Looking for a place to stay?
We have visited many of the local hotels in Mactan and we can now make some recommendations. For the wedding we will have limited pick-up points. If you pick a hotel we recommend, or if there is a big group elsewhere, then we can pick you up, otherwise you will need to arrange your own transportation or come to one of the pick-up points.
Cost is obviously a factor in choosing, and we have tried to find hotels to suit all budgets. For British people unfamiliar with the term '+++', it means the hotel price, plus 10% service charge, plus 12% VAT, plus local government tax (around 0.75%). 'Net' prices are the total price, inclusive of tax and service - we have tried to quote NET prices below to avoid surprises! Currently there are around 75 :-( peso to the GBP and about 49 :-) to the USD. British people hope the exchange rates improve from this low, although it is good for Filipinos!
Our recommendations in order of money are Shangri-La, Hilton, Maribago Bluewater (Cebu White Sands is also good and next door) and then Days Hotel.
So far (Nov 08), many people are booked in Shangri-La, Maribago Bluewater and a few in Day's. If Maribago Bluewater fills up we'll overspill into Cebu White Sands next door.
If you choose a hotel and let us know asap, then we may be able to negotiate a discount for bulk bookings. So, no need to book now - decide on your hotel, let us know and we will get back to you whether we can get a group discount. We need to book by around end October ideally. Ah, that's already gone!
PREMIUM HOTELS
Shangri-La Mactan - Shangri-La Mactan
Obviously we recommend the Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa!
The Shangri-La is certainly one of the highest class establishment in the area. Rooms are typical of many standard hotel rooms and are in low rise blocks. The food is excellent and the breakfast is amazing! You will really enjoy the food and the wide choice of restaurants and classy bars. You'll love the beach and large pools and there is a high-class spa (quite costly though). With the wedding being held here it offers the ultimate convenience in getting home after the event!
The hotel has asked us not to publish the prices but they are very competetive and offer and excellent discount on the published rate for people in our wedding party. Book through us - you won't get a better deal! Please email us and we will be happy to give you the net prices. (aubrey@tektites.co.uk or tere@filfashion.com)
The Hilton Hotel - Hilton Hotel
The Hilton Hotel also comes highly recommended. It is literally 5 minutes walk away from the Shangri-La or 150 peso by hotel car (cheaper if you get one of the taxis that always wait outside the main entrance). On the wedding day we will arrange pick-up and drop-off.
The Hilton is classy, but not quite in the same league as Shangri-La Mactan. Having said that, however, our stay was excellent and we found the staff incredibly helpful and friendly, perhaps even more-so than the Shangri-La, and this really made us enjoy our stay. Rooms themselves are in a high-rise building so views from the higher floors are excellent. The rooms are of a high standard and as good as Shangri-La. There is a nice beach with many fish in the sea and a nice pool. There are a few bars aswell. In terms of restaurants there is classy seafood restaurant which offered nice food at a reasonable price and also a cafe-style restaurant where the food was very good and also very affordable (pizza good for 2 -350 peso)! Breakfast is good and costs around 1,000 peso net if you do not have it included in the room (save money by getting it included if you are going to eat it - they serve until 11am, so for us it was more of a big brunch).
In the evenings they have a good band to entertain. On Monday nights there is also a cultural show on the beach and fire-dancing on Thursday night. You may want to stay extra to enjoy these. Also there is a great shop with sharks mouths (6,500 peso) and crocodile skulls ($200-$1000 dollars). Tere didn't allow me to buy either... Also the Hilton have an executive floor. I don't think this costs much extra, but it was great as you could use the lounge for breakfast (although less choice), use the internet, get free beer and cocktails and food (snacks, sandwiches and pizza) between 6pm and 8pm. I highly recommend this package and it probably easily pays for itself if you use the facilities.
So for Hilton if many people are interested then I expect we will be able to get a discount for bulk booking. With no discount: The Room only price (good for 2) is 6,874 peso NET. The room price plus breakfast (good for 2) is 8,531 NET per night. They also do 2 bedroom suites (good for 4) and these are around 14,240 NET per night (3,559 peso per person assuming 4 in a suite).
