Blog From Cebu To The World » Tourist Destination

Cheap Cebu Hotels, Inns and Pension Houses

ceblogger — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 19:08:25 +0000

Are you looking for cheap, affordable, clean and reliable hotels, inns and pension houses at the heart of Cebu City, specifically near Fuente Osmeña? You know, Sinulog 2012 festival is just around the bend and most hotels are fully booked on the Sinulog weeks – 7 days before and after (January 15, 2012). Have you made your reservations?

If not Sinulog, maybe you want to be here one summer weekend to enjoy the beaches, or experience whale watching in Oslob. Your trip could also be for business, or just for the sake of travel, as some young people these days often do by buying airline promo fares to their favorite destinations, or to places they’ve never been before. As they say in Cebuano, “mga laagan, gyud”.

And with a limited budget, you don’t want to spend 10,000 pesos for a hotel room, right? So, here’s a list of hotels, inns and pension houses in Cebu which you will find budget-friendly.

Cheap Cebu Hotels, Inns and Pension Houses Near Fuente Osmeña

Hotel Stella
Address : Don Gil Garcia St., Capitol Site, Cebu City
Website: www.hotelstella.com.ph Email : thehotelstella@yahoo.com
Tel nos (6332) 239-0249, 236-0260, 239-0251, 406-0108, 0917-663-3815, 0917-638-1333.
Facilities : Hot and cold shower, airconditioner, Flat Screen TV w/cable, Free Wifi, PABX, Generator, Coffee shop
Rates: Standard – P999, Deluxe – P1,299, Superior – P1,545, Family Room – P1,699 , Extra Person – P350/hd

Verbena Pension House
Address : 584-A Don Gil Garcia St., Capitol Site, Cebu City
Website: www.verbenapensionhouse.com Email : support@verbenapensionhouse.com
Tel nos (6332) 253-3430, 253-0203, 412-4322, 256-0280 (fax), 0927-998-6288, 0922-8702034
Facilities : Hot and cold shower (for superior and deluxe rooms), airconditioner, Cable TV, Free Wifi, PABX, Cafeteria
Rates: Standard – P750 (single) to P2,470 (six), Deluxe – P850 (single) to 2,860 (six), Deluxe – P1,150 (single) to 1,700 (three) , Barkadahan Standard – P390 each (7-12 persons), Barkadahan Superior – P420 (7-12 persons), Extra person – P325 each

Travelbee Pension
Address : 294 Don Gil Garcia St., Capitol Site, Cebu City
Website:
Tel nos (6332) 253-1005, 253-1556, 0922-800-1802.
Facilities : Hot and cold shower, airconditioner, Flat Screen TV, Free Wifi, PABX, Generator, Coffee shop
Rates: Standard – P999, Deluxe – P1,299, Superior – P1,545, Family Room – P1,699 , Extra Person – P350/hd

Westpoint Inn
Address : 297 Don Gil Garcia St., Capitol Site, Cebu City
Website: none Email : wpi_reserve@yahoo.com.ph
Tel nos (6332) 254-3433, 254-4524 (fax) 0923-995-2111.
Facilities : Hot and cold shower, airconditioner, 24-hr security, generator, free Wifi, Cafe
Rates: Standard – P780, Deluxe – P980 (single/double) P1,080 (triple) note: plus P100 for Sinulog

Verbena Capitol Suites
Address : 79 Don Gil Garcia St., Capitol Site, Cebu City
Website: www.verbenahotels.com Email : verbena_cs@yahoo.com.ph
Tel nos (6332) 255-8308, 254-8537, 238-8352, 412-6170, 0916-203-4386, 0922-870-2033.
Facilities : Hot and cold shower, airconditioner, Flat Screen TV, Free Wifi, PABX, Generator, Coffee shop
Rates: Standard Single- P830, Standard Matrimonial – P930, Standard Twin – P1,050. Deluxe Triple – P1,625, Deluxe Quadruple – P1,950, Super Deluxe Matrimonial P1,300 Super Deluxe Twin – P1,350, Super Deluxe Quadruple – P2,275, Premier Matrimonial – P1,850, Premier Twin – P1,950, Extra Person – P375 each (free breakfast for all)

The list above is not yet complete as I will be updating this from time to time. Rates published here will vary and may change without prior notice. As of now, I don’t have my personal reviews of these hotels. But if you’ve stayed at any of these hotels or any Cebu hotels not mentioned here, you may tell us of your experience in a sentence or two.

