A complete and up-to-date Cebu accommodation guide featuring the best hotels, resorts and budget options for where to stay. Also includes an area guide– breaking down where to stay and visit on Cebu Island including luxury resorts, bang-for-buck hotels and budget (cheap) accommodation.
Cebu Island is one of the best places in Asia to spend an awesome vacation full of adventure. From majestic jungle waterfalls to world-renowned diving and snorkeling, this Filipino island should not be missed!
The first thing you'll need to know is that there are a few different tourist hubs and places to visit. Therefore, choosing where to stay in Cebu can be a little daunting.
In this guide, I'll give you the low-down on all of the best areas and places to stay, as well as giving you my recommendations for the best-rated Cebu hotels, resorts and budget accommodation options.
A Quick Rundown of Where to Stay
Planning a trip and looking for a quick answer for where to stay in Cebu? Below are my top-picks for the best hotels, resorts and budget options.
If you scroll down, you’ll find a fairly long accommodation guide where I go into way more detail than this, but if you’re in a rush, you can’t go wrong with one of these picks.
Best Cebu Hotel (City): Bai Hotel
Best Luxury Hotel in South Cebu: Ancelle Cristo Re
Where to Stay close to Cebu Airport: Crimson Resort & Spa
Best Budget Cebu Accommodation: Chief Mau Moalboal
Where to Stay in Cebu: Region Guide
Below is a quick rundown of the areas to stay and visit on Cebu Island.
1. Moalboal
My favorite place to stay in Cebu is Moalboal. This is an established and fast-growing tourist hub located on the southwest coast of Cebu Island. Here, you'll be close to all of the best adventure activities in Cebu, including Kawasan Falls and a few other great waterfalls. This region is also famous for scuba diving, snorkeling and the epic Moalboal sardine run.
Featured in: Cebu Island Travel Guide – 15 Epic Things to Do + Itinerary
2. Cebu City/Mactan
If you're flying into Cebu, you'll be landing at the Cebu/Mactan International Airport near the city. This city is quite big and very busy. However, some of the best Cebu luxury resorts and hotels are found here. The city is attached to Mactan, a large island where you'll be close to the ferry terminal to Bohol and some great diving reefs.
3. Malapascua
Malapascua is an awesome little island located just to the north of Cebu. This island is famous for scuba diving, especially its famed thresher shark dive. If you've got a bit of time to explore Cebu, then I highly recommend adding Malapascua to your list of places to stay.
4. Oslob
The final region/area to stay in Cebu is Oslob. This small beachside town is quite close to Moalboal and to many waterfalls including Tumalog Falls. Oslob is also the location where the whale shark swim departs. There are a few great hotels and resorts in this region of Cebu.
5. Bonus: Sumilon Island
Sumilon is a tiny sand-spit island located on the southern coast of Cebu. This private little island is owned by Sumilon Bluewater and is a great option if you're looking for a tiny island getaway for a night or two.
Summary of the Best Hotels and Resorts in Cebu
Cebu Hotel Rates: Cebu Island and the Philippines in general is quite cheap to visit when compared to many other parts of Asia, and even compared to other islands like Siargao or Palawan.
You can find budget lodgings like guest houses and shared backpacker hostels for under $9USD per night and even the luxury Siargao resorts and high-end hotels typically cost less than $150USD per night.
Below is a quick table rundown for where to stay in Cebu, including the best Cebu hotels, luxury resorts and budget guest houses/hostels.
Keep reading for an in-depth Cebu accommodation guide with a summary of each option and why I recommend them.
Luxury Hotels
| Option | Area | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Bai Hotel Cebu City | Cebu City | $230 |
 | Ancelle Cristo Re Resort | Moalboal | $90 |
 | Tepanee Beach Resort | Malapascua | $80 |
 | Gingging Hotel & Resort | Oslob | $80 |
 | Shangri-La Mactan Resort | Mactan | $198 |
 | Sumilon Bluewater | Sumilon Island | $164 |
Best Value Hotels
| Option | Area | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Citadines Cebu City | Cebu City | $116 |
 | Sambag Hideaway Bungalows | Moalboal | $45 |
 | Angelina Beach | Malapscua | $78 |
 | Angler's Hub & Resort | Oslob | $33 |
 | Crimson Resort and Spa | Mactan | $145 |
Best Budget Hostels
| Option | Area | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Mad Monkey Cebu City | Cebu City | $8 |
 | Chief Mau Moalboal | Moalboal | $31 |
 | Villa Sandra | Malapascua | $8 |
 | Sharky Hostel Oslob | Oslob | $10 |
 | Little Norway Guesthouse | Mactan | $15 |
Best Places to Stay in Cebu
You’ve got the accommodation run-down, let’s dive deeper into why I think you should choose one of the below options for where to stay in Cebu.
