Abaca is a boutique resort on Mactan island that offers a unique and private experience for those who wish to enjoy a luxury vacation without staying at one of the huge 5 star resorts. While rates are undoubtedly high, you are sure to get your money’s worth here. This hotel is one of only a few places where western standards have been successfully merged with Filipino hospitality, to create the ultimate luxury experience.
When we first visited Abaca, after a long day of running back and forth between Mactan hotels in the hot sun, the first thing they did was give us an ice cold towel and a glass of tropical juice. It might sound trivial, but they were the only ones to do that, and it shows how attentive they are to their visitor’s needs and special requests. A personal butler will assist you in customizing your stay and make sure you’ll have an unforgettable time.
With only 9 rooms on site, you are guaranteed to enjoy complete privacy. The rooms are also very spacious (smallest one is 65 square meters) and fully equipped with everything you need. The impressive infinity pool offers a fantastic ocean view, and so does the nice and modernly designed dining area. Breakfast is included in the room rate, while lunch and dinner are to be ordered a la carte. The kitchen serves Mediterranean influenced Californian Cuisine with a British chef overseeing everything.
World class service with attention to all the small details. A personal butler will make sure all your specific requests are met.
Unique design and an extremely well maintained garden and pool area.
Modern rooms, very clean and fully stocked. Requests for maintenance and help are met immediately.
Amazing infinity pool which is one of the resort's highlights. The beach area is small but tidy and nice.
Not too far from the center of Mactan, but still quiet enough to provide a very romantic and relaxed setting.
It's hard to estimate this correctly when reviewing boutique hotels, since they are much more expensive than regular resorts naturally. Still, Abaca is one place which surely justifies the high price you pay - you'll always get exactly what you expected and then some.
Abaca’s staff pay attention to all the small details and makes sure to turn a 5 star experience into a truly world class VIP vacation. The gym, spa, kid’s room, pool and beach areas are all fully equipped and meticulously maintained. Keep in mind that just like most of Mactan’s beach resorts, the beach area is underwhelming. Thankfully, the pool more than makes up for that, and since the hotel is so small changes are you’ll have it all to yourself.
The hotel organizes pickups and drop offs from the Mactan airport for its visitors. We will coordinate it for you, so there’s absolutely no need to worry or do anything yourself. Abaca is located almost 9 kilometers from the airport, so expect a 20 minutes drive.
When it comes to nightlife, you can find bars and restaurants all along the road leading from the airport to the resort. There are even a couple of bars nearby, but nothing too amazing. The larger, more popular venues are at the island’s center near the airport. The bar is open every day until 11pm – it’s a good choice for couples who want to share a drink in a quiet, romantic setting.
Even though we primarily choose our partners based on our own impression and relationship with them, we also keep a close eye on their general reputation and feedback across the web. We also make sure to collect detailed feedback from all of our clients who stay there, to make sure Abaca continues to meet the type of standards we expect.
Since this is a small boutique hotel, reviews online are scarce. Abaca isn't even usually featured on the main booking sites. However, whenever their name comes up reviews are overwhelmingly positive.
Booking.com only shows 49 reviews, so it must be taken with a grain of salt, but Abaca's overall score is 9.4. Tripadvisor is even more impressive, with 406 reviews, out of which 88% rate it as excellent and 10% as very good. There's only one person who found the experience to be disappointing.
As mentioned, customers are praising Abaca through the roof. Here's a summary of what people liked best:
Among all the great things about Abaca, there are also some negatives we feel you should be aware of:
Abaca is also very close to Mövenpick resort, where the Ibiza beach club is located. This restobar and nightclub is one of the most popular places in the island and attracts a lot of walk in visitors on top of the actual hotel guests. The club is famous for its live shows and excellent dinner menu. If you plan to drop by, let us know in advance so we can book seats for you – the place tends to be packed, especially during the weekends.
When it comes to day tours and activities, you can’t really expect the resort to take care of that for you. They’d be happy to help you book tours to Cebu city or even for island hopping in Mactan, but use 3rd party tour operators and prices are much higher than those you pay elsewhere. While we can certainly vouch for this hotel’s integrity and professionalism, we can’t account for unknown third parties and so we highly recommend booking your tours in advance through us.
While there are certainly other fantastic resorts in Mactan, nothing compares to what Abaca can offer its visitors – merely thanks to its small size and personal approach. If you are looking for a pampering, all inclusive getaway – consider booking a room here and rest easy knowing you’ll get the best treatment you can hope for.
Largest room which is 125 square meters. Good for 4 adults with a king size bed and 2 single beds. Located at a separate part of the resort with nice sea view and a private pool.
Great view of the ocean with a large balcony. good for 4 adults with one king size bed and 2 single beds. Slightly cheaper than the seaview Villa since there’s no private pool.
Facing the garden area so no view of the ocean, but it does have its own private pool. Good option for a group of 4 since it’s much cheaper than the seaview villa.
Good for 3 adults with one king size bed and one single. Offers a great view of the ocean with a nice balcony. Best value for money choice.
Good for 3 adults with one king size bed and one single. Offers a great view of the ocean with a nice balcony. Best value for money choice. With 75 square meters of personal space, this is a great option for a group of 3 friends or 2 parents with a kid.
Cheapest room available – this is the perfect choice for a couple on their honeymoon. One king size bed and a nice balcony overlooking the ocean. Close to the pool and dining area, this large 65 square room is enough to make you feel like royalty.