Vacation Destination – Cebu

ceblogger — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 07:26:20 +0000

(Note: This is a repost of a previously written entry which got lost during server transfer.)

Cebu is one vacation destination that you should not miss. Perhaps, there is no need for me to over-emphasize what the rest of the world knows already. So when you are in Cebu, do not just sleep in your hotel room. Go outdoors and enjoy what this island in the Pacific has to offer.

Cebu is White Sand Beaches

You can go to any world class resort in the nearby Mactan Island (the island where the international airport is located). We have Plantation Bay, Microtel Inn, Shangri-la, and now Imperial Palace. Of couse, there are other mid-range resorts within island. Just go to Cordova, Marigondon or in Maribago. You can also go island hopping.

If Mactan is not enough, you can pack your bag and head north to either Malapascua or Bantayan Islands. There you can find powdery white sand beaches, and they are not as expensive and commercialized as the beaches in Mactan.

Or you may also go south to Moalboal, go diving, and if you are lucky, swim with the whales that frequently pass by the Tañon Strait. There is also an exclusive resort at the Badian Island.

Cebu is Lechon

When you are in Cebu, don’t forget to try its tasty Lechon (roasted pig). It’s already rich in flavor that you don’t need to add sauce to it. Famous Cebu lechons include, Mila’s Lechon, CNT Lechon, Alejos’s Lechon and Ben’s Lechon. Taste it while it is still hot and crispy.

Cebu is Friendly People

Friendly people, beautiful Cebuanas, handsome Cebuanos, what more can you ask? But you just have to be careful when in the downtown area. Even the snatchers and pickpockets there look friendly.

Cebu Is In World History

Ironically, the world’s first famous tourist got killed in Mactan, Cebu. You must have already heard about Ferdinand Magellan, the great Portuguese explorer, whose team was the first to circumnavigate the world. He was killed by Lapu-lapu, the chieftain of Mactan, in 1521. It was not a cold-bloodied murder, but a result of a battle.

You can find the Lapu-lapu’s shrine in Mactan (near Shangri-la) and Magellan’s Cross in Cebu City (near City Hall). Cebu is rich in history and you can visit various museums and historical sites.

Cebu is Food Trips

What do you want? Japanese, American, Chinese, Korean, or Filipino cuisines? Or you can just enjoy a sumptuous buffet meal just about anywhere. Lots of restaurants in Cebu offer very affordable eat-all-you-can meals.

Cebu is Nightlife

You can be sleepless in Cebu by just staying around the Fuente Osmeña area. Or you can go to the IT Park where lots of young people are employed in call centers and BPOs. There are establishments there that are open 24 hours a day.

Cebu Travel Is Affordable

You can get round trip airfare as low as P2,000. But on the average, air travel to Cebu is still cheap. If you are coming from Mindanao or in the nearby islands in the Visayas, travelling by boat, though slow, is also very affordable.

Cebu hotels are also affordable. I saw some ads offering as low as P600/day for a nice and comfortable rooms in the Fuente area. Click here for the list of cheap and affordable hotels, inns and pension houses in Cebu City.

Cebu is Fun

Need I say more? Come and visit Cebu and experience all that they were saying about this Queen City of the South. See also my Day trip in Cebu guide.

Cebu Pacific Air’s Peso (Piso) Seat Sale

ceblogger — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Cebu Pacific Air‘s peso (piso) seat sale is back. This is the cheapest plane fare promo around and promos as good as this made a lot of traveling converts. If you haven’t ridden an airplane yet, this is your chance. Imagine what your P1 can do.

Cebu Pacific P1 seat sale

Sale period is from October 31 to November 2, 2009 (or until the allotted 100000 seats are sold out). The race is on and I am sure the before the bell strikes at midnight, plenty will rush to the Cebu Pacific’s website. As of 11:30 pm on this 30th of October, their website is down. (Duh!)

