Cebu Hotels

[Wicked Roger]

I may not agree with this but then the choice is fairly limited in Cebu and the usual contenders got he nod but if you are not a budget these are nice hotels. While I prefer the Elizabeth I have stayed in each of them and all are good. Crimson is very nice but is hard to find (very bad signage).

http://bestofcebu.sunstar.com.ph/category/hotels/

[NoCBJ4Me]

Dear all,

I'm looking for a hotel in Cebu, that meets the following criteria:

- Girl friendly obviously.

- Good Wifi.

- Proper desk (need to do some freelance work every now and then).

- As close to Ayala as possible.

- Max 2500 PHP per night.

I hope you have some suggestions for me. Thank you all in advance!

I'm staying at the Mandarin Plaza Hotel for 2450 pesos per night.

It's a nice modern room with:

- double bed (King).

- refrigerator.

- in room safe.

- free in room WiFi.

- good water pressure, although not hot hot water.

- breakfast included.

It is Girl Friendly, but Security check's I'd upon entering the lobby.

The front desk stated 2800 peso per night, so I booked the room through Agoda.com and the "all In" price including fees and taxes is 2450 Php per night.

nocbj4me.

[Wicked Roger]

There has to be something on the order of 50+ hotels that are within a ten minute cab ride of Ayala Mall, so that is a moot point. All the hotels Wicked Rodger suggested are way over P2500 except for Tune. You might be able to get a better price for these properties via consolidators or dealing with the hotel directly. The Tune is a basic hotel with small rooms and charges extra for everything including TV and aircon.

My recommendation would be Harolds Hotel on Gorordo. Ten minute walk to Ayala. Another BM stayed there recently and loved it. Read back through the threads. http://harolds-hotel-cebu.com/index.htm.

BM,

All the hotels I mentioned are not way over 2500.

Friend got Madarin at 2300 (I got it at 2200), Golden Prince has specials and promos virtually all the time with prices as low as 1700, Tune I agree is cheap but unless you small rooms go elsewhere.

Quest can be over 250 but can also be far less so check the discount web sites.

Elizabeth I can get at around 2500- my ate not to be found on any web site and I got this for other mongers visiting.

Harolds. Agree another I forget that one but for me 10 minutes is too far as am lazy LOL.

As I live in Cebu a fair bit of the year I see lots promos for far less but not within walking distance.

Frimu Also try Azia Suites. FR on it by Polyorchid last year and this is OK and not far from Ayala. Look for specials also as many will offer.

And Golden Peak and Escario again too far to walk if you want immediate access to Ayala but less than 10 minutes in my estimation.

If you want around that price opposite Ayala try Tune, Elizabeth, Quest and Mandarin.

But there is the Regency hotel in between Tune and Quest. Looks old and frayed at the edges so I have never stayed there.

[Buko Max]

I'm looking for a hotel in Cebu, that meets the following criteria:

- Girl friendly obviously.

- Good Wifi.

- Proper desk (need to do some freelance work every now and then).

- As close to Ayala as possible.

- Max 2500 PHP per night.

There has to be something on the order of 50+ hotels that are within a ten minute cab ride of Ayala Mall, so that is a moot point. All the hotels Wicked Rodger suggested are way over P2500 except for Tune. You might be able to get a better price for these properties via consolidators or dealing with the hotel directly. The Tune is a basic hotel with small rooms and charges extra for everything including TV and aircon.

My recommendation would be Harolds Hotel on Gorordo. Ten minute walk to Ayala. Another BM stayed there recently and loved it. Read back through the threads. http://harolds-hotel-cebu.com/index.htm.

[Wicked Roger]

Dear all,

I'm looking for a hotel in Cebu, that meets the following criteria:

- Girl friendly obviously.

- Good Wifi.

- Proper desk (need to do some freelance work every now and then).

- As close to Ayala as possible.

- Max 2500 PHP per night.

I hope you have some suggestions for me. Thank you all in advance!

