Cheap Hotel in Cebu City : Verbena Suites

I just stayed at Verbena Capitol Suites in Cebu City for two days. Coming from the North Bus Terminal, it took us about 40 minutes to reach the place via taxi due to heavy traffic. I think, from the airport it would also take about 40 minutes to reach Verbena Capitol Suites minus the traffic. Verbena Capitol Suites should not be mistaken fromVerbena Pension House. Both places are managed by the same people but they are the same. Although, not too far from each other, Verbena Capitol Suites is the newer establishment between the two.

Verbena's Lobby

On the surface, Verbena Capitol Suites is a picture of simple elegance. And I must say that the management seem to be trying its best to make the place comfortable. However, the place fell short of what I expected- at least during my last visit.

Here are my reasons along with an overview of the hotel:

On Reservations: 

Based on their website, people can reserve through email, text message or phone call. I'm used to doing online reservations whenever I travel. So far, all the online reservations that I made in other places were answered except when I made reservations here in Verbena. There was a confirmation of the receipt of my reservation but that ends there. I was unsure whether our reservation was confirmed or not so I texted the cellphone numbers posted on their website. I did this twice but there was no reply for confirmation. I had no choice but to call. The person who answered said she did not receive any text message nor email. I could probably believe her but I received a confirmation of my email while I texted them twice during normal working hours.

So I guess, what I'm trying to say here is if you want to stay here call them directly just to be sure. I just hope the management would improve their reservation system. They boasted that  people can make online reservations but the staff can't handle it.

Twin Room at Verbena (Our room before leaving)

On Service:

The place is not keen on service. The staff seem to be lax and I did not feel a warm welcome from them. I'm not expecting a super welcome gesture but I did expect a little help and courtesy.

Why do I say these things? First, upon arriving the guard did not extend any helping hand to us as we carry several luggage. He just stared at us while my boyfriend and I were having a hard time alighting the taxi and entering the lobby. Even during the several times we went in and out of the hotel premises, the guards did not have an automatic gesture to open the door or to help people carry things even when they are obviously having a hard time carrying time.

Second, the front desk person did not smile to us even once during our stay. You might think I'm too sensitive but this is the first time that I encountered a person from the front desk who seemed to be annoyed with the clients. She also did not accommodate my request to be transferred to another room because of the noise. Our room was just behind the lobby and we can hear the comings and goings of people. Just to settle the matter, we had the TV on and had it on a loud volume to drown the outside noise.

Lastly, the service in their cafe and restaurant should really be improved. When we went there for breakfast, there was no one whom we can place our order. We had to wait for about 15 minutes until someone from the kitchen came out. As I was going to place our order, the girl said something which I think means " Sandali lang," then went to get the order of another man who arrive later than us. We had to wait again even though we're supposed to be catered first *sigh*

The small bathroom- a puzzle where to bath esp. for big people

On the Facilities: 

As I've said before, Verbena Capitol Suites seem to be trying to be a comfortable place. In terms of facilities, the place has a general relaxing feel and quiet luxury. All rooms have cable TV. Wifi can also be accessed from the room. The beds are comfortably firm and the airconditioning is good. The room is generally clean. They provide towels and soaps. The room we rented, twin bedroom, has a minibar and a heater just in case you want to have hot drinking water. In general, the sleeping area is good especially with the hotel's high ceilings giving a spacious impression.

On the other hand, I felt trapped because there were no windows. The noise from the staff room (beside our room) can be heard. The faucet in the bathroom sink had no water during our stay. There was no hot water in the bathroom even if the hotel said that they have. The bathroom itself is small. There was barely space for bathing.

Now let me conclude this by saying that Verbena Capitol Suites has a lot of potential esp. if they improve on their service. But honestly, I wish I could have stayed in a different place in Cebu City since there are a lot of budget places in the area with the same facilities.

Beach Resort in Bantayan: Be Wowed at Beach Placid Resort

Beach Placid Resort is located at Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island in Cebu. It is a bed and breakfast inn that boasts of a long stretch of fine white sand and clear waters. The beach rivals that of Boracay shores without the mad crowd. Though the facilities are basic and austere, the service is world-class.(As in!) All the staff- from the reservations to the driver are always ready to give a smile and to assist the guests. Budget wise- it's more than what you paid for!

Beach Placid's Shore

 Accommodation and Facilities:

Beach Front Rooms at Beach Placid Resort

Beach Placid has two types of rooms based on structure- the native cottages and the modern ones. For this trip, we rented a native cottage good for two. The facilities are very basic but clean. The room has a bed, a closet and a CR. The CR doesn't have a door but a curtain. This is just worth P500 with free breakfast so I think, we're not supposed to expect more. They also provided transportation services from Sta. Fe Wharf to the resort. They also provided soaps and towel and the room doesn't smell. It's not also airconditioned but the fan along with the sea breeze was enough to keep us cool.

