Seda Ayala Center Cebu — Hotel in Cebu City

I am not someone who ever writes reviews. This is my first review I have ever written about anything purely to give you advice not to stay here! I stayed at this hotel for days prior to COVID but when it closed I was forced to leave. I had a pleasant stay then and decided to return last night. I need to give you this advice so you do not feel the pain I experienced last nite. That is my gift you have no idea how thankful you will be that I am giving it. But if you have no other choice and you have to stay there please arm yourself with clothing to sleep in. Do not cover yourself with the sheets and/or blanket.

If you have an alternative to Seda Hotel please find another place to stay until they rectify the problem with the laundry there.

Last nite I woke up after 1 hour of sleep in extreme agony from severe rashes all over my body. Itchy beyond belief. I thought I ate something that caused it. I was wrong. I have stayed in hotels all over the world, severely poor ones and I have yet to have experienced a night as horrific as last nites. I do not have any allergies or sensitive skin. I am in perfect health. I woke up my roommate and she was in agony too, itching like crazy. She put some clothes on and went back to bed. I wish I did the same! I finally went back to bed after 1/2 hr as the itching subsided only to wake up one hr later again with new rashes, itchier and burning even more. I took pictures that I wish I could post here. They are scary. Not realizing the bed was causing my rashes I waited for a 1/2 hr again, then I got back in bed and one hr later woke up a third time with new rashes , even itchier and burning even worse but now I was in tears. I put 2 and 2 together and I decided to put a teeshirt and shorts on and take the throw pillows off the lounge chair in the room and place them in the bed. I slept on them with out a bed sheet or blanket covering me and I woke up a few hrs later as I normally do but so tired cause I didn’t get the sleep I so deserved! In the morning I went down to tell the front desk to report my experience . My first question was are you doing the laundry here or sending it out because it is obvious to me they are using an abundance of cleaning chemical, most likely bleach and of course the answer I received was yes we do all the laundry of the sheets and towels on the hotel premises. I told the clerk I’m not surprised and showed him pictures of my chest and legs . He said he would report it to the manager. I proceeded to the pool cause my kids wanted to swim. I fell asleep there but was woken 15 minutes later by my girlfriend saying they are going back to the room cause they can’t swim cause everyone is extremely itchy. I said to her not the pool too? She replied yes. The hotel does not allow outside guests, only registered ones, so I paid for a room for two guest in this morning cause I invited them to come there and go swimming. After the short spurt swimming they went to their room to shower. My friend laid down in his bed while waiting for his wife to shower. He was stricken by rashes and itching and burning too but he didn’t tell me until after I checked out, while waiting in my car for me, my girlfriend informed him my delay was due to me complaining to the management what I had experienced. He then got out of the car and came to the front desk where I was and lifted his shirt to expose his chest and inform the clerk he had the rashes too after only minutes laying in bed. The clerk took pictures of him. I expected management would apologize to us for this unintentional experience and offer something in return instead the clerk said he informed the manager and she said thank you for informing us of this incident we will inform the laundry Dept of it. I said that doesn’t help me! The managers is Michele Fuentes. Michele if I was your boss I would show you the door!

I am heading to the police station to have your...

Mixed feelings about the services.

The good: Club room with club lounge access location: next to Ayala mall service: depending on the day and department

The bad: no notice regarding refurbishment service: some days there was shortage of staff and the service was lacking confusing breakfast options shower design: water pools at the other side of the drain a bit outdated gym but good range of options

We stayed in a club room for 4 nights. Great value as you have access to the club lounge on the 12th floor (only for those on floors 11 and 12 -club rooms). Good size room and really comfy beds. Housekeeping staff was friendly and kept our room clean and well stocked. However, the room needs updated sockets with USB plugs.

When I booked there was no notice that the hotel pool was under refurbishment and the pool was one of the key things I decided on this hotel. Only after I arrived at the room, I found a letter mentioned that the pool couldn’t be accessed since it was being refurbished since Feb and offered access to the sports club nearby (wasn’t interested and didn’t go).

