Teofel Hostel by Hiverooms

The location in central cebu city is about the only thing going for this hostel. The receptionist is rude, the aircon is weak and so loud it vibrates through the whole frame, and the bedsheets don’t seem very clean. Without that location, I’d give it negative 0 ⭐.

Our reservation was for 10 pm, but the man at the counter didn’t greet us. He looked at the booking and left us waiting for 10 minutes. When we asked what was wrong, he said he hadn’t received anything. After some back and forth, the man at the door helped us and gave us a room on the 3th floor, but nobody offered further help. The room smelled horrible and was noisy. The bathroom leaked, the windows were dirty, and the furniture was so old and filthy it needs to be thrown out. The counter, hallway, and rooms all felt old, dirty, and deserted. In the morning the woman at the counter didn’t greet us either, just barked out the amount we owed. It was so rude we didn’t understand what was happening at first. The place is a huge contrast with the hospitality we’re used to in the Philippines. Don’t book here, the service was horrible and the rooms were dirty and noisy.

The inside is kept up to date and running, even though the outside looks a bit rundown. It’s cheap accommodation downtown, and the room was clean with the basics: towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo/conditioner, and toilet paper. The toilet and shower were spacious, and both the hot water and AC worked. Noise came through from a school next door during an activity, and later from bystanders near the 7/11. When we first switched on the AC, little black bits came out, though thankfully none stained the sheets where they landed. The sheet under the blanket looked crumpled, like it might not have been changed, even before we got into bed. We tried taking a photo as proof, but it wasn’t very visible on our camera. The front desk wasn’t staffed at 5am when we checked out, so we left the key with the security person at the entrance.

I only stopped by to look at Teofel Hostel on my recent trip to Cebu City, but I’m considering staying there next time. The rates look affordable for budget travelers, and the atmosphere seemed cozy and clean. Its central spot near key places around the city would make getting around easy, whether visiting for work or leisure.