Philippines: Bai Hotel Cebu Stay

Date: 2018-11-19

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Cebu: The Philippines' Second City

Cebu is located roughly in the centre of the Philippine archipelago. The adjacent island of Mactan is famous among divers worldwide for its coral reefs. Mactan-Cebu International Airport serves the area; the two islands are connected by two bridges.

The Hotel

Bai Hotel Cebu opened in September 2017 — a 23-storey building with an atrium through the centre. 668 rooms — the largest hotel in Cebu at the time of our visit. 4-star.

Floors 6–17: standard guest rooms. Floors 18–21: Executive Club rooms. Floor 22: Executive Lounge. Floor 21 rooftop: an infinity pool and bar.

Location: Mandani Bay, close to one of the bridges connecting Cebu City and Mactan Island. The bay area was under active development during our visit — condominiums, office buildings, and a premium shopping mall under construction. In 5–10 years, the neighbourhood will look completely different.

The Room

Deluxe Room, floor 17, room 1722. King-size bed with an extra roll-away bed added for our son (3 people). Facing north — away from direct sun, which matters in a tropical climate. The room stayed comfortable without excessive air conditioning.

Bed: King-size, generous space even with three people. The roll-away mattress was firm and comfortable.

Bathroom: Shower only (no bathtub). Overhead and handheld shower options. Note: the shower cubicle had no door — water splashed onto the floor easily. The floor tile grading in our specific room was poorly executed, so water pooled near the entrance rather than draining. The floor remained damp constantly. Not a safety hazard but an annoyance. This was likely a room-specific issue rather than a property-wide problem.

Amenities: Bai Hotel original — citrus fragrance. Shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, soap, razor, toothbrush, comb, shower cap.

Bedding: High-quality cotton, good mattress and pillows. Sheets changed daily. Sleep quality: excellent.

The Rooftop (Floor 21)

The best feature of the property. The infinity pool and bar on the 21st floor — best visited in the evening when the sun has dropped. Hotel guests enter with room number and name at the door; an admission charge applies for non-guests.

The bar has a high ceiling and is open to the air on the sides — genuinely pleasant at night with city views in all directions.

Breakfast

Café Bai, floor 2, from 6am. Given the hotel has over 600 rooms, the breakfast hall is large. The hotel's own notices warned that 8am onwards becomes very crowded. We went at 6am opening time all three days and ate comfortably.

The range was extensive: Filipino, Asian, and Western options. The two standout sections:

Noodle soup station: Choose noodles (thin Chinese, thick, glass noodles, pho, udon) and toppings, hand to the chef, who blanches everything and adds broth. We added fried garlic. Chicken-based stock.

Filipino mains: Corned beef stir-fried with onion and carrots — a staple Filipino breakfast dish, eaten with rice and a fried egg. Longanisa (sweet-spicy pork sausage, round and soft). Fried white fish. Sticky rice cakes made with glutinous rice and coconut, wrapped in banana leaves. Eggs in 5–6 preparations.

Surprise item: Muri sushi rolls — cream cheese, pineapple, Spam, and cucumber inside-out rolls. Unexpectedly enjoyable.

Neighbourhood

Directly across the road: Park Mall shopping centre with a Jollibee (the Philippines' largest fast food chain, popular nationwide), Chowking (Chinese-style Filipino casual restaurant — around 150 pesos/meal including a drink), and other food options. The Ayala Mall area (the premium central Cebu shopping district) is 10–15 minutes by car.

Overall rating: 4/5. The air conditioning unit was noisy, and the bathroom drainage issue was specific to our room. Otherwise: comfortable beds, enjoyable breakfast, excellent rooftop, and a convenient location between the Mactan resort area and Cebu City business district.