[no_toc]

Located in the heart of Cebu City, tucked away off the busy streets, sits a boutique hotel where art and style meets comfort and hospitality; where quirky signage, unique decor and friendly smiles greet you upon entering.

Truly a Hotel “Like No Other”

We landed in Cebu City, unsure of what to expect after spending several days in the beautiful chaos that is Manila. What we found was a mini-sized version of the capital: busy and with a rich history. It also held several surprises that had us leaving the island feeling like we’d found something truly special.?The Henry Hotel Cebu was one of those unique places we discovered that made our experience in Cebu a memorable one and is a place we couldn’t wait to talk about.

Entering through the front doors?we knew, true to its slogan, this was an accommodation unlike any other on the island. ?The lobby and reception area was decorated in a combination of modern meets vintage with a hint of some rustic for added personality!

In fact, we were first greeted by the smiling red statue of a man bowing as we walked in – a fitting intro to the quirky, mix-matched furnishings of the rest of the lobby. Uncoordinated and random as it may seem, the quirkiness fits and flows well within the hotel.

After our brief encounter with the red man,?we were greeted?by the friendly?staff and given our welcome drinks?while we?checked in and in no time we were being shown to our room.

The Large Room

We stayed in the Large?Room, which was incredibly spacious and, much like the rest of the property, decorated in a unique and compelling way. Minimalist without being austere, we loved how a feeling of coziness was achieved even with the bold contrasts in colour and the industrial flare to the decor.

With a large, comfortable bed dividing the space, a desk for us to do work and a table to sit and relax, we found it to be absolutely perfect for us!

The bathroom was also incredibly large with a separate vanity area to the shower and toilet which, if you’ve ever travelled for longer periods of time with someone you know is a huge bonus! The provided toiletries were great as well and we loved that the soaps and lotions were locally made.

When Art Meets Hospitality

After settling in, we explored the grounds a bit more taking time to really investigate?the lobby and the various displays.?Vintage American artwork, rustic accessories and some modern touches made the entire space feel?welcoming like?a home while at the same time made it as intriguing as an?art gallery.

The furniture, knick-knacks, paintings and other added elements of the space lead your eyes on a bit of a merry chase as you roam around taking it all in and finding more hidden treasures as you do.

Heading to the second floor we found?more artwork on?display, much of it contemporary, and?found that several artists were represented here, as well as throughout the hotel. We learned that these were local artists who were being showcased.

We particularly liked the collage style artwork of famous faces by Geovanni Abing.

Whether you are a lover of art or just appreciate it from afar, the aesthetics of both the room and the property will have you looking around every corner and searching for the next surprise.

A Boutique Dining Experience

While the decor provides the quirky, less-than-coordinated feel, the food at Rica’s, the restaurant at The Henry Hotel, was well-composed in concept and execution. Maintaining the flow of vintage decor, Rica’s also has a selection of well-placed, fun artwork but the food is really what stands out here.

We were impressed with their breakfast buffet spread that was included with our rooms. Each morning there was something slightly different in the options of hot dishes and consistently really quite good with impeccable service.

We also ate our lunches at Rica’s finding a great variety of options but settling on some lighter dishes, as we both were a bit under the weather.

Their soups were flavoured well and perfect for rainy days or when we were looking for a light meal to satisfy our hunger.

Dessert was something special for us as well as we rarely indulge ourselves but their Brazo Mantecado was just begging to be ordered?and boy were we glad we did! Layer upon delicious layer, it is a truly decadent treat!

There are also a variety of great restaurants that are easily accessible from The Henry Hotel should you want to venture out and doormen who will help you hail a taxi if you’re looking to go beyond walking distance.

Henry Hotel Amenities Galore

While we did head?out in the evenings for dinner, The Henry Hotel pretty much provided anything we would need. The pool and patio was a fantastic place to enjoy the sunny days and felt peaceful and tranquil.

Their second floor lounge with books, computer access and board games was perfect to get some work done, do some reading or escape the heat (and sometimes the brief periods of rain as we went during rainy season).

We also had a good laugh at some of the cute, stylish or witty signage. This fire exit sign is just one example!

Boutique Rooms, Unique Style

Since each one of the 30+ rooms are unique, we wanted to check out what some of the other rooms look like and got a chance to see an XL and XXL room and since our Large room seemed pretty spacious, we were curious just how much bigger the rooms could get!

The XL room we saw was, just as it is called, EXTRA large and a uniquely decorated room in keeping with the uniqueness of the hotel. The mural on the wall happens to be a copy of one of Carolann’s favourite paintings, so she was extra excited when we saw it!

The XX Large room is two times the size as it has two rooms for up to four people and with the minimalist style continuing even here, is a very spacious suite.

The Henry Hotel – A Must-Stay in Cebu

True to boutique hotel form the property is unique yet makes you also feel at home. As you enter the lobby however,?the?added quirkiness makes?you wonder if you’ve ventured through the rabbit hole and found yourself in an artist’s version of Wonderland. It’s a place where you can escape the city and relax in your room, enjoy some tranquility by the pool, indulge in some delicious food and take in some interesting artwork along the way.

We had a fantastic time at The Henry Hotel in Cebu and were excited to check out their Manila location and see a completely different style of boutique hotel of the same name.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?The Henry Hotel?Cebu

One Paseo Compound, Ma Luisa Entrance Road,

Banilad, Cebu City 5000

Tel: +63 32 520 8877

Email: [email protected]