Waterfront Cebu Hotel

We were booked at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, and my room, shown above, was a simple yet elegant suite at the casino block.  This hotel is a huge one, with around 550 rooms, a casino and a convention center all in one location.  I understand that the location used to be the site of the Lahug airport, which serviced Cebu City while the Mactan airport was still on the drawing board.  The room was priced at around P8,500 per night, and my booking agent was already able to get a discount at that.

We asked for a tour of the different suites and were lucky to be shown the Presidential Suite--finely done with intricate Filipiniana decor.  Quite spacious, I estimated that the suite was around 250 m2 in area.

The executive lounge was on the 18th floor, and was just right for small gatherings and business meetings.

The tour guide also took us to one of the older suites, which had a different feel compared to the renovated rooms (done maybe 3-4 years ago).

We were also shown the reception area for the tour groups--wide and spacious, right as you get off from the bus drop-off area.

Maxim's

We had an opportunity to visit some of Vicky's friends from California who were staying at the Maxim's Hotel at the Resorts World Complex in front of the NAIA Terminal 3.  This complex was developed by the Megaworld Group, in partnership with the Genting Group of Malaysia.  The hotel has 170 rooms, and is the luxury hotel brand catering to the gaming clientele of the complex.

We met up at the coffee shop and had a fast brekky with our friends, and we heard a lot of exciting stories of their experience at the gaming tables and the slot machines.  What an absolute thrill that makes my knees shiver!

We saw the rooms and were quite happy with the size--I felt that the standard rooms had an area of around 45 - 50 sq.m. and were pretty well appointed.  Average room rates come to around P15,000 per night for the basic suites, but if you do the rounds of the casino, they will probably give you a hefty discount!

Davao Insular Hotel

The Insular Hotel was opened by the Ayala Group in the late sixties as the top-notch hotel in Davao City.  The Intercontinental Group provided management for a good 20 years, and in the late eighties, the Century chain took over.  After a year of labor problems, the hotel was sold to the Waterfront Group which operates the hotel at the moment.  With only 160 rooms spread over 8 hectares of land, the hotel has a resort-like feel to it.  The only drawback, however, is that being close to the Sasa wharf (2 kilometers away), the beach is not available for swimming.

Vicky's family has spent many memorable times at the hotel, celebrating birthdays and other affairs.  Until the Marco Polo Davao was built, the Insular was probably the most sought-after reception location for weddings and other parties.  The pool area is located at the center of the hotel complex (4 buildings that form a U around the pool) and is an ideal place to lounge around on lazy Sundays.

I transferred hotel from Pinnacle to the Insular as I had scheduled a meeting on Monday morning.  The rest of my friends left Sunday afternoon, so I was able to have some rest and relaxation that night.  The pizza I had for dinner at Pizzaiolo restaurant was crispy and well flavored, and the staff were very hospitable.  Room nights go for around P3,500 on the average; the rooms are spacious but admittedly, showing signs of age.

Pinnacle Hotel

After that filling lunch at Luz Kinilaw, we had some time to check-in at the Pinnacle, which would be our  home for the next couple of days.  This property was recommended to us by an old schoolmate, and we found it cozy and accessible to the malls (it's located right behind the Gaisano Mall).

The lobby area has a side coffee shop where buffet breakfast is served.  Check-in was pretty fast and easy, the staff had our reservations and were expecting us.  I found the rooms to be clean and functional, although the bathroom was a bit cramped for me.

At the fifth floor of the hotel, there was a mini-pool and a jet-stream bath, which was great for relaxation.  Room rates were pretty reasonable at P2,500 per night.

LPL Suites

It's Kong's 90th birthday, and we found the perfect place to book some relatives coming in from the provinces for the festivities.  Since we were holding the party at the Greenbelt Mall, it was quite logical to look nearby--the LPL suites along Legaspi St., which was just right across from the Zara outlet.  Rooms were pretty neat and spacious, and since we booked in advance, we were able to get good room rates, something like P2,800 per room night.  The building was built in the late seventies or early eighties, and the lower floors are occupied as residential apartments.  The hotel starts on the 7th floor and goes all the way up to the 9th floor, where the lobby is located.  I understand that the Leviste family operates the hotel and a tie-up was forged with Dulcinea for the built-in brekky for guests.

Contemporary Hotel

We had the immediate need to book some visiting family members at a hotel in the Araneta Avenue area, and the Contemporary Hotel presented itself as the fastest solution.  Located just beside the Arlington Memorial Homes, the hotel is a budget hotel that charges around P2,500 per room night.  Rooms were spacious, but spartan, fulfilling just the basic necessities.  Cousin Ed wasn't too happy about the place though, and if not for the convenient location, would have chosen some other hotel in the Manila area.

Waterfront Airport Hotel

Airport hotels are built for travelers' convenience, and the Waterfront Airport Hotel in Mactan serves exactly that purpose.  You can fly into Mactan, cross the street and check-in, it's that simple!  In addition, this hotel has a spacious 5,000 m2 casino, and a lot of tourists just play the slots while waiting for their flight.

My suite was quite spacious, I'd say about 85 m2 in size, and I had an unobstructed view of the runway.  It was a nice sight to see, planes coming and going.  Room rates go for about P3,000 for the regular rooms and around P6,000 for the suites.  Staff are courteous and very willing to help.