Holiday Inn Cebu City by IHG — Hotel in Cebu City

Certainly! Here’s a more personalized version of the essay, as if it were describing your own experience at an 8/10 hotel stay.

A Personal Reflection on an 8/10 Hotel Stay

During my recent trip, I stayed at a hotel that I would rate as an 8/10—overall, a solid experience that met my expectations but left just enough room for improvement. As someone who values both comfort and convenience, I found that the hotel ticked most of the right boxes, but there were a few small details that kept it from achieving a perfect score. Here, I’ll walk you through my personal experience, highlighting the key factors that contributed to my overall rating.

Location and Accessibility

The first thing I noticed about the hotel was its location. Nestled just a few blocks away from the city’s main attractions, it offered the perfect balance between being close enough to everything I wanted to see, yet far enough to enjoy a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle. I could easily walk to most places, and public transport was just a few minutes away. However, the only downside was the surrounding area, which felt slightly underdeveloped compared to the vibrant city center. While it wasn’t a dealbreaker, I did think the location could have been a bit more lively, especially in the evenings.

Comfort and Cleanliness

When I entered my room, I was immediately struck by how spacious and inviting it was. The bed was soft but supportive, and I could tell the linens were fresh and crisp. The room had all the modern amenities I needed—climate control, a flat-screen TV, and plenty of outlets. I could relax easily after a long day of exploring. That said, there were a few minor details that prevented it from feeling completely flawless. For instance, I noticed a couple of small stains on the carpet, and while they didn’t detract from my overall comfort, they made me question the attention to detail in housekeeping. The room was otherwise very clean, but the small imperfections kept it from being pristine.

Service and Staff

The staff at the hotel were, for the most part, friendly and accommodating. From check-in to check-out, everyone I interacted with was professional and eager to assist with any requests I had. They offered helpful recommendations for nearby restaurants and attractions, which added a personal touch to the experience. However, there was a slight hiccup during my stay when I requested extra towels. The staff member at the front desk assured me it would be taken care of promptly, but it took a bit longer than expected for them to arrive. While the delay wasn’t a huge issue, it was a small reminder that even in a hotel with mostly excellent service, there’s always room for improvement.

Amenities and Facilities

In terms of amenities, the hotel offered a good range of options, though none of them were particularly outstanding. The fitness center was small but well-equipped, which suited my needs. I didn’t make use of the on-site restaurant, but the breakfast buffet was decent—there were plenty of choices, though I thought the quality could have been a little better. The coffee, for instance, wasn’t as strong as I would’ve liked, and some of the fruit options were a bit under-ripe. However, the Wi-Fi was reliable, which I appreciated during my downtime. The pool area, while clean and well-maintained, could have been a bit more inviting if it had more lounge chairs or shade. Again, functional, but not particularly luxurious.

Value for Money

For the price I paid, I felt the hotel offered good value. I wasn’t expecting five-star luxury, but I did expect a comfortable stay with everything I needed—and that’s exactly what I got. I appreciated the reasonable pricing, especially considering the location and the amenities provided. However, I did feel like I was charged a bit more for certain services, such as parking and breakfast, than I would’ve liked. While these costs didn’t completely spoil my stay, they did make me feel that a few extra touches could have been included to justify the overall price.

Conclusion

Reflecting on my stay, I can confidently say that I had a very enjoyable experience, but an 8/10 rating feels like a fair reflection of the little things that didn’t quite meet my expectations. The hotel offered a great location, comfortable rooms, and friendly service, but there were small details, such as the slight delay in service and a few imperfections in the room, that held it back from being perfect. Despite these minor setbacks, I left feeling satisfied with my stay, knowing that the overall experience was still very good and definitely worth the value. For future trips, I would happily return, but perhaps with slightly adjusted expectations in mind, knowing that an 8/10 stay can still offer a memorable and...

My mother and I stayed at Holiday Inn, Cebu on two occasions this month, first for 2N/3D and then again for 3N/4D, and both experiences were consistently smooth, pleasant, and reassuring.

