Published on Sun.Star Network Online (http://www.sunstar.com.ph)
by Debra Magallon-EsteroSun.Star Staff Reporter
AT THE heart of the city is a “hideaway” that awaits budget travelers.
Since it opened last October, the Aysha Lily Guesthouse has become a home-away-from-home to foreign and local travelers, especially backpackers.
Jo-Ann Badana, who manages the guesthouse while the owners are out of the country, told Sun.Star Cebu in an interview that the Australian owner got the concept after staying in a similar accommodation in Manila.
Carol Ann McDonald, the owner of the inn, married Badana’s cousin who used to work in a travel and tours company. In Australia, McDonald worked in a real estate company.
Badana said McDonald noticed there were no accommodations for backpackers or those who travel on a budget in Cebu City. Seeing the need for a backpackers’ inn, McDonald checked out about 100 houses around the city before picking a Spanish-style house located along Gen. Maxilom Ave.
Although 70 percent of the original house structure was preserved, it now has eight fan rooms, four air-con rooms and two dormitory-type rooms that can accommodate eight to 10 people.
Room rates start at P450 a night while bed space in a dormitory-type room is at P290 a night.
All rooms are furnished with bamboo beds. The inn’s interiors feature Filipino and Asian designs.
The guesthouse offers laundry service and cooking implements to guests who want to cook their food.
Badana said most of Aysha Lily guests are short-staying travelers who come to the city after a dive in Moalboal or a daytrip in Bohol.
After the Sinulog, McDonald has decided to open four more rooms within the year. The guest-house was fully booked during the Sinulog, said Badana.
McDonald, she said, is also planning to open another guesthouse in Bohol but a date has yet to be set.
Source URL: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/backpackers%E2%80%99-inn-opens-cebu
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ReplyDeleteMe and my colleagues are very disappointed with AYSHA-LILY CEBU GUEST HOUSE’s services.
ReplyDeleteWe came to know about this guest house thru their website. We were lured (with high expectations) to pick this among the other choices of accommodations.
I am always travelling because of the seminars I have to attend to as a Civil Registrar of the Local Government. As a matter of fact, I've been in Cebu for many times already and stayed in various hotels also.
We arrived on November 17, 2009 in the evening. We were quite taken aback because the place was not as appealing as what was shown in their website. But we decided to stay and give it a try.
Me and one of my colleagues wanted to transfer to another room and extend our booking until Friday(November 20, 2009). We informed the Front Desk twice and received a confirmation about it. Imagine our shock when we were informed that they have given the room to another customer!
This is the first time that I have encountered such ill-mannered Staff especially the Owner and/or Front Desk attendant who fought with us during our stay in this guest house. They made a mistake and inevitably the Customer will be mad and instead of apologizing, he was shouting at us! Where in the world you will find a person (in a hotel business) like this? Proper and Good Customer service will consist of apology to the customers and to make amends. But this is not the case with this place. They do not know anything about Customer Service!
This happened on the 19th of November and me & my colleagues(18 persons) transferred to another hotel on the same date.
I definitely would not recommend CEBU GUESTHOUSE to anyone because of the hideous and uncomfortable facilities and ambiance. Staying in this place is not worth the money you are paying for.
Perhaps you can bear the facilities but the UNPROFESSIONALISM and terrible CUSTOMER SERVICE of the people in this place will drive customers away.
There are lots of affordable hotels in Cebu with people who are trained professionally and will treat customers well.
The CEBU GUEST HOUSE hotel is a disgrace to the known hospitality of people in CEBU City!
I am Edel Recto of Davao City and I want everyone to know about the bad experience we had with the Manager of the place who unfortunately does not know how to handle customers well. It was evident that he doesn't have proper ETHICAL Standards. He was unprofessional & unethical.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of Affordable & Comfortable guest houses in Cebu City with well-trained and hospitable staffs.
Please do look for other accommodations in CEBU CITY as I do not want anyone to experience what we did in our stay in Aysha-Lily Cebu Guest House.