Holiday Inn CEBU CITY by IHG

Staying overnight in Cebu after taking a boat from Siquijor, before flying back to Hong Kong the next day. Took a Grab from the ferry terminal to the hotel, which wasn't far. Arrived a bit late, around 7 PM, so we decided to have dinner at the Holiday Inn CEBU CITY by IHG. The prices were reasonable, and the portions were generous. The hotel maintained the brand's usual standards. We even experienced our first fire alarm here, which turned out to be a false alarm. Dinner and the alarm incident caused a bit of a commotion. My child was very excited to experience a fire alarm at an overseas hotel for the first time, and we handled it calmly. The area around the hotel is quite bustling, and overall it was a good stay.

This time, I stayed at the Holiday Inn located in the business district. There's a large mall nearby, which was very convenient for shopping. Also, it's not far from a delicious roasted suckling pig restaurant, reachable within 10 minutes by taxi. The only downside was that since we opted out of room cleaning, the housekeeping staff didn't leave new towels outside our door, so we had to ask the front desk for them ourselves in the evening. Everything else was very satisfactory.

The location is excellent, just a 5-minute walk from Ayala Mall. There are many massage shops and Korean restaurants nearby. Having a 7-Eleven on the first floor is super convenient. The facilities are typical of a 4-star hotel, with everything you'd expect. The only downside is the low water pressure. However, every place I've stayed in Cebu has had low water pressure, so this might actually be considered good in comparison.

My overall experience at Holiday Inn Cebu was quite disappointing, especially for a Holiday Inn brand. It fell far short of my expectations. 1. There was a feedback form in the room, but no pen. Does the hotel assume every guest carries their own writing tools? I couldn't even fill out the feedback form. 2. The policy of collecting a 1,500 PHP daily deposit is very unreasonable. Most hotels nowadays have abolished the deposit system, both out of trust in their guests and to enhance the check-in experience. I've stayed at many excellent hotels in Cebu, and this is the first time I've encountered a daily deposit. It inevitably makes one feel that the hotel lacks trust in its guests. 3. The room size and amenities are only comparable to budget hotels like Home Inn in China, which doesn't match Holiday Inn's brand positioning. 4. Breakfast service was chaotic. There was no staff to guide guests to tables. Many tables were empty, but there was no cutlery on them, making it difficult to find a place to eat. 5. When I went to the restaurant for breakfast, I proactively showed my room number to the front desk staff, and they confirmed it. However, during my meal, the front desk staff came over again to ask for my room number. Such basic service oversights seriously detract from the guest experience. 6. I went for breakfast at 9:30 AM, and the fruit section was almost empty. No staff refilled the fruit until I finished my meal and left.

Pros: Unbeatable location + convenience. Just a 5-6 minute walk to Ayala Mall (for an adult woman). There's a 7-Eleven literally 10 seconds from the lobby (no need to cross the street, it's right next door). Right next to that, there are two local coffee stalls (the one on the right is better than the left). There's also a bakery cafe on the first floor, which makes it absolutely perfect. The pool was a bit small, but after playing in the ocean off Cebu, the pool isn't that important. Most importantly, the room was neither small nor large, but it was neat, tidy, and clean. The water pressure in the bathroom is *really* strong (even more noticeable if you're coming from Mactan Island). All the staff at check-in and check-out were friendly. Grab taxis are easy to get, and it's great for getting around the city center. Definitely one of the most memorable hotels I've stayed at in Cebu!

The pool is beautiful, not too crowded, and the location is superb. Breakfast isn't bad. Excellent value for money! 😂