Microtel - Microtel - This hotel appears to be very good - minimalistic, not far from Shangri-La and brand new. We are not recommending this though for our wedding as if you have PHP 7,344 to PHP 10,704 to spend (I think this is net) then I suggest you stay in the Hilton or Shangri-La which are larger, established and guarantee you a good time.
MID-RANGE HOTELS
We checked out a number of places in this range. We suggest you stick with our choices or consult us if you choose elsewhere - some hotels in this price range were very badly managed and maintained and offer very bad value for money!
The two hotels we suggest are very good and are right next door to one another (so no problem if friends stay next door - you can walk around for a meal). Both offered a high standard and it is difficult to choose between the two - they are different and each have their pros and cons. We're recommending Maribago Bluewater as first choice though.
Maribago Bluewater - Maribago Bluewater
We really liked this place and the staff were very helpful. We haven't actually stayed here, but we viewed the facilities and rooms. This is the place we are going to recommend for the mid-range price. The resort comprises beach huts and two floor buildings with thatched roof. By February all the rooms should have been upgraded, but they were nice already. Basically when you walk out the buildings you are on sand - you are on the beach, or at least very close! The beach looks amazing too and they have a little island you can walk to - the sea looks quite shallow. They also have a very small private island which you can pay to go to for a picnic/buffet lunch. There is a pool and they have a shark pond (the sharks are only about 1.5 ft big though - but fun!).
They have free airport transfer (if you stay 2 nights), free internet use at the business centre, free use of the games room and spa gym. You basically get the impression that this place is well run and well managed. It had a real beach holiday feel to it.
If you book through us then they have kindly offered a very good discount if we get a few people. Prices are per room, per night and include breakfast.
We recommend a deluxe room (good for 2) at 5,000 peso NET/night/inc breakfast. This room is good for 2 adults and 2 children (under 12 free). To add a 3rd adult to the room it is an extra 2,000 peso NET inc breakfast. So for 2 adults 2,500 peso each and for 3 adults 2,333 peso each.
The Aruma Spa Suite (good for 2) is 6,000 peso NET/night/inc breakfast. You can have up to 4 in here (w/o extra bed) - cost is 2,000 peso extra per person (over 2 people).
The renovated beachwing is 8,000 peso per room, 2,000 peso for extra people.
We already have many people staying here (mainly Tere's family)/
We intend to have a BBQ buffet here on the night before the wedding. Details to be confirmed.
Cebu White Sands at Maribago Beach - White Sands
This place is also great, but in a different way. Being next door to Maribago Bluewater, the beach is similar, but smaller and not quite as good in my opinion. If you didn't compare it with next door, however, you would say the beach is great. This place was perhaps more preened, neater, slightly more formal. So, rather than stepping out of your room onto sand, instead you step out to a well manicured area and really nice koi fish ponds. The pool is fantastic and there is a nice restaurant. Overall this looked like a very nice and relaxing place to stay and I'm sure you would have a fantastic time here! The webpage doesn't really do the place justice.
So, overall this resort also comes highly recommended and in comparison with the Maribago Bluewater resort it is really a personal choice. At Cebu White Sands it is neat and nice with a superb pool and is nicely landscaped. At Maribago it is more beachy feeling - the beach is nicer and you pretty much step right out onto it. Facilities at both places look excellent - if staying at one then why not pop to the restaurant next door to try it out.
The rates for non-peak periods, which include breakfast and airport pick-up are below. Unfortunately our wedding falls in a peak time for this hotel so the price may be more, but then again for bulk booking we may get a discount - so these are rough prices.
Deluxe Class PHP 5,450 net/room/night (good for 2)
Coutyard Villa PHP 5,950 net/room/night (good for 2)
Courtyard Junior Suite PHP 7,250 net/room/night (good for 2)
Semi-suite room PHP 6,950 net/room/night (good for 2)
Mabuhay Room PHP 6,950 net/room/night (good for 2)
A third person in the room is charged at PHP 1,500 net/person.
