Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao Reviews

i love this place”

If you're in Davao City and want to spend quality time and need a place to stay that you will enjoy the atmosphere of the local people, Waterfront Insular Hotel is the place to be. I totally love the ambiance inside the hotel, it was really relaxing as if you want to stay here forever. On the negative side, the nonavailability of WIFI in each room in the hotel. So far you can only connect if you're outside the room. But overall my experienced was really great specially at breakfast time, I love the food, I hope they can showcase more the taste of local food in Davao as well. The staff were great and scenery is fantastic. Next time I visit Davao City, I will surely stay here again.

The best in Davao City”

If you're in Davao City and want to spend quality time and need a place to stay that you will enjoy the atmosphere of the local people, Waterfront Insular Hotel is the place to be. I totally love the ambiance inside the hotel, it was really relaxing as if you want to stay here forever. On the negative side, the nonavailability of WIFI in each room in the hotel. So far you can only connect if you're outside the room. But overall my experienced was really great specially at breakfast time, I love the food, I hope they can showcase more the taste of local food in Davao as well. The staff were great and scenery is fantastic. Next time I visit Davao City, I will surely stay here again.

"Perfect hotel for our needs"”

We had stayed in Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao before (many yrs ago) but we were amazed the difference during our last visit. It was much much better & full of life. the hotel was renovated, the garden & pool. Many guest were there, wedding etc, w/c doesn't bother us att all (we mean the noice etc.)we had still our privacy plus the lively ambience outside. The room is big & clean, there's nothing to complain about. The staffs were always to help without exagirating.... We will surely stay on this hotel the next time we will visit Davao, the price is right considering the good things you will have in return...

A very friendly hotel”

We enjoyed our stay at the Waterfront Insular hotel. It is the perfect place for my new born grand daughter as the hotel has a a wide lawn, pool area and garden beside the Davao Gulf. I am so happy that my grand daughter can enjoy the morning sun without having to inhale all the pollution of the city. The front desk staff are very, very accommodating. If your interest is to enjoy a good rest, this is the perfect hotel as it is tucked away from the busy city center. However, if your purpose is to visit sites in Davao and go shopping, this hotel is a bit inconvenient. I will definitely go back to this hotel. And next time, I will reserve a deluxe room as it has a much better view.

Complete Relaxation”

Wonderful stay for family members. Excellent grounds to run around for little ones and beautiful gardens. The purpose of the stay is to chill out and relax. Great breakfast buffet, it cost between P500-700, (AUD $12-15) always love Cafe Uno's ambiance. We thoroughly enjoyed the Pizza meal and freshly made fruit juices one evening. A bit pricey but great for once in every 2 years visit. Excellent swimming pool for my teenagers, you pay extra P350 for your guests if not staying in the hotel as room tariff only allowed 3 people. From my point of view, I get what I paid for and as always, I choose to enjoy Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao every time I come to visit.

Exceptional Service ”

I pre arranged with the Restaurant Manager Sir Robert to organise a special dinner for my friend who was coming from Canada we had not seen one another for 47 years. I asked him to make it very special with a table cloth and silver service it was great, the food was excellent, the company was even better with David and Joy his wife. WE organised a special cake for the occasion and wine, and the cost was so excellent. I would like to thank Sir Robert and his Staff for excellent presentation and preparation thank you so much. I would certainly recommend to any one to stay at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao thank you again Steve Jones

Grand old hotel of Davao”

I enjoyed my most recent stay at the Insular, I have been frequenting this establishment on and off for the past 38 years. The Insular was once home to the Davao power elite, many a business deal was struck in the quite corners of the Zonta Bar but this is no longer the case. The rich and powerful have moved on for newer climes, leaving a somewhat aging but well maintained classic hotel with still by far the best waterfront views of any establishment in the City. It appears to have largely remade itself into a conference and events centre for local, regional and national governments. I still favour this place though it is quite, relaxing and removed from the hustle and bustle of downtown with less gridlock out in Lanag. Service is still pretty good, the staff are friendly, the grounds are well kep and the pool is in great shape. The bar out on the pier however is long gone, probably due to security concerns, Nevertheless, a safe hotel.

