Located just a short walking distance to Ayala Center, we booked rooms at the Mandarin Plaza Hotel for a night before heading the next day to the white sandy beach of Kandaya Resort.
Forty five minutes in line with all the counters open, this has got to be the longest wait at check-in I have ever encountered in any hotel, ever. What made it even worse is that they cannot accommodate us for early check-in so all that waiting in line for nothing. And yes, I asked one of the staff before falling in line if early check-in was possible and was told to just wait for my turn.
After dropping our bags at the concierge, we crossed the streets to Ayala Center for an early lunch and some last minute shopping of the things we need to bring to the resort the following day. Hope they build an overpass for all pedestrian because crossing the street from the hotel was quite scary and intimadating with all the fast cars coming from both sides of the road.
We came back to Mandarin Plaza by 2PM to see if our rooms were already available. Another 30 minutes at the check-in before the keys were finally handed to our group. I was too tired to even bother to ask if they booked connecting rooms but glad they reserved rooms next to each other.
We booked 2 superior twin rooms with extra beds since we were a group of 6. The room was spacious and had a view of the city but obscured by the dirty glass panels. Both rooms have air-conditioning, complimentary but spotty WiFi access, instant coffee and tea maker, LCD television with limited cable channels, an in-room safe, telephone and a basic toilet and bath.
Breakfast the next morning was at the restaurant by the lobby. Good thing we were leaving early so everyone was up and ready to eat by 7AM because it was almost full by the time we arrived.
Breakfast was served buffet style with enough staff to quickly replenish
all the dishes and attend to a full house restaurant with demanding
customers. Service at the restaurant was fast and commendable, a perfect
exemplar of the famed Cebuano hospitality.
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| Milk + Cereals |
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| Salad |
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| Fried rice |
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| Hard boiled eggs + Scrambled eggs |
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| Pancit guisado |
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| Steamed pechay + Fish fillet |
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| Bacon + Pancake |
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| Congee |
Mandarin Plaza's accessible location was the main consideration why we chose to stay there in the first place. Aside from that, there were no outstanding element that would make me book the same hotel in my future Cebu trips. But if you're looking for a place to sleep in the city, a decent room for Php2,400/night with breakfast for 2 is one of the better options that you can consider.
~o~o~o~
Mandarin Plaza Hotel
Archbishop Reyes Avenue cor Escario Street
Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
Tel.: (6332) 266-1111
Website: www.mandarinplazahotel.com
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