Cherry Midtown Hotel

The location gets five stars from me, with easy access to the bus terminal and SM Central. They do have some parking, but it's limited if you're bringing a car. I've stayed at Cherry Midtown a few times, and it was nice to see that the rooms have improved since our last visit. Mine had good natural light, which made it feel a bit wider. Some of the amenities seemed old and need repair or replacement.

The room is big and has cold AC, a nice bed, pillows, an LG TV with working remote batteries, and more than one channel. The bathroom was clean, with proper shower doors, and the tile floors were clean too. Hot water actually worked, which was nice since I'm used to it not working. There's also trash pickup, a working elevator, and no weird smells or sights. It's affordable, in an excellent location, and there are plenty of transport options and things to do a short distance away. The staff were pleasant. If you're familiar with the Philippines, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

We had connecting rooms, 507 and 508, and I was glad we went ahead with the booking despite some earlier guest reviews. Both rooms were clean, toiletries were provided, and the towels weren't exactly white but smelled clean. The hot and cold shower worked, and there's an elevator for getting around. We stayed almost 3 nights, from May-23 to the night of 25. The hotel's best feature is its location: fast food, restaurants, street food, Victory Liner, jeepneys, and tricycles are right there, and SM Central is just a few meters away. The only issue for me was the WiFi, or lack of signal. We used mobile data throughout the stay.

The 12-hour rate is useful for me when I travel for work, since I usually check in late and leave early the next day. It's a way to save a few bucks, even if it isn't much cheaper than staying overnight. I like that option and would stay here again for business when I'm in Olongapo. The hotel is close to fast food places, bus stations, Olongapo City Hall, and malls. Its car park is walled and gated, feels secure, and can fit a good number of cars. I've stayed twice, in a junior executive suite and a standard de-luxe room. Both were roomy enough for one person. The suite has a lot of space, though it could use a sitting area and proper dining table. Hot water worked, the shower was clean, the air-conditioning was clean and maintained, and the sheets were okay. The standard deluxe also had room, but the furniture felt outdated and the office chair needs replacing.