Best Luxury Cebu Hotels & Resorts (High-End)
Bai Hotel
- Area: Cebu
- Best for: Buffet breakfast and Pool with city view
Bai Hotel is one of the best 5 star luxury resort hotels in Cebu. It's located in the city and offers very clean, spacious rooms. Even the lobby is breathtaking with a luxury atmosphere. One of the best reasons why you should stay in this Cebu hotel is its daily buffet breakfast and in-room dining.
If you're visiting Cebu and looking for accommodation for where to stay for work, then this is a great pick as the wifi is excellent in all rooms and it's close to the airport and main shopping malls.
Ancelle Cristo Re - Where to Stay in Cebu for Incredible Snorkeling
- Area: Moalboal
- Best for: Private beach with snorkeling spotting sea turtles
Looking for a luxury resort in Moalboal, Cebu? The best pick is Ancelle Cristo Re. This resort is run by a family that is heavily involved in supporting a local orphanage, with proceeds going to the cause. It's located just a little further from the main strip of Moalboal, which means you'll get your own private beach. However, it's still close enough (10 minute's walk) to Panagsama Beach where you can swim with turtles and the sardine run.
The resort itself is beautiful with a tropical beach ambiance. It offers large, spacious villas that are some of the best-rated in Cebu.
Tepanee Beach Resort
- Area: Malapascua Island
- Best for: Relaxing and diving with Thresher Sharks
The best luxury resort in Cebu's northern island of Malapascua is the Tepanee Beach Resort. Getting here is quite easy, just a short 40-minute public ferry from Maya. The resort offers air-conditioned, spacious rooms as well as a massage parlor and spa bath (the ultimate luxury on Malapascua).
This resort is excellent if you've come to Cebu to check out the incredible diving and spot the famous thresher sharks.
Gingging Hotel & Resort
- Area: Oslob
- Best for: Excellent food within resort and beautiful pool
The best luxury resort near Oslob in Cebu's south coast is the Gingging Hotel. This spot is close to the whale shark swim and offers a large swimming pool, a la carte breakfasts, spacious room with great wifi and ocean views.
Gingging Hotel also offers an airport shuttle service which is very useful if you're landing in Mactan and looking to get to the south coast without hassle.
Shangri-La Mactan
- Area: Mactan
- Best for: Beach views and epic Cebu hotel with a pool
If you're visiting Cebu for a quick tropical getaway, one of the best places to stay is Mactan. The best luxury resort on this island off the coast of Cebu City is the Shanrgi-La.
These luxury resort hotels are world-famous for quality and excellent service. At the Mactan Shangri-La, you'll find a spa and massage parlour, 5 bars, luxury lounges, gym, tennis courts, private spa villas and two huge swimming pools!
Mactan is a great accommodation spot when choosing where to stay in Cebu as it's very close to the airport.
Bluewater Sumilon - Best Place to Stay in Cebu For Private Island Luxury
- Area: Sumilon Island
- Best for: Resort on a private island
One of the best day-trips that I had on Cebu was a visit to Sumilon Island. What I didn't know at first is that this little island is owned by a resort and offers incredible 4-star accommodation in one of Cebu's most idyllic locations.
Here, you'll get to experience incredible snorkeling, long stretches of white-sand beaches and loads of activities like paddleboarding and kayaking.
While Bluewater Sumilon offers a day-pass for visitors, you'll get a better experience if you stay here at least a night!
Best Mid-Range Cebu Hotels
Citadines Cebu City - Where to Stay in Cebu For Affordable "Luxury"
- Area: Cebu City
- Best for: Immaculate rooms with huge rooftop pool
With the Citadines Cebu City Hotel, it certainly doesn't feel like we've just stepped down from the high-end tier. This epic Cebu hotel with a pool has immaculate rooms with excellent city views. The pool is probably its biggest highlight as it is on the rooftop with expansive views over the skyline. There's a kid's club available and all rooms offer a lounge and view.
These rooms are excellent and offer great value as you can often get a room for under $100 per night.
Sambag Hideaway Bungalows
- Area: Moalboal
- Best for: Private beach with turtle snorkeling
The best mid-range pick for Moalboal is the Sambag Hideaway. This one is tucked away on a private beach where you can walk straight into the water from your bungalow and be swimming with green turtles!
The Sambag Hideaway has some of the best reviews for staff and guests always rave about the great air conditioning and wifi connection. Each bungalow also has ocean views.
