BELMONT HOTEL MACTAN — Hotel in Lapu-Lapu

Honeymoon Stay – Disappointing Compared to Expectations

We stayed here for 5 nights as part of our honeymoon and had high expectations, especially because we previously stayed at the same hotel’s branch in Manila and loved it. Unfortunately, this location did not live up to the same standard.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by two security guards with an unwelcoming attitude. One of them barking orders at us to “get inside” in a stern voice, without even looking at us. There was no explanation or communication — just a cold, abrupt instruction to go in and wait. While our bags were being scanned, no one explained the process or what was happening. It was a harsh and unprofessional start to what was supposed to be a special part of our honeymoon.

Room: The room itself was a good size. However, the bedsheets were stained when we checked in. Thankfully, staff were happy to replace them quickly.

Pool & Beach: Access to the beach and pool requires a bit of a walk or waiting for the free shuttle that only runs once every hour. At first glance, the area looks amazing — but the experience was ruined by how overcrowded it gets.

The hotel sells day passes, and many of them were sold to companies on work retreat, which resulted in large crowds and daily events. On one of the days, there was even a full-blown wedding held on the property, which meant parts of it were cordoned off and unavailable to hotel guests. With only one small pool and a limited beachfront section for hotel guests and day passes guest to share, it became extremely crowded, loud, and chaotic. We paid to stay for several nights and hoped for at least one peaceful day — but that was impossible due to the constant influx of day visitors and the noise from loudspeakers and microphones used for activities and announcements throughout the day.

The sea was beautiful. Clear waters and lots of fishes around to see. Even saw The beach area where the sunbeds are located is covered with man-made beach laid over a sheet. Unfortunately, the sand doesn’t fully cover the underlying material, so you can see them at times. To make matters worse, the area is crawling with ants that constantly bite — not ideal when you’re just trying to relax. There also aren’t nearly enough sunbeds to accommodate the large number of people, especially on days with events and company retreats which was everyday of our stay.

Outside food and drinks aren’t allowed in the pool or beach areas, and their on-site food is overpriced — often double what you’d pay outside the resort.

Service: We had a disappointing encounter at the bar when we tried to order juice. We were told there was no juice available. Oddly, about 10 minutes later, other guests ordered juice and received it. When we asked why we were initially refused, the staff gave a vague explanation that didn’t make sense — eventually saying they could make it now. It felt like we were just being brushed off initially.

Breakfast: Breakfast was very basic and not vegetarian-friendly. The bread was stale, pancakes and waffles were cold, and the bacon was unappetising. The only highlight was the egg station — the staff there were always happy to cook fresh eggs to your liking.

Hotel Pool: The pool at the hotel itself is tiny and nothing like what’s shown in the pictures.

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Overall: We were really looking forward to our stay, but left feeling disappointed. It’s not a bad place — the staff were polite and helpful at times, and the grounds are well-kept — but it’s just not ideal if you’re looking for peace and quiet, especially as a paying guest. The place feels more like a day resort than a...

