Hotel Fleuris

Unless the direction of the wind changes, you'll see everyone flying into the airport

My mom, our trip sponsor (Salamat, ma!), booked Hotel Fleuris via PALakbayan. For some reason, tours booked via the hotel (when pre-paid with PAL-akbayan) are cheaper. If you book at the hotel, you pay the standard rate, which is the same across all tour operators. As of two weeks ago, the half-day city tours cost P600, whole-day Underground River tour P1500 and whole-day Honda Bay island hopping P1100. The whole day tours include lunch; all tours include entrance fees and airconditioned transportation.

The hotel is three stories high, I'd say about 48 rooms. There are two restaurants, a bar, a pool and a business center with spotty Internet access. You're better off elsewhere for P10 or P15 an hour than P50 at the hotel. Rooms fit three with an extra bed. The TV has cable but is small, and the cable operator appears prone to brownouts, which will only leave one or two watchable channels. But otherwise, the selection is fine. Hotel staff are very courteous and respond quickly to requests. My mom's only complaint was that there was no kettle with tea and coffee.

Love the craftsmanship on this one

Breakfast is a choice of Filipino (garlic rice, two eggs and viand), Continental or American (toast, two eggs and viand) with coffee, hot chocolate or mango/orange juice. As we stayed three nights, I had Filipino breakfast twice (chicken tocino and lamayo-a kind of fish) and American breakfast once (bacon).

Hotel Fleuris somewhat resembles a small Vista Marina Subic. It is in the city center, which makes it very accessible even without a tricycle (larger than those in Manila, seats up to seven). You can go to the mall, Chowking and Jollibee on foot. Between towns, there are mini-cabs and jeeps.

Our first meal in Puerto Princesa