Linong Spa at Manami Resort: A Bahay Kubo-Inspired Retreat

In decades past, Sipalay was the summer playground of the sugar barons of Negros Occidental. Today, it remains a haven of sandy beaches and crystalline waters.

Tucked away in one of its coves is Manami Resort, a gem of a hideaway with a secluded beachfront and an underwater garden with lush green seagrass, giant clams, and other aquatic flora and fauna tended by a resident marine biologist.

After a day of diving out in the sea, checking out historical wrecks, or spelunking among the stalactites and stalagmites in what they call the bat cave, it’s time for a frosty glass of sugarcane juice, as you prepare to wind down at Manami’s Linong Spa.

Linong is the Hiligaynon word for serene, and the spa is a sanctuary of calm. Designed by Cristina Corro, one of the resort owners, in collaboration with Negrense architect Antonio Legaspi, the main structure is a giant bahay kubo of wood, bamboo, and nipa.

Guests enter through tall leaf-shaped pivoting doors made of discarded bamboo from the main structure, a testament to sustainability. At the end of a pathway lined with rustling stalks of bamboo illuminated by solihiya lamps, is the welcome desk, intricately inlaid with shells of Lampirong, also known as the Capiz oyster. A highlight is the exquisite chandelier made of thousands of whorl shaped Nassa shells, created by a local elder from the neighboring barangay of Cayhagan. Previously, she had worked only on bracelets, and was intimidated by the idea of such a large project. The designer had her work on multiple strings of shell, which were then put together to create the masterpiece of illumination.

With its soaring cathedral-like nipa ceilings, one understands why Linong was the continent-winner at the global Luxury Spa Awards in 2024.

In the quiet rear courtyard are the couple cabanas, constructed with bamboo and sawali with pointed roofs of nipa overlooking an isolated beach. A path leads to the hilltop, leading to more open-air huts for solo pampering, cocooned in the sound of the forests and the rhythm of the sea.

Guests can allow their minds to relax or wander, as they indulge in healing massages to knead out knots and other stresses of the outside world, and other treatments that rejuvenate both body and mind. Pure magic.

This article originally appeared in Robb Report Philippines’ Design Issue, July 2025.