Citadines Cebu City

The breakfast was a 10! The location was good if you want to be near live music venues.

C’était bien situé, le personnel était au petit soin, les chambres étaient propres

Tout était bien

My wife and I recently booked a Studio Executive room at Citadines Cebu City via Agoda, specifically looking forward to the "separate shower/bathtub" inclusion listed in the booking. We have traveled extensively both domestically and abroad, so we pretty much have a solid benchmark for what a premium stay should feel like. Unfortunately, while the property itself is modern and cozy, the service recovery was nothing short of “appalling.” Upon entering our room on the 16th floor, I immediately noticed the aesthetic was beautiful and the atmosphere was inviting. However, the one feature I had specifically asked my wife to ensure was included—the bathtub—was missing. Given that it was clearly stated in our Agoda inclusions, my wife went down to the front desk at the 9th floor to seek assistance. What followed was a masterclass in how not to handle a customer dilemma. The interaction with the front desk and management was incredibly frustrating for several reasons: 1. Deflecting Responsibility: The staff claimed their backend only posts availability to Agoda and that they lacked the capability to change rooms because it was a third-party booking. 2. Upselling Instead of Solving: Rather than offering an equal exchange or a creative solution—something we’ve experienced at many other hotels in similar situations—they immediately pushed for a paid upgrade. Note: We have the ability to pay but the tensions were there and we don’t like to stay at hotels who’ve left a bad first impression. 3. False Advertising: We felt we were falsely led to believe the room we booked included a bathtub. While the technical error might sit between the hotel and Agoda, the burden of the "shortcoming" was placed entirely on us. We confirmed with the manager and staff that there are no bathtubs for all studio executive, but still placed a shower/bathtub in the Agoda listings. 4. Poor Management Presence: The manager eventually stepped in, but instead of de-escalating the rising tension, she made it worse. She offered condescending remarks masked in "polite" language, effectively making us feel like the situation was our fault. For a brand under the prestigious Ascott chain, this level of "hospitality" is unacceptable. We ultimately decided to cancel the booking. While we were able to process a refund, the experience left a sour taste. We ended up moving to another hotel in Cebu City, a certain hotel brand that we’ve frequented for years—a place where we know the service actually matches the ratings.

Not the kind of experience we expected, especially for something that should have been straightforward. We booked a room at Citadines Cebu through Agoda specifically because the room details stated “separate shower and bathtub.” That feature was important to us, and based on our previous bookings, we trusted that what’s written is what we’d get. Unfortunately, upon arrival, we found out that our room didn’t have a bathtub at all. I spoke with the staff, including Dominic and the Manager on duty, and while they were polite and professional, we were told that bathtubs are only available in upgraded room types. They explained that the bathtub mentioned in the listing was “optional,” which honestly didn’t match how it was presented when we made the booking. It felt misleading. Since it was our last day in Cebu—and a rare trip for just me and my husband—we didn’t want to spend it going back and forth over something that should have been clear from the start. So instead, we made the difficult decision to cancel our booking (our first time ever doing so on Agoda) and transfer to another hotel just to get the room we originally expected. The cancellation process wasn’t easy either, especially since we weren’t familiar with how refunds work in this situation. We do have proof of the original room description, and we truly hope this gets reviewed. Guests rely heavily on accurate listings when making bookings, and even small details like this can really affect the overall experience. Just a heads up to fellow travelers: always double-check and confirm amenities directly, even if they’re clearly stated. #TravelReview #CebuTrip #AgodaExperience #HonestFeedback

Friendly and accommodating staffs, specially the housekeeping and reception… great location, food and internet connection complete amenities…Loved the mirror selfie…