Harolds Hotel

Guide to Gay Friendly Hotels in Cebu City Philippines (2024 Updated)

Generally speaking, well known hotels &  resorts in the Cebu City are welcoming towards all LGBTQ couples and most of the 4 & 5* hotels are gay friendly Cebu City.

The lesbiangaybisexualtransgender and queer (LGBTQ) people in the Philippines have a distinctive culture[vague] in society and also have limited legal rights. Gays and lesbians are generally tolerated (if not accepted) in Filipino society. Despite recent events that have promoted the rights, general acceptance, and empowerment of the Filipino LGBT community, discrimination remains. Homosexuals in the Philippines are known as “bakla“, though there exist other terms to describe them. Similarly, Filipino lesbians are generally known as Alfa.

Cebu is a province of the Philippines, in the country’s Central Visayas region, comprising Cebu Island and more than 150 smaller surrounding islands and islets. Its prosperous port capital, Cebu City, retains landmarks from its 16th-century Spanish colonial past, including the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño church and triangular Fort San Pedro. Tops, an observation deck on Mt. Busay, has sweeping views over the city.

 Top attractions to visit in Cebu City

 Best Day Trips in Cebu

See all Day Trips in Cebu on GetYourGuide.

 

 

1. OYO 187 The Maxwell Hotel 2* – Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City

OYO 187 The Maxwell Hotel
OYO 187 The Maxwell Hotel

Centrally located in Cebu, The Maxwell Hotel operates a 24-hour front desk and provides comfy rooms with free bottled drinking water. It offers complimentary Wi-Fi access in the entire property, while parking is available at no charge.

The hotel is just a 5-minute drive to Ayala Centre Cebu. Magellan’s Cross and Basilica Minore Del Santo Nino Cebu are within a 15-minute drive away.

Fitted with tiled flooring, air-conditioned rooms include a wardrobe, desk and a flat-screen TV with cable/satellite channels. Rooms come with a private bathroom offering shower facility and free toiletries.

The Maxwell Hotel is a 72-room economy hotel in Cebu City. It provides simple, clean, affordable accommodations to business and leisure travelers.

The hotel is situated near the catholic church, Vibo Place, Escario Central and many more fantastic restaurants.. 15-20 mins drive away from IT park/Ayala.

Location wise, it is really a good place to stay. It is near food shops, convenience stores, malls and a lot of jeepneys are accessible (Since area is near main road, expect some traffic congestion).

Room was clean and cozy, bed was nice, airconditioning was strong and staff was attentive. The hotel is accessible, along N Escario St where jeepneys pass by. We were actually able to go to a few spots via jeepney.

There is a Lechon Belly branch right inside the hotel where we had lunch. And their menu is also very affordable though we didn’t get to order. Two thumbs up to Maxwell Hotel and I will definitely stay again.

This hotel’s location is really convenient. It’s close to several restaurants, 24-hour convenience stores, and a 24-hour gym. If you don’t feel like stepping out of the building, they also have a restaurant at the lobby that serves delicious boneless lechon belly. There’s also a laundry and massage service.

The hotel is within walking distance (around 15-20 mins) of Ayala Center. Getting a taxi is not too difficult because the hotel is along a busy road, which also happens to be a jeepney route. Despite this, the room we stayed in was quite peaceful and was undisturbed by the sounds of busy traffic downstairs.

The room we booked was quite spacious for two persons and their luggage. The beds were comfortably firm, and I appreciate the fact that they were of the spring mattress type.

The bathroom was clean and there was hot water available. The toiletries provided were basic but adequate.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to try their breakfast as the culinary school was closed during our stay. The entrance to the dining area was slightly confusing because of the lack of signs.

Overall, I had a very pleasant stay and would definitely go back. The hotel is really good value for money.

Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City
Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City

How much does a room costs at Hotel OYO 187 The Maxwell Hotel ?

 

Prices start 30 $/night for Deluxe Double Room. The Superior Suite is  38$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.

Where to book online – Hotel OYO 187 The Maxwell Hotel – Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City you can find the best hotels deals in Cebu City during Ati-Atihan Festival  Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Cebu  on Booking.com or  Official Website and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

 

2. Harolds Hotel 4* – Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City

Harolds Hotel
Harolds Hotel

Harolds Hotel offers spacious and modern rooms just a 10-minute drive from Cebu Business Park and Ayala Centre Cebu. It features a fitness centre and 3 dining options offers international dishes. Free Wi-Fi is available in public areas, as well as free private parking.

