I met my fiance' at the Alta Cebu and we had a great time. The best thing going for the resort is the staff. Everyone was very friendly and helpful and we left knowing that we had made many new friends there. The restaurant had very good food from Phillipine to American cuisine. Taste and presentation was both given high marks. The room was average but very good considering the price. We found the bar comfortable and the drinks adequate since we are not heavy drinkers. The pool was nice and the grounds were well maintained and landscaped. Be sure to visit the spa as massages are super cheap compared to rates in America. We will definetly return for future visits.

Overall the facilities are very clean and the upkeep of the grounds and gardens are commendable. This was my first time in the Philippines so I will say there are lots of bugs...There were tiny bugs in our room, on the table, even in the bed - almost microscopic but not "bed bugs" - don't want to freak anyone out! They were in the restaurant as well - so if you are a bug-a-phobe I would say in general the Philippines is not the place for you. There are also lots of flies, there is no way to avoid them. The bugs did not bother me, as I said you barely notice them but I'm just giving readers a heads up because it comes with the experience lol. I want to reiterate that the facilities are very clean, the pool was cleaned every morning and grounds swept etc..

I booked my stay here mainly based on other reviews on this site. I would say most of the negative reviews I read previously, I did not have the same experience at all. The staff were friendly, and accommodated every need we had. If we needed taxi service or special travel needs they made them for us. They really went out of their way to make our stay excellent. I would like to say that the restaurant manager, Mike, made me and my fiances stay very memorable as well. I read one review where the reviewer said that this place was "one step above camping", and I would say that that is not true at all. While it is not a 5 star resort, I felt like I was treated like I was in one.

I would say some of the services are kind of pricey by Phil. standards but not so much by Western standards. For example a couples massage will run you about 1k pesos, or 25 USD roughly. We received a couples massage of equal quality and time outside of the resort for about 300 pesos. But hey it is a resort and so you sort of expect a price increase and you can't get a massage for that price in the US.

The food was really good. My only advice would be to have more menu selections because by our 8th night I had tried most of what I wanted, however if you are only staying for a short amount of time the menu is more than enough. I'm not sure if they still have the Danish cook that is advertised on their website because I only saw Filipino cooks, but nonetheless I loved the food.

I briefly spoke to the owner Larry and he seemed nice and approachable. Typically in most resorts you wouldn't even meet the owner so that was nice that he came up to our table and introduced himself.

I would definitely stay here again in the future - maybe not for the same length of time as I would like to experience other places. I will warn readers that Cordova is very poor. The area surrounding the resort more of less is like a slum, the best way I can describe it. If poverty offends you this area may not suit you. While you can explore on foot down the streets outside of the resort I would say be prepared to see lots of poverty, stray animals, etc. The resort is gated and you can only see a little of surrounding area from various parts of the resort.

The attention to detail at this property is unparalleled. The grounds, restaurant, room, check in area are immaculate. I'm a US Major Airline Pilot, I stay in more hotels in one month then most spend in a year. My airline put us in 4-5 star hotels. This property is equal or better then most I stay at in Europe and South America. It is quiet and not very far from the city centers. Just have the staff get u a taxi. Taxi's are cheap so its no a big deal and its worth it for the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. Philippinos are wonderful great friendly people, but they have no clue how to run and manage a hotel or other business. This property is owned and meticulously run by an American and you can thus expect better then American standards. Stay here and you won't be sorry. If you are a young guy looking to go hunt girls, go stay at a cheap dirty place in town, this is not for you. LOL

I have stayed in about 15 hotels on Mactan and Cebu so I think I can speak with some authority on this hotel and service.

Location: This hotel is located in Cordiva which is the mist remote you can get on the island of Mactan. This can be a good or bad thing depending on what you are looking for. It is quiet... That is not something you would get in Cebu center or Lapu Lapu. That said transportation via taxi or shuttle are the only options and it will take time. Figure 45min-1hr to get to Cebu center. You can hit the airport in about 20-30mim. There is not much in the area and nothing really in walking distance. This is somewhat of a limiting factor if you don't want to travel 30min to the nearest area with lots of shops & restaurants. In summary, the location is not the best if you are looking for off-hotel excursions but if you dont mind the 30min drive it shouldn't matter.

Management: Larry the owner really try's to make you happy and take care of your needs, he is attentive and genuine which is refreshing.

Facilities: this place is well maintained, much better than many places I have stayed. The pool is nice and clean and the rooms are also clean. I would suggest they invest in a full-time gardener as the grounds could really be a stand-out of this establishment. Some comparably priced resorts in Bohol really make sure the gardens are top notch and it makes a difference. While it is nicer than many here in Cebu it could be a lot better.

The staff are friendly and welcoming but the service could use some tweaking. The complaint about waiting is a valid one.

Food: The food is very good thankfully because it is the only option you have :) They did a good job with the food!

Summary: hotels in Cebu are overpriced. Sorry Larry but I do not think this is a 4 star hotel but it is a good 3 star hotel and or the price there is nothing close to it in Cebu. That fact alone makes it a winner. Value can't be beat. Could it be better? Yes... Sure and just a few tweaks would make this 4 stars in my book. As long as you like chilling and can deal with a commute for off-site activities it is a great destination.