got a bottle of sparkling
wine to celebrate.
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| Our bottle of Brut, Kilimanjaro Kafé, their thick hot chocolate, and the goodies that fill the welcome basket. |
The accommodation rates do not include
breakfast, which can be a bit of a hassle to some people like us, but very
practical also. Kilimanjaro Kafe is the go-to outlet for any meal of the day. We aren’t breakfast eaters, so the buffet breakfast was too
much for us. There was of course the option to order ala carte. We had the
usual native sausage and hot chocolate set. Theirs is by far the thickest hot
chocolate I’ve had my entire life. The server said they dip churros in their
hot chocolate as they cook it, resulting in the thick texture and the atypical,
interesting taste. The ambience and look of the café is very pleasant as well,
exuding a calm, old-world vibe.
Get a massage, too at the Mogambo Springs Spa. The spa has a zen feel to it, with the massage “huts” a good distance apart form each other and the grounds of the spa having Japanese-inspired architecture and a very serene look and feel. The massage was heavenly.
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| The lovely space that is the Mogambo Springs Spa at Plantation Bay, and the couple's massage room. |
We also felt weird not being able to leave tips. It’s odd when the staff
actually deserve to be given tips, yet you’re not allowed to. We tried to leave
change twice, and on both occasions, the waiter ran after us and gave us our
change. But don’t fret, according to their Don’t Panic Booklet (which you get
upon check-in), the employees and staff at Plantation Bay are compensated above
standard wage and have benefits that most resorts and hotels do not give their
workforce. Really good to know.
I could have taken more and even better photos if only the
weather would permit. We also weren’t able to do much in Plantation Bay, which is
why we definitely intend to go back!
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| The view from our balcony: Kilimanjaro Kafe and one of the lagoons at Plantation Bay. |
More on our Cebu July 2012 trip here.
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