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HOTEL REVIEW – Holiday Inn Cebu City

HOTEL REVIEW – Holiday Inn Cebu City Posted on July 6, 2022Leave a comment

Sinjin is a travel and lifestyle blogger. Formerly the president of Cebu's premier blogging organization, the Cebu Bloggers Society, he is Sun Prepaid's "Glorious Lifestyle Baron" and Cebu Pacific's "Singapore Party Peep"

A few weeks ago, I got to stay at the newest international hotel in Cebu, Holiday Inn Cebu City. The hotel, which opened last June 22 is the first ever Holiday Inn branded property in Cebu, located in the heart of Cebu Business Park.

One of the major strengths of Holiday Inn Cebu City is its location alongside multinational companies, BPOs, foreign consulates and a five minute walk to Ayala Center Cebu, the region’s premier lifestyle destination, making it the ideal accommodation for business travelers and even leisure travelers who are looking for a good base location to tour the city from.

First Impressions

Upon entry, their staff were all friendly, accommodating and ready to assist. The check-in process was very straightforward. I consider arrival and check-in as one of the most important parts of a hotel’s customer service. After all, we want to feel recognized, attended to, and welcomed.

The lobby is bright and welcoming with floor-to-ceiling glass, featuring earth colors with blues, teals and some wood and lattice. It had a good seating capacity, plus a work desk with computers free for use of guests. They also have a Business Center for your print-scan-copy needs. Communal, open, and flowing, the lobby is conducive for the modern traveler.

I also couldn’t fail to notice the fresh scent. The lobby smelled so good, and my check-in experience left me a good first impression of the property.

Room

Holiday Inn Cebu City features 180 rooms and suites spread across six levels. I was billeted at a Standard King room. At 25 sqm., I actually felt that it was bigger. The room is spacious enough and features wifi, a work desk, premium beddings, and their signature soft and firm pillows. It also comes with a seating area by the window for those times you wanna get out of bed.

Consistent with the look of the lobby, the room features lush tropical interiors. The open closet beside the bed was a nice detail. In it were the in-room safe, laundry basket, and a few racks for your clothes and belongings. The top rack can be for trolley bags. You might be challenged finding the ironing board and emergency flashlight as they’re hidden behind the wall through a push open closet.

I loved the bed and pillows. My sleep was amazing here! By the bedside, there are sufficient outlets for all of our gadgets.

The view of Cebu Business Park from my room on the 17th floor.

The bathroom was spacious with a separate vanity area. To reduce impact to the environment, dental kit, shaving kit, comb, etc., are available upon request. Housekeeping will send them promptly.

The toilet had a bidet spray. I would’ve preferred a rain shower head but they more than make up for it with their paraben-free toiletries! OMG! They smell so good and you’d feel so fresh after using them. I then realized that paraben-free products really make a difference as my hair was shining during my stay, haha.

24/7 In-Room Dining!

Amenities

Holiday Inn Cebu City’s seventh floor is like its amenity deck as it houses leisure, dining, and events facilities for all of its guests. It has three fully-equipped function rooms that can accommodate business meetings, corporate events, and social gatherings for up to 120 persons.

The Fitness Center is open for 24 hours, perfect for international travelers trying to reduce jetlag, or businessmen who wish to insert a workout between a busy schedule.

Dining

Also located on the 7th floor, Sevii Dining & Drinks, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant and bar serves local and international favorites and a special kids menu under the Holiday Inn’s Kids Stay and Eat Free program. It can get quite cold in there, thankfully it has an alfresco area and cozy poolside lounge, wonderful spaces to catch up with friends over drinks.

Buffet breakfasts are served here.

I think the breakfast buffet at Holiday Inn Cebu City can contend with the other hotels in the area! While it is a compact spread, it features more than just the staples with Filipino (super crispy danggit and dried squid!), American (crispy bacon just how I like it!), make your own congee, continental items with bread and pastries, fresh fruits, cereals, pancakes, cheese, cold cuts, sushi, and more. There’s also a live cooking station where guests can order omelet, among others.

Enjoy ONE PESO Breakfast for two when you book until July 31; stay period is until August 31, 2022. Sign up for IHG One Rewards for free to avail the promo.

For lunch and dinner, guests may order ala carte. Their menu is quite compact, but I’m sure there is something for every taste. All the dishes we ordered were of high-quality and cooked to perfection! I hope the quality is maintained!

Here are some of my recommendations. For appetizers, if you’re into ceviche, their Kinilaw is so fresh! Their Buffalo Chicken Wings are deep-fried and flavorful. For Filipino entrees, you can never go wrong with Crispy Pata. Their Crispy Pork Belly Kare-Kare is also worth trying. For something western, their Chicken Cordon Bleu is good! If you’re looking for pasta, they have “Create your own pasta” featuring a choice of fettuccine, spaghetti or penne, with choices of sauce: bolognese, carbonara, arrabbiata, or aglio olio. We had spaghetti bolognese. For some Asian flavors, their Tom Yum Kum just packs the right spiciness. Loved how the Pad Thai was juicy. The Chicken Satay reminded me of Singapore.

I’m unable to drink alcohol yet, but my friend told me the cocktails he had were good. For myself, I’m glad they have “mocktails” and smooth and creamy drinks on the menu. The Blueberry Soy Treat was heavenly. Made with blueberry, yogurt, vanilla syrup and soya milk, this is something you should order if you want something healthy. Meanwhile, the Mango Soda which is mango juice, soda water, syrup and whipped cream, was so refreshing, a perfect day-ender.

For dessert, you should not miss their homemade ice cream!!! I swear it will take you to another dimension. So creamy, sweet and satisfying! Of course, I have a bias for ube. The chocolate flavor is also good, and so is their vanilla.

Verdict

To sum up, I totally loved my stay at the brand-new Holiday Inn Cebu City! Nice sleep experience, great food, wonderful service. The whole property was so clean and fresh, probably because it’s new but I hope they keep it that way. Even if I stayed just for a night, I felt like I had a holiday. You might want to check them out soon!

Holiday Inn Cebu City

Address: Lot 5 & 6 Block 20, Samar Loop, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City
Phone: (032) 520 4444
Email: reservation@hi-cebucity.com
Website: https://www.holidayinn.com/cebucity
Parking: FREE for guests
Pets: Not allowed

Sinjin is a travel and lifestyle blogger. Formerly the president of Cebu's premier blogging organization, the Cebu Bloggers Society, he is Sun Prepaid's "Glorious Lifestyle Baron" and Cebu Pacific's "Singapore Party Peep"

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