Cebu / Davao in the Philippines - Anyone got any hotel / bar info / general tips for there please - much appreciated if so ?

[destiny]

Abreeza Mall is as boring as it gets. G-Mall is much older but BUZZING with life as it is in the downtown area and can be easily reached on feet and many Jeepney lines pass this area. I stayed at Pinnacle hotel which is a stone throw away from G-Mall, a decent 3-star, nothning fancy but won't break your budget and professionally operated. If you want to spend some more money, choose Marco Polo Hotel. Just watch out for that rabid dog who is the president of the country now, as he used to congregate there quite frequently and you know what he said about gay people recently. Plus there has been a "BOMBastic" atmosphere reported right next to the hotel, so watch your every step. Samal is overrated in my opinion and very inconvenient to get around on that island, plus hijacking has happened there too recently. I made it all the way past Tagum City to Mati and nothing bad happened to me, but the day after I visited a local seaside resort (where everyone slept in tents!), the communist rebels ambushed a Van at the main intersection we passed through and killed a police officer and hurt several others. so the safety talks are not just blablabla

[Nirish guy]

I stayed at Pinnacle hotel .......

Oh and I should have added that solely based on your recommendation ( so it had better be good !! ) I too have now booked the Pinnacle hotel.

Ha I am joking about the better be good part, I have spent ( way to long) looking at all the options around that area and like yourself I think it's one of the better contenders and after numbing my brain reading hotel reviews, some saying great and best hotel ever and some saying absolutely shit hole I'd never stay there again - aye and about just about ALL the hotels not just that one ! - I gave up and applied the DFR rule. (Do fucking rightly) - so i'm sure it'll be just fine.

Thanks again for the info.

[destiny]

just keep your expectations low and you should be okay. The lobby looks a lot more glamorous than what the rooms deliver, but again: The location makes this so convenient. Do use Cabs hailed from the main street and not those waiting at the entrance. My stay was in 2013 already but I doubt a lot of things have changed to the bad since then. Almost all hotels in PH-Land are miserable value for money. As you said, we r spoilt for choices here in LOS, but Vietnam and Cambo offer great deals as well. If you insist on travelling to Samal rent a motorbike there. Very expensive, as is everything on Samal due to the greedy locals killing the young goose that is laying the eggs (the beaches r actually crap as there is an army of sea urchins in the water and the sea is full of rocks making swimming all but impossible). As for the bad reviews Pinoys give their own hotels - they usually have a positive attitude towards life and things and if they rate something negative, there must be a reason for that. I know that they give hotels in Cambo, Vietnam or Thailand usually very high ratings as they cannot believe that they can get a much better hotel in those countries for half or a third of the price they would have to pay for in their home country for a run down dump. If in Manila, don't forget to stop by the G POINT SMORGASBORD lunch buffet, which offers the best value for money in the entire country. A large variety of lovely foods (Pinoy, Scandinavian, Mexican, Seafood, hot/cold), great quality and very affordable. tripadvisor has reviews. This is actually a Beer Bar in the heart of Ermita, but during lunch hours it turns into a buffet-Resto. Get there by 12 noon to ensure a seat so you don't end up sitting at bar tables and stools, as space is limited. This is the first thing I do when arriving at MNL usually. Definitely not to miss in a country where decent food is hard to come by and even junk food is usually overpriced.