When I booked the club room it mentioned n breakfast was included but when I got the booking confirmation email, it had the option for breakfast buffet for 850 pesos. That was confusing and after really digging online, realised those reviews highlighting how great the breakfast was, they were referring to the one from the restaurant, which is different to the one included in the Club room which is in the club lounge. Didn’t try the restaurant one so can’t compare.

Club lounge offers breakfast buffet, afternoon tea and cocktails (around 7-10am, 2-4pm and 5:30-7:30pm if I remember correctly). Breakfast was nice but not many options, some warm options weren’t equipped properly and many items were cold. 3 out of 4 days waffles were hard rock. Skip the bakery goods, seems bought from a supermarket or worse. Afternoon tea hour offers small savory options (mini burgers, sandwiches, etc.) and sweet stuff (cakes, pure cacao drink, fruits…). Don’t expect English afternoon tea with scones like me haha

Cocktail hour offers cocktails (staff will make them but very weak, wondered if they actually put alcohol on my tequila sunrise). There was a British guy kept asking for double shot in his cocktail before I tried my drink and then realised why. Some finger food and cakes (some of these were actually the best!). Overall, the club lounge is great value.

The service was a hit and miss, reception at check in was dry but when I asked for assistance other times really nice and attentive. Shot out to the porter that brought our suitcase on check in! I was exhausted from the trip, a bit disappointed form the service at check in but he was so welcoming and friendly that completely changed my mood. I had been giving out tips at the airport and transportation and didn’t realised I run out and he was the one person I really wanted to tip!

Lounge service was mostly great at the first days but then the last 2 days, Sat & Sun, the service died down. Sat morning had only 1 staff running around. Would’ve expected Sat to be the busiest day so guessing someone didn’t turn up or something! Hard to get the staff attention. Afternoon had enough staff but the same guys that were super attentive days before felt like they were ignoring us and left a bitter taste.

Would come back to this hotel if in Cebu city as it has a great value and hopefully next time...

Recently my family and I were guests of Cebu Ayala Center hotel. One evening, we left our room and entered the lobby on our way to a dinner engagement. We had each brought umbrellas but outside the hotel the torrential rainfall seemed likely to overwhelm even that protection.

My wife, who speaks English, Cebuano and Filipino, asked the three outdoor attendants if they could call a taxi for us or signal to the guard at the gate to do so. They informed her that they could not. We had previously walked from the hotel entrance up the street toward Ayala Mall and gotten a taxi there, but in the rain we did not want to unless there was no other option. My wife opened her umbrella and after explaining to us her plan, walked into the rain toward the guard at the gate.

As she walked into the rain, I noticed the two attendants at the metal detector and little stick desk smiling or laughing. I didn’t know whether they were laughing at my wife or not. I asked the other attendant who stood nearby, a taller, heavier man, "Isn't there anything you can do?" He said to me in English, "It's too hard," and smirked.

My wife spoke to the gate guard who was wearing a rain poncho, and he did in fact go out into the street and hail a taxi for us. She returned to the shelter of the hotel entrance area to wait. Subsequently, during our long stay at the hotel, I got the feeling whenever we exited or returned to the hotel entrance in the evening, that these attendants, especially the taller, heavy one I had spoken to, were smirking, smiling in a scornful or insolent way, over this incident. Although they did continue to open doors and wish us good morning as usual.

I would've preferred to have moved to another hotel, but my wife did not want to bother.

In another incident of lack of hospitality, my wife was speaking to the small, young man who works near the main desk, in Cebuano, which he clearly understood as he answered her in English, and he persisted in speaking English when she was speaking to him in Cebuano. I assume the hotel company policy is that everyone speak in English. But in this situation the attitude of the young man seemed to be elitism or arrogance, as if he were expressing racism, which is what this policy really is.

These incidents made me feel uncomfortable in the Seda Ayala Cebu hotel, both to do with your policies, but also due to lack of resources or training for your employees.

I contacted the hotel to complain about this incident three times, but they have offered no response, which is why I am leaving...