Elizabeth, Quest, Golden Prince, Mandarin Oriental. Walking distance to Ayala. Also Parklane but a tad further. Tune is in between Quest and Elizabeth and that can be less than 2000 - Luv Asian Tang has used that a lot and likes it. For me room too small if I am staying more then a night.

PM me for more information.

[Frimu]

Dear all,

I'm looking for a hotel in Cebu, that meets the following criteria:

- Girl friendly obviously.

- Good Wifi.

- Proper desk (need to do some freelance work every now and then).

- As close to Ayala as possible.

- Max 2500 PHP per night.

I hope you have some suggestions for me. Thank you all in advance!

[X Man]

Ayala Mall may be the middle of modern Cebu City, but I've never heard it called Midtown. Sorry Pip. This is my understanding. . .

Downtown: Colon / Carbon Market, etc. I stayed here on my first visit to Cebu in 1990. It was an edgy area then and is edgier now.

Midtown: Fuente Osmena Circle where you will find Robison's Mall and the Summit hotel above that. The Summit Hotel used to be called Midtown Hotel. Also on the circle, you can find a newer, but smallish mall called Cybergate, which is where Pip and I had lunch last year. This is also where a large hospital is located.

Uptown: That would be the area around the Capital building.

Thank you for the feedback. When you say "midtown", does this mean near Ayala Mall? If so, I've heard Cebu Parklane International Hotel will NOT check I'd's. I'll check on a smart bforo r internet use (thank you for the advice there). Sorry for more questions, but please let me know your advice for the following questions:

1. Is Ayala Mall area part of "midtown"?

2. Do you know if Cebu Parklane International Hotel checks I'd's?

3. I looked up SOGO, but I only found a SOGO hotel near Colon. I guess you are talking about a different place. Please tell me what place you are referring to.

Thank you again.

[ChinaTimes]

Mandarin is in a good spot. I've stayed at Quest, Elizabeth (WR's solid reco), and Radisson Blu. While the Blu was the nicest hotel it felt remote except for SM but good for me for work and convenient for one of my ladies coming down. As for Mandarin, Once you finally cross the non pedestrian friendly street you pop through the garage and Ayala and terraces is right there. Also easy cab rides to nightlife and other restaurants at Mango, in Mandaue, and in IT Park. Enjoy your trip. I'm back in Cebu mid Feb and will be staying next door.

Cjetset,

Thank you for the information. I haven't been to Mango area yet because the girls I met online have been keeping me occupied since my arrival. But, I'm meeting up with WR & Pip J tomorrow and maybe the 3 of us will be a bad influence on each other.

I appreciate the pointers and I'll try to do a report afterward.

[Pip Jaeger]

I want to say a very big "Thank You!" to WR, Buko Max, & Pip J.

You're welcome. Sent you a PM too.

As for Mandarin, Once you finally cross the non pedestrian friendly street you pop through the garage and Ayala and terraces is right there.

The garage you refer to is the "PUV" jeepny terminal and the entrance to the mall directly across from is still closed. It's much safer to walk down the hill (left out of the Maderin's parking garge) and cross the street under the flyover.

[Cjetset]

I want to say a very big "Thank You!" to WR, Buko Max, & Pip J. For your feedback. I'm arriving tonight and I'm staying at the Mandarin Hotel near Ayala Mall. I think the entrance from the parking garage is a big plus for me. I'll provide feedback after my stay. Again, thank you for your feedback.

Mandarin is in a good spot. I've stayed at Quest, Elizabeth (WR's solid reco), and Radisson Blu. While the Blu was the nicest hotel it felt remote except for SM but good for me for work and convenient for one of my ladies coming down. As for Mandarin, Once you finally cross the non pedestrian friendly street you pop through the garage and Ayala and terraces is right there. Also easy cab rides to nightlife and other restaurants at Mango, in Mandaue, and in IT Park. Enjoy your trip. I'm back in Cebu mid Feb and will be staying next door.