Overall a great stay”

This is my second stay at Waterfront Insular in Davao, and yet again overall the stay was a superb experience. The best part always of both my stay have always been the staff, their attitude to their job, their friendliness, ability to cope and always with a smile. On 2 mornings the breakfast was massively over busy and the staff were stretched to the maximum and this included running out of tables, cutlery, bowls, glasses, cups, having to wait for food, having to queue long for some items and deciding to just not have some items because of the wait. This occurred on 2 consecutive days despite changing out plans around to try and avoid it happening the second day. First day we went down at 8.00 and the second day we left it to 9.00am,, this needs to be looked at most seriously as it was a massive disappointment on both days. Previously the breakfast was busy, as can be accepted, but this time the whole process just fell apart and the staff were left struggling with the impossible.

Good value for the money & pleasent environment!”

I have to say, we were pleasantly surprised by the Insular Hotel. Our room was very clean and comfortable with an excellent view of the pool and ocean beyond. The staff was very attentive, respectful and friendly always. The gardens and grounds in general were beautiful and well maintained. We used them for the backdrop of many photos. The pool was great too! I would like to mention at this point, if you are new to the Davao area as I was, be prepared to experience heightened security. I am talking armed guards walking the beach with M-16 rifles and bomb checks of your taxi when you arrive. Remember, this is for your safety, so I view this as a positive. As an American, I felt very secure here. Okay, now for the negatives. If you walk out on the pier and look back at the hotel, the Insular and its grounds are beautiful, but right next door, the beach looks like a garbage dump. This is probably out of the control of the hotel ownership. However, it leaves an impression, none the less. Also, our first night there, we realized the AC was not cooling the room. The front desk had someone there repairing it within the hour. It was a small inconvenience, but one worth mentioning.

Hotel with a heart”

I chose Waterfront Insular hotel over other hotels in Davao due to its ambience. I love the topiaries in their garden, the sea infront so refreshing to see, greeneries around the hotel. The staff are all courteous, hospital, warm and very accomodating. Also, the local merchandise of pearls & souvenir items are cheap and comparable in Aldevinco shopping center.

Good but old”

The waterfront insular was once the best hotel in Davao, but now, it's she is really starting to show. Good for families as the rooms are big and there's even a balcony. Food for breakfast was decent. Needs a major upgrade. The housekeeping are not that good. When we checked into our room, the bathroom was tidy, but not clean. There were strands of hair on the floor and it's clear that the bathtub wasn't even rinse out since the last guest checked out.

Enjoy intimacy without leaving the city”

Hubby and I chose to stay here for a couple of nights before checking in to Pearl Farm because this resort is only 5-10 minutes away from Pearl Farm Marina Wharf. We regret that this is up to an hour away from Jack's Ridge. Nevertheless, we loved that we were able to enjoy the peace, privacy and intimate feel that this resort offers. The beach is not very appealing but they have a nice pool inside. Staff are friendly and attentive and helpful. Wifi connection in room is fantastic. We loved our stay here at Waterfront Insular Davao.

Excellent Staff”

First, let me compliment the front desk officers for their chic and very nice uniform. Next, I requested for meds, and one of the workers, Richelle, made it sure to find the meds for me. Such kind act helped in easing the pain. My salute to you, Richelle, and to Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao.

Magnificent Accommodation”

Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao exceeded my expectations. A very friendly and courteous staff, nice room and pool with big area to roam around and relax for the price not that high. High Quality Hotel for a Low Price!!!

Excellent service hotel”

We stayed at the Waterfront Insular in Davao recently. We thoroughly enjoyed our four night stay. The atmosphere of the hotel is stunningly tropical that made us feel on holiday mood. The staff serving us in the hotel are not only friendly but very polite and made us feel at home. We will recommend this hotel to family and friends and we will definitely come back.

rustic but spacious rooms”

had a stay this weekend in waterfront insular hotel davao for a friend's wedding. the hotel still looks the same as the last few years i've been here and is showing its age a bit. price wise, it was midpoint but given the location and facilities, it was a good value inclusive of breakfast and internet as you may consider the place as a "resort". it is a bit far from city proper although the newly opened sm lanang mall, biggest so far in mindanao, is just a few minutes away

Great Food, peaceful location, great rooms”

We stayed in the Waterfront Insular for two nights, wished we had have booked for longer. Really enjoyed the complex. Nice open space, very relaxing setting. Great rooms and great food. Will definitely go back again. Was surprised that this hotel is no.7 on the list for Davao. Should definitely be in the top 3. Great stay and enjoyed the welcome.....

