Beach Hotels in Cebu

My family and I recently stayed at Crimson for a night, and the experience was nothing short of exceptional. My daughter absolutely loved the place, and the only word she could repeatedly say was, “AMAZING.” The buffet breakfast was outstanding, especially the wide variety of options available for kids. It was thoughtful touches like these that made our stay even more enjoyable. The foam party at the infinity pool was also a big highlight and added so much fun and excitement for the children. What truly made our stay memorable was the hospitality of the staff. Everyone was incredibly accommodating, warm, and approachable throughout our visit. During checkout, a piece of luggage belonging to a guest from Room 619 was accidentally loaded into our car. As soon as we discovered it, we immediately contacted the concierge, and the taxi driver kindly returned it to the hotel right away. Overall, we had a truly wonderful and memorable stay at the resort. Thank you for the excellent service and experience — we would gladly return and highly recommend Crimson to others.

The room decor feels quite dated, with the bathroom and various furnishings showing their age and a slight musty smell. The air conditioning automatically turns off when the balcony door is opened. The external environment is relatively good, with a park and a beach available. The pool is also well-designed, helping to distribute people. There's a 'naughty bag' (play area) suitable for different age groups of children, which requires a fee, though hotel guests receive a discounted rate. Breakfast gets very crowded, so expect to queue. Overall, it's suitable for a family vacation. However, if you have high expectations for the accommodation experience, you might want to choose a newer hotel.

We had a very pleasant stay at this hotel. What makes it truly special is its unique location: set on a small island just 10 minutes by boat from the mainland, it genuinely feels like being alone in the world. The setting is peaceful, charming, and beautifully secluded. The pool is lovely, the small beach is very enjoyable, and above all, the kindness of the staff is exceptional. The team is attentive, warm, and truly contributes to the overall experience. On the downside, because the island is quite isolated, dining options are limited to the hotel’s restaurant unless you take the boat back to the mainland. This makes both the room rates (even though the view is beautiful) and the food prices feel somewhat high. We were a family of five, added an extra bed, and requested early check-in, which significantly increased the final bill for our two-night stay. The total cost ended up being quite substantial. That said, we still had a wonderful time and keep very fond memories of our stay. It is a beautiful and special place overall.

HONEST EXPERIENCE and Please read for the CONS🧡 Bluewater Sumilon Island is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful resorts we’ve visited. The private island setting, surrounded by clear waters, creates a unique and relaxing experience. We also appreciated that the resort provides complimentary boat transfers for checked-in guests. The transfer was smooth, organized, and only took around 15 minutes. Our room was spacious, clean, and well-maintained, with complete amenities and everything we needed for a comfortable stay. Although our assigned room was quite far from the main areas, the resort’s shuttle service helped make transportation easier. The food exceeded our expectations. Both dinner and breakfast were served buffet-style, offering a wide variety of choices. Everything was well-prepared and enjoyable. One of the highlights of our stay was the staff. The activity guides, lifeguards, restaurant staff, and service personnel were consistently warm, welcoming, and accommodating. They were approachable and attentive to our requests throughout our stay. We also had an unexpected medical situation involving one of our senior companions, and we were grateful that there was a nurse on duty. The assistance and care provided were professional and reassuring, especially since the incident happened in the evening. However, there were also areas that could be improved. Our experience with the reception staff was disappointing compared to the excellent service provided by the rest of the team. Communication felt rushed, and at times multiple guests were being addressed simultaneously, which came across as unprofessional and less welcoming. The resort shuttle service also seemed overwhelmed during peak hours. With many guests needing transportation around the island, waiting times became longer. Adding more service vehicles could significantly improve convenience, especially for seniors, children, and guests with mobility concerns. Our biggest concern was the lack of exclusivity despite the resort’s positioning as a premium private island destination. The resort accommodates a large number of day-tour guests who share many of the same facilities. As a result, areas such as the sandbar, swimming pools, and lounge spaces often felt crowded. There were times when finding available benches or fully enjoying the facilities became difficult because of the volume of day visitors. For a resort that markets itself as a luxury private island experience, this was quite disappointing. While we understand the value of day tours for the business, overnight guests paying premium rates should ideally enjoy a more exclusive experience and better access to resort facilities. Overall, Bluewater Sumilon Island offers stunning scenery, excellent food, comfortable accommodations, and outstanding service from most of its staff. However, improvements in guest exclusivity, transportation availability, and front desk service would greatly enhance the overall experience and better justify its premium pricing.

Overall a good place to stay and recommended, with a few areas for improvement. Mainly being the air con in our room and some little finishing touches. Nice pool and surroundings, clean and tidy.  Particularly great location walkable into town and can dive/snorkel straight from the hotel.  We swam from here to the sardines about 500m. Pros: Nice rooms seemed recently painted. Minibar and restaurant both very fairly priced. Cocktails good.   Breakfast ok. Location fantastic. Pool area good. Rooms cleaned daily to a good standard and efficiently. Bathroom fairly typical for here, a little tired and low pressure - but don’t expect western standards. Constructive feedback: Air con in our room was inadequate which did affect our enjoyment, it wasn’t able to lower the temp below 27 degrees at all during the week. No sign of the sunset yoga mentioned on the website, would have been very keen. Multiple rooms with the same number depending on room type, seemed to cause confusion on almost every staff interaction. Could easily be simplified one room per number 😂. One towel per person in the room feels tight for a place expecting people to be in and out of the water, no hand towels etc.  To feel a bit higher / mid end as I think this place is aiming rather than a budget hotel - it’s lacking some of the smaller finishing touches on the decor etc - such as new towels which aren't tired, a hair dryer, tissues/some cosmetics, free-service water in the rooms not just reception, would make a big difference to it feeling a bit generous and instead of basic / providing the bare min. We went and got extra pool towels. Dive centre was fully booked when I was there, but not a problem as there are dozens of others in walking distance. Suggest contacting them in advance if you are keen on using the facilities in-resort. Went there to the dive centre 3 times to try and arrange diving and lady on the desk was friendly but communication was bit of an issue and she didn’t really know basics to answer fairly simple questions other then pointing at the price list, such as availability over the next days. Don’t hire fins and mask for snorkelling in-resort. 650pp vs 200pp 10 mins walk away in town, lady at the dive desk was embarrassed to tell us the price - not her fault.

I had a pleasant stay at Plantations Resort Mactan and appreciated the peaceful surroundings and overall atmosphere. However, considering the price, I expected a little more in terms of room facilities and value. Some areas felt dated, such as the television, which was an older model and not a smart TV. The room windows also allowed quite a bit of outside light in, which affected the comfort at night. The games room was a nice idea, but having to use tokens for the games felt a little disappointing given the overall cost of the stay. The resort has potential and a lovely setting, but some updates and added value would make the experience feel more in line with the price.

I stayed here with my 8-year-old son (I'll share the pros and cons of traveling with a child). 1. **Pros** * **Meals**: The breakfast buffet is standard, but they offer white porridge daily with 3-4 Korean dishes and 1-2 Japanese dishes, which was great for kids. On the day I went, there were many delicious options like japchae, jjimdak, kimchi fried rice, and jeyuk-bokkeum. You can also order iced or hot chocolate at your table, which my son enjoyed every day. * **Kids' Club/Play Area**: They have their own children's play facility. They run various programs by age group and time, and even talk to the kids in English. There are also toys and playgrounds for toddlers. This was the only air-conditioned spot in the lobby area, so my son used it multiple times. I was initially worried the facilities and toys might be old, but my son absolutely loved the fish feeding and mask making activities we tried. T-shirt and pizza making are available for an extra charge. * **Pool & Beach**: These were the best facilities! There were hardly any guests, so we could enjoy the pool and beach leisurely. You can see various fish while snorkeling at the beach – we even spotted Nemo and Dory. * **Chocolate Hour**: I only got to experience it for one day, which was a shame. There were 2-3 types of chocolates, bread, and popcorn. You could enjoy them inside the 1st-floor breakfast restaurant or take them to the lobby. I particularly liked that there were two types of melting chocolate with about three toppings, offering variety. However, only water is provided for drinks; you can order other beverages from the lobby bar if needed. 2. **Cons** * **Facilities**: Since it was only a partial renovation, the overall facilities look dated. Especially the hallways had a strong old carpet smell. That said, the general maintenance was neat, and my shower filter didn't discolor, which was a good sign. 3. **Overall Review** The location is great, being close to New Town, the airport, popular massage shops (Cielo, Cacao Tree, Oasis), and famous restaurants (Morning Glory, Coco Cebu, Cabana, The Cove, etc.), many of which are within walking distance. I chose this place because I wanted to avoid areas with too many Koreans, and except for one couple during my stay, all other guests were foreigners. If you're looking for a good value-for-money experience that feels like you're truly abroad, this is the place to go!

My fiancé and I had a wonderful stay at the Blue Orchid, and it truly exceeded our expectations in every way. Our room was clean, comfortable, and had a  view of the ocean over the treetops. It felt peaceful and private — exactly the atmosphere we were hoping for. The staff were exceptional — so friendly, kind, and accommodating. They helped me plan a surprise proposal for my fiancé, offering suggestions for the perfect location and ultimately arranging for us to use their private rooftop. They also coordinated a romantic dinner there just for us, ensuring we had complete privacy. It was an unforgettable evening, and I’m so grateful for the care they put into making it so special. The resort arranged our transportation both from our previous hotel in Mactan and later to Cebu Pier 1, which made travel stress-free. We also booked canyoneering and an introductory scuba dive through them. The instructors were fantastic — very patient and reassuring, especially when I became nervous underwater and couldn’t finish the dive. While the resort is a bit removed from the busier Panagsama Beach area, that was a huge plus for us. We wanted somewhere quiet, scenic, and romantic, and Blue Orchid delivered exactly that. The restaurant doesn’t have a massive menu, but the food was consistently delicious, portions were perfect, and prices were very fair. Even though there wasn’t a kettle in the room, hot water, coffee and tea was readily available and it was never an inconvenience since everything was close by. We also appreciated the mosquito net over the bed — it added to the tropical charm, though we didn’t need it because insects were never an issue. We even spotted a tiny gecko in our room upon arrival, but it was harmless and quickly disappeared — just part of the island’s character! Overall, the Blue Orchid was everything we hoped for: quiet, romantic, and welcoming. The staff helped make one of the most meaningful moments of our lives absolutely perfect. I would highly recommend it, especially to LGBTQ+ travelers looking for a peaceful and genuinely inclusive place to stay in Moalboal. When we do a return trip to the area, we will stay here again. 

I stayed a week and a half with my friend in Costabella. The staff was very friendly and helpful which made our stay excellent from the second we arrived at the hotel. Rooms were cleaned daily and water got refilled. The hotel has its own beach and swimming pools, an excellent dining hall and a restaurant with various delicious meals and drinks. Also there are water activities at the facility which requier extra payment which is also accessible, the kayak is free for use for 30min which is nice. This was our first visit to the Philippines and the hotel choice didn't disappoint. It felt like a paradise. I'm very thankful to the staff and the hard work they do, will miss our time in Lapu Lapu 🌸

Good impression on arrival, though it's, a bit isolated. Great ladies on reception and my room was ready early. Really lovely pools and surroundings, though they could tidy up stuff around the plants a little more. The beach was just great, sandy with no huge stones etc. Very peaceful in evening. Staff are very friendly and helpful. On the negative side, food wasn't so good and telatiby expensive, tho American breakfast was fine. Residents enjoy a 30% discount which helps. Can't work out why French fries were 580 pesos!!! I didn't go there. Drinks were good with discount.