Hibiscus Garden Inn

Rooms and decor

Picture driving just a few minutes out of the airport, turning into the gate of a small hotel in the middle of Puerto Princesa, and going from a hot, glaring street to standing in a shady garden with rustling leaves and cool shade — that is the first charm of Hibiscus Garden Inn, a compact garden hotel that deliberately makes greenery and woodwork the heart of the stay. As the name Hibiscus suggests, the grounds are packed with leafy plants and flowering shrubs, with hammocks slung under the trees for an afternoon read or nap. What many people fall for is the hand-carved wooden furniture and decor scattered in every corner — chairs, tables, doors and small carvings that give each space real character. The rooms are done in warm wood tones, simple but clean and thoughtfully arranged, feeling more like staying at the home of a relative who loves gardening than a stiff hotel.

Food and amenities

If anything keeps guests coming back to Hibiscus in their reviews, it is the in-house kitchen known for hot, generously topped wood-fired pizza that many call surprisingly good for a small hotel — enough to become the dinner highlight for people who don't want to go far after a full day of touring. You eat in the shady garden, which makes the meal feel relaxed. Beyond the food, there is an outdoor pool ringed by greenery for cooling off, free Wi-Fi across the grounds, and an airport shuttle that is convenient given how close the terminal is. Another thing reviews agree on is the staff — friendly and happy to help, arranging the Underground River tour, Honda Bay island hopping, or tips around town, so first-timers to Palawan can plan ahead without hunting down an agency.

Location and getting there

Another strong card is the location: central Puerto Princesa and only about a 5-minute drive from Puerto Princesa airport (PPS). A tired arrival day or an early morning flight out becomes easy — no long transfer or uncertainty. Being in the city also means you can walk to restaurants, cafes and convenience stores, unlike resorts out of town that lean on their own dining. This setup works well as a city base for the first or last night of a trip, then heading out on Palawan's highlight nature tours and returning the same evening — both the UNESCO-listed Puerto Princesa Underground River and Honda Bay island hopping, which mostly pick travelers up from in town anyway.

Things to know before booking

To help you decide, plainly: first, Hibiscus is a garden hotel in the city, not beachfront, with no nature views like a beachside resort. If your mental image is waking to clear sea or limestone cliffs outside your room, this won't match — choose a beach-side stay such as Sabang or the islands instead. Second, being compact, both the rooms and the pool are not large and the amenities are basic; anyone expecting big rooms or full resort facilities may find it simpler and smaller than imagined, though that comes with a friendly price and good atmosphere. Finally, on noise and booking: sitting in the city near the road and airport, some rooms may catch traffic or aircraft noise at times, and being popular enough to rank near the top in town, it fills up fast. Light sleepers should request a room deeper into the garden, and book several days ahead, especially in high season.

Our take

From reading through many real reviews, Hibiscus Garden Inn sells a distinctive shady garden setting, warm hand-carved woodwork in every corner, a central location right by the airport, and an in-house wood-fired pizza place guests won't stop praising — earning the highest review score in town despite its compact size. If your trip picture is a good-atmosphere base with plants and a hammock to lounge in for the first or last night, then heading out to the Underground River and Honda Bay on day tours without spending much on the room, this fits neatly. It is best for couples, solo travelers and anyone who values atmosphere, warmth, good food and an affordable price over sea views or resort grandeur. But if the heart of your trip is quiet beachside relaxing with private sea outside your room, the city location and compact size may not be the answer. Overall we give it 9.0/10 — choose it for the atmosphere, location and food, and you get a warm, memorable city base in Puerto Princesa.