This hotel is more suited for a business trip rather than a family vacation. We rented two double rooms. The size of each room is similar to that of a typical Japanese business hotel room.The breakfast, which included basic dishes, was not bad. The staff were all friendly and professional. Although the hotel is new, there was noticeable variation in the condition of the rooms. For example, in my room, even though the air conditioner was set to 27°C, it felt cold because cold air kept blowing out. However, in the room where my family stayed, it didn’t feel cool even when the temperature was set to 16°C. Additionally, my room’s TV didn’t work properly with the remote control, and I couldn’t access YouTube due to unconnected internet connection. However, my family’s room didn’t have these issues. There were also problems with power outlets in my room.The biggest concern, however, was the water quality in the shower. I'm not sure what the issue was, After showering, my skin felt unusually stiff. The quality of the shampoo and conditioner was worse than what you'd typically find at a two-star motel in Korea.I recommend using the hotel’s indoor swimming pool after noon, as it gets too hot to use in the morning due to the direct sunlight.First of all, I’d advise not to get your expectations too high based on the promotional photos of the outdoor swimming pool. It seems that the beach in Mactan New Town, which the hotel shares with the Savoy Hotel, is rented out and used by both hotels. While the beach itself is nice, the water in Cebu doesn’t have the emerald color seen in the pictures. Think of beaches on the east or west coast of Korea. Also, the water in the outdoor swimming pool is warm, not cool. I’d call it "lukewarm" rather than an appropriate swimming temperature. I was misled by the promotional images and ended up booking this hotel, so if you choose this place based on the photos of the outdoor pool, there’s a 70% or higher chance you’ll regret it.On the positive side, the location is quite convenient. For anyone who has been to Cebu, getting from Mactan to Cebu City typically takes 40 to 50 minutes. However, if your main purpose is to stay in Mactan, the hotel is in a good location, particularly for accessing the Mactan New Town area. There's also a new shopping mall being built across from the hotel, which, when completed, will offer a similar experience to the Radisson Blu or SM Mall in Cebu City (though, of course, the area won’t be as quiet as it is now).On the first floor of the hotel, you'll find "Gordon Ramsey Street Burgers and Fish & Chips". If you arrive about 30 minutes before opening, you won’t have to wait too long.LG Garden is within walking distance, so it’s a good option for supermarkets or restaurants. Across the street, there’s a 7-Eleven, but it's not ideal. The fridge there isn't working, so you can only buy drinks at room temperature, and they only accept cash.There’s a currency exchange office nearby, and a reasonable exchange rate, so you can use that.Taxis are often waiting across the street, so you don’t always need to use Grab taxis. Once the new mall is built, there should be even more taxis available.To get to JPark direction, walk to LG Garden and take a Jeepney (13 pesos per person).That...

Not Worth the Price — At Best, Average for a 3-Star Hotel

Stayed: August 9–12, 2025

From August 7–9, I stayed in Cebu City and checked into this hotel on the evening of the 9th. To my surprise, the Ironman Triathlon was taking place — a massive event that completely closed the hotel’s beach and all coastal roads on Mactan Island, making it extremely difficult to get anywhere.

The hotel I stayed at in Cebu City had proactively informed me in advance that their pool would be unavailable due to renovations. In contrast, this hotel gave absolutely no notice about the Ironman event, despite knowing well in advance that it would cause major disruptions. This level of negligence is unacceptable.

They later claimed they had informed guests who booked directly with the hotel. However, when I contacted them before my stay to reconfirm my reservation, their reply simply stated, “Your booking is confirmed,” without a single mention of the event. This was highly unhelpful and showed a complete lack of hospitality.

On the day of the event, I had an island-hopping tour booked. Normally, the port is about 30 minutes away, but due to the road closures, I had to walk a long distance and take two or three different motorbike taxis, which took me two full hours to finally arrive. If I had been told in advance, I could have swapped my Cebu City and Mactan stays to avoid the disruption entirely. Not being informed made this one of the worst travel experiences I’ve had.

The problems didn’t end there. The room looked clean at first glance, but in reality, it was far from it. The bed sheets had visible footprints from a previous guest. I only noticed this at night, so I reluctantly slept on them. The next morning, I requested room cleaning — but the sheets were left unchanged, and the room was only superficially tidied up.

When I raised these issues with the front desk, all I got was “Sorry” and “We will report it to the manager.” No offer to immediately clean the room. Some staff even smiled while I was explaining the problem, which felt extremely disrespectful and gave the impression that they do not take guests seriously.

While the room was compact, the shower water never got hot until I let it run for more than 10 minutes. The ventilation was either nonexistent or very weak, leaving the room constantly humid. The doors and walls were thin, so hallway noise was very loud.

I have visited Cebu and the Philippines over 10 times, but this was the first time I have had such a disappointing experience. There are many better-value hotels available. I absolutely do not recommend staying here. At best, it may be worth visiting on a day trip just to use the private beach —...