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 ****** 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.