Could not fault the Hostpitality it was excellent”

davao city is a very interesting city as for me i had an excellent stay in the waterfront insular hotel and not having to travel far to the summer island paradise resort accross the bay with you own water taxi

My recent visit to the Insular Waterfront Hotel”

I have stayed at several other hotels in Davao and will now only patron this hotel. The staff is the best in the city. THe food is excellant. The service is to be commended. The hotel offers a secure private atmosphere and the staff and hotel will work with the client to provide every need wanted. Room service is provided 24hrs a day. So is laundry service. Several different restaurants to choose from and service like no other in the city. From the Insular you can enjoy Island Hopping or relaxing at the Pirate Bar. Then enjoy live music in the Vinta Bar.

City and Nature”

Waterfront Insular is within Davao City and thr gateway to Samal Island renowned beach and resort destination of Davao. So its a package deal a comfortable and relaxing place to stay! Keep it !

Good Location, Value for Money”

Me and My husband booked this for our Valentine weekend getaway. We live about 10 kms away and this is the best location I found online- beach, pool, tub in the room and free breakfast. I loved the dinner ambiance with the pianist playing songs in the background. The food- well we liked the pasta. I didn't expect a lot from the room- I got a discount on it so it's just fair. Overall, I'd recommend this for couples, families or friends.

Excellent”

The place still has the same sense of grandeur. The staff are really polite even when under pressure- Valentine's evening peak- always responding 'with pleasure'.

ok”

ok

ok”

ok

ok”

ok

Never fails me”

Stayed in this hotel for 2-3 weeks before with my fiance and nothing much has changed so far yet being here again with a friend still feels like "home". My other half and I got engaged here that's why this place is so special and memorable. I'd say, I felt " home" again on my recent check-in with my friend. Will definitely recommend and return one of these days. Thank you so much Waterfront Davao. 😍❤

Great Stay.”

Me and my wife had a great stay. Great job amidst the pandemic.

Never ever Again”

Id like to call the management attention!!! During our stay...... Upon check in and check out our experienced was unforgettable not because we enjoyed our time staying there we regreted it . It was significant for all of us! With all my experienced in any Hotels and Resorts this is by far the worst and poor customer service. Staff our very inconsiderate and rude. Am not sure if they know the protocol about giving the guest privacy and so furthermore we were treated as if we're criminals. We as a guest we understood that theres a policy and rules and so but as a guest we have the right to appeal considering the fact that hotels are to make sure the guest comfort,safety and security. There are hidden charges etcl!!! If not being treated as a guest atleast be be profesional. First the staff has no right to get in the guest room especially when the guest is inside the room this is very much unappropriate Secondly in the middle of the night when the guest is asking privacy ,well im sure everyone is well aware of this. Instead of bothering your guest just to inform them about your policies and so, the staff could have had atleast remain polite and waited till a proper hour to relay your complains upon our check out!...... If we have visited our friends room to room thats pretty normal..... Treated us as if were criminals and threatened us to call the authority hmmmmm... This hotel dont care about our comfort and safety and all there concerns is all about how to digg more money from us. It's shameful and amazingly unacceptable!!! Were all regretted staying at this hotel the humiliation we felt at that evening was beyond. Instead your goal is to satisfy your guest to have a returning guest rather we felt that we are not welcome at this hotel......... No wonder its running down!!! Its already look creepy and eerie. We have nothing else to say but all disspointments! Never ever again!

Gift for Christmas ”

I booked the hotel for my parents as a Christmas present. They loved the place and requested to be checked-in once a month lol. My dad loved the place most especially. Thank you for the great service and for staying open despite the pandemic.

Staff are best. Kind and helpful ”

Very nice staff.

good”

good

Great location and Nice Scenery. ”

Recommended to visit

good”

good

Excellent place for a relaxing getaway”

Tropical surroundings and ambiance is terrific. Clean facilities, modern style rooms, and friendly staff.

beautiful hotel and huge gardens”

brilliant

great”

enjoyed

Exceptional”

Superb hotel including the Staff

Exceptional”

We had a superb experience with your hotel. See you again soon!

