Palawan has some of the best small hotels in Asia, and some that look wonderful online and disappoint in person. We only recommend a place by name once our team has stayed there or inspected it recently, and we update our list after every season. So rather than a list that ages quickly, this is how we choose, and where to look.
When you plan a trip with us, we send you our current shortlist for your dates and budget.
What we mean by boutique
For us, a boutique hotel in Palawan is small, usually fewer than 30 rooms. It has a strong sense of place, built with local materials such as timber, bamboo, nipa thatch and stone. It is run by people who know their guests by name, has excellent food, and is located somewhere you would want to be even without the hotel.
It does not have to be expensive. Some of our favourite places are simple cottages on a quiet beach. Some are among the most luxurious island resorts in the region.
Where to stay in El Nido
- Town: convenient, lively and noisy. We rarely recommend it for more than one night.
- Corong-Corong and Marimegmeg: just south of town, with sunset views over Bacuit Bay and easy access to the boats. The best balance for most people.
- Lio and the north: a planned beach area close to the airport, calm and walkable, with good small hotels and restaurants.
- Nacpan and Duli: wild, long beaches an hour north. For travellers who want space and quiet.
- The islands of Bacuit Bay: private island resorts where the lagoons are on your doorstep. The ultimate El Nido stay, and the most expensive.
Where to stay in Coron
- Coron town: practical rather than beautiful, but close to the boats.
- The west and north of Busuanga: quieter beach and hillside hotels, further from the main sites.
- Private islands: the best option for a special trip, with the reefs and wrecks close by.
Port Barton and San Vicente
Port Barton is a small, slow fishing village with simple, charming guesthouses and islands just offshore. San Vicente, with its 14 km Long Beach, is quieter still. Both are perfect for two or three nights between Puerto Princesa and El Nido.
What we check before recommending a hotel
- The room you will actually get, not just the best one in the photos.
- Noise: generators, karaoke and nearby bars.
- Power and water: backup generators, water pressure and hot water.
- Internet, if you need to work.
- Food: the quality, the variety, and how well they handle vegetarian, vegan and allergy needs.
- The beach in front at low tide, and in the wind of each season.
- Transfers: how long it really takes to reach the airport and the boats.
- How the team responds when something goes wrong.
Our advice
Mix two styles in one trip: a few nights in a beautifully located island resort, and a few nights in a smaller, simpler place with more character. And whatever you book, look at where it is before you look at the pool.
Ask us for our current recommendations. We will only suggest places we know.
