MGallery Cebu in the works at NUSTAR Residences

Published on Aug 18, 2025, 11:44 am CDT

6 min read

Accor is widening its Philippines footprint, and Cebu is squarely in the frame. Market chatter points to a branded-residential concept, potentially under the MGallery flag, at NUSTAR Residences in Cebu City. That link has not been announced by Accor or NUSTAR, so it remains Unverified. What is confirmed is Accor's Cebu pipeline, including Pullman Mactan Cebu Hotel and Residences slated for 2028, and a new Mercure in Mactan Newtown, both signaling deeper investment in the Visayas. Any MGallery Cebu would complement the brand's Manila and Bohol presence, and sharpen competition in the city's fast-rising luxury set.

Key Points

Why it matters: Cebu's luxury supply is expanding, and an MGallery Cebu would diversify branded residence options.
Travel impact: More upscale inventory near Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB) could improve availability and rates seasonally.
What's next: Watch for an Accor or NUSTAR filing or press note that confirms branding, keys, and timeline.
Pipeline context: Pullman Mactan Cebu and Mercure Mactan point to multi-segment growth in Cebu.

Snapshot

Accor's boutique MGallery portfolio already includes Admiral Hotel Manila and South Palms Resort and Spa Panglao in Bohol. In Cebu, the group has inked two separate, confirmed projects, Pullman Mactan Cebu Hotel and Residences for 2028, and Mercure Mactan Cebu targeted for late 2025, underscoring strong demand. Separately, NUSTAR Resort and Casino continues to scale its integrated resort on Kawit Point in Cebu City, debuting the 223-key NUSTAR Hotel on May 8, 2025, and earning a spot on the Michelin Guide hotel list. Industry talk now suggests a possible MGallery Cebu at NUSTAR Residences. Until formally announced, travelers should treat that element as Unverified, but the direction of travel is clear, Cebu's premium-to-luxury supply is accelerating.

Background

MGallery is Accor's collection of story-led luxury boutique hotels and branded residences, positioned for travelers who want design, locality, and service depth without the formality of palace brands. In the Philippines, the flag is best known for Admiral Hotel Manila, a heritage revival on Roxas Boulevard, and South Palms Resort and Spa Panglao in Bohol. Cebu's luxury map has been redrawn by new-build integrated resorts and global signings, with NUSTAR adding an ultra-luxury domestic brand to the mix and Accor planting Pullman and Mercure stakes on Mactan. If a future MGallery Cebu at NUSTAR Residences materializes, it would place another international lifestyle-luxury label beside gaming, retail, and meetings infrastructure, appealing to both leisure and mixed-use buyers. For now, only the Pullman and Mercure deals are confirmed; NUSTAR's hotel pipeline continues to roll out on a separate track.

Latest Developments

Accor's Cebu pipeline deepens with Pullman and Mercure

Accor's confirmed Cebu projects set the baseline. Pullman Mactan Cebu Hotel and Residences, announced February 28, 2024, is planned as the world's largest Pullman, a three-tower development with 200 hotel keys and roughly 900 residence units targeted to open in 2028. In June 2025, Accor added midscale capacity with the Mercure Mactan Cebu signing in Megaworld's Mactan Newtown, guiding toward an opening in the fourth quarter of 2025. These layered additions, from lifestyle-premium Pullman to midscale Mercure, indicate a portfolio strategy that serves both resort and township demand nodes across the metro. For travelers, that means more rooms close to beaches, business parks, and the international gateway. For trade, it signals a deepening pipeline, potentially creating space for a boutique-luxury entry such as MGallery to bridge ultra-luxury and premium segments.

NUSTAR's luxury buildout and the Unverified MGallery Cebu link

NUSTAR Resort and Casino continues to scale on Kawit Point in Cebu City, blending gaming, retail, events, and hotels. The stand-alone NUSTAR Hotel, opened May 8, 2025, positions as the first all-Filipino ultra-luxury brand in the city and has already been recognized on the Michelin Guide's hotel list. Industry talk now connects a possible MGallery-branded residential component to NUSTAR Residences, which, if true, would add a boutique-luxury, story-led product beside the resort's existing towers. As of August 18, 2025, neither Accor nor NUSTAR has issued a formal announcement confirming a deal using the MGallery name. Until an official filing or press release emerges, the MGallery Cebu at NUSTAR Residences remains Unverified. Travelers and advisors should monitor Accor's newsroom and NUSTAR's channels for naming, key counts, and timing.

Access and traveler considerations around CEB

Most inbound travelers will route through Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB). Accor's confirmed projects cluster around Mactan's beach and township zones, while NUSTAR sits on Kawit Point, closer to Cebu City's commercial and heritage districts. If a future MGallery Cebu at NUSTAR Residences is confirmed, expect positioning that emphasizes boutique scale, design, and proximity to the resort's shopping and entertainment. For now, luxury choices in the NUSTAR complex include the Filipino-branded NUSTAR Hotel and the separate Fili Hotel, both serving the integrated resort audience. Advisors should match clients to product style, beach vs. city access, and desired brand privileges. For corporate groups, the expanding meetings footprint across Mactan and SRP broadens venue options within a short transfer of CEB.

Analysis

Accor's current Cebu posture balances three levers, premium lifestyle appeal, midscale scale, and, potentially, boutique-luxury differentiation. Pullman Mactan Cebu, with its large residential stack, targets investment-minded buyers and bleisure travelers who want resort amenities with brand gravity. Mercure Mactan Cebu adds midscale volume inside a master-planned township, supporting corporate and family segments at more accessible price points. A hypothetical MGallery Cebu at NUSTAR Residences would plug the brand's storytelling and design ethos into an urban resort environment, leaning on integrated-resort traffic while offering a non-gaming, lifestyle-oriented residential-hospitality blend. That triangulation would give Accor coverage across Cebu's highest-growth micro-markets without cannibalizing positioning.

On the destination side, Cebu's pivot toward integrated luxury and branded residences mirrors regional patterns in Phuket and Danang, where mixed-use beachfront and city-adjacent projects anchor new air routes and upscale retail. The NUSTAR complex already demonstrated early-stage demand with the NUSTAR Hotel's Michelin Guide listing, a marketing asset that lifts the perceived quality ceiling citywide. For advisors, the practical implications are clearer choice architecture and negotiated value, especially in shoulder periods when new capacity comes online. The missing piece is formal confirmation on the MGallery Cebu component. Until then, advisors should steer clients to confirmed openings and watch release channels for a definitive green light.

Final Thoughts

Cebu's luxury map is filling in, and Accor is one of the main authors. Pullman and Mercure are locked in and will change the lodging math near CEB, while NUSTAR continues to shape the city-side resort scene. An MGallery Cebu at NUSTAR Residences would complete the brand's Philippines triangle, Manila, Bohol, and Cebu, with a boutique-luxury residential-hospitality play that fits the market's trajectory. Until Accor or NUSTAR confirms, treat it as a promising signal rather than a set plan. If announced, expect strong interest from lifestyle travelers and design-led buyers searching for the narrative-rich footprint that defines MGallery Cebu.