Angelina Beach Resort
- Area: Malapascua Island
- Best for: Ocean views and large room
All the best Cebu accommodation options on Malapascua Island are beachside! And, this is no different at the Angelina Beach Resort. This is my recommended mid-range hotel pick for the island as it's located on a private beach and offers excellent large rooms with air-conditioning.
Location is often one of the most important factors when choosing where to stay in Cebu. If you pick the Angelina Beach Resort, you'll find yourself close to the best bars and restaurants on the island. Furthermore, there are loads of dive shops within walking distance!
Angler's Hub & Resort
- Area: Oslob
- Best for: Organising tours and quiet location
The Angler's Hub is a really great bang-for-buck luxury resort in Cebu's southern township of Oslob. Guests will find this one on the beachfront in a quiet location away from the hustle and bustle. There's also a large pool and great air conditioning in every room.
If you're looking for a resort that organizes tours and activities, this one is a great choice for where to stay on Cebu Island.
Crimson Resort and Spa
- Area: Mactan
- Best for: Kids club and Spa
Mactan is known for its luxury resort offerings available at a fraction of the price when compared to other places in Asia. One of the best Cebu hotels that screams luxury without the price tag is the Crimson Resort & Spa.
This resort offers the whole package. It's a beach-front resort with infinity pools and loads of activities on offer including kids club, yoga classes, gym access, island tours and massage services. Guests rate this as one of the best hotels in Cebu for its breakfast and location. Crimson Resort is found on Crimson Beach and is only 800 meters from Tambuli Beach.
Best Budget Hostels & Value Guest Houses on Cebu
Mad Monkey Cebu City - Where to Stay in Cebu City for a Backpacker Vibe
- Area: Cebu City
- Best for: Backpackers and rooftop pool
The Mad Monkey hostels are renowned for being some of the best social backpacker places in Asia. In this guide, I've picked Mad Monkey as one of the best Cebu accommodations in the city for budget and solo travelers.
This is one of the best Mad Monkeys I've ever stayed at. You'll find an awesome rooftop pool, bar, restaurant, and spacious private rooms and dorms.
The vibes here are excellent thanks to the social layout and great staff. You can play billiards at the bar or ask the team to organize a guided tour to the Kawasan canyoneering from the city!
Chief Mau Moalboal
- Area: Moalboal
- Best for: Excellent location and social atmosphere
The first time I visited Moalboal, I stayed at Chief Mau. This backpacker hostel is located close to the beach and next to many restaurants and bars. This is a great pick if you're a solo traveler looking for Cebu accommodation on a budget. There are always backpackers hanging out playing pool, drinking a Red Horse or just lounging in hammocks.
The rooms are quite spacious and not super-close together which is great as you get a little bit of privacy in the dorms. Oh, there's also a resident sausage dog who is famous in town. I hope the little guy is still there!
Villa Sandra
- Area: Malapascua
- Best for: Sustainable tree-house close to dive shops
Villa Sandra is one of my personal favorite hostels/budget accommodations in Cebu and perhaps in all of Asia! This place is built using sustainable and recycled building materials including beer bottles, recycled bamboo and fishing nets.
Villa Sandra has a great vegetarian restaurant where we ate most of our meals on the island. The top tree-house is a great place t hang out and meet other travelers. There's always evening entertainment and the rooms are decent, especially for the price!
Sharky Hostel Oslob
- Area: Oslob
- Best for: Close to whale sharks and situated on the beach
The top backpacker/budget hostel accommodation in south Cebu (Oslob) is Sharky's. This hostel is located on Tan-Awan beach which is very beautiful. You'll also be close to the whale sharks and many great restaurants on the strip.
The staff here are very friendly and can arrange scuba diving and activities including a visit to Sumilon Island for cheap.
Little Norway Guesthouse
- Area: Mactan
- Best for: Big breakfast & accommodation close to the airport
Looking for cheap Cebu accommodation close to the airport? Don't look past the Little Norway Guesthouse. This spot is just a quick 10-minute drive from the airport and offers clean rooms with a kettle, fridge, shower, and TV. This is one of the most secure guest houses on Mactan in a gated complex with a security guard.
More Travel & Adventure Guides to Cebu
And, that's a wrap for this comprehensive and up-to-date Cebu accommodation guide featuring the best Cebu hotels, 5-star luxury resorts and cheap hostels and guest houses.
I hope this has been a useful guide to help you plan where to stay in Cebu for your visit to one of the Philippines best island destinations! While you're here on my blog, make sure to check out some of my other guides to Cebu and a few other spots in the Philippines you should definitely visit!