This was our favorite activity in Bohol, Philippines. It was so amazing to witness these endangered…read morespecies in a serene and safe environment. No speaking, touching or close contact is allowed at the sanctuary which is how it should be because these animals are very timid. We had a lovely tour guide named Mary Ann who educated us on these amazing creatures. I captured some close up video shots of the tarsiers with my DSLR camera's zoom feature and featured an interview with our tour guide in my vlog here, if you'd like a preview of what to expect when you visit https://youtu.be/Q6mxVQw8aCY If I were you, I would go to Bohol JUST to visit this sanctuary because it's that special.

One of the best things in life is to experience the beauty and grace of the rarest animals and…read moreflowers in a rare botanical and zoological landscape of the Philippines. To experience this rare treat, we took a local flight via Cebu Pacific to Cebu and then a boat ride to Bohol, a nearby island where these icons live and thrive. As a backgrounder, these tarsiers are tiny, nocturnal primates native to the Philippines, known for their large eyes and ability to rotate their heads 180 degrees. They also have velvety fur, tarsiers are small, weighing 80-150 grams and measuring 9-16 cm long, excluding their tails, which are about twice as long. While there, we were advised to observe extreme silence and sudden movements or make any unnecessary sounds or noise, as this can disrupt their sleep or their propensity to engage in sexual productivity whatsoever. There were minders and tour guides who took these photos and reminded us to only walk within the established routes and spaces, as part of their tourist program. These tarsiers are one of the country's national treasures and if you haven't seen one face-to-face, you really haven't lived life to the fullest, to my mind. I am a Professor of Sciences at the largest state university in California, the California State University, Northridge where I earned an academic scholarship as a young g man from the Philippines (one of 2, lucky in my mind) and as a global researcher, I haven't really seen such wonder, myself. So, if you plan to visit Southeast Asia, drop by the Philippines and enjoy one of the rarest encounter with the tarsier, one of the smallest primate in the world. Enjoy!

Booking I had difficulty booking my reservation…read more Particularly, submitting payment for a package rate. The third-party payment site used by the hotel's reservation system would not accept several of my credit cards. These have successfully been used overseas in the past. Also, while the hotel accepts American Express, the payment site does not. Transfer For 1050PHP, I opted for the hotel transfer. Although my flight was delayed an hour, the pickup occurred without a hitch. Due to issues with Grab during my stay, I also booked the airport transfer for the same fee. Check In Check in occurred without issues. There was a wait as there were only two check in desks. Most importantly, I got my room key around 2pm, an hour before the posted check in time. Housekeeping During my stay, housekeeping was exceptional. Several times, I needed an item from the vanity kit. The following morning, housekeeping left an unopened vanity kit while leaving the opened kit in the bathroom. The room was pre-stocked with a bottle of filtered water. As I had opened but not emptied the bottle, another full bottle was left in the room. Club Room Unfortunately, the club room was not properly stocked with soda. Often, either soda water or regular coke was not stocked in the cooler. I would need to ask staff if there were any left. The soda was in the supply room. Misto Restaurant Breakfast at the restaurant was the biggest disappointment. Many times, I would be seated at a table not properly setup. When I looked around, none of the tables were. When I notified the hostess, the situation was not resolved the following day and was never. The staff lacked training. On the occasions I would submit an egg order, I had to flag an employee to accept it. On my last day, I did not bother. Ayala Center The hotel shares a parking garage with the mall. On rainy days, you can get wet walking through the garage. The covered walkway between the hotel and garage prevented getting wet. Security Metal detectors were situated at both the front and parking garage entrances. My suitcases were scanned, as well as, shopping bags and backpacks whenever I entered the hotel.

We had a wonderful experience from our 3-night stay in Seda. Conveniently located in Cebu Business…read morePark, it is surrounded by lots of restaurants, bars, and shopping areas. Ayala Center, one of the biggest malls in Cebu, is literally a few steps from the back side of the hotel with more dining, shopping, and entertainment options. Its location could not have been more perfect! Our room was spacious with a beautiful view of the city. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The hotel amenities include: pool, restaurant, business center, fitness center, laundry service, car rentals, and a rooftop bar. Daily breakfast buffet was included in our accommodation, offering both continental and filipino breakfast food items. Although they have an impressive variety of food choices, they served the same foods every day we were there. Pro Tip: Bar offers Happy Hour Buffet is between 6AM-10AM daily, Come early on the weekends as this place gets overcrowded, and they have a waitlist! Overall, I would come back and stay in Seda. Definitely recommend this hotel!

Cockroach. Big fat cockroach found in the sink at 4 AM. Called for housekeeping to remove it and…read morethey did not come for 10 mins which is a long time for someone who is extremely afraid of roaches. And where there is one roach, there's usually a family. I would expect at Radisson hotel to be cleaner and roach-free. Their king sized bed is actually two double beds pushed together. Sleeping near the middle of the bed meant back pain since it is not one big mattress and we were essentially sleeping on the edge of a double mattress. Another downside is that they would not allow for strong smelling fruits and foods to be brought into the room. I wanted to purchase a small handful of dried fish and local delicacies as souvenirs, but I didn't want to be fined by the hotel. Our flight left early in the morning so we couldn't find time to go before the airport. We didn't have a chance to visit any of the amenities. The pool looked nice from afar, and we wanted to visit the spa but we could never make it before 10 PM. The location is generally good as it's close to the mall where you can dine, shop, and exchange currency. Overall, this stay was incredibly disappointing.

Overall, enjoyed my stay here. There's a walkway right into the SM City mall next door which is…read moreplentiful with restaurants and shops and salons. The gym in the basement has very basic aging equipment though, and the pool was emptied out at the time of my stay. Nonetheless there's a big grassy field with hammocks and the pool bar was open but quiet. I got a Suite which was very spacious and came with lounge access with happy hours and daily clothes pressing complimentary. The breakfast choices were good. I especially liked their Chinese food selection of dim sum and fried rice and noodles and congee. My only issue was that as a night shift worker, they weren't able to accomodate any requests for overnight housekeeping. Still on the whole it's a solid 4 stars.

We stayed 3 nights here at the Quest Hotel in Cebu. The beds were comfortable and the Wifi was…read morestrong for me to catch up on some work. The hotel is located walking distance to Ayala Mall if you want to do some shopping and look for other food options. However, take a look at the map at the lobby first on how to get to/from safely as the road is very chaotic. They have security guards at the entrance with x-ray machines. But it seems pretty common in Cebu all over. Breakfast buffet was included during our stay, it was extensive and had lots of local menu items to choose from. I noticed that coffee is served with whole milk in most places in the Philippines in general. That was a problem for me a lot because my stomach and I do not enjoy the taste of whole milk. There's also a great massage place around the corner from the hotel called Yolo Spa that was fantastic.

Quest Hotel provided us phenomenal service during our stay in Cebu City. I had a previous tour…read morebooked, and they did not charge us to leave our luggage prior to our arrival. I was also able to leave my personal belongings in their safe box as I was headed to Bantayan Island where I knew I had to travel light. I'd like to give a special thanks to all the front staff including Ms. Chia, the manager on duty who help me leave my personal belonging at the hotel. The Concierge team was also excellent as well as all the guards who always opened the door for us every time we came in and out of the hotel. Also thank you to Ms. Arceli Canoy who came to greet me and handed me my belongings when I returned back from my trip from Bantayan Island. They all truly deserve high marks for their dedication for providing every guest and especially us, the best experience possible. Our room was huge. We had the California King size bed. We had a nice view of the city on both sides, full glass (floor to ceiling) which was fantastic. Our bathroom was nice and modern. There was even a nice desk and chair to sit comfortably. We also dined in the first night downstairs. We truly enjoyed the Sax player and his fantastic singing voice. He was very talented. The best part about Quest Hotel - it is centrally located in the heart of Cebu City. It's only about a 15 minute taxi ride to IT Park where we went on the weekend for their Sugbo Mercado (an all food night market) with many local food favorites. Ayala Mall is only a short 10 minute walk from the hotel which was great for us because they had tons of food available, and very convenient for shopping. I stayed at other hotels in Cebu City during my stay here, but after all said and done, I would return to Quest for my next visit in a heartbeat and highly recommend their excellent service. Cheers!

I was impressed with the amenities and the level of service. Especially the infinity pool/bar on…read morethe roof. Back in the US I would never think of staying at Best Western! The only issue I experienced was during the early morning hours. The cable was turned off. Not good since I was dealing with jet lag. The buffet breakfast was delicious. So many choices to choose from. They offered a made to order egg station, American food options and traditional Filipino breakfast choices. The only issue I noticed was the poultry was not cook long enough. It was still red when I removed the leg on 2 different occasions. Lastly, they offer money exchange @ $1=PHP50.

The rooms were great but there bell boy and security wont give courtesy to the senior citizen.They…read morewill just allow 5 min for the car to park in front in which the people will ride the car are senior citizen. The bell boy and security was rude to the guest.

This hotel is as good as it gets. I come to Cebu about once a year on business and this is the…read moreperfect location for me. It is very close to IT Park (where most call center/BPO organizations are located). They have very tight security everywhere around the hotel that makes me feel safe. It is a little annoying getting in via a car or cab as they have a three fold check to ensure you're a legit cab driver. The upside is that if I ever had an issue in a cab, I know the Marriott would take care of me. There are times of the day that it is difficult to hail a cab, and the concierge is happy to help pre-plan a cab at a specific time for you. The service throughout the hotel is absolutely amazing. They make me feel very privileged to be there. I don't know if I have ever opened a door besides to my room. They are so willing to help you get whatever you need whenever you want. I have also been coming here for about 5 years and have come to know many members of the staff as friends rather than as a typical customer service person. I think that the breakfast buffet is truly stunning in terms of options . Over the years it has been better than others, but this time through I was amazed. They have your typical omelette/egg stand as well as fresh pancakes and waffles to order. But they added a new curry bar that was absolutely delicious. Then they have a great spread of Cebuano, Japanese, US, Chinese, and Korean dishes. Also they have a fresh fruit bar where all you have to do is ask for freshly squeezed juice. The fresh OJ is FANTASTIC (and I eat about 5 mangoes a day in the PH. YUM). The location is not the only reason why I stay here. This Marriott is connected to Ayala Mall which is a big perk. I stay here for a hefty stint and love to be able to walk to the mall for other food options. It means I don't have to eat hotel food every day (although I think they have great options so I can). The mall has cheaper food options than the Marriott. Now that I'm on it, I'm sure that there are cheaper places that are just as nice in Cebu. I stay for business and security is my number one priority....and I feel very safe at the Marriott. Secondly, the location is perfect for what I am trying to accomplish. The pool is nice and well kept. They have 2 bars in the facility that are open 8am til midnight. Breakfast opens at 6. Other than that, you can order room service for food and the prices match the cafe/pool bar.

I have to admit, I had misgivings booking this hotel because I didn't like the pictures of it that…read moreI saw on the internet. Arriving at the hotel, I kept my expectations at a minimum because I didn't want to be disappointed. Hotel checkin starts at 1pm and the process didn't take long. It would have been over sooner had the staff focused on checking me in rather than telling her story to a friend. The room I got was 413 and it was facing the road. I thought it would be noisy but I turned out all the sound was blocked from the inside. The room was located in an area where the sun shone so it was a bit hot when I entered. Fortunately, the A/C was able to cool the room in less than 5 minutes. The bed was actually very soft, something I didn't totally expect. It had a thick blanket to keep the temperature from freezing you so that's a plus too. The bed also has a pullout cabinet you can use in case the one inside the room is not enough - neat! Don't forget to bring your own shampoo and dental kit as they only provide soap. The water heater works great it didn't take long to warm the water when you need a quick bath. My reservation came with Free breakfast for two - ham and longganisa. It was nothing to write about but considering the price I paid (php1045), it was a great bonus. Would I recommend this hotel? Absolutely, it's right in the middle of Fuente Osmeña so it's close to everything. If you're thinking of visiting Cebu for Sinulog, you might want to consider booking this hotel.

From the owner: Since May 1993, Fuente Pension House Cebu City Philippines has always been about providing…read moreimpeccable service and outstanding accommodations. Fuente Pension House is one of the most popular accommodation choices in uptown Cebu. We are just about thirty-five minutes from Mactan International Airport, and fifteen minutes to all major seaports/harbors. From every country in the world, our prime location in uptown Cebu is most popular among frequent travelers and their families. We're the perfect affordable lodging alternative for business or holiday travelers. What makes Fuente Pension House stand out from all others? It´s the comfortable accommodations and the friendly caring services that our staff provides. Fuente Pension House has a variety of room types to choose from. Try out any of our single, twin/double, family, or suite rooms. Our facilities are hypoallergenic and designed to minimize allergic reactions. Of course, the ambiance of Fuente Pension House is reflected ins

The hotel was ok. Breakfast and pool were my family's primary reason why we stayed there. But, I…read moreforgot to consider connectivity aka internet. I needed to work some days, but their internet connections was horrible. I couldn't even open a website. I complained about it and asked the front desk where I could possibly get good connections , they just responded that they couldn't do anything since they're fully booked! If that was the test of me keeping my job, i would have lost it. The only bright side for me is that their breakfast was great! Ensaymada and all their breads, too! Plus it's not difficult to get a cab/taxi. (Lesson learned: if you needed to work online, go elsewhere. It was last minute that we decided to stay for another two days and moved to Seda Bloc. Try there instead.) Hotel Rooms were super outdated, too! As in!

We stayed at this hotel for a day long layover in Cebu. The last time I was at this hotel was in…read more2016. First, the front desk agents were super welcoming! It was just what we needed after a 5 hour flight from Japan. Check in was super quick and we were able to get to our room right away. The only downside was the room. It wasn't bad and it was definitely clean. But it was so outdated. It looked exactly the same as when I was there in 2016. The decor just needs updating. Bathroom was also very clean and had all the necessary amenities we needed after a long flight. And our room did have a wonderful view of Cebu which was nice We also went to the casino super earlier on the morning. Only tables open at that time was baccarat but almost all the machines I saw were working. We went to the breakfast buffet which wasn't included with our stay. There was a lot of good options and the waiters were quick to remove the used dishes.