Air-conditioned rooms feature carpeted flooring and are equipped with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, tea/coffee maker and a minibar. The en suite bathroom provides a shower and free toiletries. 24-hour room service is available.

HAROLDS HOTEL offers a vantage point to guests with business or leisure reasons in the city. Situated in the uptown area of Cebu City, about 30 minutes away from Mactan International Airport, Harolds Hotel is only ten minutes away from financial districts, government offices, universities and colleges, and major shopping centers.

The facility is in a good location, spacious room with comfortable bed, good bathrooms, water power, and toiletries. Great breakfast selections.

Positive Points:
– Very good service – speedy check-in, bad storage, etc…
– The room is modern and similar to maybe a Novotel level of big hotel. I really liked having the balcony and the bed was a quality, comfortable bed, so I did not have trouble sleeping here.
– A/C does cool the room effectively but it needs a little time to do so
– Breakfast does have plenty of selection – fresh fruit, dim sum, waffles, desserts, local specialties, and so on…but see my caveat below
– Location is not bad. You can walk to the huge Ayala Center Mall in less than 10 minutes. Historic sites are 20-25 minutes away depending on traffic. I wanted to stay closer to the airport but I did not see a lot of options near Mactan that were nice.

The hotel is about 15 minutes walking distance to Ayala Mall with several restaurants within close proximity to the hotel. The rooms are large, bathroom has a tub with overhead shower head, and good water pressure. The beds are a little harder than were used to but comfortable. Upon arrival,we were met by Jordan the bellhop who assisted us to our room and delivered our luggage with a welcoming smile.Check in was easy with the assistance of the beautiful ladies at front desk. We had breakfast included on our rate and it was delicious with ample choices.

We also enjoyed the roof deck restaurant while listening to the live band that provided us great entertainment. The staff were all kind, nice and helpful from the security guards, the front desk, housekeeping, the servers and managers. We enjoyed our stay and thank you all for providing us with excellent service, all day ,everyday.

The location is close to the Ayala shopping complex and only 15 min by taxi to SM or Cebu city. Cebu traffic is trying to imitate Manila. So a Taxi ride can be interesting in itself. So back to the Hotel the staff were friendly as well as helpful. Our room was clean and spacious although the furniture and interior was showing it age but still ok. Hot water was strong and plentiful but most important was that the bed was 100% comfortable.

Their room is very spacious and bed is big enough for two people. The water pressure of the shower is just right and the hot and cold shower is very easy to use. They have free wifi too! Go up to their roofdeck to see an amazing view of Cebu in that part of the city. Food and drinks is great at the restaurant and at the roofdeck bar! This hotel simply exceeded my expectations! Great job to all the employees for being consistent in delivering a top-notch customer service to all their guests.

Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City
Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City

How much does a room costs at Harolds Hotel ?

Prices start 55 $/night for Deluxe Double Room. The One-Bedroom Suite is  76$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.

This spacious suite features a seating area with sofa, a dining area and a separate bedroom. They are equipped with a flat-screen TV, tea/coffee maker and minibar.

Where to book online – Harolds Hotel Cebu – Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City you can find the best hotels deals in Cebu City during Ati-Atihan Festival  Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Cebu  on Booking.com or  Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

 

3. bai Hotel Cebu 4* – Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu

bai Hotel Cebu
bai Hotel Cebu

A contemporary urban escape with skyline view of Cebu City, Bai Hotel Cebu is 2.5 km from SM Cebu City and 3.6 km from Ayala Center Cebu. This property highlights 8 dining options, an outdoor pool, and a fitness centre.

Offering views of the city and designed with a chic modern flare, the rooms at Bai Hotel Cebu are equipped with state-of-the-art amenity that allows guests to record their favorite programs and view messages and room billing via the TV. The rooms also include a minibar, a dining table, and a private bathroom with free toiletries.

Guests may enjoy the daily buffet breakfast served at the on-site restaurant. Other dining options such as the pool bar, Cafe Bai, and the Twilight Roofdeck Lounge + Bar is also available. For guests who choose to dine in the comfort of their rooms, in-room dining may be arranged.

