The Lotus Garden Suites in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

Well, this is the second time I've stayed in the place. This time, I'd probably rate it Above Average. It's not perfect, but it's still the best place I've ever stayed at. Also, it's a few meters away from the airport. 

The Lotus Garden's top view from the tree house.

Personal Experience Staying in Lotus Garden Suites

1. Staff. The staff are extremely nice and friendly. All of them were courteous and cheery. To compensate for the mishap in the rooms, they upped my free breakfast meal to be served with garlic rice rather than bread.

The Lotus Garden Suites' huge pond at the entrance.

2. Food. I'm a so-and-so on this one. Breakfast was okay. I love that they always have fruits on the plate. Their coffee is pretty good, too. Instead of the instant creamer, it's served with evaporated milk. I have yet to try to their Japanese cuisines, but I intend to do so another time.

Brewed coffee, brown sugar, and milk in the morning

3. Room. I just love the Okisaki room. It has always been my favorite place to crash. The bathroom in it is roofed (unlike the other bathrooms), and it's situated above the pond with floating lilies and swimming kois. It's also probably the only room with decent cellular reception if your network is SUN cellular.

Lotus Garden Suites' Mikado Room

Sensei Bedroom

The Sensei room would be my next pick because the bathroom (bathed in sunlight or moonlight) has the best water pressure. They also have a bidet beside the toilet, which is an added plus. But compared to Mikado, the floor is tiled rather than wooden. Expect it to get pretty cold when you wake up in the morning for a quick bahtroom break.

Lotus Garden Suites Sensei Room Open-roof Garden Bathroom

Mikado Bathroom at Night

Nature-inspired Open-roof Shower

Yes, it can get pretty cool at night, so expect to end up with a cold after taking a nice bath.

4. Lounge Area. Now, this is where Lotus Garden will always one of the best inns to book a room in. Their lounge area is Japanese-themed and nature-rich. Their restaurant/ reception areaOn one side, books are rowed in wooden shelves.  Not only is it surrounded with plants, the ponds filled with floating flora and fauna. They have a swimming turtle in the pond beside the Sensei room. 

Lounge Area and Restobar

Another Lounge Area

5. Price. The price is just about right. In comparison, the room in Corazon Tourist Inn was 180 php more expensive than a room in Lotus Garden Suites.

The tree house looks nice too.

I think that wraps up my experience for the Lotus Garden Suites.

Personal Ratings

1. Staff: 5/5

2. Food: 3/5 (I have yet to taste their sushi)

3. Room: 4/5 (My first pick is Okisaki. Sensei would be next among the standard/regular rooms).

4. Lounge: 5/5 (Travelers get to enjoy well-thought landscaping and beautiful greenery simply by hanging-out on their restaurant.

5. Price: 5/5

The Lotus Garden Suites Information

Address: 371 Rizal Ave. Puerto Princesa City, Palawan PH 5300
Phone: (048) 434 11 32

Website: http://www.lotusgardenph.com/

Next stop, Ardent Suites in Puerto Princesa, Palawan... 

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The Lotus Garden Suite: One of the Prettiest Hotels in Palawan

It's not the best suite, neither is it the cheapest one. Still, the coziness of this Palawan hotel is just unbelievable. I stayed in The Lotus Garden Suite for two nights. 

First thing's first, why should I stay at the Lotus Garden Suite in Palawan

1. Great Location. The Lotus Garden is a cozy refuge that's situated between the airport and Puerto Princesa City Proper. It's about a 3-5 minute ride (or even less) from the airport. 

The best view to welcome your morning

This Palawan hotel is beside the famous Kalui's, and Kinabuch's Bar and Grill is within walking distance . Those two restos are a must-visit for people who enjoy great seafood and great ambiance,

2. The Lotus Garden is breathtakingly beautiful. Sure, the white silk cotton tree (known as Buboi or Doldol) sometimes kills the beauty of their ponds, but their landscaping is definitely one of a kind, paved in artfully-placed cracked tiles. 

This is one of their lounge areas. The stairwell beside it is a mosaic of broken tiles.

I bet it's the only hotel/suite in Palawan that has a treehouse, three ponds, and beautiful lotus flowers.

Beautiful, beautiful lotus flowers

3. Nature-friendly all the way. I stayed in the Okisaki room. It was built like a wooden cabin. Beneath my room was a fish pond with kois swimming beneath the lily pads. The man-made falls beside adds to the naturalistic vibe.