[ChinaTimes]

You are asking for a lot in Colon! Two of the better properties, GV Tower and Century are spartan compared to other hotels in the city. She should not have a problem with her identification during the daytime. If you really need internet, get Smart Bro. You will not get a real king sized bed (box spring with mattress) unless you stay in a three or four star hotel. I suggest you stay in Midtown and use the Sogo for your evening soiree.

I want to say a very big "Thank You!" to WR, Buko Max, & Pip J. For your feedback. I'm arriving tonight and I'm staying at the Mandarin Hotel near Ayala Mall. I think the entrance from the parking garage is a big plus for me. I'll provide feedback after my stay. Again, thank you for your feedback.

[Uzinuzin]

Smart Bro will set you back for the initial investment of their USB stick but if you really need the internet and don't want to depend on WiFi, that is the way to go. It is more private and secure as well.

Best is to buy a USB 3 G dongle with quad-band frequency, this works in almost any country and with any company. I bought one years ago in Bangkok and it has served me very well.

But a word of warning, internet here in Cebu (and I found the same or worse in Dumaguete and Tagbilaran) is very unpredictable, even when it is good it cuts out frequently and leave you waiting for a minute or two. What I also found was that if the hotel's internet has trouble, then switching to 3 G data using the USB stick has the same problem, it seems they are all going through the same cable / hub or something! ?

Also I have tried 3 G on Globe and Smart and they are not that different and both struggle to get up to high speeds. One of the most problematic thing for me is I found if I use non-default ports for say SSH and RDP (that is to remote connect to another computer) the speed is far slower than your normal internet browsing (default ports like 80 and 443 etc.). I have tested this in various places, methods and companies and they are all the same, very slow speed on ad-hoc ports. I think the companies might have some filtering or throttling mechanism, this is for those IT techies who are interested. . .

[Wicked Roger]

I have been trying to get the good rate at Elizabeth but the manager I used to contact seems to be gone and when I call all I get is the "Sorry sirrrrrrrrrrrrr, we don't have a promotion right nowwwwwww. ".

So am stuck looking at Diamond and Mandarin.

PM me FritoB.

Yes the previous lady has gone but I still have the contacts for the rates you got before.

[Buko Max]

Thank you for the feedback. When you say "midtown", does this mean near Ayala Mall? If so, I've heard Cebu Parklane International Hotel will NOT check I'd's. I'll check on a smart bforo r internet use (thank you for the advice there). Sorry for more questions, but please let me know your advice for the following questions:

1. Is Ayala Mall area part of "midtown"?

2. Do you know if Cebu Parklane International Hotel checks I'd's?

3. I looked up SOGO, but I only found a SOGO hotel near Colon. I guess you are talking about a different place. Please tell me what place you are referring to.

Thank you again.

The Ayala Center is located in Cebu Business Park and not part of Midtown. The area in and around Osmena Circle is considered Midtown and also known as Fuente.

Personally, I do not like the Parklane due to the location and horrible service although their outdoor poolside bar is nice.

Smart Bro will set you back for the initial investment of their USB stick but if you really need the internet and don't want to depend on WiFi, that is the way to go. It is more private and secure as well.

There is only one Sogo in Cebu City regrettably: http://hotelsogo.com/branch/cebu.html.

[Fritobugger]

I have been trying to get the good rate at Elizabeth but the manager I used to contact seems to be gone and when I call all I get is the "Sorry sirrrrrrrrrrrrr, we don't have a promotion right nowwwwwww. ".

So am stuck looking at Diamond and Mandarin.

Nice FR on other hotels. Another to try is MJ Suites which is very close to Ayala and offering PHP1700 net.

I agree that above PHP 2000 there is more choice and better quality (generally but not always). My choice was always Elizabeth as I get that net net in the price range you mentioned. No pool but that does not bother me as it is walkable to Ayala. MJ Suites is walkable also.