NUSTAR Ushers in the Holidays with “Pearl of the Holiday Season” and a Season of Festive Dining

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — NUSTAR Resort Cebu officially welcomed the holiday season with its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at The Atrium, unveiling this year’s theme, “Pearl of the Holiday Season.” The ceremony marked the opening of a season-long celebration featuring elevated dining experiences, meaningful traditions, and community-centered initiatives.

“Every year, this celebration gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect—on how far we’ve come and on what truly matters,” said Sean Knights. “The pearl is born through time, pressure, and transformation. From something ordinary comes something radiant. In many ways, it mirrors our story as a community and as a resort. Cebu continues to rise with resilience and shines brighter with every challenge it overcomes.”

Now in its fourth year, NUSTAR continued its signature Installation of the Stars, a tradition symbolizing love, joy, peace, hope, and renewal. This year’s star bearers were the children of The Children of Cebu Foundation, Inc., the resort’s chosen beneficiary. The final star, known as the New Star, was placed by Mr. Knights to represent Cebu’s collective optimism for the future. Through its philanthropic arm, Universal Cultural Foundation Inc., NUSTAR likewise extended support to The Children of Cebu Foundation, funding facility improvements and equipment to help create a safer, more nurturing environment for over 30 resident and transient children. “It is because of partners like NUSTAR that we have been blessed to provide care and a home to over 6,000 children over the past 33 years,” said Mrs. Margot Osmeña, President of the foundation.

 La Dolcevita

The ceremony also ushered in NUSTAR’s festive culinary calendar. At Il Primo, the resort’s premium Italian steakhouse, Buone Feste offers a five-course Italian Christmas menu curated by Chef Valentino Chirico, featuring fresh seasonal seafood, prime beef, and festive specialties, priced at PHP 3,500 per person with optional wine pairing at PHP 1,000. The experience is available on December 24 from 5:30 PM to 10 PM and on December 25 from 12 noon to 3 PM. As the New Year approaches, Il Primo presents La Dolcevita, a glamorous five-course New Year celebration priced at PHP 4,000 per person, with optional wine pairing at PHP 1,000, available on December 31 from 5:30 PM to 10 PM and January 1 from 12 noon to 3 PM.

XTD Prosperity Trio FINA Mixed Seafood Special FILI CAFE A Christmas to Remember

Modern Chinese dining takes festive form at Mott 32 with Timeless Opulence, a six-course Cantonese Christmas menu by Chef Chung Tin Eddy Wong, priced at PHP 5,000 per person and available for dinner on December 24 and for lunch on December 25. To usher in 2026, Oriental Bounty presents a celebratory six-course Cantonese feast featuring Mott 32 signature dishes and a complimentary glass of champagne, also priced at PHP 5,000 per person, available on December 31 and January 1.

Fili Café anchors the season with Cebu’s most expansive international buffets. A Christmas to Remember features premium Yuletide classics including USDA roast beef, turkey, glazed Christmas ham, and NUSTAR’s signature spit-roasted lechon, offered during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners on December 24 and 25 at PHP 3,200 per person. Welcoming the New Year, the New Year, New Horizons showcases a globally inspired buffet curated by an award-winning team of Filipino and international chefs, with New Year’s Eve dinner and New Year’s Day lunch and dinner all priced at PHP 3,200 per person. Regular buffet rates are set at PHP 2,800 for dinner and Saturday lunch, while Sunday brunch is priced at PHP 3,200, with special savings for children.

The Christmas Store goodies HUANGDI Set Menu

Festive offerings extend across NUSTAR’s other dining destinations. Huangdi presents Bold Persuasions, a six-course festive set menu highlighting bold Sichuan and Northern Asian flavors, priced at PHP 3,488 per person for groups of eight to ten guests. Xin Tian Di offers Prosperity Feast set menus priced at PHP 1,100 and PHP 1,300 per person, while Fina celebrates Filipino heritage with Paskong Pilipino family-style menus priced from PHP 2,500 to PHP 3,000, alongside a Mixed Seafood Special available throughout December at PHP 1,500.

Beyond dining, guests may bring home the spirit of the season from The Christmas Store, offering handcrafted chocolates priced at PHP 1,800 and curated Christmas hampers from PHP 2,800 to PHP 3,800. At the Fili Lobby Lounge, freshly prepared puto bumbong and bibingka are available at PHP 250 each. Year-end celebration’s peak at the NUSTAR Boardwalk, entitled as Carnival de Luz: Countdown to 2026 – this after-dinner countdown party is a vibrant festival of neon lights, set across Cebu City’s waterfront skyline and the iconic CCLEX bridge. The sensual Latin rhythm of DJ Elmer Dado, all-night revelry and spectacular fireworks for the breathtaking sensory experience. General admission is priced at only PHP 988 per person which includes 2 drinks, entertainment and raffle draw. Informal standing format.

This holiday season, NUSTAR Resort Cebu invites guests to celebrate a season defined by indulgence, generosity, and shared joy. Advance reservations are highly encouraged as seating is limited across outlets. For more information and updates on holiday offers, visit www.nustar.com.ph or call (032) 888 8282.