During our first stay, we were warmly welcomed by Lucy at the front desk, who made check-in seamless. We were assigned a room on the 21st floor with a view of Samar Loop, and a courtesy call shortly after arrival ensured everything was in order. Housekeeping staff on the 21st floor were excellent, always greeting us warmly and making us feel welcome. A particular highlight was when I accidentally dropped my wallet in the lobby. Within 10 minutes, staff had located it, confirmed it was mine, and returned it safely. I was deeply grateful, as it contained important cards and ID. This level of honesty and attentiveness left a lasting impression.

Another feature that really impressed me was their 24/7 luggage storage service. Since I had consecutive bookings, I asked in advance if they could store my luggage in between stays while I traveled domestically in the Philippines. Not only did they confirm in writing before my arrival, but they also offered the service free of charge. At checkout, everything was ready, they tagged and stored our two suitcases, and reassured us that we could simply hand over the tag upon our return. On re-checking in, our bags were promptly returned. This was extremely convenient because on domestic flights within the Philippines, only 7KG of hand luggage is included free of charge, and checked baggage must be purchased separately on all airlines. Thanks to Holiday Inn, I did not have to worry about carrying or paying extra for luggage on those flights, which made my trip much more relaxed.

For our second stay, we were checked in by Marie, who was equally professional and welcoming. Once again, the process was smooth and quick, with a courtesy call within five minutes of entering our room. This time, we stayed on the 18th floor with a city view, which I appreciated. Housekeeping once again kept the room spotless, and check-out was efficient, with only a brief wait for the standard room inspection.

Both stays were in standard twin rooms without breakfast, but the experience was entirely hassle free. Amenities were readily available on request, and staff were always happy to provide them.

Holiday Inn once again reassured me why it remains my go-to choice whenever possible. I have stayed in Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties in Dubai, Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, and now Cebu, and the consistency has always been impressive, professional and helpful staff, safe and comfortable environments and outstanding value for money. Cebu was no exception, and I left very satisfied with...

Date: 15 Dec 2024 Nights: 1 We decided to stay in this hotel for one night only as we were on our move to the south of the island. We decided to stay in this hotel as the location is good and we had high expectations of this hotel chain. Location: Excellent location in the heart of the city, in the business centre and there are a lot of restaurants and shops nearby. Services / team: The services are great, and the team really tried to accommodate us even though there were a few mistakes during our stay. Check-in process: When we arrived we were informed that the system was down so we had to do everything manually. We didn’t have any problem with the waiting as we understand that these technical issues happen. But then, when we finally arrived at our room we discovered that they gave us a room that was already occupied by another guest. We understood the situation and the front desk manager and his team quickly changed the rooms and everything was fine in the end.👍🏼 Rooms: The rooms are big and extremely clean. With new furniture and we had the city view, which was not bad. Bed: Very very good bed, comfortable and with clean and new bedding. We really had a good night's sleep. Bathroom: Very big shower and with good water pressure, the bathroom in general was very clean.

Internet connection: The access to the internet was a complicated code that we needed to contact reception twice to be able to connect, then when you move floors, for example to the restaurant (floor7th), the wifi disconnects. So in general it was not the best internet service. Views: The hotel is at the heart of the city in the business area so the view in general is of the other office buildings. Cleanliness: Excellent Breakfast: Good variety, not fresh juice and no yogurt available. Highlights: The services at the front desk and the team trying their best to welcome us. Quality vs price: Normal, as you would expect for a Holiday Inn in any part of the world. Pool: Very small and just next to the restaurant. We didn’t use the pool but it has a few beds around. Others: We had an incident in the restaurant, as they only had available 50% of the menu. So the food that we wanted for dinner (basics) like chicken or fish was sold out. We found it very weird as it was dinner time, and we ended up having only appetisers and were very hungry. Rate: In general we’ll recommend this hotel to stay for 1 or 2 nights, but we highly recommend put attention in the restaurant , as could be...