Robinson's Galleria Cebu: Cebu's Newest and Coolest Shopping Destination

The opening of two large shopping malls in Cebu in the latter part of 2015 ushered in a new level of shopping and indoor entertainment and relaxation activities for Cebuanos and tourists alike. SM Seaside City opened last November 2015, followed by Robinsons Galleria in December. I will write later about SM Seaside City. This post is my review about Robinsons Galleria.

Robinsons Galleria sits on a 4.7 hectare land at the North Reclamation Area along General Maxilom Avenue beside the burnt skeletal structure of the old White Gold shopping building which was the premiere shopping destination of Cebuanos in the 1980s.

One thing that immediately awes a first-time shopper of Robinsons Galleria is its huge, as in HUGE, basement parking. It's not just about the size of the area in square meters. What's truly impressive is the high ceiling clearance. It makes the basement parking of Ayala Center Cebu look like an underground mine in comparison. All of Galleria's parking slots are located at the basement which does not feel like a basement at all. It feels like you're already inside the main mall, what with its bright yellow-white lighting and high ceiling. The parking area is in two levels, Basement 1 and Basement 2.

Another plus for this parking area is its clever design. Wherever you park your car, it never feels so far from the several entrances of the air-conditioned mall and it's very easy to find your way to the main mall. Compare this to navigating Ayala's underground mine-like basement parking - dark, hot and cramped. Not all is perfect though for the Galleria's parking area for it can surely improve on the traffic signs. A couple of times I find myself in the wrong direction of a supposedly one-way lane because I had miscued on the small and confusing vertical and pavement signs. Except for this small glitch, I can say that Robinsons Galleria has the best parking area in all the shopping malls of Cebu. And parking is FREE, for now.

Basement parking is well-lit and well-designed for the convenience of customers.

The department store inside the mall is truly impressive. It has the high end-feel of a Rustan's department store but without the snobbish aura and overrated prices. The department store - and the rest of the mall itself - really make you feel that the Gokongweis, owners of Robinsons chain of malls, had pull out all the stops in making this shopping mall its best shopping mall in the Philippines in terms of interior design, architectural convenience and the building materials used. I assume that it will take 5 to 10 years before they can recoup their huge investment in this mall.

High-end feel without the snobbish aura of a Rustan's store

The arrangement of the merchandise inside the department store is also easy to follow. The multi-story department store offers everything, except electronic stuff or gadgets which the managers of the store wrongly assume are found in the Digiworld area at the topmost floor. I was looking for an SD card for my DSLR camera but could not find a decent one at the Digiworld where the mall's electronic gadget shops are located. So I thought that maybe I can find one in the department store electronics gadgets and accessories stall, but I was mistaken. It has no such stall! This minor disappointment aside, all is forgotten once you reach the kitchen and household appliances and amenities area at the topmost level of the department store. It has all the right items you would love to have in your house at reasonable prices.

Digiworld still needs more stores that offer a variety of electronic gadgets and accessories.

For more items needed by households, True Value offers a complete array of construction and household materials. Watch out for discount promos that are value for money.

Southstar Drug is the only pharmacy operating inside the mall. It has reasonable prices but some drugs are not available, as one can see, their space is limited. A Mercury Drug or Rose Pharmacy outlet could do much better.

For electronic appliances and home entertainment equipment, Sony and LG provide the latest in the industry. Both are located at the Digiworld section. The Sony Store here is said to be the biggest mall-based store of Sony in Cebu. You can also get more choices at the Robinsons Appliances located at the ground floor.

Sony and LG stores offer the latest in technology for digital entertainment appliances and equipment.

A shopping mall is not complete without a grocery store, and this is once again an area where Robinsons Galleria completely excels! At the entrance of the grocery section is Food to Go for those looking for tasty fare at reasonable prices. Eating in this place, however, may be standing room only during busy hours because chairs and tables are limited. It's not Food to Go for nothing. When I was here last December, I ordered baked chicken and fried rice. I was satisfied.

If you're hungry but in a hurry, get your fix at Food to Go.

A semi-horizontal escalator in the grocery section is a convenient ride that delivers you right into and from the parking lot.

Robinsons Selections offers a complete array of grocery choices. But nothing beats the price of Metro and Gaisano Countrymall grocery stores.

The new mall's air-conditioning system is excellent. Even if it's sweltering hot outside, you are well within the comforts of the mall's cool air-conditioning. (Ayala's air-conditioning feels like an oven in comparison.) In the late afternoon to evening, however, I invite you to venture outside where the view and atmosphere are nice and cozy. There are several shops outdoor worth visiting again and again. For example, there's the Buzz of the Bohol Bee Farm. Its malunggay ice cream is sought after by patrons. It's supposedly healthy, but I doubt you'd still be healthy after finishing a round of this bitter-sweet concoction of sugary cream masquerading as a malunggay dessert.

