All bookings at Nustar Resort include breakfast and access to the Executive Club Lounge located on the 23rd floor of Fili Hotel.
Mini-Bar is complimentary with a selection of 2 local beers, juices, and sodas. Nespresso machine with 4 capsules. TWG tea. Bottled water is unlimited. I appreciate the fridge being very cold.
Gerlain Paris branded bathroom amenities, as well as bath salts for the large bath.
Afternoon Tea (2:30 pm - 4:30 pm)
Light snacks with a limited selection of savory and sweet bites, they need to improve on this.
Evening cocktails and canapés (5:30 pm - 7:30 pm)
Excellent food buffet. I like the lechon quesadillas, jalapeño cheese poppers, and siomai. I appreciate the bartender crafting cocktails from a menu of drinks.
I understand the hotel is still brand new, but they need to do multiple inspections before releasing the room to guest. Vanity mirror was dusty from construction.
The Butler service was very attentive, many thanks to Ice (Butler) for making my stay pleasant, he would escort me to the pool, and even breakfast buffet at Fili Hotel bypassing the crowd at the entrance.
Breakfast Buffet is at Fili Hotel which is extensive and one of the best in Cebu. The problem is the crowd, while Nustar Butlers will escort Nustar guests to a table, there’s no dedicated tables for Nustar guests, which confuses the restaurant staff with seating assignments. Alternatively, the breakfast buffet at the executive club lounge is quiet but with limited options, they should have an a la carte menu to expand options like other international luxury hotels.
The security at the lobby entrance is wildly inconvenient and inconsistent, every time you enter you need to prove you’re a guest of Nustar and not a guest of Fili or a casino player. It’s weird that they are sometimes overly strict and many times just ignore people passing by. Guests have a keycard to use elevators what’s the point of the guards that have a list of people’s names and room numbers, if anything that’s a security risk.
The pool service is lacking. Shared between 2 hotels and the upcoming grand summit. The pool area lacks service of a 5-star hotel, towels need to be claimed at a towel hut. My expectation is that there are staff that will setup loungers with towels for guests. And since the pool facility is shared with the muncher large Fili Hotel it can get crowded. Fortunately, Nustar has a private infinity pool which was closed my stay.
Nustar Resort has potential to be Cebu’s most luxurious hotel, they have the hard product with their spacious luxurious rooms, but they need to improve their soft product - the service from the butlers are outstanding and personal, but everyone else seems to be lost. For the asking price of 250-300 usd per night there’s a lot to expect.
Nustar is primed for excellence but falls just short of achieving refined luxury. I’m hoping Nustar partners with Marriott and rebrand under Luxury Collection. Or even Hyatt with Unbound Collection.
- GioT
We stayed in a room with a kitchen for six nights as part of a parent-child study abroad program, with two adults and a six-year-old.
There was a large supermarket in the basement and a convenience store and several restaurants open until late at night on the first floor.
The room was very clean and we didn't encounter any bugs.
All the necessary kitchen utensils were provided, and the staff washed the dishes when they cleaned the room.
There was a one-gallon water bottle, which was very helpful.
However, the bed was a double, so it was a bit cramped, with no space for an extra bed.
However, they provide a baby cot and a sofa, so it's manageable.
There was also a washing machine, which was convenient, but the drying function was weak, so you'd need to dry your clothes on hangers.
There is no separate drying function.
So, if you're staying for a long time, it would be useful to have hangers for drying clothes.
I had the opportunity to stay in another maisonette-style room with a kitchen, and the bed was spacious and there was a bathtub, so I recommend it.
The breakfast was delicious and varied, with a wide selection of breads, Filipino dishes, Western food, and porridge, so I never got bored of it.
The pool also had a great atmosphere, and although the gym by the pool is really small, it was nice that I could just go back and forth to the pool.
Alcohol is also available.
However, since it's on the 9th floor, it was a bit windy and a bit chilly to go in in the evenings.
The staff here were all very friendly, and I had a great experience.
- pokomi36