More about hotels in Cebu
About Cebu accommodation
Cebu is the Philippines' "Queen City of the South," and it's easy to see why once you're there. You get city energy in Cebu City, with malls, rooftop bars and a buzzing IT Park scene, and then within an hour or two you're on a boat heading out to some of the best diving and island escapes in the Visayas. It's a proper hub destination, so whether you're after a beach resort right by the airport or you're using Cebu as a launchpad for Moalboal, Bantayan or Malapascua, there's accommodation to match.
Because Cebu covers so much ground, from a busy metro to laid-back island towns, where you stay really shapes your trip. Here's what you need to know before you book.
Where should you stay in Cebu?
- Cebu City / IT Park: the spot for city energy, nightlife, shopping and easy access to malls and restaurants.
- Mactan Island: home to Cebu's beach resorts and the international airport, ideal if you want a quick transfer straight into resort mode.
- Moalboal: the go-to base for canyoneering trips and the famous sardine run, with a chill, backpacker-friendly vibe.
- Bantayan Island: quiet, powder-white beaches and a slow pace, great if you want to properly switch off.
- Malapascua Island: small and low-key, best known for its dive scene and thresher shark encounters.
How much is Cebu accommodation?
Cebu has one of the widest accommodation spreads in the Philippines, so your budget stretches further here than you might expect, and there's genuine luxury on offer too if you want to splash out.
- Backpacker (AU$10-25/night): hostel dorms and basic guesthouses, common around Moalboal and Cebu City.
- Budget (AU$25-55/night): simple private rooms and budget hotels, a solid option near IT Park or the airport.
- Mid-range (AU$55-130/night): comfortable three and four-star hotels with pools and decent amenities.
- Beachfront resort (AU$130-280/night): Mactan resorts with private beach access, pools and on-site dining.
- Luxury (AU$280-600+/night): five-star Mactan resorts with the full spread of spas, multiple pools and premium service.
What is Cebu known for?
- Malapascua's thresher shark diving: one of the few places in the world you can reliably spot these sharks up close.
- Moalboal's sardine run: millions of sardines forming a moving underwater cloud, right off the shore.
- Kawasan Falls canyoneering: jumping, sliding and swimming your way down a series of turquoise waterfalls.
- Bantayan Island's white sand: some of the finest, softest beaches in the Visayas.
- Osmeña Peak: Cebu's highest point, with grassy, rolling ridgelines that look almost otherworldly at sunrise.
- Lechon: Cebu's famous roast pig, widely considered the best in the whole country.
What are the best hotels in Cebu?
- Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu: a sprawling beachfront resort with multiple pools, watersports and a private cove.
- Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan: a sleek, family-friendly resort with a long stretch of private beach.
- Movenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu: modern rooms with sea views and an easy walk to Mactan's beach strip.
- Radisson Blu Cebu: a reliable, well-located city hotel close to the Waterfront and business district.
- Bai Hotel Cebu: a solid mid-range pick near the airport with rooftop views over Mactan Channel.
- Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino: a long-running city favourite with big rooms and easy access to malls.
Tips for booking a stay in Cebu?
- Base yourself on Mactan Island if you want the easiest airport-to-resort transfer with minimal fuss.
- Pick Cebu City if nightlife, shopping and restaurants matter more to you than beach access.
- Heading to Moalboal or Malapascua for diving? Factor in a few hours' land travel from the airport, so it's worth booking one night near Mactan first if you're arriving late.
- Getting to Bantayan Island involves a ferry crossing, so build extra buffer time into your itinerary rather than cutting it fine.
- Book beachfront Mactan resorts early during peak season (December to May), as the best rooms sell out fast.