Jollibee is available for those conscious of their budget but not on their health. Fast food is not good food.

The famous Bohol Bee Farm ice cream selections

In Part 2 of this article, I will talk about some of my other favorite outlets in the mall, the classy toilets, Movieworld, activity center, and other things I experienced that are worth mentioning.

For your comments and suggestions, please free to write them in the comments section of this blog. Or you may email me at sitiocity@gmail.com.

NAME OF SHOPPING MALL: Robinsons Galleria Cebu

STORE HOURS: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM

LOCATION: General Maxilom Avenue Extension, North Reclamation Area (near Pier 4), Cebu City
I LOVE CEBU RATING:

Cuarto Hotel Restaurant Lobby

I've been to the Cuarto Hotel restaurant lobby recently and boy was I impressed with the quality of service relative to the price.

Cuarto Hotel is a mid-size, mid-priced hotel at the heart of Cebu's uptown business district along the Fuente Osmena and Osmena Buolevard area. It is located at the back of the NLRC building near Robinson's Cybergate and Chong Hua Hospital.

Cuarto Hotel's buffet restaurant

View of the hotel lobby from the restaurant

My good impression comes from the fact that at P250 per person all-in, no service charge, one could avail of a breakfast buffet meal at the restaurant lobby under a cozy atmosphere for morning client meetings or just spending some alone time to write or work on something.

The breakfast menu choices are modest yet guaranteed to be a good return for the buck. In my case, they served rice, fish fillet, salad, toasted bread, cereal, pasta carbonara, scrambled egg, checken porridge, assorted breads with jam and other condiments. There's also good old brewed coffee to perk up your morning slate.

For me, the most important thing of all is the good airconditioning amid the hot El Nino December weather outside.

Everything Yummy at I.T. Park

We had a good time at Everything Yummy restaurant at EBloc2 I.T. Park in Apas, Cebu City last Monday, April 20, 2015. The food was indeed yummy and the price is reasonable. Parking is a bit of a problem though as is always the case in I.T. Park.

I ordered crunchy shredded salad and chicken in garlic, beans, and olive oil. I agree with Sun.Star Cebu's "The Best of Cebu" and Trip Advisor's top rating for this restaurant.

NAME OF RESTAURANT: Everything Yummy
OPERATING HOURS: 9:00 AM to 10:30 PM, Daily
LOCATION: Ground Floor, EBloc2 I.T. Park, Apas, Cebu City (Google Maps Link)
TELEPHONE NUMBER: (032) 410-6511

I LOVE CEBU RATING:

Ayala Center Cebu New Wing

The new wing of the Ayala Center Cebu opened in the later part of 2013. It has many international-brand specialty shops like Zarra, Muji and the Apple Store. Rustan's Department Store and Supermarket is also relocated to this area from its old place in the main mall. This new wing of the 20-year old mall is Cebu's primary destination for luxurious shopping.

International-brand specialty shops are found in Ayala Center Cebu's New Wing

We await next year the opening of two new large malls, the Robinson's Mall at the North Reclamation Area and the SM City Seaside Mall at the South Road Properties (SRP). This is a welcome development for shoppers looking for ultimate comfort while inside the mall because as one may have observed, old wings of malls in Cebu have deficient air conditioning systems.

Try Ayala Center Cebu and SM City Cebu, and you'll notice only its new wings (ACC New Wing and SM City Cebu North Wing) are the only areas with sufficient and comfortable air conditioning. They should remedy this situation. One of the reasons malls are popular hang out places in this hot and humid country is the cool and comfort air conditioned environments they provide. It's about time they should replace the air conditioning system in their old wings.


LOCATION: Cebu Business Park, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City (Google Map Link)
MALL HOURS: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM (except for patio or outdoor areas which close past midnight)
I LOVE CEBU RATING:

Turtle's Nest Book Cafe and Gallery

Turtle's Nest Cafe and Gallery serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with a moderate price range and superb taste. The ambiance is an acquired taste and this shows in the regulars who spend their evenings and late nights to unwind with friends of similar inclinations to the arts and alternative culture.

Mainstream resto goers may find this place either a little intimidating at first or otherworldly strange, that is because the cafe has unpretentious character and taste that cares less about what the mainstream crowd expect and more about its raw yet deep, and sometimes  abstract, expressions of life and living. 

It takes time to know and like this place, but perhaps soon enough you'll feel its warmth and genuine vibes and get comfortably settled into a corner amid a sensible, authentic crowd of artists and professionals. 

NAME OF RESTAURANT: Turtle's Nest Cafe and Gallery

LOCATION: Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City (near Harold's Hotel and Golden Peak Hotel)
I LOVE CEBU RATING: