Where To Stay? 3 Weeks

[Mr Lee]

Hi, brand new to this forum and didn't want to start a new topic, but in a similar vein, what is considered 'uptown' Cebu and what is considered 'downtown'. I will arrive on 6 October and have the impression 'uptown' is preferred. Can one of you knowledgeable guys explain? TIA Eddie Eagle

Downtown is considered the Colon, Carbon market area, more or less the older part of Cebu City.

[eddie eagle]

thanks, Kuya Khan... i will check out where the carbon market is

[eddie eagle]

I checked out where the carbon market is.. so I guess around Osmena circle is uptown? I wanted to stay around the 'center' initially,3 or so days, with a minimum of depressing stuff, and then feel my way around. You think that is the right idea? TIA Eddie Eagle

[Bundy]

I checked out where the carbon market is.. so I guess around Osmena circle is uptown? I wanted to stay around the 'center' initially,3 or so days, with a minimum of depressing stuff, and then feel my way around. You think that is the right idea? TIA Eddie Eagle

Eddie, whenever we go to the city for a few days we always stay at Holiday Plaza Hotel which is on F.Ramos street just a short walk to the circle, Robinsons mall etc etc. It's not a real flash hotel but it is safe, clean, well priced, has friendly staff and they serve a very yummy breakfast every day to start you off right. For a newbie to Cebu, i would consider this place an excellent starting point. Edited September 4, 2011 by Buslot Bulsa

[Mr Lee]

I checked out where the carbon market is.. so I guess around Osmena circle is uptown? I wanted to stay around the 'center' initially,3 or so days, with a minimum of depressing stuff, and then feel my way around. You think that is the right idea? TIA Eddie Eagle

Osmena circle is a decent area and sort of centrally located. It is close to Robinsons Mall, and you might find it decent. Another good place to stay is across from Ayala Mall, that is where a lot of the good restaurants are. One of our members stayed right across from Ayala and made a post about it HERE.

[Jollygoodfellow]

I checked out where the carbon market is.. so I guess around Osmena circle is uptown? I wanted to stay around the 'center' initially,3 or so days, with a minimum of depressing stuff, and then feel my way around. You think that is the right idea? TIA Eddie Eagle

Osmena circle is a decent area and sort of centrally located. It is close to Robinsons Mall, and you might find it decent. Another good place to stay is across from Ayala Mall, that is where a lot of the good restaurants are. One of our members stayed right across from Ayala and made a post about it HERE.

I'm not really sure Osmena is a decent place for a newbie,its OK as long as he is aware he will be approached by lots of Viagra sellers and everyone else who has something hidden in their pocket to sell; and then there's the street kids laying on the ground or with their hands out.Its crowded and rather dirty in that area.

[Bundy]

I checked out where the carbon market is.. so I guess around Osmena circle is uptown? I wanted to stay around the 'center' initially,3 or so days, with a minimum of depressing stuff, and then feel my way around. You think that is the right idea? TIA Eddie Eagle

Osmena circle is a decent area and sort of centrally located. It is close to Robinsons Mall, and you might find it decent. Another good place to stay is across from Ayala Mall, that is where a lot of the good restaurants are. One of our members stayed right across from Ayala and made a post about it HERE.

I'm not really sure Osmena is a decent place for a newbie,its OK as long as he is aware he will be approached by lots of Viagra sellers and everyone else who has something hidden in their pocket to sell; and then there's the street kids laying on the ground or with their hands out.Its crowded and rather dirty in that area.

Agreed, it can be a problem, but this was the very area i first stayed when i made my first trip and never had any problems. The viagra guys can be persistent but if they want to follow me half a mile up the road, that's their problem not mine, i just ignore them. As for the beggars, just mention my name along with the words "walay kwarta, pobre" they soon get the message and leave you be. Really when you think about it. there's not too many places in Cebu City where you won't get these hassles. Just deal with it, you get used to it.

[Mr Lee]

I think it's a valid question. To the OP, I stayed at this place for a week in May, the standard room is 995. I stayed in the "Deluxe" room but the standard is ok. It's a new hotel only 6 months old and has large safe deposit boxes in each room that will hold a laptop. I don't know of any gyms nearby but it is clean and relatively safe and those are my priorities. No credit cards, cash only. Good luck.

This looks like the ideal budget place to stay at with wife. As you have stayed here, (and as KuyaLee also gives it a thumbs up), I would like to ask: Is it an area where the hookers are not too active so the wife is not going to be in a bad mood? Was the hotel full? I ask that because reservations here are useless if they fill up before I show up. Was there any bait and switch? I mean that the reservation system is via email so if they confirm a Standard room at 995 should I expect them to say 'not available' and try to up sell me? Anything else I should know before I book? Thanks for the first hand review, BTW.

I forgot to answer this, if you walk down Juana Osmena street heading towards Robinsons late at night (that would be left and then right out the front door of the hotel, I have walked it quite a few times at night) then you may be approached by some pimps and or hookers as you get to just before NS Royal Pension, but I just say no thank you and they never bothered me. So if you wish to walk late at night and avoid them, then I would suggest that you walk down the street the other way (turn right as you walk out the front of the hotel) and turn left onto Osmena Blvd to Robinsons and the circle and it would be a lot safer IMHO. When I walk that street alone at night, it is never with my wife because only the good die young and I am a rotten bastard, but my wife is a angel. And in answer to Toms post above, yes there are lots of beggars on the circle but my post was to go along with the rest of the posts above, so yes if he does not wish to be bothered with beggars, then it might be much better to stay at the new hotel in the link above in MikeB's post, or the one near Ayala that our friend Brett (Volstagteguy) stayed at, and that I mentioned in my above post.

[MikeB]

I wouldn't want to stay at or near either of the major malls, it's nice to shop and go to the restaurants a couple of times but there's too much of a temptation (for me at least) to spend money and if you hang out there long enough you'll find yourself bald, 50 lbs overweight, wearing plaid shorts with black socks and leering at young girls. Even if you don't it's guilt by association. Many decent places to stay around the city away from malls.

[Mr Lee]

I wouldn't want to stay at or near either of the major malls, it's nice to shop and go to the restaurants a couple of times but there's too much of a temptation (for me at least) to spend money and if you hang out there long enough you'll find yourself bald, 50 lbs overweight, wearing plaid shorts with black socks and leering at young girls. Even if you don't it's guilt by association. Many decent places to stay around the city away from malls.

I resemble that remark. :lol: Edited September 5, 2011 by Kuya Lee
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