Thursday, August 7, 2014

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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