LLaizixiaweiyideguorenIf you can get a direct round-trip flight with China Eastern Airlines, I genuinely recommend trying a vacation in Cebu. My first choice was the Shangri-La Hotel, but they didn't have any rooms available at the time. So, I booked this J Park hotel instead, and I ended up feeling like I made an excellent choice because it's truly perfect for families with kids. I'm talking about slightly older kids, maybe 6 and up, as they have a ton of water activities, similar to hotels like Senbo in China. But what makes it even better is its beachfront location. So, if you want to play in the sand or go snorkeling, they offer free equipment rentals, or you can bring your own. And if you're into swimming pools and water slides, there are plenty of those too. I also highly recommend their suite with a separate living room and bedroom. The price for these suites isn't exorbitant, it's super convenient for a family to stay together, and it even has two bathrooms. It's ideal for families traveling with both elderly relatives and young children. And here's a little tip: in Southeast Asian countries like this, if you can negotiate with the staff, you often won't have to pay an excessive amount for an extra bed. I can't go into too much detail, you know what I mean; check other reviews, and you'll get the gist. The hotel breakfast does get very crowded, so I suggest either going early or waiting until later. The hotel's location is also fantastic, with a supermarket and several restaurants right outside. Plus, taking a taxi around there is very affordable; just download the Grab app. There's a massage parlor called Gold Moon directly across from the hotel. This place is excellent; among all the places I tried, their ambiance was the best. Also, in the shopping area across from the hotel, there's a nail salon that is incredibly cheap. For my daughter and five other girls, getting 'QQ nails' cost only about 50-60 RMB each, so it was super affordable. And you can choose from really pretty designs; my daughter said her designs were intricately done, which you can see in the photos. I'm not sure why durians are so expensive in Southeast Asian countries like this. Everyone says you can eat durian in the Philippines, but I didn't find any good ones. However, you absolutely *can* eat excellent large crabs in the Philippines – like the Singaporean chili crab, made with Sri Lankan mud crabs; they are delicious and very reasonably priced. We tried one place opposite the hotel and also took a taxi to the popular Red Crab, which was trending on Xiaohongshu. Personally, I found Red Crab to be tastier and more professional; they also had a wider selection of crabs. If you try both, you'll understand what I mean. Overall, I really liked Cebu's J Park hotel. It's a high-value, safe place with great service, and I wholeheartedly recommend it for families with kids. I heard they even have a babysitting service for infants. One small complaint though: when I booked, I communicated with Ctrip, and it was agreed that we'd get two hours of park playtime daily, but the hotel later denied it. To my surprise, Ctrip directly compensated me. Ctrip is truly amazing; I'll only use Ctrip for future travels!
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