So, the best deal is 3 people in a Deluxe Class room, which will cost each person PHP 2,317 NET a night - practically the same as our other mid-range hotel.
BUDGET HOTELS
In considering a budget hotel also think about whether you want a day pass to another hotel's beach and pools. These can cost as much as 1,500 peso a day.
The best hotel that we found is the Days Hotel Mactan and this is the one we recommend. We have included another cheaper option, but this comes much less recommended.
Days Hotel, Mactan - Days Hotel
The Days Hotel is basically a business hotel, so sadly no beach and no swimming pool. The hotel looks very nice though and is very neat and clean. It is located close to the airport and also close to many shops and affordable restaurants (to the left). I believe the price includes breakfast and airport transfer.
Standard rooms have 2 double beds and cost PHP 3,045 NET per room/night (good for 2). You can have up to 4 people in a room (it says max 2 adults and 2 children, but they seemed OK with 4 adults) and it costs PHP 500 NET per extra person. The rooms are spacious and nice and the bathroom has a shower and is also good. So with 4 people in a room the price is a PHP 1,012 NET per person!
Superior rooms cost PHP 3,950, but I think basically just have nicer sheets. The delux and suite rooms are PHP 4,510 and PHP 5,525 respectively, but these had 1 double bed and a sofa bed, so not as good in my opinion - if you have the money then go for mid-range accomodation.
If many people are interested in staying here we may be able to get a bulk booking discount - we'll need a few though. Basically this hotel is the perfect budget one! The accomodation is great and even with 4 in a room it won't feel too crowded.
Alternative / Extra Budget Hotels:
The Bellavista Hotel - Bellavista Hotel
The Bellavista Hotel if fine. It is near the airport and by the suspension bridge to Cebu. The rooms are much smaller than the Days hotel and older looking and sometimes windowless. In the Days hotel you get 2 double beds, but here you get 2 single beds or 1 double bed. The rooms are smaller and maximum capacity is 3 - not 4 as in Days. The main advantage of this hotel is is that there is a small swimming pool on the roof (see below). Nothing special, but will pass the time. A Deluxe room costs PHP 3080 NET/night incl breakfast (good for 2) - An extra bed is PHP 800. So the best deal (3 sharing) is PHP 1,293 per person.
The Bellavista hotel has a sister hotel (right next door) called Hotel Cesario
Hotel Cesario - Hotel Cesario
Hotel Cesario is good in that you get to use the facilities of the Bellavista Hotel including the swimming pool. The rooms are small - 2 single beds or a double, older looking, often windowless and were not so fresh smelling (I think lacking good ventilation). What is good though is that the price for an economy room is PHP 1,540 NET/room incl breakfast (good for 2). You can't fit any extra people in these rooms. Don't go for the standard - it's the same as economy, but with a hairdryer for the extra 185 peso. So based on 2 sharing the price is only PHP 770 NET per person/night/breakfast and for this reason we recommend this hotel to the budget traveller. If considering this, however, also look at the option of sharing 4 to a room in Days Hotel - it's only 242 peso more.
Summary and Reservation
There are, of course, many other hotels in Cebu, so you may wish to stay in the city itself. Cebu City is more convenient for the wedding, but less convenient for the reception. A regular taxi costs 200-300 peso from Shangri-La to the city and takes 45 minutes. With regards Mactan we looked at the following hotels before making our choices: Shangri-La Resort and Spa, Hilton Resort and Spa, Microtel Inn and Suites, Cebu White Sands, Maribago Bluewater, Tabuli West Beach Club, Cebu Beach Club, Egi Resort and Hotel, Vistamar Beach Resort and Country Club (hotel and beach huts), Days Hotel, The Bellavista Hotel, Hotel Cesario. We can offer our thoughts on some of these hotels (but can't publish everything!).
For more advice and to make your hotel reservations for the Feb 7th wedding (Most people will stay on the nights 6th and 7th Feb, so fly to Cebu on Friday, leave on Sunday) please contact us at tere@filfashion.com and aubrey@tektites.co.uk