Travel period is from June 15 to September 30, 2010. So better grab a ticket now and save the planning later. CEB’s trademark P1 seat sale also covers all of its 14 international destinations namely: Busan, Ho Chi Minh, Kota Kinabalu, Taipei, Bangkok, Incheon, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Osaka.

Take note:
- Go-Lite: 7kg hand-carry baggage
- Optional: Add P100 upon booking for 15kg check-in baggage
- Fares are inclusive of tax and surchages
- Exclusive of airport terminal fees and applicable government taxes

Ok, ten minutes after midnight and I can’t still access their site. Waaaah. I want to go to Hong Kong.

Road Trip To Baguio City

ceblogger — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:18:27 +0000

A planned road trip to Baguio City will finally happen this weekend. I haven’t been to that place they called the “Summer Capital of the Philippines”. I have been to many places in the Visayas and Mindanao, but I have yet to explore Luzon. My parents had been there in Baguio two decades ago. I watched in awe the pictures they took and the strawberries they brought. I think that was the first time my lips tasted the sweetness of strawberries.

This plan of ours could have taken place last May but we didn’t push through. I hope my wife and I can now proceed this time around. Ok, so what is this post all about? The purpose of this post is to solicit answers from my blogger friends who had been to Baguio. Now, here are my questions:

1. How long will it take me from Balintawak to Baguio traversing NLEX?
2. When is the best time to leave Manila and head north?
3. Where do I make a turn (or exit) in the long highway?
4. What hotel do you recommend?
5. What is the best time to go sightseeing?
6. What are the must-see and must-visit places in Baguio?
7. Where is the best place to buy local delicacies?
8. What restaurants do you recommend?
9. What are the places to avoid?
10. What is the best time to go down and travel back to Manila?
11. Any sidetrips you can recommend?
12. Any known shortcuts?

Well, I don’t have that much time to research. I appreciate very much your answers. If ever we do get lost, I just hope there are cell sites around. That means I should not rely on my Sun cell, but will make sure I’ll bring my other phone as well.

Come Monday evening, I’ll update this post with my discoveries.

Budget Travel: Manila-Cebu and Vice Versa

ceblogger — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 12:10:07 +0000

Perhaps you’ve been a Manila boy or girl for as long as you remembered. And you have not really stepped outside Luzon, but heard of the beautiful of places in the islands south of where you are. Do you want to travel from Manila to Cebu but not sure if it is within your budget? This is your quick guide for a budget travel to Cebu on P5,000 budget for an overnight trip.

Plane fare – Normally, plane fares are between P1,200 to P3,000. So you have to watch out for the Cebu Pacific Promo flights and discounts and for the PAL promo flights. Last night I learned that Zest Air, (formerly Asian Spirit) is also selling promo flights to Cebu, on trips from April 1 to December 31, 2009 at P488 all-in bottom-rock prices. Say you got P1,000 round-trip ticket.

Terminal Fee – For the Manila and Cebu airports, terminal fee is P200.

Taxi fare – At the Cebu airport, you don’t actually have to ride a taxi. But if you have some extra money to spare, climb up to the departure area when you get out from arrival exit. Metered taxis are queuing there. To SM or to the Fuente Osmeña area, it will cost you between P150 to P200. If you want to ride a jeep, walk a little more to the drop off point of the departing passengers. Yellow multi-cab jeepneys are plying there but you have to wait a little longer. Then you drop off at the terminal and ride another jeep to SM. From airport and back to airport – budget is P400.

Lodging and Accommodation – I suggest you try the hotels near Fuente Osmeña like Shamrock Hotel, Sampaguita Suites, Apple Tree Suites, Cebu Pensionne Plaza, Palladium Suites, and the others. Budget is P800-P1,500. Or you may also try Sugbutel. Bed and Bath at P250/day.

Meals – The easiest to budget are the fastfood meals which you will spend at P100-150 per meal. In a 6-meal budget, that’s at most P900. I suggest you try Larsian, some barbecue stalls very near Fuente Rotunda. Your 100 goes a very long way.

