Hotel De Mercedes

For an overnight stay on a budget, this is one of the cheapest options downtown. It's an old hotel, so don't expect much. I prefer bringing my own towel if hotel towels aren't your thing. If they don't have something like shampoo or a toothbrush, 7/11 is right around the corner. They do provide free drinking water, which was a nice extra, and I haven't had that even at bigger hotels.

We stayed for seventeen days, and the staff made the whole time easy. They were courteous all the way from the concierge to the laundry girl, and requests were handled quickly without fuss. They fixed our TV, brought extra pillows, did room service, and serviced the room whenever needed. My wife and I were treated almost like royalty. We'll gladly come back on our next trip.

This is a dated but affordable place that can work well if you're on a budget, as long as you don't expect too much. The hotel itself doesn't offer much, though the Wi-Fi is strong. Our first room had a bad smell from the wet carpet area by the toilet. The second was a little cleaner, but some bathroom toiletries were missing and we had to ask housekeeping to clean a spot they'd left out. Breakfast is plated and seemed okay. If your room faces the road, expect nonstop singing from the many videoke bars nearby.

It's a nice place in the heart of Cebu city, with shopping malls nearby and transport easy to get. The south bus terminal is also within walking distance if you're heading to Oslob and want to catch a dawn bus. The hotel is big and peaceful, with 24-hour front desk service, an elevator, and the breakfast area in the lobby. Our fourth-floor room was spacious and had a window, which I personally prefer. The shower, though, was hard to figure out.