**Title: The Tragedy in Cebu--The Worst Hotel Experience I Never Want to Go Through Again**…read more In my entire life, I've never experienced a hotel as terrible as this one. I believe that nowhere else in the world could offer such distress as this hotel did. The nightmare began right at check-in. We had booked early, confirmed our reservation 10 days before our stay, provided copies of the IDs of all staying guests, and fully paid the total amount. But we were still made to wait over two hours in the sweltering lobby. When we complained, the front desk staff responded coldly. A staff member named Kaye arrived and said, "If you're not satisfied, just cancel! Claim your refund from the booking site you used." We wanted to cancel, but we had already paid 600,000 yen, and we didn't know if we could get a refund from Expedia, so we had no choice but to endure. Later, we found out from reviews that this hotel offers a full refund if you cancel within four hours after check-in. But none of the staff, not even the manager, told us this. They shut down our complaints by citing their "policy," but when the policy was unfavorable to them, they didn't mention it. We only discovered this refund policy by reading the owner's response to a complaint in a review. We requested to add one more person to our reservation, and they readily agreed. We paid the additional fees, including for an extra bed, and finally got into the room. When we asked for the extra bed, we were kindly told, "It will arrive shortly, please just wait." But even after waiting over two hours, nothing came. When we called the front desk, we were told that an extra bed couldn't be placed in our room. They hung up as if nothing had happened. The woman who gave the information over the phone was Kaye. After three hours, a mattress, pillow, and blanket finally arrived, but towels and toothbrushes didn't come until the third night. Because of this, we had to cancel a birthday party reserved at a restaurant, ruining the celebration. The next day, our room wasn't cleaned because we left the card key in the slot. A small note said, "We will not clean the room if the card key is left in the slot." When we asked the front desk for help, they told us that the cleaning service for the day was already done, so we had no choice but to use the wet towels from the previous night. It would have been better if they informed us of this earlier. When you call for a cart, even after 10 minutes, it still doesn't arrive. After a follow-up call, we were made to wait another 10-15 minutes. The cart finally arrived after 30 minutes. So if you book at this hotel and have plans, I suggest booking a cart 30 minutes in advance so your schedule won't be delayed. Be careful when filing complaints at this hotel too! If you complain, the staff stare at you as if they're going to do something bad to you. Their glares are terrifying. I can't fully describe the pain and sadness we experienced at this hotel. Many other guests had even worse experiences, according to the reviews we read. I don't understand how this hotel managed to be listed as one of the "high-rated" hotels on booking sites. Our long-awaited trip to Cebu was utterly ruined by this hotel. It's sad that such a beautiful place like Cebu was tainted by a hotel like this. I also want to share an experience we had in Boracay. Once, we booked five rooms in Boracay through a booking site. A week before our trip, I had an accident, so we had to cancel. I knew getting a refund would be difficult, but fortunately, the hotel said we could reschedule our stay. While they didn't give us a refund, they allowed us to stay at a different date when I was better. The communication with the staff was excellent, and even though I kept repeating questions out of worry, they patiently answered all my concerns politely. When it became clear that I still couldn't go, they offered to let my family stay in my place. I never expected to receive such service, especially from a hotel in the Philippines. I wanted to share this experience to highlight the stark contrast between the two hotels, even though both are in the Philippines. I try not to compare, but the difference in service is striking. It hurts to think that I didn't pay attention to the reviews before booking in Cebu, and I can never get back the money and time spent. In the end, not all the staff at this hotel were bad. Many were hardworking and polite. However, a few staff members and the owner's attitude, based on reviews, were enough to cause extreme disappointment. I'm sharing this review to help you avoid similar experiences and truly enjoy your trip to Cebu.