Best room in The Lotus Garden Suite. Paid 1,300 php for a night.

4. They have a cat mascot. Okay, this was definitely something I just had to mention. The funny gal is just lounging about reception area. She's often caught stretching out on their plush purple seat.

Mascot Cat on Purple Couch

5. Friendly hotel staff. It's so adorable that their staff is hospitable, accommodating, and very eager to help.

6. Great ambiance and set-up. I did mention this awhile ago. It felt like I owned the place because they barely had customers (probably because it's not peak season yet). My driver mentioned that he thought the place only had Asian fine dining.

Romantic lighting crafted with bamboo

They have seashell tables and a whole book collection beside their bar.

This has rocks on it. The other table has seashells beneath the glass pane.

Celebrities who have gone there include Mark Nelson (I'm not sure about this), Pokwang, Renee Salud, Ai-Ai delas Alas and Aljur Abrenica. I know there's another actor model who's gone there... but seriously, I'm not really familiar with celebrities.

Here's a Japanese-themed pavilion surrounded by lush greenery and a beautiful lotus pond.

Of course, there are some downsides about the hotel.

1. 24-hour front desk wasn't 24 hour at all. I could perfectly understand this because it's not peak season yet. Logic dictates that there's practically no guest in their right mind who would leave the suite at 3 in the morning except me.

2. Hot water is extremely hot. I couldn't adjust it to warm even if my life depended on it. Hahaha. 

It's like bathing in hot brewed coffee!

3. Continental breakfast portions are a little too small.

Two continental breakfasts combined. I missed my first breakfast so I asked them to combine both meals into one large morning feast.

4. Okisaki Room--the room with the best view-- doesn't have a canopy bed. I can deal with that, too. I love that the room was cozy, but some customers have expected this beforehand...especially with the pictures on their site.

On the bright side, I admire their effort in renovating the place. During my stay, they were working on improving their dining area.

Front desk is on the left. The shell table above is the center piece in this photo.

The million-dollar question? Will I stay at The Lotus Garden Suites again? HELL YES!!! It's affordable, beautiful, and nature-rific. I got the Okisaki room for 1,300 php!

The Lotus Garden Suites Information

Address:371 Rizal Ave. Puerto Princesa City, Palawan PH 5300

Phone:(048) 434 11 32

Tip: Rather than booking it through their site, give them a call! If it's not peak season, you'll most likely get the room at a cheaper price. You should check Agoda or Tripadvisor rates too.

Check out our most recent post (with more pictures) on the Lotus Garden Suites. Here

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Sarabia Manor Hotel Pool Side at Iloilo City, Philippines

One of my sisters just loves staying at the Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center. The location is nice and there's a convenient store at the bottom. There's also the BPI bank (with an ATM), Ocean City (seafood restaurant) and Coffeebreak (a coffee cafe) just across it.

This is the Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center's pool side

A couple of years ago, my nieces would come to Iloilo every summer to learn swimming at the pool side. They have swimming instructors available in the corner office near the restaurant/cafe area. Back then, they usually charged as low 1,000 to 5,000 php per 10 to 12 sessions (Although, I'll have to confirm this.)

Another one of the many views the Sarabia Manor Hotel Pool Area showcases.

And one last shot of the Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center's pool showing part of the kiddie pool.

The kiddie pool...

You can drop by and check out the place, rates and services at the Sarabia Manor Hotel website.

The Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center is located at 101 General Luna Street, Iloilo City, Philippines. You may contact them at (+6333) 335-1021 to 27 or sarabia_hotel@yahoo.com.ph

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Corazon Tourist Inn: Palawan's Best Hotel in the Heart of the City

Okay, so I have to admit that after scouting 3 hotels, Corazon Tourist Inn was one of the best hotels I could find. Their rooms are cozy and their staff provided excellent service.

I was searching for a room that had reliable Wi-Fi access and this is the only hotel/inn that had it while still being in my price range (the single room I stayed in for 3 days cost 1,100 php/day since I didn't avail the breakfast package). 

As you could see, all the sockets and light switches are conveniently located on the bed's headrest.

Location played a major role in making me decide to book this room in Corazon Tourist Inn. It was in the heart of the city and Nokinok as well as the drugstores, eateries and cafe (at the bottom of the hotel) were nearby.

For more details on my experience with this hotel/inn, feel free to read it at 8 Ways to Enjoy Your Business Trip to Palawan.

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