The Henry Hotel Cebu

Aside from its dark gray exterior, there’s little to hint at the unusual industrial-chic-meets-Pop-Art decor inside The Henry. Part of the appeal here is that the hotel doesn’t take itself too seriously. It may be uber-stylish, but it’s also playful and homey. Bare concrete floors and exposed pipes form the shell of the interiors, with decor combining rustic elements -- like stacked vintage suitcases and pendant lighting -- with a snappy style. Think: huge bright murals, toy cars, and shiny red statues next to minimalist details. At Rica’s Cafe, the main table of huge cameo-backed dining chairs wouldn’t look out of place at the Mad Hatter’s tea party. The hotel draws a younger crowd, but any traveler tired of bland, identikit hotels should consider this hotel as an option as well. Rates are also quite reasonable for the amount of style on display.

The Henry is in the Banilad area of Cebu, close to the city’s Memorial Park. It’s a pleasant enough neighborhood -- although not particularly scenic -- and there are plenty of good restaurants, cool bars, galleries, a spa, and a mall within walking distance. All of the city’s key business and tourist attractions can be reached in a short drive. It takes five minutes by car or taxi to get to the Cebu IT Park and the Grand Convention Center; ten minutes to the Ayala Mall; and 15 minutes to the Taoist Temple, Mango Square, SM City Mall, Magellan's Cross, Basilica Minore del Santo Nino, and Fort San Pedro. Mactan-Cebu Airport is at least a 20-minute drive away.

Rooms are quirky and bold in their design with a loose European-industrial-rustic theme. Depending on the room, guests may find checkerboard bathrooms, Moroccan-riad-style arches, gothic doorways, exposed brickwork, or huge Pop-Art murals hand-painted by the owner’s talented artist friend. Basic amenities include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, DVD players, minibars, and free Wi-Fi, but for a hotel of this caliber, guests feel that they are an afterthought to the design. Coffee- and tea-making facilities, room service menus, and bathrobes are some of the items lacking -- although some can be provided on request. Guests also comment on noise from rooms above due to the bare concrete floors. Roomy bathrooms have walk-in rainfall showers, though some are open-plan so it’s worth letting the hotel know if you value a little more privacy. Big Rooms are 390 square feet (36 square meters), with the option or one comfy king-size or two double beds. Large Rooms are 460 square feet (42 square meters) and have a king-size bed, while X-Large Rooms come in at 775 square feet (72 square meters) -- some of these rooms have a bathtub. XX-Large Rooms are a huge 1,160 square feet (108 square meters) and have two bedrooms. The hotel is expanding, so travelers can expect a range of new rooms that are just as individualized. 

Facilities are few but fair for a boutique hotel. Rica’s Cafe is the quirky restaurant, with a bold main table featuring high cameo-backed dining chairs alongside all-out Pop-Art areas and subtler corners. It serves comfort food and is a little pricey, but locals pay the premium to experience the unusual design. A small outdoor pool can be found in the grassy, palm-dotted courtyard, surrounded by a smart deck and a few resin-wicker loungers. There’s a small reading room with an antique bookcase, two pastel-hued sofas, quirky chess set, and coffee machine; as well as a large function room with bare concrete floors, mismatched seating, and a large terrace. The (patchy) Wi-Fi and on-site parking is free.