I am absolutely in love with this resort. I had no idea how beautiful it was until I got to the…read moreplace itself. I remember saying to my sisters, "I feel like we're at a Disney Waterpark!" 4 days was definitely not enough to enjoy this water wonderland. The beach was amazing, though you had to beat the high tide and be there by the early morning. There were so many swimming pools and lagoons and I'm proud to say that I swam in all of them! Each pool is unique; some were freshwater pools, some were lagoons actually. Because of this, you wouldn't need to complain wherever your room is because each cottage is within proximity of a beautiful pool. They have a lot of facilities too! A spa, karaoke, golf field, and even archery and target shooting! And the restaurants... Oh, how delicious the food are! My favorite is Fiji restuarant because of the gargantuan tempura and quality Japanese food you can't compare to the ones you eat in Manila. And the Cebuchon! If you wander around enough, you'd find people roasting this black pig that makes your mouth water. The place is so massive that it makes it fun to wander around to see everything the resort has to offer. It's expensive, but hey, it's definitely worth it! My sisters and I even brought along paper lanterns and did a Tangled moment. It was a struggle at first, but a fun bonding experience I will always treasure.

Only went to the roof top restaurant, beautiful view of manila at sunset, and high enough to not…read morehave to inhale jeepney fumes and bus dust. Food was good, service was great.

Bayleaf Hotel captured the charm of the authentic Old Manila infused with contemporary interiors…read more It is within the walled city of Intramuros neighboring Mapua University. Booked for a total of Php5500 inclusive of breakfast and a buffet dinner at the Sky Deck View Bar for 2 persons. Savored decent food selection with the panoramic Manila skyline as the backdrop. The roast beef paired with wine is a personal favorite. The rest of the menu is just ordinary but the view is exemplary. It can pass for a romantic venue for a dinner under the stars or a laidback friday night catch-up with friends. Subtly dismayed by the breakfast buffet served at 9 spoons. The food and coffee is really bland. The dullness of the menu is compensated by the efficient service of the staff. There is no amenity like pool but guests can spend the day discovering Manila through a Kalesa Tour. It goes around the historical sites and prime Churches in Intramuros. The function hall can be recommended for conventions and events. There is an ample parking space at the basement. This hotel is also ideal for business travelers since nearby universities and offices can be easily accessible through taxi, uber, or public transportation.

Glamorous Camping (Glamping). I'm from NYC, a pure city boy comfortable in Manila and don't like…read moreto step out. Promised myself while in the army no more camping but Glamping is best of both worlds with a fun twist of rustic. Upon attending a gathering enjoyed the crispy fresh air, walking through the on-grounds greenery (more adventurous hiking available) released the steam from metropolis living. Comfortable beds. Cleanliness isn't a problem. If a tourist visiting fam, or a resident of the metropolis gotta consider Glamping at Luan. Maybe we'll see each other there :).

This hotel balances on both sides of 4 and 5 for me. The only thing that knocks it a little is that…read moreit can be a little chaotic arriving since it's connected to Ocean Park. When staying here, they do give you tickets to Ocean Park so that's nice. When arriving at a place to stay, you usually expect a peaceful entrance. The main entrance is for a cafe, restaurants inside, the hotel, and Ocean Park. So it's noisy. Luckily, once you make it up to the hotel floor, it's peaceful. The room is also peaceful. We didn't hear anyone else in the hallways throughout our stay. We plan to explore more of Manila the next time. For the things we were doing on this visit, Hotel H20 served as the perfect launch point. When arriving in Manila by bus, we caught a trike to Rizal Park where we spent the afternoon. Various other things were close by so it worked for later in the day and when we woke up to leave the next day. With the infamous Manila traffic, I think it's best to try to stay close to what you have planned. It's not necessarily a headache catching a trike or jeepney because they're everywhere but it might save you on travel logistics and money. Grab(the Uber of the Philippines) is great to use but I almost feel terrible calling one in Manila. When a 10-minute ride turns into 30 minutes(because of traffic), driving for Grab in the Philippines has to be a nightmare. On to the hotel. It's certainly nice. You can choose from a room with aquarium walls or you can select a room that has 2 huge windows in the living area and bedroom. You're right above the ocean and overlook the bay. We chose the bay view. Great views and it was fun to watch the coastguard, ships, and the rowing team practice. I'll admit, for our length of stay, we probably didn't need a room quite this big but it was comfy. Our room was spacious and relaxing. The room service(food) was also good. I wouldn't worry too much about finding an outside food place(if you're tired). The meal we had for 900 php(18 usd) was well worth it. One other knock was the jacuzzi. The shower was perfect. We planned to use the jacuzzi until we noticed little pieces floating in the water. It looked to be debris that had collected on the jets or something. Probably harmless but enough to give us the ooga boogas and not use it. I mentioned the Ocean Park tickets you get with your stay but that's not all. They also have a gym and pool. You also can choose between a fish spa and/or some other relaxing thing(I think it was something sauna-related). The fish spa would've been nice but unfortunately, we didn't get to do it. Time didn't permit this time around. The hotel also has plenty of common areas. If I was spending a week there, all that space would've been love. If you have plans on that side of the city, stay here. It has all the amenities that you'd expect from a hotel in the west. And I like the name. On a side note... this might be a good spot to stay if you have an early morning flight out of the Manila airport.

