The Best Hotel in Puerto Princesa, Palawan
What is there to do in Puerto Princesa for kids? It’s a question we researched plenty before we traveled to the Philippines. Turns out, a kid-friendly hotel was right under our noses! The Astoria Palawan offers fantastic accommodations as well as kid-friendly features at every turn!
You might recall that we visited the Philippines earlier this year, with stays on Tambisaan Beach and White Beach in Boracay, and also visited the rustic and adventurous Carabao island. For this visit to the Philippines, we opted to check out a new island and we fell in love!
About Astoria Palawan
There is so much to love about Astoria Palawan. But a few of the family-friendly standouts that make this property so incredible are:
The beach
This property is RIGHT ON the beach overlooking the famous Honda Bay of Palawan. It’s got gorgeous views of the mountains in southern Palawan, along with sandbars (depending on the tide) and tiny islands scattered across the water.
Water park
Yup, you read that right. Astoria Palawan has its own water park. Not just a water slide or a splash pad, but a full-blown water park! I’m talking wave pool, huge slides, a lazy river and yes, a splash pad! Liesel had a blast here, and honestly, we did too!
Playgrounds
Astoria has done a great job of sprinkling play structures around the property. Liesel loved darting back and forth between all the different swing sets and slides. And I loved getting my cardio in chasing after her!
Astoria Palawan Resort from above
Excursions
I usually don’t give a whole separate section for excursions, but our favorite excursion could not be covered in just a bullet point!
We chose a day trip to go island hopping around Port Barton and it was a highlight of our 6 week trip through Asia!
The trip to Port Barton started with a 2-hour drive to the other side of the island. From there, we boarded our little boat and set off to explore the islands and reefs of the surrounding area.
Two things about the snorkeling here. (1) it was great! The water was so clear and we got to see a turtle! And (2) the tour guides were so good with Liesel! They gave her a life raft to hold on to and would pull her around so she could see all the good stuff (starfish, turtles, etc). She had a great time!
We also spent some time during the afternoon on a little island for a fresh beach barbecue lunch. The food here was great but the BEACH... oh my goodness, the beach on this island was pristine.
Overall it was one of the best days we had as a family on this trip and Liesel even snuck a few naps in throughout the day. A win-win for us all!
Port Barton is what everyone dreams of when they plan a Philippines vacation!
When choosing a place to stay we always look for
Where we can stock up on kid essentials (diapers and milk)
Where we can get grown up essentials (coffee)
What’s nearby or how do we get around?
Is this place a good value?
Here’s how Astoria Palawan stacked up:
Port Barton is just one of the incredible day trip options from Astoria
Where to find diapers and milk:
Astoria Palawan has an on-site convenience store. And the prices... guys, they are REASONABLE! We picked up milk, water and “grown up drinks” all for way less than we normally expect to pay at a hotel convenience shop. And added bonus, we had plenty of room to store them inside the full-sized fridge in our one-bedroom family suite!
Where to get your caffeine fix:
Brace yourselves; there isn’t much around outside the resort. When we were researching where to stay, we realized that is pretty normal for Puerto Princesa, so we knew it going in. With that in mind, there ARE several restaurants on-site and they are awesome about offering coffee or tea after every meal. And let’s be honest. The island of Palawan is so beautiful with so much to explore that you wont be spending too much timing missing your afternoon latte. You’ll be out adventuring!
Getting around:
Like I said above, there isn’t much nearby this resort. But, if you get stir-crazy at the thought of being stranded at your beach hotel, don’t worry! Astoria has several day trip options, including Port Barton, the Underground River and jungle trekking! They are all a couple hours’ driving time from the resort and transportation is arranged in-house when you book your excursion, so all you need to do is show up at the right time. And did I mention that I loved the Port Barton day trip?
Value:
Rooms here start just over $100 USD. A family suite like we had starts at $230 but includes a full kitchen so you can cook your own meals if you’d prefer to dine in. And waterpark admission is included in your rate regardless of room type! Overall it’s a great value for the Philippines and has been voted best hotel in Puerto Princesa, to boot!
A comfy place to lay your head at Astoria Palawan
The bottom line
If you are heading to Palawan and looking for a comfortable place to stay with great amenities on the beach, Astoria Palawan is your spot. Expect to fill your days enjoying the on-site water park and great views from the beach or book a couple excursions through the hotel and go out on an adventure!
Planning a trip to the Philippines? Be sure to check out our other Philippines blog posts, or send us a message on Instagram and we’ll give you all the insider tips!
Note: Accommodations were provided by Astoria Palawan, but opinions are always my own!