Robinsons Place Pavia unveils first water playground in a mall

Kids love the water park. Adults do, too!  The feel of water, the sound of waves and splashes, and the visuals of light reflecting off the surface can be all so enticing.

And so it’s not surprising why mall habitués are flocking to the newly opened Robinsons Place Pavia in Iloilo. Because right outside the mall, you’ll find a breathtaking 3,500-square meter water playground — AquaFun — that offers a splash of fun and excitement for the whole family. The good news? AquaFun officially opens today!

AquaFun boasts 12 different water attractions. Here, the sensory experience is quite magnetic.

Replete with gigantic marine animals, AquaFun boasts water features such as spray fountains, water slides and a wading pool.

Taking a selfie during the opening of Robinsons Place Pavia: (from left) Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. president and CEO Robina Gokongwei-Pe, Pavia Vice Mayor Raymund Gumban, Pavia Mayor Michael Gorriceta, RLC executive vice president Faraday Go, Robinsons Land Corporation celebrity endorser Maja Salvador, RLC business unit manager for commercial centers division Arlene Magtibay and host Karen Kabuhat

“AquaFun is a water playground. The centerpiece is the wet area, which consists of sprinklers, spouts, showers, mists and the pool playground. It’s a wading pool that is only six inches deep — just enough to create a splash after the children get off the slide,” explained Darwin Renolayan, RLC new business director. 

The water playground also has 10 cabanas for rent, an events area and shower rooms. Just outside the waterpark are food stalls. Also, there’s a standalone McDonald’s restaurant in front of the mall that’s open 24/7.

Think Adventure Cove Waterpark at ResortsWorld Sentosa, but on a small scale.

“Adventure Cove Waterpark is the inspiration for this,” shared Renolayan.

Replete with gigantic marine animals, AquaFun boasts water features such as spray fountains, water slides and a wading pool

The playground can accommodate up to 350 kids at a time. Children six years old and below must be accompanied by an adult.

“Safety is our topmost priority,” Renolayan assured us. “Rubberized flooring materials are placed at the wet area, and attendants are scattered around the attraction to assist guests.”

Entrance fee is P300 on weekdays and P400 on weekends. Guests must wear proper swimming attire. If you didn’t bring one, check out Robinsons Department Store and Daiso for swim essentials.

“Here in Iloilo, families love to go mall or swimming. Most of the resorts here are fully booked during weekends. We hope that the locals would consider AquaFun and Robinsons Place Pavia as their second home, new playground,” added Renolayan.

A splash of fun

AquaFun, the first water playground in the region found in a retail complex, revolutionizes the locals’ malling experience.

Home Of The Best

Robinsons Place Pavia is RLC’s 49th mall, the fifth retail development in the progressive Panay region, and its third in Iloilo province.

“When we first bought this property, many were asking: Why Pavia? We already have two malls in Iloilo, one in downtown and one in Jaro,” said Arlene Magtibay, RLC business unit manager for commercial centers division. “Many people are not aware where Pavia is or what’s in here. We felt very strongly that Pavia has its own trade market that is strategically located near the gateway of Iloilo. Because of this, we have a captive market that we are able to tap for this new mall.”

Pavia, located between Iloilo International Airport and the city center, is an agro-industrial site that is being developed as the new business and commercial district of Iloilo.

The mall is situated along the Old Iloilo-Cadiz Road, the main highway that connects the airport to the city. 

Leading Filipino architecture firm WV Coscollluella and Associates Architects designed Robinsons Place Pavia using earth tones contrasted by white and pops of red, Robinsons Malls’ signature color.

As an ode to Pavia and its agricultural industry, carabao-shaped plant boxes greet shoppers at the mall entrance. Donut-shaped seating areas are spread throughout the mall. Geometric shapes and lines adorn the ceiling highlighted by LED lights.

Its circular main atrium offers a convergence point from the mall’s three entrances that is set to become the grand stage for mall events and activities.

The mall has a total of three floors and more than 27,000-sqm. of retail space.  It houses RLC affiliate brands like Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Appliances, Robinsons Supermarket, Handyman, Daiso Japan and Robinsons Bank. It has six state-of-the-art cinemas operated by Robinsons Movieworld and a spacious Food Gallery, which gathers Iloilo’s home-grown food players in homey dining niches. Bacolod-based restaurants such as Ribshack, Byron’s Backribs, Chicken Deli, C’s Bakeshop found a new home at Robinsons Place Pavia.

A sports bar, trampoline park, gaming establishments, and amusement park round up the mall’s entertainment experience, while a whole wing is dedicated to the health and wellness. Check out Davao-based Eyebrowse Optical for your eyewear needs. 

The mall also houses local and international retail and restaurant brands. Japanese fast-fashion retailer Uniqlo is set to open a sprawling boutique, while Mango, Levi’s, Vans, among others, will open shop soon alongside local brands such as Bench, Penshoppe, National Book Store, Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, among others.

“When we were planning this mall, we made sure that there is something new we can offer to our shoppers. We brought a lot here so that your shopping experience would be very rewarding and enjoyable,” enthused Magtibay.

Restating its commitment in encouraging local business activity, empowering consumers with a variety of selections and enriching the lives of its patrons with the most rewarding experiences and encounters, Robinsons Place Pavia captures the vision of of RLC for Iloilo’s fastest growing municipality.