Spa Profile: CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La's Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu

A lush garden retreat within a tropical paradise, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu in the Philippines is located in a premier oceanfront setting. From spacious guest rooms, suites, and villas to enticing wining and dining options, the resort is a multi-faceted leisure destination that provides a compelling mix of luxury relaxation, wellness, lively entertainment, and more. The resort is also now offering a new and memorably luxurious experience: the overnight Spa Villa Getaway in CHI, The Spa’s Manumbalik Villa.

Read: Enjoy Unlimited Spa Treatments & 24-Hour Butler Service with the Manumbalik Spa Villa Getaway

CHI, The Spa draws inspiration from the legendary Shangri-La, a place of personal peace, enchantment, and well-being. The CHI treatments and massages are based on authentic natural healing methods found in traditional wellness practices shared by many Asian cultures, including the Philippines. We talked to Spa Manager Ailene Cunanan, who shared treatments to try, insider tips, favorite amenities, and more:

Why You’ll Love It: Our talented colleagues are the fundamental reason why guests love our spa. Guests love the personalized experience given by each staff member they encounter. One imparts a high level of care through tailoring their needs upon reservation, providing intuitive touch during a spa treatment, and ensuring that their stay with us is memorable and worth coming back for.

The lush garden setting offers the ultimate relaxing experience.

Key Features: Guests can enjoy the vast and spacious Water Gardens, which offer a host of amenities including a vitality pool, steam and sauna, a relaxation lounge, and changing facilities.

Snacks Served: Upon arrival, cold refreshments such as calamansi juice (local lemonade) are served, along with a cold towel infused with the scent of lavender. Freshly-made warm ginger tea is offered after the treatment to complete the spa experience.

Insider Tip: Upgrade your treatment by selecting one of our featured enhancements. No extra time is required, and results are effective and immediate. A must-try!

Bonus: The Spa Villa Getaway is a new offer for couples who would like to delight in memorable private tranquility by staying in the Manumbalik, which is CHI, The Spa’s grandest private villa equipped with its own vitality pool and steam room. The stay includes unlimited spa treatments, water yoga flow sessions, and a dedicated butler, just to name a few.

Unique Treatment: The Luxurious Chocolate Body Treatment is a luscious 60-minute spa experience that combines a wrap using warm, dark chocolate with antioxidants that rehydrates the skin, followed by a 15-minute back, neck, and shoulder massage to ease away muscle tension.

Splurge Treatment: A famous wellness retreat, Indulgence of Time, is designed to custom-tailor each spa guest journey. Select as many or as few different spa treatments to enjoy within the three-hour retreat—a total spa indulgence!

Insider’s Favorite: One of my favorite spa treatments is definitely our traditional, signature Philippine Hilot Massage. Aside from being our most popular treatment, it uses virgin coconut oil and warm banana leaves, combining ancient techniques passed down through generations of Philippine culture. Deep pressure strokes on areas of blockage create a feeling of relief after having a Hilot massage—definitely a treatment to look forward to for those who have not experienced the Hilot!

Featured Products: CHI carries ZENTS products, which are formulated with up to 98% organic and biodynamic ingredients. They come in four gentle aroma scents: MANDARIN (warming and invigorating), OOLONG (energizing and balancing), ORE (euphoric and stimulating), and SUN (calming and comforting). There is also the option of UNZENTED (unscented).

A wide variety of products from body oil and lotion to body balm and shower amenities are showcased in CHI to relax, rejuvenate, and calm the body and mind. Take-home products are available for purchase in our CHI Boutique.

For more information, visit the resort’s website and follow them on Instagram: @shangrilamactan

[Images courtesy of Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu]