Cebu Hotel / Short Stay Condo with 10Mbps PLDT Wifi

I first picked City Suites Ramos Tower hotel as it’s a short walk (500m) to the Mango Avenue nightlife, and looked modern from the pics on Agoda.

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Deluxe corner room 27th floor, $39.95 on Agoda (1860 pesos)

What I really liked though is that each room has it’s own private PLDT wifi line, with your own password, like a condo – it turned out City Suites is actually a Condotel, with both daily and monthly rates. Perfect for digital nomads trying to find good internet in the Philippines without signing a one year contract.

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It’s about 10Mbps download, uploading is slow though.

Rates

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The daily rate is $32 – $40 on Agoda (~1500 pesos) depending on deluxe or deluxe corner room, or $64 – $75 walk-in rate (3000 – 3500 pesos). Breakfast included.

Monthly the hotel rooms are $750 (35000 pesos) or a bit higher for a double bed.

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Then some rooms are allocated as ‘condo rooms’ and rented out by owners for $430 (20,000 pesos) and up, depending on furnishings, contract length, floor, etc.

I liked the high balcony views (Ramos Tower has 33 floors), clean layout, comfy beds, LCD TV with SKY cable, fridge, and plenty of cupboard space / dining table area. The air con is cold and quiet.

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Sink and table with kettle / coffee

The downside is the blinds let in tons of sunlight so the room is sunny af in the mornings. You might need a sleep mask if you’re not an early riser. If I lived there long term I’d try to put in some curtains.

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Room 2708 overlooks some tennis courts

The bathrooms are a nice marble style with piping hot water. The balcony is big enough to sit and drink on – a good draw to invite Filipino Cupid girls over to ‘hang out’. I was only on a short trip though so I stuck to P4P. More on Cebu barfines in the next post.

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They might not want to leave the next day

From City Suites you can walk to the Mango Square nightclubs and nearby bikini bars in 6-7 mins. It’s south of the Fuente Circle down F. Ramos Street, on the way to the Colon area.

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Balcony view of the port

Taking a bargirl back in a cab from Viking or Erik the Red, the meter only hits 50 pesos. The reception staff didn’t say anything when I bought different ‘guests’ over each night, no questions or ID checks.

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Waking up to the sunlight

There’s also restaurant room service, so you can wake up and order a late lunch with your new Pinay friends. With both international and Filipino dishes.

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Binagoongang Baboy, 150 Pesos

I think I prefer the standard room ($30 on Agoda after tax) as it lets in less sunlight and is basically exactly the same style and size (28sqm) as the deluxe, just less windows.

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Balcony view of Crown Regency hotel and mountains

There was some obnoxiously loud construction noise that started at 08:45 in the morning (standard Philippines) on the floor above me, but reception let me move to a room on a different floor.

Overall I liked Ramos Tower for the comfy rooms and fast wifi and could easily live there month to month.

City Suites Location

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The Google maps location is slightly off, Ramos Tower is actually on the West side of the street (the wedge shape building on the map) not the East.

Checkout all 300+ Cebu hotels on Agoda and Booking.com.

13 Responses

  1. Brian Mark says:

    What is the software you use for the Speedtest. I really need to get this because I can work remotely. This would be great for me going into apartments and immediately testing the speed vs. trying to run some work applications. What cities in Philippines have the fastest internet?

  2. Brian Mark says:

    Did you find faster internet in Thailand than Philippines and which cities were best?

  3. jspill says:

    Just need to go to http://www.speedtest.net/ on desktop and hit ‘begin test’, or on mobile it prompts you to download their app. Manila best internet. Mobile internet is poor everywhere, Thailand is way better. At home it’s ok if you install your own PLDT line at home, choose an expensive package, and commit to a long contract (or just break it and accept the fine) – http://pldthome.com/fibr

  4. RAH says:

    Are you allowed to cook in these rooms? Electric stove I would think, but do tell?

  5. Anonymous says:

    I have no idea how I stumbled on to this blog. Decided to read an article, then read some more:). Very interesting I must say! BTW, the girls on the pics on this article, they the ones you consider a six? I’m a Filipina and I would think a 3 or 4 :). Cheers!

    • jspill says:

      These ones maybe a 5, I don’t know what I was thinking there. Well Cebu doesn’t have many options if you’re only in town a few days, have to take what you can get

      • Anonymous says:

        Hey! Back in your blog and still reading! I got hooked 🙂 Glad you’re having fun here in the Philippines. Been to BKK 4 times and I agree that accommodation is cheaper there. Best bet here in the Philippines to get a cheaper accommodation is to rent an apartment monthly if you know someone. I lived in Davao for a year and I think its pretty safe and saw a couple foreigners in Samal Island with a different Filipina every night. Not a single one was pretty though IMO. But then again, YMMV, and you’re a dude and I’m female. Have fun 🙂

        • jspill says:

          Glad you like it 🙂 I also felt safe in Davao. Will write about that soon.

          It works the other way round too I see Filipina and Thai girls with guys that I don’t think are a great match, it’s hard to have a good radar for other nationalities when we haven’t grown up around them. And then even if they aren’t pretty the bodies are decent, there are not many chicks under 50kg back in the West.

          • Anonymous says:

            That’s so true! I see a lot of young Filipinas with old geezers who either are wearing black NB with socks pulled up or sandals with socks and their shorts almost pulled up to their chins! LOL :). Lived in TO and a lot of chicks there over 35 are fat. A lot of those ones who live downtown though are into healthy living, whatever that means.

  6. Out of curiosity, do either you or Dante have college degrees?

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