When you are in the Philippines and tagging along with you are 8 kids ranging from 2 to 15 years…read moreold, one attraction you might add into your itinerary is H2O. The hotel which is in the capital old city Manila and by the Manila Bay is strategically located to view the sunset, access to nearby local restaurants and other sightseeing places such as Fort Santiago, the National Museum, Spanish era University of Santo Tomas, and some casinos. The executive room we got is modernand huge with motorized/hidden TV, curtains, window benches... I'll say its a 4 star. Some of its smaller rooms has one side of the room as aquarium. Kinda cool but I prefer my sunset/sunrise view. The hotel is within the water theme park and aquairum,. Theres a decent amount of of restaurants with the park though I think they can improve by adding more. We have tried the low priced breakfast buffet and you get what you pay for... nothing too fancy like a 5 star buffet, this I will give a 3 star. The kids and the kid-at-heart had fun in the water park. The kids also watched a sea animal show. And, they had fun. The aquarium is another attraction that my kids, nieces and nephews enjoyed. My lovely sisters made all of this memorable experience possible and I truly appreciate it. I wish and pray for a ten fold return on their generosity and kindness.

Pearl farm resort davao , a 5 star resort with a 1 star bathroom .Stayed at Hilltop room balay 10…read more on the 17 of May . Filth and molds noted in the shower , bathroom door rotten from moist and water , bathroom window so dated and showed signs of damage . Puke inducing in short! I paid for what I thought was a 5 star resort accommodation , ended up with this filthy bathroom condition,it made Paradise island park and beach resort more desirable ! To make it worst , no white foreigner or anyone with a caucasian companion was assigned in hilltop balay 10.The white foreigners were in the newly built hilltop room,while the browned skinned Filipinos where the ones assigned in the ancient balay 10 ,with the bathroom that badly needs renovation and clearly should not have been opened to the public at all! Pearl farm resort , you are such a dissapointment !What a shame !! Never ,ever again!!!

This is probably the most expensive resort in the Davao - Samal Island area. For a short weekend…read moregetaway from Manila, we were willing to spend extra money for just two nights. Might I say, it was well worth the money. If you choose this resort, be prepared to watch your email after booking your reservation. They will ask for details such as when your flight arrives so you can arrange to have them pick you up (free if you arrive before 4pm and can catch one of the designated boat times, and extra if you arrive later in the day). They will also allow you to arrange "outings" if you so please. We were about 2 hours delayed in arriving to the Davao airport but felt safe from the moment we arrived. A woman holding a Pearl Farm Beach Resort sign escorted us to a huge van, which took us to the dock to get to Samal Island. It is about a 20 minute boat ride which you should be prepared to get wet for. When we arrived at the resort, we were greeted by several hostesses and escorted to our rooms. Room service operates 24/7 so we were able to eat a much needed quality meal after being delayed in travel. There wasn't any moment we felt clueless or in poor company getting to the resort itself. The beds were roomy and comfortable. The king room actually had a cot included, so you could bring a third wheel with your party, haha. Rooms were very clean, towels and toiletries were provided, and there was a safe with a key (no electronic key pad). No complaints on supplies or amenities. Once you wake up to the calm views of the beach, you will feel like you're in paradise. We went to the resort in April when the weather was absolutely stunning. Not too hot, not too humid. Waters were clear and calm. The "feel" of the resort is one of quietude. This is not the type of resort you go to "party." This is the kind of place you go to for relaxation and rest, not for loud noises and rambunctiousness. There's an infinity pool and several beach spots, including a private island you can boat to at any time of the day. My fiance swam out about 100 meters from the main beach and was able to find some huge starfish and giant clams. You can also arrange to partake in some water sports. I believe they have kayaking, scuba diving, snorkling, paddleboarding, and flyboarding. The one complaint I have about this resort is the fact that the food was not included. Unfortunately, you have to pay for each meal and drink. There is nowhere local to venture outside of the resort, so you don't have any other options besides to feast at the Pearl Farm Resort. Don't get me wrong, the food they have is splendid. But this should factor into your cost considerations for the trip. I highly recommend this resort for a splendid, rejuvenating getaway from city life. You really only need to be there a few days to experience the benefits from the calmness of this resort, so if the price seems too much, consider a 3 day trip.