Exceptional”

Stayed during our wedding anniversary. The hallway smelled of mold and they used a fan with deodorizer to mask the smell. Great staff, breakfast buffet was good. Nice beach view but cant swim. Location is convenient if you want to do a day trip to Samal. We didn't use their boat but opted take the roro from the Wharf which was cheaper. Fastfood restaurants (Jollibee, Chowking) are located outside the property.

Upgrade”

Unexpectedly, we had a free upgrade on our room before the big day.

Relaxing”

Had a relaxing night after a hard day of work.

OK, but dated”

lunch buffet is overpriced. bakery prices have gone up noticeably since last year. biting insects in room. got 3 huge welts during our overnight stay. requested a King bed. got 2 doubles or queens. large bedroom a/c worked better than last time

Exceptional”

The hotel is very spacious and clean, lots of things you can do to keep young children busy.,friendly staff , nice food and very relaxing hotel...thank you Insular hotel.

Exceptional”

The place was great.it was so peaceful and we really enjoyed our stay overnight. Hopefully me and my hubby will get the chance to spend more quality time in ur hotel

Totally bad”

Don’t come to this place. Everything about this hotel is OLD. It’s like i’m back in the 90’s. No upgrade or renovation has been done. For 30 years this place hasn’t changed one bit. It’s so bad.. really bad. The room smells musty. No ceiling light. Room is dark. Hallways are dark and smells funny. Paint has worn off. Cracks on the wall. Furnitures are old! Pool is filthy. It would seem that the gardens and greeneries are well maintained but all the rest has been forgotten by the management. Not only that, lobby area has no sitting area and there’s no AC. But their lobby bathroom has one?? It’s ridiculous. Not coming back to this place. Don’t know why this hotel is still running. The only thing I can commend are their employees who are all nice and helpful. It’s like the employees are making up for the lackluster that is the Waterfront hotel.

Was my sixth seventh journey on the last 3 years, the best hotel in town. ”

Everything ok EXCEPT, internet wifi, strong, good signal, but a few times every hour, connection lost. This is terrible,

Needs to be updated”

I had a hard time getting a room with everything working. 2 of 3 had no internet, none had tv remotes with all buttons working. A local friend of mine said that the place is in transition, being sold or something like that. Nice grounds but rooms are a bit threadbare and need to be updated. When I asked several times to talk to a manager about my problems was told no managers were on site. Hard to believe a 150 room hotel doesn't have a manager onsite 24/7. Eventually got taken care of but was not happy with the management of the hotel. Finally a desk clerk took initiative and comped me a breakfast for my troubles but took until the second day to stumble on that solution. Really poor management for this kind of hotel. Staff was nice but couldn't do anything because no manager was available. Really!

Disappointed ”

I do understand that the hotel has just open, but please do something about your customer service, we arrived one hour before check in, but when we checked in, we had to wait an hour again for them to prepare the room. And surprisingly they will charge a additional 2000 for the room ( Deposit Charge ) , its so ironic to find this kind of policy in a 4 star hotel. Another problem is the bad smell along the corridors (i thinks its the paint) and also the smell coming from the drainage, and lastly the room floors is quite dirty coz obviously u will notice one ull wear the complimentary slippers. but anyways, the bed is super nice ..and most especially the breakfast buffet .

Hotel need a major renovation to keep pace with the modern technology.”

Require more convenience electric outlet to accommodate the need of technological equipment brought along with guess.

Outdated hotel”

I would make a review based on the room we stayed.It kinda smell old,furnishings were worn out.bed was no longer comfortable.I love the grounds though,and the shore is quite a view.in fairness,breakfast was good,just needs an upgrade to almost everything.

Beautiful property ”

Pros Staff friendly, and always greets. , room great bed very comfortable. breakfast Was great lots of options Philippine, and western. Property itself is picturesque. Cons Pool was not western standards of cleanliness Hotel far far from street . However once there lots of fast food options , 7/11 , and drugstore Hotel charges corkage for certain amounts of alcohol, and some outside foods. We’re however lenient if just a few beers.

We will be back ”

Beautiful location, well-maintained, very clean, great food, the best staff.

Acceptable”

The only hotel that I went that does not allow outside food and expects us to pay exorbitant prices for their average quality food.

Nothing around beats it”

The grounds are beautiful The people are beautiful Restaurant food and buffets are very good The rooms are very old and shows some wear and tear. Any trouble, and the staff is there to fix it immediately. I’ll be back.

