Hotels in Dumaguete City: Which Should I Choose?

Hotels in Dumaguete City

Dumaguete City is one of the most beautiful cities in the Philippines. The entire city is rich with joy and friendly attitudes, there is music on every corner, and there is a more food than you could hope for!

I visit the city sometimes up to four times a year and am always absolutely stunned by how incredible it and the people are. I always feel safe and I always feel happy! For that reason (among others), Dumaguete City has become a very popular ex-pat and tourist destination.

Due to the rise in interest in the city, we are starting to see more and more hotel options pop-up down town. Some of these are perfect little getaways at a cheap price while others are not so great and are not worth your time. Over the years, I’ve stayed at many of the hotels across the city. To help you with your next visit, here is a list of my top hotels in Dumaguete City!

1. Hotel Essencia in Downtown Dumaguete City

Located just a few blocks from the infamous Silliman University, Hotel Essencia (currently being renovated) will provide scenic views of the city and the mountainscape on one side or views of the ocean on the other. Don’t be disappointed if you didn’t get the side you were hoping for, there are balconies on each floor with open access to allow guests to view out into the city and take in the beauty that Dumaguete has to offer.

There is a cafe and in most cases breakfast is included. I had the breakfast on two different occasions and enjoyed a buffet-style Filipino breakfast. I would have eaten more but I like to get out into the city to enjoy the wonderful tastes it has to offer!

The rooms are equipped with standard items such as flat-screen TVs, a personal safe, and an electric kettle. There is a mini-bar provided but I did not take advantage of it myself. There is a working air conditioner with remote but mine was a little wonky. I believe they were in the process of replacing many of these units in their remodel that was in-progress that last time I stayed.

The front-desk is available 24/7 and there is hired security to work the front door and assist guests. They are very friendly, don’t worry! Say good morning to them when they open the door for you!

Bonus Tips

• Hotel Essencia is only 9 minutes walking distance from the famous Rizal Boulevard.
• Robonsons Mall, which is one of the largest shopping centers in the city, is less than a mile away
• Dumaguete Airport is less than 2 miles from the property

Chuck’s Decision: PASS

2. Henia Hotel on the West Side of Dumaguete

It’s always tough to give a critical review when you feel it would be so easy to fix things if management just tried. I gave the Henia Hotel a chance during my most recent stay in Dumaguete City in February of 2024 and at that time, I was very disappointed in the state of the establishment.

This hotel in Dumaguete City is situated just down the street from the Essencia Hotel. I was excited to try out a new place to sleep while also being in a familiar area that I had yet to finish exploring from previous trips. I expected the room to be small, I did choose the cheapest option on the website but it had a King sized bed and I was happy with that, I thought.

The room was more akin to a dorm room with the small amount of space leftover after adding the bed being reserved for the shower/toilet combo and mirror/sink. The rainforest showerhead did not work and the one that did ended up spewing water out into the toilet area, quickly flooding it. They use a fluffy cotton matt for the toilet area, so that sucker get bogged down pretty quickly. We had to shove it out of the way after the first use. This did nothing for the flood of water that continued.

It got worse…

The room seemed as if it had gone without a cleaning in quite some time. There was dust everywhere. When I picked up the phone to call the front desk, I left a hand print from the amount of dust that had accumulated. My sinuses were taking a beating! Every time we discovered something like this, we pushed it aside and talked about how affordable it was and how happy we were with that, until we checked the bed.

This is where we started to draw the line. While the king bed was definitely nice to have, it was in an awful state. There was an un-washed blood stain on the pillowcase. There were stains all over the sheets and what appeared to be either bed bugs or the remnants of bed bugs from the past. Regardless, the sheets were gross. As we started to dismantle the bed we continued to find stains and just overall a gross and unkempt state that my partner and I deemed inappropriate for us to stay in.

Now I do have to give the staff that was present some credit. Not only were they polite but they did work effortlessly to contact the property owner and work out an arrangement to see me satisfied and my booking closed out early. I appreciate how willing they were to work with us to make sure we were satisfied and I am happy to update this review in the future.

If you are from the property or feel this post should be updated for any reason, please feel free to reach out via my Contact Me page.

Chuck’s Decision: AVOID

3. The Lighthouse Hotel on the North Side of Dumaguete

Located just south of the Dumagete City Airport and just a block away from the wonderful Bohol Sea, the Lighthouse Point Hotel puts you in the Captain’s seat in this cool little nautical themed hotel. The staff was a young crew of polite and friendly individuals who helped us to our room just one flight up from the main desk.

The room was very spacious and had a large window that was adjacent to the street that allowed us to sit and watch the come and go of locals during downtime. The room had the standard min-bar and flat-screen TV setup though we did not use it so I am not sure the quality of the channels. The air conditioner worked extremely well and unlike most hotels I stay in while traveling, the remote actually worked from the bed!

The bathroom has a walk-in shower with a glass panel that allowed more of a romantic feel for my partner and I to enjoy. I do not think it would have been appropriate if we had kids with us! We had a complimentary breakfast included in the wonderful little top-floor restaraunt  that was adjacent to the roof pool and connected bar. The cafe offered a full-range Filipino menu but keep in mind, most options are based on the season and they may not have everything in stock. During my time there I was fortunate to see a young band perform some jazz in the cafe lobby while we dined one evening. That was super cool! Keep playing, guys!

Bonus Tips

• There is an awesome little Ramen restaraunt that is connected to one side of the hotel. I highly recommend trying it out.
• The location is nice and quiet but also has everything you need nearby. It’s just a block away from an awesome massage and a block away from getting a great haircut.
• There is a Mall and McDonalds within walking distance of the hotel.
• Just a few minutes away from the Dumaguete Airport.

Chuck’s Decision: PASS

4. The Henry Resort Hotel in North Dumaguete

The Henry Resort is nestled just next to the Bohol Sea waterfront which takes you right into Dumaguete City. This particular location is a hotspot for both locals and tourists looking for a great time by the water. In the evening you will most certainly hear the sound of karoake from the nearby restaraunts and bars but don’t worry, the restort offers a very quiet and exotic hotel in Dumaguete City for you and your party.

The grounds themselves have gigantic pothos that vine and wrap around the tropical trees that have sprinkled around the well manicured grounds. There is a cute seating area out among the trees that you can enjoy your meal at if being outside is your preference. We absolutely enjoyed a Filipino breakfast accompanied by the sounds of chirping birds and the cool breeze of the ocean flowing by!

The visitors shop is very cool and unique. It hosts many handcrafted local cultural pieces that are priced and set on an honor-based system. Please respect the system if you participate in this! The lobby and parking area is also setup as if it is a tourist attaction all in itself. It’s very well taken care of and has some incredibly cool culture pieces setup throughout the premises. Oh, and more gigantic plants!

The rooms are more modernized and the luxury aspect will quickly make you forget where you are. You’ll enjoy a Smart TV, luxury sheets and, updated building materials so you’ll experience that modern feel, and blackout drapes / curtains. Of all the hotels in Dumaguete City, this is one of the top!

Bonus Tips

• Head outside once the sun starts to go down! You’ll see hundreds of scooters lining the coast as tourists and locals flock out to enjoy the evening by the sea!
• If you need a haircut or a massage, you will find really great options just a block or two away!
• Dumaguete Airport is less than 2 miles from the property

Chuck’s Decision: PASS

Dumaguete City forever holds a special place in my heart and will be one of my most visited places in Philippines for years to come. I think you will find that there is a reason it has become one of the top ex-pat and tourist destinations in the world! Use this list of hotels in Dumaguete City to help you navigate your next stay and it’s sure to be one to remember!