We arrived at Best Western Plus The Ivywall Hotel Puerto Princesa, past midnight—exhausted but excited for our family's first trip to Palawan. The vacation also doubled as a surprise birthday celebration for our toddler, Kid A. He arrived straight from school in his uniform, which made for a pretty funny start to the trip! It was also my birthday—but unlike his, mine, obviously, wasn't a surprise.

BEST WESTERN PLU THE IVYWALL HOTEL PUERTO PRINCESA’S MODERNIST FACADE

Having previously stayed at Best Western Plus The Ivywall Resort–Panglao, we were curious to see if the Puerto Princesa property could live up to the excellent experience we had in Bohol. Would The Ivywall's first Best Western Plus franchise in the Philippines deliver the same level of comfort, service, and value? Here's our detailed and honest review after spending four days at the hotel.

My son is obsessed with Pokémon. Ever since Jollibee came out with a kiddie meal with free Pokémons a few months ago and I introduced him to the show—1997’s Pokémon season one, Indigo League—he’s hooked. It was just fitting then that on our recent trip to Japan’s Kansai region, we found the perfect lodging for him—a full Pokémon-themed room at MIMARU Hotel in Kyoto’s Kawaramachi Gojo area. It’s a surprise, and we’re just as excited to see the look on his face when he enters the room!

We slept with the drapes drawn wide open, offering a full view of the city’s main avenue—lamplight and car headlights reflecting off its rain-slicked streets. The Capitol building, seen from our window, quietly resting beneath a drizzling Iloilo sky. By the time I awoke, fully rested and ahead of my wife and kid, the scene had changed. Soft morning light filtered gently through Days Hotel’s translucent curtains; the rain had passed, and the city was beginning to wake. I dressed quickly, excited for a morning walk along the nearby River Esplanade—ready to be embraced once more by the City of Love.

DAYS HOTEL ILOILO

I stayed at Days Hotel Iloilo several years back during an Iloilo–Antique media tour that extended all the way to Guimaras and Boracay—days spent with a budding romance, a crazy whirlwind that now feels like a lifetime ago. Today, I return with the same person—now my wife—and our young son in tow. No longer traveling with a heavy backpack, we now carry two suitcases. Say hello to our new chapter of travelling.

➤ SEE: BORACAY TRAVEL GUIDE

Still wet from an afternoon of frolicking on a white sandy beach, we hurriedly packed our stuff, walked through the forest, and made our way back to our room. The sun was about to set and we didn’t want to miss it. From our balcony, perched high up—overlooking the Strait of Iloilo—we quickly prepared cups of coffee, brought out some chips for snacks, and savored the colors of the day’s end. It’s the perfect way to wrap up our day at Nature’s Eye Beach Resort.

We’ve visited Bohol numerous times before—with different partners, when LP and BG haven’t crossed paths yet; as a couple, when our paths finally did cross; and now as a family, with Kid A in tow. Each visit was definitely different. This time, we both decided to stay at Panglao’s Alona Beach—a first for us both—to see what this so-called Boracay-esque area of the island has to offer.

KID A AND BG ENJOYING BEST WESTERN PANGLAO’S POOL

After spending four days in the sleepy town of Anda, we thought of staying another five days in Bohol before going back home to Manila. Since we’ve previously toured the province’s tourist spots, we thought of doing nothing but frolic on the beach, eat out, and enjoy our hotel. Well, maybe check out the Chocolate Hills and see the tarsiers too, for Kid A’s sake. But what we really wanted was a staycation by the beach. And our staycation place of choice, Panglao’s Best Western Plus The Ivywall Resort.