Princesa Garden Island Resort & Spa

Rooms and decor

Picture driving out of the bustle of Rizal Avenue in central Puerto Princesa, turning in through the resort gate, and finding a shady tropical garden with big trees spreading overhead, pale low-rise buildings scattered among the planting, and the sound of water and sea breeze in the background. That's the first impression of Princesa Garden Island Resort & Spa, the city's flagship 5-star resort sitting on roughly 4 hectares of oceanfront land in the Bancao-Bancao district. What sets it apart from a single-tower hotel downtown is space — enough to wander all day. The decor leans natural, with wood, stone and greenery for an easygoing tropical feel rather than flashy luxury. Rooms are spread across several buildings in the garden, many opening onto tree or pool views, simply and warmly furnished for restful comfort.

Food and amenities

The heart of a stay here is the pool, a citywide name — the largest chlorine-free saltwater pool in Puerto Princesa, winding through the resort like a private lagoon, with no chlorine sting on the eyes or skin. Many reviews agree it's where you'll spend the most time, kids and adults alike. Beyond it is a private sandbar for breezy seaside walks, photos and an evening sit-down. For unwinding, don't miss Anaya Wellness Village, the on-site spa village set up to feel like a health retreat. For food there are several restaurants and bars, from buffet breakfast to poolside dinner, plus cold drinks in the afternoon. There's also a fitness center, on-site activities and a large ballroom that easily handles weddings and events — so you barely need to leave, with plenty to fill a whole day, which suits families wanting space for everyone.

Location and getting there

Princesa Garden sits in the Bancao-Bancao district on the city's eastern seafront. The biggest strength of the location is how close it is to both the airport and the pier — about a 10-15 minute drive gets you to Puerto Princesa airport (PPS), making travel days easy with no long traffic buffer needed. Better still, the famous Honda Bay tour pier is also only about a 10-15 minute drive away, which makes this an ideal base before and after island-hopping: head out on an island tour in the morning, come back to soak in the saltwater pool by afternoon, all in one day. The city center and Rizal Avenue — the strip of restaurants, markets and shops — are farther out, about a 10-minute ride by car or tricycle. If your trip is built around Honda Bay island tours and relaxing in a beachfront resort, this location fits well; if you want to walk straight out to food or nightlife, budget for rides into town.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide — the first thing to weigh is location. Even though it's close to the airport and the Honda Bay pier, the resort is in Bancao-Bancao, outside the city center and fairly far from the restaurants, markets and nightlife. Anyone who likes to walk out for a meal or a late drink may find the constant car or tricycle ride into town a hassle, so plan your trips into town ahead or eat mostly on-site. The second is size and service: as a large resort with several hundred rooms and a wide footprint, some reviewers feel that when it's busy or there's an event, attentiveness and speed of service can't match a small hotel — and it's a fair walk between your room, the pool and the restaurants, so ask for a room near where you'll spend time. Finally, as a 5-star resort that's been open for a while, some reviews note the condition of certain rooms or maintenance details showing wear, so set expectations accordingly and read reviews for the room type you plan to book.

Our take

From reading through plenty of real reviews, Princesa Garden Island Resort & Spa sells spacious, shady oceanfront grounds, the largest saltwater pool in the city, and a full resort-getaway feel that's almost impossible to find in downtown Puerto Princesa. What reviewers praise most consistently is the green-garden atmosphere, the saltwater pool that's easy on the eyes, and a location just 10-15 minutes by car from both the airport and the Honda Bay pier, making it a tidy base before and after island-hopping. If your mental picture of the trip is waking up for a Honda Bay island tour, coming back to soak in the saltwater pool, strolling the sandbar, stopping by the spa at Anaya Wellness and sipping an evening drink without going anywhere, this is the pick that makes a Palawan trip especially relaxing — particularly for families and couples. But if the heart of your trip is eating and exploring around the city every day, the location outside the strip plus the resort's size may mean more rides into town than you'd like. Overall we give it 8.3/10, best for families, couples and anyone who wants a beachfront resort as a base before and after island tours rather than city-center sightseeing.