It's like going in to prison the check from the security guard it's over board ”

For the smoker it's the hotel don't book it the pool it's dirty the staff asking unnecessary questions never asked me before any other hotel I will never book this hotel again.

Very good”

Staff were friendly and accommodating. The place was also nice and clean.

Security is bit to much check in and out like a prison.”

If you are a smoker don't book.

Very good price for a 5 star hotel”

The hotel is quite old. You get an “old feeling” in the rooms by the look and smell of the old furniture but it’s maintained relatively ok. The food at dinner wasn’t great but overall I recommend this hotel. The waterfront in Cebu is much fancier.

EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE”

Customer service was superior! Very cordial and clean,. The only hotel center of Davao City has a water front.

Exceptional”

Staff are so hospitable and very accomodating. Room was so clean and preped; very spacious and a relaxing veranda overlooking samal island & the pool. Food was very very good w plenty of choices (on the free breakfast at Uno Cafe). Parking space was soo spacious and with roving guards, soo safe location and very much peaceful day and night. Would surely come back sooner than later, highly recomended !

Historic Hotel Needs an Upgrade”

This is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) existing hotel in Davao City. It was designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin. It is quite surprising to see it still running and maintained. They have an open lobby area that greets you as soon as you arrive. The concierge and reception staff are nice and helpful. I think this is where Waterfront gets its positive impact on us. The room and much of the facilities are dated and needs upgrade and renovation.

Hotel not friendly to physically challenged older and disabled individuals.”

When I was growing up in Davao this used to be a modern 4 star hotel. It still an OK hotel but it needs a MAJOR renovation! I booked my parents on this hotel during their last trip in Davao. My 76 year old father had difficulty getting up to their room . It was located just on the second floor. However not only does it have stairs ONLY as a way to get on the upper floors but stairs consists of numerous steps too . There are no elevators NOR any escalators either, I would not recommend this hotel to older people or people with physical disabilities! I hope the hotel would upgrade its facilities to keep in touch with the times and cater better for all types of customers.

Exceptional”

fantastic hotel , we got married there and could not have asked for a better venu , staff 10 out of 10

Appallingly bad”

Really old and falling apart , with a once great reputation and staff that are trying , but poorly managed .it has seen better days. The grounds are immaculate and great location , but it’s been overtaken by Budget hotels in the quality area. . Algae filledand dirty pool , dribbling showers that take 15 mins to heat up and internet connection of the speed of the old 56k dial ups. Furniture falling apart , un-maintained. We gave in asking for a minibar price list after 3 days , just waiting for a shock on exit . The shower we were told to wait 15 minutes for hot water , which you can see the result . The green pool was allegedly because of chlorine ... hmm really !!! This has the potential to be an amazing hotel but needs , staff training , organisation and some money revamping its 1970s theme. On a plus side the breakfast was pretty good for Davao.

Excellent”

Very good hotel for family with young kids. Nice breakfast. Poor internet connection though.

Very good”

Location is still one of the best in Davao. Rooms are big. Food for dinner and breakfast were great!

Good”

The room is big and has a cabin-like feel to it because of the wooden floors. They also have balconies. Their toilet is okay, but could use an upgrade. They have beach access and a pool. And because they have lot of function rooms, the lobby is usually busy and crowded. Since the lobby is open, it can get hot when checking in. Their breakfast was average. It's better to eat out since Davao has a lot of good restaurants and cafes.

Our stay”

Overall our stay was very pleasant, the pool area was very clean, spacious and surrounded with tall trees to make it cool and pleasing. The children enjoyed themselves.

Staff was polite and helpful. Ambience was great. Location is good.”

Breakfast was superb. Pool was not clean. Room corridor smelled of wet carpet.

Not worth it!”

This hotel is so outdated. I could not get a good connection witht he WiFi and they tried to remedy the problem with no success. I literally had to go into the hallway with my phone and hold it up to the rooter, with little success. The hardwood floor in my room with scraped and scratched beyond belief. It reminded me of a horror movie. For the cost, I felt cheated. There were tiny, tiny ants that were crawling everywhere. We had to keep everything in our bags and leave them away from these tiny fast ants. Believe me, these suckers are quick and get into everything.