On a clear starry evening, the next best thing to dinner and drinks with friends would be to have them up high at Room 801 of Cebu White Sands with the multi-colored night lights of the metropolis spread out as far as the eyes can see.
This rooftop bar and resto in Barangay Maribago is the first and only one in Mactan. It also holds the distinction of being among a few places that serve craft beers by Turning Wheels Craft Brewery, which follows the traditional American style of brewing.
Room 801, which is open for dinner, had its formal opening last Friday, November 6. The rooftop restaurant is located at the only high-rise structure in the resort called the Mabuhay Building.
Room 801 opening
Anya Unchuan, Cebu White Sands operations director, said they’ve opened the restaurant to the public after accommodating only select guests since January.
The resort, known primarily as a place in Lapu-Lapu City where one can relax, wants to make a guest’s stay livelier and more fun with the addition of new in-house activities and facilities like Room 801.
Set up as al-fresco dining, the rooftop bar and resto provides panoramic views of the seaside and the cities across the Mactan channel.
Handcrafted beers
One of the lures of the rooftop bar is its great craft beers courtesy of the Turning Wheels brewery of Michael Nikkel, Unchuan added.
“We want guests to have more fun. Turning Wheels makes great beers. Beers are fun,” she cited. The brewery comes up with such beers as India Pale Ale, Derailed Pale Ale, Summit Wheat Ale, Imperial Stout, and Turning Point Double IPA.
Turning Wheels Craft Brewery began brewing in May last year and started selling its products in June. One other place where you can have their beer is at Irie Gastropubliko in Cebu IT Park.
Cebu White Sands success
Cebu White Sands today is not what they envisioned it in the mid-90s, which involved a row of native beach huts all throughout the two-hectare property.
“Plans change and most of the changes here at the resort have been for the better,” said Unchuan. From being a day use facility in 1995, the resort was able to build its first five rooms in 1998. It currently has 86 rooms, with the Mabuhay Building being the newest addition to the resort.
She added that the loyalty, dedication, and service of the resort staff contributed a big part to the resort’s success.
