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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]
Looks like an awesome stay! I would love to visit a hotel that has artwork and hospitality. I love the vintage posters throughout the hotel!
Brooke of Passport Couture recently posted…How To Bring Fair Trade Into Everyday Life
Yeah it was really cool, the vintage posters were actually paintings by local artists. They were so well done and impressive!
Not your run-of-the-mill hotel interiors. Looks like a great place to stay. :)
It was! Something totally different and unexpected – both their locations are different but incredibly interesting!
This looks very cool guys!
Thanks! It was such a unique hotel!
What a cool hotel guys! Definitely better than a hostel :). I’ll definitely have to check it out if I find myself in the Philippines again!
Yeah Em! you would love the place, great vibe and the art was pretty cool!
I love the vibe and the mix of art and collectibles! What a truly unique property with so much personality and smarts.
Betsy Wuebker | PassingThru recently posted…Train from Bangkok to Hua Hin
Walking into that room must have been mindblowingly WOW right? Looks incredible – nice one with the photos (we always struggle to capture a place like this’ wowness lol).
Some of those dishes look mighty fine. Did you try any of the famous Cebu lechon when you were there?
Stefan recently posted…Villa Awang Awang: gay friendly heaven in Ubud, Bali
It was pretty fantastic!! And we probably tried TOO much Cebu lechon! We even went to the Carcar market which supposedly has THE best lechon and grabbed some just as it was ready! Making our mouths water just thinking about it!
WOW! What an incredible visually stimulating environment! I love the vintage artistic decor at The Henry Hotel, and your mouth-watering food photography is making me hungry. Definitely hope to stay there if we find ourselves in Cebu.
Howard | Backroad Planet recently posted…Visit 3 Natural Waterfalls in Florida
That’s a perfect way of putting it: visually stimulating environment! It was a great place to explore and the food was great!
What a fun and quirky place! Makes it hard to want to leave the hotel to explore the island when there is so much to explore within the hotel! I love the quote on the wall- “Sometimes the most productive things you can do is relax.”
Toccara recently posted…Experience Natural Beauty in the Mekong Delta
This place looks amazing! One of my favorite things about travel in Asia are the stellar hotels. They really are a class above and take such risks sometimes that other places just don’t. This place looks and sounds fantastic!
Karilyn recently posted…Must Have Travel Accessory + Giveaway
Looks like a nice stay. I like the red sculpture of a man. This is a very unique style of a hotel.
Maya recently posted…Icefields Parkway: Canada’s Scenic Drive
It was very unique! Kept us busy for quite a bit as we looked around!
Awww I love Cebu. This hotel looks amazing. I love those chairs with the paintings on the back!
Tara recently posted…I Wish I’d Had a Date – 5 Most Romantic Places in Europe
That was one of our favourite touches!
What a cool place!
It looks like some sort of hipster cafe!!
HAHAH! a little bit, but also on the other had, not, it’s really unique!
One good example why I love Boutique hotels compared to luxurious hotel. This hotel have soul and very artistic. I will surely enjoy my stay here too. Looking forward to check this out when I plan to go back to Cebu.
Cai Dominguez recently posted…Not Your Ordinary Travel Guide to Pinto Art Museum
We love the character of boutique hotels as well! They often have an interesting story or unique history! Let us know if you end up staying there and how you like it!
Wow, what an amazing find. This place is super quirky and I love it!
You wouldn’t get character like this in a big chain hotel!
I’ve added this place to our ‘must stay at someday’ list.
Great post! Love your photos too :) awesome job
James | The Globe Wanderers recently posted…Keep Calm and Travel On
So glad you’ve added it! It’s so different from any other hotel we’ve ever stayed in. When you head to Cebu, let us know and we can send you to a few of our favorite spots :)
I always salute the creativity of this kind of accommodation. Though we normally spend lest time in a hotel and just go around the area, I guess this truly deserves more hours of our travels. ;)
Jessica recently posted…Awesome Things To Do in Shanghai, China @VisitChinaNow
Oh! ou guys might not want to leave the Henry! its such a comfy place, You’d love it. just try to make sure you explore too lol!
Looks like a retro style place. Hoping that you had a great stay experience.
Himanshu recently posted…My Tryst With Kunzum Pass: Road trip From Kaza To Kunzum Top
It was wonderful, the Henry Hotel Cebu is where retro meets modern. We had a wonderful stay!
This is my kind of hotel – it has attitude. The smiling red man reminds me of the A-maze-ing laughter statues in Vancouver. Fun fact – the artwork of the dancing couple (on the wall) is by Vettriano who is Scottish! Rica’s food looks sensational. You guys are now pushing Philippines way high up on my list! Iceland and Philippines in 2017…
Gemma recently posted…Raincouver – POTF ’16
I love these kind of hotels. You can wander around and you just keep finding new things. It’s like going to a great shop or museum. Boutique hotels are definitely getting more popular (and better I think).
Elizabeth recently posted…Traditional Roast Pork with Better Crackling
Those are some amazing posters an artwork done on the walls! Definitely not an average hotel.. Loving it
Hi, this is very nice. this is good for traverlers who are interested in artifacts and unique quality of beds! =)