Sunday, July 31, 2011

The Sandugo Spirit of Bluewater Panglao


Yes, opening Bluewater Panglao on the day Bohol celebrates its annual Sandugo festival was a calculated move.


The latter, commemorating the first blood compact and Treaty of Friendship between Bohol’s Datu Sikatuna and Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, turned the tide forever: Filipino with a global outlook.






Bluewater Panglao strives to embody that completely. “The look for all our resorts is Modern Filipino,” emphasizes designer Benji Reyes. Recycled wood salvaged from old homes get a second chance at life as cantilevered beds, floating effortlessly in each of the 46 deluxe rooms, 4 lofts, three honeymoon villas and a showcase family villa, a fitting contrast and complement to the modern trappings of flat screen televisions, airconditioning, and a detached tub that come standard with every room type. “It adds more space to an already spacious room.”


Even the bridge that spans the child-friendly (4 feet at its deepest) freshwater pool—that stretches the entire length of  the two-storey rows of deluxe and lofts—is made of un-manipulated wood.


The signature Amuma spa treatment called Hilot on the resort borrows from the medicine men of the Visayas: native virgin coconut oil, warmed with the vigorous rubbing of the hands to infuse them with life energy, is used when kneading you. Then come the banana leaves, placed on a lighted candle and laid on the back muscles just as the tobacco-chewing village healer does until this day. “It absorbs toxins, softens tightness and regulates body temperature,” explains Atho dela Cruz, Amuma’s Spa Manager.


The art in the resort is a serious matter, too. A small space in their 21-year old property Bluewater Maribago on Mactan Island, Cebu is dedicated to championing Filipino artists: offering them a home for their art, and eventually a launchpad into an international audience. It took a more serious turn as the Bluewater Gallery hosted in May of this year an exclusive one-man exhibit of National Artist Ben Cabrera (BenCab) ‘s LifeDrawings, a series of nudes and portraits, the biggest name to call it home thus far.


“We’re in the best position to offer a truly unique Filipino experience,” concludes Vic Vergara, director of the Bluewater Gallery. “After all, Bluewater Resorts is manned by 100% Filipino manpower.”

Pure Pinoys: Bluewater Panglao General Manager Marty Jastillana, Sous Chef Dennis Uy, PR Manager Gian Carlo Luna, Executive Chef Alan Mathay and Events Designer Dave Banglos

About Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort


Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort is just 30 minutes from Tagbilaran Airport and the Tagbilaran City’s shopping and commercial district. It is close to popular tourist destinations, such as the historic Baclayon Church, world-famous Chocolate Hills, Loboc River Cruise and Tarsiers. The resort boasts of 54-elegantly appointed guest rooms and villas, full service restaurant, poolside bar and the pampering treatment of Amuma Spa. In the Pool Wing, all ground-level rooms have a private veranda with direct access to the pool. First-floor rooms have private balconies. For guests who prefer a more luxurious accommodation, the Villas offer premier rooms with private outdoor dipping pool.




Press Contact
Carlo Luna
032 492 0100 loc. 512 
carlo.luna@bluewater.com.ph
web: www.bluewater.com.ph

Friday, July 29, 2011

Bluewater Panglao's Green Edge

It’s all that space that gets you. The newly-opened Bluewater Panglao on the quiet side of the island is sprawling in a sense that none of the structures rise above two stories, spread over 5.5 hectares of well-planned space with an eco-responsible turn.

“Eighty percent of the wood we use here is recycled,” says the resort’s General Manager Marty Jastillana, as he runs his fingers over the scuffed surfaces of the Bluewater signature cantilevered beds. Salvaged from old homes, designer Benji Reyes made sure only minimal manipulation was done on the repurposed pieces, keeping their raw edge and lending their character to the otherwise freshly-painted patina of a brand new resort.



“Even the ceiling of Aplaya, our main restaurant, is made from recycled pieces of rattan,” adds Jastillana. The unusable short tips from the making of outdoor furniture are arranged in a repetitive pattern, echoed throughout the sister Bluewater properties: the 21-year-old Bluewater Maribago on Mactan Island, Cebu, and the private island getaway with the famous shifting sandbar that is Bluewater Sumilon between Dumaguete and the southern tip of Cebu island.

True to their promise at the onset of the development stage, the natural contours of the seafront remain untouched, too. The craggy rocks stand like sentinels, with a convenient staircase descending straight into the welcoming ripples of Panglao, hewn in between. “There is a marine sanctuary just 150 meters from our beach line,” says VP for Corporate Affairs Delia C. Cespon. “It is protected by the DENR and the Municipality of Panglao.”


The resort’s Aquamania sports outlet encourages their alternatives to adventures that may require motorized vehicles like jetskis. “Why don’t you to try kayaking or paddling instead?” she continues. Having a protected area also means a built-in bonus: there is a teeming fish life and an intact variety of corals for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts to explore up close. Here you can be one with the bluewater, green and guilt-free.


About Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort
Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort is just 30 minutes from Tagbilaran Airport and the Tagbilaran City’s shopping and commercial district. It is close to popular tourist destinations, such as the historic Baclayon Church, world-famous Chocolate Hills, Loboc River Cruise and Tarsiers. The resort boasts of 54-elegantly appointed guest rooms and villas, full service restaurant, poolside bar and the pampering treatment of Amuma Spa. In the Pool Wing, all ground-level rooms have a private veranda with direct access to the pool. First-floor rooms have private balconies. For guests who prefer a more luxurious accommodation, the Villas offer premier rooms with private outdoor dipping pool.

Press Contact
Carlo Luna
032 492 0100 loc. 512
web: www.bluewater.com.ph