The father and son duo accused of perpetrating the horrific Bondi Beach massacre spent a month holed up in a dingy £11-a-night (AU$22) one-star hotel in the heart of a red-light district in the Philippines, just weeks before the devastating attack, reported the Daily Mail.

Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram jetted off to the south-east Asian nation in November for a supposed “break,” before allegedly unleashing terror at a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, claiming the lives of 15 innocent victims.

The pair’s accommodation of choice was a cramped twin room in the GV Hotel in Davao City, the country’s second-largest metropolis. The area, located on the island of Mindanao, is notorious for its neon-lit massage parlors and go-go bars, frequented by western sex tourists.

Hotel surrounded by seedy establishments and poignant coincidence

Directly across from the hotel lies a spa called “Spring Valley,” brazenly advertising a “happy hour” from 10am to 5pm. Just a stone’s throw away, a bar named “Ladiestar” entices patrons with karaoke and “massage” services.

In a heartrending coincidence, a cocktail bar and restaurant named Bondi & Bourke, a nod to the iconic beach where the attack unfolded, sits just a short distance from the suspects’ lodgings.

Suspected link to ISIS sympathisers in nearby Islamic city

Davao City is situated a mere five-hour drive from the Islamic city of Marawi, a hotbed of ISIS sympathizers engaged in a decade-long battle against the predominantly Catholic government.

Security experts have speculated that Sajid and Naveed’s trip to the Philippines was aimed at undergoing military-style training, a claim vehemently denied by the troubled nation’s President Marcos.

Hotel staff granted the Daily Mail access to room number 315 on the third floor, the spartan “lair” where the Akrams resided throughout their stay, subsisting on takeaways.

The room, sparsely furnished with two single beds, an outdated television, and an en-suite bathroom, is where the men allegedly spent the majority of their time. 

Suspects kept to themselves, shunning interaction with staff and guests

Jenelyn Sayson, a hotel employee, revealed that the men “arrived with one big piece of luggage and a backpack each,” and cleaners routinely removed fast-food wrappers from their room.

Unlike other guests who freely interact with staff and fellow tourists, the Akrams were said to keep to themselves, rarely engaging with others.

As investigations into the men’s activities during their month-long stay in the Philippines continue, authorities are working to trace their credit card transactions and local SIM cards to establish their precise movements.

Speculation has arisen that the men may have used Davao as a gateway to access the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Marawi, the latter being a notorious no-go zone for tourists and locals alike due to ongoing violent clashes between terrorist groups and Filipino armed forces.

In the wake of Sunday’s attack, which targeted Jews celebrating the start of Hanukkah, Australian officers uncovered two homemade ISIS flags and two bombs in Naveed’s vehicle.

While Sajid was killed in the police shootout, Naveed, a bricklayer who survived and was taken to hospital, now faces a staggering 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act in what investigators suspect may have been “inspired by Isis.”