Let’s make a recap. Plane fare – P1,000, Terminal fee – P400, Taxi fare – P400, Lodging – P1,500, Meals – P900. Only P800 is left for your other expenses. But some tourists’ attractions are a jeep ride away from Fuente. Of course if you travel in a group of three or four, the individual expenses go lower. Let your adventurous side drift you while in Cebu. You won’t get lost in translation, and you’ll always end up in your desired destination.

But just a caution here: Don’t get late for your flight. Penalties are higher than your ticket’s original cost.

Cebu Pacific Flight Promos and Discounted Fares

ceblogger — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 04:31:04 +0000

Cebu Pacific’s flight promos and discounted fares to various Philippine destinations are here again. As we all know, promo flights are offered year-round, and if we want to go places, all we need is to go and book a flight first. Then do the planning later.

Here is a portion of what they said in their website (April 24, 2009):

CEB offers all-out sale for June, July, & August travel
For as low as P249 for domestic and P599 for international flights

Cebu Pacific (CEB) is offering a seat sale from all of its hubs – Manila, Cebu, Clark, and Davao – starting April 25 to 30, 2009 and valid for travel from June 1 to August 31, 2009.

Domestic fares are all-inclusive; international fares are exclusive of government taxes. Promo fares are non-refundable.

…CEB is offering a P599 one-way ‘Go Lite’ fare for its Manila-Kota Kinabalu and Manila-Taipei services. This is also extended to services from Clark to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore.

…a one-way P1,099 ‘Go Lite’ fare for its Manila-Hong Kong, and Manila-Macau services. One-way ‘Go Lite’ fares for flights from Manila to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, and Singapore are sold at P1,599.

…one-way ‘Go Lite’ fares for CEB services from Manila to Shanghai, Jakarta, Guangzhou; Cebu-Hong Kong, and Cebu-Singapore are sold at P2,299. The P2,799 one-way ‘Go Lite’ fare is available for flights to Kuala Lumpur, Incheon and Busan (Korea).

…one-way promo fare to Osaka, Japan is sold at P2,999.

…For domestic flights, CEB offers a P249 one-way ‘Go Lite’ fare for flights from Manila to Busuanga, Cebu, Iloilo, Laoag, Legaspi, Naga, and San Jose.

…One-way ‘Go Lite’ fares for Manila-Bacolod, Manila-Dumaguete, and other Visayas destinations at P449.

…One-way ‘Go Lite’ fares from Manila to Mindanao destinations are sold at P1,349 except for Manila to Davao priced at P1,149.

Promo fares for other domestic routes are available at www.cebupacificair.com or through CEB reservations at 70-20-888 (Manila) / 230-8888 (Cebu).

Take note that you got to book your flight at their website at http://cebupacificair.com. Now my head is spinning as to what day I should fly. I planned to go to Cebu once a month and this is a perfect opportunity for me. I might also book a ticket to Puerto Princesa, Palawan and take a second look at the country’s last frontier.

P.S. October 31, 2009 Update!
Cebu Pacific Air’s One Peso Seat Sale promo is back!

Day Trip in Cebu: A Quick Guide

ceblogger — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:40:24 +0000

Do you want to spend a single day in Cebu but don’t know how and where to go? This post is for you. I first got this idea from a conversation I overheard while waiting for a flight from Cagayan de Oro to Cebu. This balikbayan guy, after a night of partying in Manila, decided to proceed to the airport and booked a round trip flight from Manila to Cagayan de Oro. In Cagayan, he simply hired a taxi for 4 hours before proceeding back to the airport for the flight back in Manila.

Since there are more flights between Manila and Cebu, one can really cover more places when visiting Cebu. For those wanting to go on a day trip in Cebu, this is a very quick guide.

Mactan Shrine

From Manila to Cebu, take the 6am flight of either one of the two domestic airlines. When you arrive, take a Fast Transit rent-a-car for 10 hour Cebu City tour, the cost is P3,000 ($65) for the first 10 hours. If you are with a group, arrange for a Van at P4,000 ($90) for the first 10 hours. They can be contacted at 340-0982 or 340-2983. An alternative is to take a taxi and negotiate for a lower price. But I highly recommend the former.

