NUSTAR Resort & Casino Cebu (2026): Complete Guide

TL;DR: NUSTAR Resort & Casino is Cebu’s ₱18 billion integrated resort on the South Road Properties — a 21,000 sqm casino, two hotels (NUSTAR Hotel and Fili Hotel), a luxury mall, and a new Skydeck viewpoint (opened Feb 2026, ₱500 / ~US$8.60 entry). It’s free to walk in, open 24 hours for gaming, and about 15–20 minutes from central Cebu City or 20–30 minutes from the airport via the CCLEX bridge (₱90 toll). Worth an evening for the mall, dining, and Skydeck even if you skip the tables — just don’t expect local character. Verified July 2026.

If you’ve driven along Cebu’s SRP coastal road at night and seen a glowing glass complex rising out of reclaimed land, that’s NUSTAR. It’s Cebu’s answer to Manila’s Entertainment City — a 9-hectare integrated resort built by Universal Hotels and Resorts (a JG Summit Holdings company) in a joint venture with the Cebu City government, which takes 60% of gross gaming receipts under a 50-year lease. Since its 2022 opening, it’s grown into a genuine complex: a 21,000 sqm casino, two operating hotels, a mall with international luxury brands, a convention center, and — as of February 2026 — a rooftop viewing deck. This guide covers what’s actually there, how to get to it from the city or the airport, what it costs, and whether it’s worth your time if slot machines aren’t your thing. If you’re staying elsewhere, pair it with the destinations nearby, like Temple of Leah and Fort San Pedro, for a fuller day.

What’s Actually at NUSTAR

Verified July 2026.

How Do You Get to NUSTAR?

From central Cebu City, it’s about 15–20 minutes by car via the South Road Properties, past SM Seaside City and IL Corso. Grab and metered taxis both go directly to the resort, and there’s free 24/7 self-parking plus valet at the Casino Grand Entrance if you’re driving.

From Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the fastest route is over the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), the 8.9-km toll bridge connecting Cordova on Mactan Island straight to the SRP. Expect 20–30 minutes depending on traffic and a toll of ₱90 (~US$1.55) for a standard car. Public buses (MYBUS) also serve the SRP corridor, and the resort can arrange hotel pickup through its concierge for overnight guests.

Is There an Entrance Fee?

No — walking into the casino, mall, and lobby areas is free. The only paid experience is the NUSTAR Skydeck, a semi-circular glass walkway on the hotel’s top floor, more than 100 meters above sea level, which opened February 1, 2026. Introductory tickets run ₱500 (~US$8.60) per person, bookable online at e-ticket.nustar.ph or at the ground-floor ticket booth. It’s Cebu’s newest photo-op viewpoint and gives you skyline and coastline views without needing a hotel stay or a bet.

What’s the Dress Code and Age Rule?

You need to be 21 or older with valid ID to enter the casino floor, and slippers plus sleeveless shirts on men are not allowed. Smart casual — closed shoes, a proper shirt — is enough; you don’t need a jacket or formalwear. The casino runs 24 hours a day, every day. Politically exposed persons are barred from gaming under house policy, and outside food and drink aren’t permitted inside (you can check items with the Casino Concierge).

What Can You Do There Besides Gamble?

The Mall at NUSTAR is billed as the Visayas and Mindanao’s first luxury mall, with international boutiques like Gucci and Louis Vuitton alongside a mix of dining. For food, Mott 32 (the well-regarded Hong Kong-founded Chinese restaurant brand) and Il Primo steakhouse are the headline names, backed by more casual options across the property. There’s a theater for concerts and events, a convention center that was the largest in the Visayas-Mindanao region when it opened in 2023, and now the Skydeck for sunset views. None of it requires setting foot near a gaming table, so it works as a date-night or family outing too — just budget for the mall’s price tag, which sits at the luxury end.

What Hotels Are at NUSTAR?

Two hotels are open and bookable now. NUSTAR Hotel is the flagship, with signature rooms from around 52 sqm up to suites of 225 sqm and villas beyond that — among the larger standard hotel rooms in the Philippines. Fili Hotel leans into a “Filipino luxury” design identity with 379 rooms across Deluxe, Premiere, and Suite categories. The Villas offer multi-bedroom units with butler service for groups or families who want more space. A Grand Summit Hotel is planned but not yet operating. Rates move with demand and events, so compare current prices for Cebu City hotels on Agoda before you book, especially around holidays or big conventions.

Was NUSTAR Damaged in the 2025 Earthquake — Is It Safe Now?

Yes, it took damage, and yes, it’s back to normal operations. The magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Cebu on September 30, 2025, cracked walls and collapsed part of a canopy at NUSTAR, prompting the evacuation of around 339 guests as a precaution. Management reported hotel, dining, and gaming operations resumed within about a day, following safety inspections with local authorities. As of mid-2026 the resort is fully open and marketing its newest addition, the Skydeck — but if repairs or safety notices ever come up again, check the resort’s official Facebook page before you go, since a complex this size can have localized closures without it affecting the whole property.

The Honest Take

NUSTAR is genuinely impressive as real estate — glass, marble, and a scale you don’t see elsewhere in Cebu — but it’s also the most “anywhere” experience on this island. The casino floor, the luxury boutiques, the international dining: strip out the SRP coastline views and you could be in a dozen other Southeast Asian resort casinos. If you gamble, or you want a five-star hotel stay with a mall and dining attached, it delivers. If you’re chasing Cebu’s actual character — heritage churches, waterfalls, island-hopping — this isn’t that, and an evening here is better spent as an add-on to a city stay than a reason to visit Cebu on its own.

The best use of NUSTAR for most visitors: come for dinner and the new Skydeck, walk the mall, maybe put a few hundred pesos through a slot machine for fun, and head back to wherever you’re actually staying. Skip it entirely if crowds, casinos, or mall culture aren’t your thing — Cebu has far more distinctive things to do with an evening.

Nearby and Worth Combining

NUSTAR sits on the SRP corridor alongside SM Seaside City and IL Corso, so it’s an easy pairing with a mall day or a CCLEX drive over to Mactan. For Cebu City’s actual heritage core, head inland to Fort San Pedro, or catch sunset views of a different kind at Temple of Leah up in the Busay hills. For a wider look at where NUSTAR fits among Cebu’s casino and nightlife scene, or how the rest of the SRP has developed around it, keep an eye out for our companion pieces on Cebu’s casino landscape and the SRP district as a whole.

Planning a stay nearby? Browse hotels and resorts across Cebu on Agoda and book early if your dates overlap with a convention or holiday weekend — NUSTAR and the SRP hotels around it fill up fast.

Sources

• NUSTAR Resort Cebu — official site (hotels, mall, casino, FAQs)
• NUSTAR Casino and Gaming page (games, dress code, age rule, rewards program)
• NUSTAR FAQs (hours, parking, transport, contact)
• Nustar Resort and Casino — Wikipedia (history, ownership, investment, hotels)
• Cebu Online News Press Corps — NUSTAR Skydeck opening coverage (Skydeck details, ticket price)
• Sigma.world — NUSTAR reopening after 2025 Cebu earthquake (earthquake damage and reopening)
• Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway — Wikipedia (CCLEX route and toll rates)
• Verified July 2026.