M Citi Suites A Simple Favorite - Accommodations in Cebu City

It's just 8:45AM  as I write this and I'm already inside my room at M Citi Suites along Llorente Street, a block away from Fuente Osmena. It's my 5th time here and despite so many hotels sprouting all over the big city, I still manage to come back here. If I didn't like discovering new places, M Citi would probably be one of the few I'd frequent. To be honest, I have a review backlog of 8 or 9 Cebu hotels I haven't written about and that's a lot. I'm not inclined to write about my favorite hotels because I'd prefer not sharing them, but hey, here's one... to pay homage to this great Cebu hotel.

This time, I am given Room 301 (I was at the deluxe Room 407 recently), the cornermost room beside the elevator and stairs. I have to mention that I was upgraded from standard to deluxe because they seem to have misplaced the voucher of my booking (how do you misplace a booking?) which lead to the unavailability of a standard room. Thus they have to give me a deluxe. I am not complaining.

The previous 3 rooms I had were also deluxe and I've even stayed in a family room, a humongous room at the end of a hallway, with a bathroom bigger than a standard room in Islands Hotel along Archbishop Reyes. M Citi Suites has always been generous to their guests.

I arrived at 8:45 AM and I was accommodated immediately. Had this been say, Tune Hotel, I would have to wait until 1 or 2 PM. Nearby Adelfa Hotel and Cuarto Hotel also accept early arrival. Regardless, this is a very generous practice; one that would promote good will and return bookings among customers.

There are no windows inside, but there's a semblance of one. Though fully walled, one side of the room is curtained top to bottom. The room is spacious so it's hard to feel claustrophobic. There's a long desk covered with polished "micarta" and a huge cabinet with a ref and a safety deposit box. The room doesn't have a lamp shade, but there are four overhead lights just over the twin beds. Television is a Samsung LCD with cable channels. The bed is firm but comfortable, with clean sheets, plush pillows (3) and a duvet so luxuriously comfy.

Bathroom is spacious as well, with towels, soap and shampoo, and a pair of complimentary water bottles with glasses. No hair dryer, but I guess you could ask one from the front desk. I remembered complaining about the spotty wifi signal from a previous stay and the management went out of their way to actually bring a router inside my room. Who does that? That's how accommodating they are. I personally would pay a little more for a hotel with good wifi  - and I'd avoid one without.

Another great thing about M Citi Suite ("M" stands for "Muntuerto") is how brisk checking in and out are done. They'd have to check the room when you leave but they don't take forever for this. Their restaurant serves some of the city's best dishes, including a sinful Humba meal, but the food here verges on pricey. This is probably why most of their bookings do not include free breakfast; one of the few hotels not offering inclusive breakfast for their regular rooms, at least in Agoda booking site.

This is the Family Room where I stayed September 2013.  If you think my describing M Citi Suites room is cliche or hyperbole, see for yourself. The bed easily fits 5 persons (though officially it has an occupancy of 3). It's actually possible to skateboard in this room. Check out this room's bathroom below. 

The family room's bathroom has in itself a space that constitutes bedroom space for other hotels here or abroad. 

Shower room

The view from the hallway near the elevator. Cuarto Hotel is on view and just across the street.

MMM Cafe has colorful Pinoy paintings that are occasionally changed.

Great music at M Citi Suites

Another plus: unlike Adelfa or Best Western Lex, the hotel doesn't ask for a P1,000 deposit fee (reimbursed upon check-out if nothing inside the room gets broken or stolen - heaven forbid). This actually saves time, and is one of the reasons why their checkout process is faster than most.

Location is important. And M Citi Suites is right at the heart of Cebu City. It's half a block from Jones; a block from Fuente Osmena and Robinson's Cybergate (which has a food court, a business center for your printing/xerox needs). Chong Hua Hospital is nearby. Mango Avenue (Maxilom) and its row of bars and restaurants, and spas are within walking distance. It's easy to flag down taxis. The door man will do that for you if you ask them while you wait. Most taxi drivers don't seem to know about the hotel, but just say "it's along Llorente near Cybergate" and it's a done deal.

NOT VERY VISIBLE

From several experience, the hotel's sign isn't readily spotted or seen even when the taxi has already crossed Jones from the other side of Llorente, I have to point to them where the sign is because the drivers keep asking where it is though we're 15 steps or so from the hotel. I'd suggest they place some tarpaulins along Jones for recall and as a simple advertisement - or improve the visibility of their signage just outside their hotel.

M Citi Suites is located at Don Julio Llorente Street, near Fuente Osmena and Robinson's Cybergate, close to the intersection of Don Gil Garcia Street, in Cebu City. For more information, call them at (63-32) 520-6240. Visit their website at http://mcitisuitescebu.com/.

On weekend nights, they'd occasionally mount a "show" at their parking area. Local bands (good ones, I have to say) would perform til midnight. Which other affordable suite-style hotel has this merry-making?

This is the Eye in the Sky!