Here’s a sample itinerary, although you can actually make your own:

8AM – Arrival at Cebu Airport
9AM – Breakfast at Sutukil, Mactan or the nearby Shangrila Mactan Hotel. A few meters away are the Hilton and the Microtel Inn and Suites, both with very scenic views of the sea and the nearby islands.
10AM – 12NN – Roam around Mactan Island. Visit the Lapulapu Shrine. See for yourself the famous Mactan beaches like Maribago Bluewaters and Plantation Bay Resort. You may also want to take a dip. Visit the popular guitar makers. Have lunch at Plantation Bay or some seafood restaurants along the way to Cebu City.
1PM – 3PM – Visit Historical places in Cebu City. Here are some of those: 1) Magellan’s Cross, 2) Basilica del Sto. Niño, 3) Fort San Pedro, 4) Fuente Osmeña, 5) University of San Carlos Main (oldest school in the Philippines) and its Museum, 6) Colon Street (Oldest Street in the Philippines. You may also take a peek at Taboan Fish Market, famous for “danggit” (dried fish). But you’ll never like your own smell if you take more time in the place.
3PM – 5PM – Mall shopping. There is Ayala and SM. You can cover both in a two-hour span. If you’d like to skip the shopping, and continue the city tour, go visit the Taoist Temple at Beverly Hills, Lahug.
5PM to 6:30PM – Go to Tops, a popular scenic place in Busay Hills. You can view the entire city at twilight.
7PM – Dinner at Casa Verde in The Walk, IT Park or in any other restaurants near it. You may also want to take your dessert at La Marea, just beside Casa Verde.

After the dinner, you can either proceed to the airport and take the 9pm last flight back to Manila, or experience the night life in Cebu just around the IT Park in Lahug. To catch up with the last flight, leave Cebu City and head to the airport by 7:30pm. The first trip back to Manila is 430 am. You can be sleepless in Cebu. Then you can arrange with the driver to pick you up at some place or you can just ride any taxi going to the airport. The latter is much cheaper at P150-P180.

Total cost for this day trip if you travel alone is estimated to be around P10,000 ($220), broken down as follows:

Airfare, P3,500 (Cebu Pacific – even cheaper using Go! Lite, but can even go as high as P6k for a round trip)
Car Rental, P3,600 for 12 hours
Food, P1,500 (or less)
Pasalubong, souvenirs and entrance fee for some sites, P1,400.

If you bring along a friend, some costs can be shared. So, why wait for summer when you can come to Cebu any time, any day and all season.

Beach Front of Microtel Inn and Suites

p.s. The establishments mentioned here are personally chosen by this bloggger, and he is not compensated in anyway.

If a single day is not enough, you might want to extended your stay. Here is a list of Cebu affordable hotels, inns and pension houses. They’re located right at the heart of the city.

Discover Camotes, Cebu

ceblogger — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:39:54 +0000

There is a paradise island northeast of Cebu waiting to be discovered and explored. I am sure not all of you had gone there. Even I, who had lived in Cebu most of my life, had only gone there once, two weeks ago. I am referring to Camotes, and the towns of San Francisco, Poro, Tudela and Pilar.

How To Get To Camotes

Of course, you have to fly or ride a boat to Cebu to get there. There are no direct flights there though there was once an airstrip in that island. The two most famous resorts in the place, Santiago Bay Garden and Resort and Mangodlong Rock Resort are both located in the town of San Francisco. The scenic Danao Lake can also be found in this same town. Here’s the direction for the budget conscious:

1. Ride a Public Jeep to Danao City, North of Cebu (P25)
2. If you don’t know where to find that jeep going to Danao, go to Mandaue City and find the Highway and A.S. Fortuna crossing. In front of Andok’s are many jeepneys.
3. Since the motorized banca leaves Danao for Camotes at 6:00am and 10:30am daily, you got to depart from Cebu City two hours earlier. Early morning travels takes less than an hour. If you don’t like speeding jeepneys, just close your eyes.
4. Buy a ticket and take the motorized banca. (P180)
5. If you easily get seasick, just sit on the first level, and in the middle portion. It’s a wavy ride going there. I suggest you ride on the first trip.
6. When you are already in Camotes, take a motorcycle to the resort of your choice. These motorcycles can accommodate two people. Fare is at P50/head for an 8-km ride to Santiago Bay. It isn’t cheap!
7. If you go there in a large group, you’d better arrange transportation with the resort you are staying. There aren’t too many large vehicles in there.