Native Cottage good for 2 (Our room before leaving)

The only thing that bothered me at night was the swish of the coconut leaves. Before going to bed, I kept on wondering whether it was raining or not. There was also some coconuts that fell on the roof of our cottage.

As for facilities, Beach Placid has a bar and restaurant which is open until 11 pm, I think. They have a fixed menu at a reasonable price- not too expensive for resort rates. The seafood are great especially the danggit. They also have massage services.

Activities: 

Based on my experience, the best time to swim on the beach is around 9 am to 3 pm. Before and after those times, the water is so shallow that the shoreline expands for several meters.

Aside from swimming, we also rented bicycles and motorcycles from the resort. Here are their rates as of August 2011:

Bicycle:                30/ hr
Motorcycle:         50/hr,    300 for 8 hrs,  450 for 24 hours
Island Hopping:   900 for 2 pax, 1200 for 3-5 pax, 1500, for 6-9 pax

You can also rent skim boards which I didn't get the price.


How to Get There:

From Mactan Airport, take a cab to the North Bus Terminal. Ride the metered white cabs, they cost less. Without traffic, the trip would take less than 30 minutes. At the terminal, ask for the Ceres Bus bound for Hagnaya. I recommend to take the airconditioned ones because the trip would last for 3 to 4 hours depending on the traffic. Hagnaya is the last stop for the buses and you can easily see the port upon your arrival at Hagnaya terminal. From Hagnaya Port, take a ship or a ferry that would transfer you to Sta. Fe Wharf. The sea ride may last for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. From the Port, the shuttle of Beach Placid will be there to meet you!

Cost of Transportation:

From Mactan to Terminal via cab:      P150
Bus Ride to Hagnaya Port:                P150 (Ceres Bus- Airconditioned)
Ship Fare:                                         P170


Other Tips:

1. Take time to buy or bring your own drinking water esp. if you're on a budget.

2. You'll enjoy the place better if you know how to ride a motorcycle than hiring a traysikad.

3. Allot at least around 3 days and 2 nights to make up for time you spent on traveling.

4. Be prepared to understand Cebuano. 

Whether you're in a budget or not, take time to visit Beach Placid. Good facilities, better shoreline and the best service!

What NOT to WEAR in Job Interviews

Whether employers admit it or not, they judge people based on their appearance. And I believe that there's nothing wrong with that. After all, if I were the employer I would also want to see the applicant exert effort with the way they look.

Power dressing may already sound cliche but still not many people understand what it means esp. during job interviews. Since I have been conducting several job interviews lately, I took some notes of what I think people SHOULD NOT WEAR for interviews.

my model well-dressed applicant

1. Big earrings, hoop earrings, dangling earrings, glitzy bling blings!

During one of the job inteviews I had, there was this fashionista girl wearing big hoop earrings with her hair swooped high and thick make-up. I think she would look great if she's looking for a modeling job but she's not applying for a modeling job. Her earrings were just so distracting I gagged just at the sight of them. I guess, big earrings are meant more for parties and other festive occassions.

2. Jeans, Maong Pants

For some reason, I believe this is one of the most common mistakes applicants commit. I know maong pants are comfortable but that's also the reason why it's not impressive. They look too casual as if the applicant was strolling at the mall and suddenly decided to apply for a job. I believe that even if the interviewer or even if the whole company you would want to work for wear jeans, applicants should still wear slacks or skirts.

3. Flowing long hair

Okay, I am rather traditional even when it comes to hairstyle. Everytime I have to interviews, I tie my hair in a pony style or in a bun. I don't know I think I look more confident and clean. Whenever I see girls applying for a job with untied long hairs, I would want to recommend to tie their hair. More so, when they have bangs that seem to cover their whole face. I don't care if it's rebonded. I just think that a tied hair looks more professional and less casual. Put it this way, a guy with a clean-cut hair looks more competent and more professional for an office job than a guy with a long hair. So this also goes for women.

4.  Casual shoes or sandals

I don't know how vague the word, "formal" is but I think wearing flat sandals do not fall under the category of "formal." In one of my interviews, there was this girl who looked decent enough with her formal clothes. But her appearance was ruined with her footwear. She was wearing slip-ons. I know it's comfortable on foot but you're not going to an interview to be comfortable. For girls, the best thing to wear are closed shoes- black, brown, white. No red shoes please! For boys, don't dare wear your rubber shoes!


I think some people think that with their resume, they can get to impress the boss. Sure, the information in your resume may look impressive but it would help a lot if you yourself look impressive. Your resume may get you the job but your appearance will get you the professional regard you want.