From Bantayan Island, I was going to spend a couple more days in Cebu City because.. lechon. As usual, I became all too dependent on Trip Advisor in finding an accommodation which led me to The Henry Hotel. Since I was travelling alone, I found it a bit more expensive (as you can see, even though I am not a luxurious traveler, I’m not exactly a budget traveler either) but since my accommodations are where 75% of my travel budget went, I made sure I was going somewhere well worth every single cent. I don’t think a lot of taxi drivers are aware of the hotel. It’s not quite near from the North Bus Terminal as it cost me Php 125 to get there. If they are not familiar with the area, inform them it’s near Banilad Town Center (BTC). From BTC, just look for a black building near the flyover and intersection.
The Henry Hotel is a boutique hotel, which isn’t one of the generic fancy looking hotels. I would go as far as say it’s hipster paradise. Every spot is picturesque! It had an “unfinished” vibe overall and it’s very quirky. All the hotel staff wore hipster glasses and bow ties. This red statue was the same photo I kept seeing when I researched on the hotel. Also, I took this photo while sipping on my welcome drink. I wonder where I could buy that dalandan juice..
Since this is my best attempt at a hotel review (something I rarely ever do because I usually do not go on staycations), my only gripe about this place was with reservations. I reserved the room through email (I do not plan on getting a credit card, I don’t trust my self-control when it comes to impulsive buying), and they take too long to respond. I tried calling their mobile number, but when the line got cut they did not even make an attempt to call me back. Also, I was told that I just needed to pre-arrange a late checkout (up to 2 PM), so I did but was denied that on the day itself.
Graffiti art. I took the stairs half the time since I was only staying on the third floor.
I may work in an IT company but this was the first time I encountered an elevator button that looked like this. I literally just stared at it for 5 seconds before realizing it was the elevator buttons. Haha!
I did not get the chance to check out the Qube Gallery on the 1st floor and the entire second floor (Scrapyard Bar was closed for renovations, I wanted a drink okay). The Reading Room on the third floor is something you can use for a fee (it had a computer, couches, etc), but whenever I take a peek, a group of foreigners was there.
This chair is actually big! I wanted to sit on it and have a photo taken but I rarely chance upon other people on my floor.
If I ever buy a condo, I would probably use this room as inspiration! The room I got was so spacious! The smallest room in the hotel is called ‘Big Room’ and for good reason. It is at 36 sqm which was spacious even if I had C with me.
Some of the rooms do not have bathroom doors and I’m glad I have one. I hate taking a bath in a cold bathroom. See that brown door on the right? It’s locked because it connects my room to the adjacent one. Unfortunately for me, the family that booked that room had noisy kids. I had half a mind to call the reception to ask if I could transfer, but decided to do it later if they still were noisy when I am trying to sleep. Luckily, it seemed that the kids slept earlier than I did so I had no problems in that area.
Even the bathroom is spacious!
No single detail left untouched in this hotel. This hotel is so keen on details!
Sleeping in this bed is one of the most memorable experiences I have in Cebu. Haha! I know that sounds lame but I have a sleeping problem and I get so restless at night. When I was in Cebu, I slept soundly. Whenever I’m out the whole day, I get back in the evening with a made up room.
Even the escape route did not seem impersonal!
If you follow me on instagram (@teeshue), you’d find out just how much I was raving about their attentive hotel staff. When one of the staff saw me head to the pool in my swimsuit, he followed me to ask if he could get me anything to which I thanked him and declined. While sitting in a pool chair, browsing through Facebook, the same guy asked again. 15 minutes later, he went out with a fresh towel for me (even if I had one with me). The day after, I asked if I could go swimming anytime I wanted to but was informed that the pool was only open from 6 AM-10 PM. It was perfectly fine by me until someone from the reception called the room to tell me that I can go use the pool anytime I wanted, I just need to inform the reception whenever I do (obviously for safety purposes). Nice!
They also have a boutique in the hotel which I did not check out. I now regret it.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here! C and I have even agreed to stay here if we ever find ourselves in Cebu again. 🙂
One Paseo Compound, Ma. Luisa Entrance Road, Banilad, Cebu City 6000
+63 32 520 8877
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