Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa

The hotel rooms are nice, but the villas looked old and in need of renovation. Communication was a bit difficult. Staff seemed to understand English at first, but in practice it was about 50/50. The food, like in other places in the Philippines, wasn't that good to me. There's too much sugar in everything, and I couldn't get a nice steak. This place could be much better.

The laundry was our biggest disappointment. We sent about 3500 pesos' worth and asked them to iron just two collared shirts, but they pressed everything and charged for it. One of my husband's shirts came back with two large holes, one in front and one in back. We reported it right away and said we were checking out at 10 AM. A staff member took the shirt from our room and didn't return. At checkout we asked the front desk, and someone eventually brought it back, saying the holes were already there. They were large and obvious, and we would have noticed them before sending the shirt in. The hotel didn't accept responsibility and still charged us for the service. The location is quite far from everything, and nearby restaurants aren't within walking distance. There are two decent dinner restaurants at the hotel, but one requires a reservation. The property has old and new buildings, and I strongly recommend the newer one. Our room in the older section felt dated, and some bathroom equipment was hard to use or didn't work properly.

The service was what really stayed with me. Everyone we met was polite, helpful and attentive, whether arranging transport, sharing tips about Puerto Princesa, or checking on us at meals. From arrival, the staff made us feel welcome and relaxed. We loved the huge pool area, and walking out to the sandbar at low tide felt special. The buffet breakfast had lots of choices, and the local dishes were especially satisfying. Our spacious, clean, cozy room had a balcony overlooking the pool and the sea. The resort has open spaces, gardens and water features, with a peaceful tropical feel, and its design blends into nature without feeling crowded. Princesa Garden is a lovely place to unwind and enjoy nature. We left refreshed and wished we could have stayed longer.

The restaurants had an impressive range of dishes, and everything we tried was expertly prepared and served. Even the breakfast buffet included with the room was a nice experience. The shower had amazing water pressure, and our room was tidy and clean, though it could have used more bath towels. I also saw exposed wiring that shouldn't pass building code, if there are any, which isn't what I'd expect at a so-called “5-star” resort. Most staff were very courteous and professional, and the lifeguards were amazing in every way. Some amenities were extremely overpriced. Excursions can involve 1-3 hours of travel each way, but when we tried to book island hopping a day ahead, staff were unwilling or unable to arrange it, saying we needed to plan ahead. We went to the property's walkable sandbar instead, where an on-duty lifeguard is required. After dinner at Tomato and Basil, we planned to spend a few hours singing at the karaoke lounge. The staff said we had to buy a large amount of food to take into the room, even though we'd just eaten at the same restaurant. That left us rather pissed off. The karaoke setup was small and weak: balancing the microphone with the system was nearly impossible, the reverb was overpowering and hard to adjust, the backing tracks were poor quality, and several songs were missing.