I and Bruno had a plan to go to the Philippines for the first time and we arranged to start our journey in Cebu (you can read about the reasons and things to do in Cebu here). We booked our flight from London to Cebu with a two-hour layover in Dubai. You can probably imagine how much we needed a very good and comfortable accommodation to get some rest after an 18-hour journey (not including the trips to and from the airports). For this reason, we spent more time choosing the right accommodation for our first few nights. We came across Bai Hotel Cebu when it was recommended to us by a friend of ours. We read reviews and everything looked like exactly what we were looking for.
Location
When we arrived at Cebu International Airport, we got a taxi for 300 PHP (around £5) to get to the hotel. Although the airport is not located on the main island, it is not far from the hotel. We could also go to the city centre in no time from the hotel conveniently by taxi. To take a taxi you don’t have to leave the hotel area, you can get one in front of the lobby’s gate, where the hotel’s staff are willing to help you with directions and by calling a taxi for you.
Security
Most of the hotels and indoor places in the Philippines take security very seriously, the same applies to Bai Hotel Cebu. There are a security gate and an x-ray machine at the entrance. They also check the cars entering the hotel, so you should know that you are safe and secure at the hotel.
Room
Our room (a premier room) was modern and very spacious, located on the 15th floor of the building, the kind of room we were looking forward to spending some time in. We arrived in the evening and it was dark already, but the following morning we were surprised by the great view of the city. I should also add that we watched a pretty amazing sunset from our room.
The bed was a king size with a comfortable mattress, so it helped us rest and get over our jet lag. The room comes with bathrobes, slippers, an iron with an ironing board, a 40-inch Internet Protocol TV, a weighing scale, an electronic safe and good internet access.
The bathroom was modern and clean with a walk-in shower. It included bath, hand and face towels, hairdryer and other toiletries.
Breakfast
I was very impressed by the size of the breakfast buffet. The buffet consisted of a great variety of international breakfast choices including European, American and Asian options. We could opt for fresh fruits or bakeries, for cooked food or choose from the cheese platter. Guests could also have an omelette or fried eggs with various options for both hot and cold drinks.
Swimming Pool
The rooftop swimming pool with well-designed luxury sun loungers made our swim quite romantic and almost surreal. My swim, while watching the epic sunset, was the highlight of my stay in Bai Hotel Cebu. You can go for a night swim or early in the morning. We tried both and we really enjoyed our time there.
Thanks to Bai Hotel Cebu for hosting us. I was their guest, but this review expresses my own experience and personal opinion of the hotel.
You can book and read more reviews here.
You can read about "Things to do in Cebu City" and our travel guide to Cebu here.