The internet in the room was extremely slow and so we decided to try to send a few emails in the…read morebusiness center and they charge ₽3000 pesos ($50 usd) to use the business center for less than 30 mins.

We booked a twin suite which had two bed rooms, a kitchen, washer, dishwasher, living room, and two…read morebathrooms. The price was around $500 for 2 nights 3 days. The lobby was clean and the staff were nice. Our booking came with a 4-person breakfast for each day and the breakfast was a half american half filipino buffet. The down side of our experience here was the slow staff service, such as room service, tech support, etc. Also, the rooms in our suite had weird unknown curtain and carpet stains, which were frankly disgusting (see attached photos). For the class and price range of this hotel, they could do a lot better in maintaining and presenting their rooms. We do not plan on recommending or staying here soon due to these occurrences.

Stayed here for a few days because it's close to my family during my visit…read more Mella is brand new hotel. I was told they recently hosted Miss International Pageant here. Service was impeccable. Greeted me and my family with a smile. Their lobby was amazing. Huge! It accommodated my very big Filipino and extended Filipino families and friends too! Our room was tastefully done. Nice view, cozy king size bed, modern bathroom and rain shower to boot! They provided free complimentary breakfast buffet which was fantastic. You can order omelet and pancakes too! I had dinner at their restaurant and surprised, they had Italian on their menu. Best part, there is an outskirts mallstrip about a 5 minute walk. There is a drug store, convenience store, Jollibee, and a few other eateries. Mella is also only about a 20 minute car ride to Manila airport. Very convenient. Oh, I almost forgot. Their pool was fantastic. Free towel service and the pool was big enough and even provided a nice cabana. Cheers!

New, clean, bright, safe, friendly staff. If you're looking for a hotel that is super close to the…read moreairport this one may not be what you're looking for. It is about 15 minute drive. I had the king bed room and it was good for the price except that the bathroom smelled of mold. The windows are covered so don't expect a view. The front desk and rest of staff are very nice and friendly. Free breakfast buffet is ok. Dishes like adobo, corned beef were too salty. But hey it's free.

Good location. Lots of amenities. We will definitely come back…read more My daughter and niece just celebrated their birthday party here and it was a tremendous success. The place and specially the pool was clean. There's a lot of room to move around in and the freebies are tables and chairs and a videoke machine that you can use,

I'm not really a fan of public pools, resorts and beaches; I enjoy places that are more private,…read moreintimate and hidden, so I prefer renting a private pool in Laguna where hot springs are available. It might be a joyride to go Laguna before, but it's too far to drive, now that I have two young kids that can't stand sitting close to each other inside the car. It was a gift from heaven when one of my husband's relatives invited us to his birthday to a private pool within the heart of Las Pinas. I fell in love with the place immediately as I entered the premises and inquired about prices and reservations even before the party started. The place is huge, every floor inch is covered with red bricks, walls are decorated with unique stones, there's a small curvy swimming pool , and all wood gazebo swings. They also have a big tent too, splattered with colorful fabric ceiling that gives an elegant look to the place, and no Pinoy party would be special without - Videoke! (which is it's already included in the rental.) We had a great time during the birthday celebration and I got the place for my parent's farewell party last month since they'll be staying abroad for a year. I also got them for my daughter's 1st birthday too! So for private pools within the metro, try going to Villa Rinicia for a memorable and awesome day!