If you plan to bring your own vehicle, you can take the MV Melrivic 10 which departs from Cebu to Poro, Camotes at 9:00pm every MWF. Make sure you’d fill your tank with enough gasoline.

Must See Places In Camotes

You can arrange a tour with the motorcycle driver or ask from the resort’s front desk. The asking price is usually P600 plus two liters of gasoline (@P63/liter). You can always negotiate for a lower price. Multi-cabs can be rented at P3-P4k. The whole tour would only cover a distance of less than 80km, and can be finished in 4-6 hours. If you take the first trip from Danao City, you’ll arrive at around 8:30 am so you still have time to rest. You may start your tour at 10:00am.

Here are the must see places in Camotes and be sure you are ready with your cameras and bathing suits:

Bukilat Cave

This one can be found in Tudela, which is almost 40 kilometers away from the port of Consuelo. This enchanted-looking cave used to shelter the locals from the raiding Japanese soldiers during World War II. During high tide, the place is ideal for swimming.

Lake Danao

The lake is a very serene place located in San Francisco town. You can explore it by hiking in some trails or by renting a motorized banca. I think one can also bring his own kayak in here. For the motorized banca, you’d need to shell out P500 for an hour ride. I wish they had some floating restaurants or a fishing ground with plenty of fish.

Guadalupe (Timobo) Cave

This one is awesome. Inside the cave is a crystal-clear fresh water waiting for you to take a dip and explore. The local guard of the cave said that the water is flowing to and fro from somewhere within. There is still much to explore inside and I really enjoyed the few minutes we spent there.

Mangodlong Rock Resort

Very scenic white beach and clear water. The room rates here are a little bit expensive compare to the other one. But this place has a swimming pool.

Santiago Bay Garden and Resort

Awesome Santiago Bay! Even by just watching this bay at low tide relaxes you. There are smaller resorts near the area but the prices are not that cheap. Better if you just reserve a room in this nice resort.

For this trip, there’s not really much planning needed if you go there on lean season. You can experience Camotes in just a weekend vacation. For a group of four in one room, the total cost for the weekend vacation (from Cebu City only) is just around P1400-1800 (US$40) per person.

For the money making bloggers and those who joined the Cebu SEO contest, you can spare a weekend for a great Camotes’ experience.

Bantayan Island, Cebu: Holy Week Destination

ceblogger — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:47:10 +0000

Where else would you find a pier that looks like a large swimming pool with white sand and crystal clear waters? For the few times I had been to the place, I really wanted to jump off the boat and into cool waters.

Bantayan Island, located at the Northern tip of Cebu, is considered as one of the most attractive tourist haven in the Philippines. It is also the favorite destination of local tourists during the Holy Week. Aside from the lovely beach and the warm smile of the local folks, it boasts of elaborate Lenten procession and the rare Catholic Church exemption from eating meat because of a 200 year old Papal Bull edict.

How to go to Bantayan Island

Go to the Northbus Terminal at Mandaue City and ride a Ceres Bus going to Hagnaya, San Remegio. Don’t confuse the place with Daanbantayan. It is a different location and the road diverge somewhere in Bogo.

When you reach Hagnaya, ride a slow a boat, or the fastcraft going to Sta.Fe, Bantayan. That is where the white sand beaches are. Total one way fare (bus, boat and motorcab) is approximately P250.

You need prior reservations for Holy Week. Room rates double and are usually fully booked. If you go there other than Lent, you can choose from the many resorts in the long stretch of white sand. Some of the popular resorts there are:

1. Kota Beach
2. Marlin Beach Resort
3. Sta. Fe Beach Club
4. Budyong Beach Resort
5. Ogtong Cave Resort

But these are not all. There are plenty of other cheaper resorts there for the budget-conscious traveller. And by the way, Bantayan is also famous for its Danggit. You know the tasty dried fish.