 

Nestled between the bustling cities of Mandaue and Cebu, bai Hotel Cebu presents spectacular Harbor and City views with ultra-modern amenities and facilities. A contemporary chic business hotel and culinary destination in one of the country’s top business and leisure destinations, all 668 guestrooms, 12 function rooms, and 8 dining outlets are stylishly designed in hues that evoke an ambiance of modern luxury and spaciousness secured with a world-class access control system.

Envisioned to enhance the beauty and transformation of the highly-urbanized cities of Mandaue and Cebu, bai Hotel Cebu is for the business and leisure traveler who seeks Boldness, Authenticity and Innovativeness on each visit, whether it is for the first time or succeeding visits. A member of the renowned Worldhotels, bai Hotel Cebu is Your Host in the South that links the traveler to a global commitment of quality accommodations in inspiring and memorable settings.

The Bai Hotel won over several Hotels to be Our Home away from Home. We were looking for:
1) Comfort (amenities & cleanliness). We were right at home, feeling like the Queens of the South. Amenities & cleanliness true as stated. Rooms was modern, very clean & spacious.

2) Reasonable room rates, with a 4 to 5 Stars rating (I personally rate them 5 stars). Rates was great (booked with Agoda & Expedia. Preferred Agoda because of their free cancellations & pay later.) We booked twice for the executive room and the last stay booked the premium room. But later decided to upgrade to the executive rooms (We got spoiled on the previous stays). Had no problem in upgrading.
3) Accommodating us with leaving our extra luggage as we went a few days outside of the city. Leaving our luggage was safe and no fee. We had no problems.

 

If staying in an executive room it is recommended to:
1. check-in and check-out in the lounge on the 22nd floor to avoid any queues at reception
2. stay in a harbourside room which we feel had a better outlook (and didn’t face the western sun)
3. avoid the 21st floor (which we asked for on our second visit) as the noise from the 23rd floor twilight lounge/bar/disco would disturb light sleepers until at least midnight. This floor is also busier due to swimming pool location.
4. breakfast in the lounge. Whilst the lounge has far less variety we found it more than adequate and more relaxing than the very large and often crowded but extensive buffet in the 2nd floor café. We also found that if you wanted anything at breakfast in the lounge you just had to ask and it was provided eg soy milk and certain fruit for family members with dietary restrictions.

The executive lounge offers a tea, expresso coffee and nonalcoholic beverage selection throughout the day and a nice afternoon tea selection from 2:30 to 5pm. The only ‘disappointment’ was that the evening food offerings were somewhat limited/poorer quality compared to what one would get in most executive lounges in international branded hotels.

The Infinity pool was a little small in size, and judging from the hotel capacity, they should have made the pool size bigger to accommodate the guests. You literally can’t get a good dip or swim once it gets over crowded.

Breakfast was complimentary and at the cafe on 2nd floor. It was a big restaurant which could sit many but still unable to handle the huge influx of guests during my stay. I had to queue for at least 15 mins before I was able to be attended to. This was made worse by the verification process at the cafe reception whereby you had to state your room number and name. Thus this took quite some time especially when there were instances of many big groups dining together, and had to purchase additional breakfast coupons. The spread was sufficient, but lacked variety. For the 2 days I practically ate the same dishes. A slight menu rotation or adjustment would have been good. Due to the high occupancy, some dishes were not replenished on time.

Overall, it was a good stay albeit the minor hiccups I experienced. Every staff there right down to the security personnel were polite and friendly. The staff never failed to greet the guests every time. Please keep this up as it really makes the guests feel welcome.

Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City
Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City

How much does a room costs at bai Hotel Cebu ?

Prices start 89 $/night for Premier Room. 

This air-conditioned double room has a minibar, a personal safe and a flat-screen TV. The en suite bathroom is fitted with shower and is equipped with free toiletries.

Where to book online – bai Hotel Cebu – Gay Friendly Hotels Cebu City you can find the best hotels deals in Cebu City during Ati-Atihan Festival  Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Cebu  on Booking.com or  Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

 

by Sorin

Sorin is a freelance travel writer. He is an experienced travel writer and traveller. Since 2012 he explored more than 60 countries on 4 continents: Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. Currently is based in Romania after spending the last 7 years in Myanmar.