Astoria newly opened resort in Palawan

THE ROOMS and suites come in happy, vibrant shades of yellow, orange and blue.

Palawan has around 1,780 of our 7,100 islands. The province has over 2,000 kilometers of coastline, with hundreds of sugar-white sand beaches, inlets and coves. Its interiors have vast stretches of virgin forests and mountain ranges, with many species of unique flora and fauna.

THE ALFRESCO dining area of The Reserve, with views of the Sulu Sea

With so much going for it, Palawan is truly our nation’s “last frontier.” Over the next few years, I expect property development in the province to skyrocket.

Among the recent resorts that have opened up in the province is Astoria Palawan. Just over an hour’s drive northeast from Puerto Princesa, the resort is in San Rafael, right on the shores of picturesque Honda Bay. It is just an hour away from the world-famous St. Paul Underground River, which makes it the perfect place to stay in for guests wishing to tour that new world wonder.

The Pod is the resort’s 39-meter infinity lap pool, with shower discs that spray you from below.

Astoria Palawan (www.astoriapalawan.com) is the latest addition to Astoria Hotels and Resorts’ portfolio of leisure and entertainment properties. The Honda Bay property joins other Astorias in Ortigas, Boracay and Bohol, and Chardonnay by Astoria. Situated on a five-hectare mango orchard surrounded by mountain and beachfront views of the Sulu Sea, Astoria Palawan has kept the pristine nature of its surroundings. Only green building materials, practices and methods were adopted for this project, which even includes a modern sewage treatment plant.

The design team behind Astoria Palawan is architect Ed Gallego and interior designers Cynthia and Ivy Almario, the same team behind other Astoria properties. Their environmental designs and materials make guests experience a memorable sojourn that is uniquely Astoria.

Astoria Palawan offers to travelers 13 leaf-inspired, wood cabin-type villas, which house all of the 40 luxurious and spacious private rooms and suites. The deluxe rooms range from 38 to 56 square meters for the one-bedroom suites, and the two-bedroom suites are a spacious 91 sq m. All rooms have either a king-size bed or two queen-size beds. The suites also have separate living and dining areas, as well as modern conveniences like air-conditioning, LCD television, DVD player, cable TV, complimentary Internet access, kitchenette and complimentary coffee- and tea-making facilities.

The Canopy is the resort’s welcome and reception area.

Located at the center of the property is The Reserve, the resort’s restaurant that has a panoramic view of the Sulu Sea and the 39-meter-long infinity pool. It features a live kitchen so resort guests can watch their favorite dishes prepared and cooked right in front of them, and a wood-fired brick oven for roasts, pizzas, breads and other delicious meals. The Reserve also has an indoor as well as an outdoor alfresco section.

The reception pavilion is called The Canopy. It houses a customer service lounge and recreation area for billiards, card and board games, ping-pong, foosball, and even computer stations for video games.

Opening early next year is the Waterpark, Astoria Palawan’s 4,000-sq-m family activity center. The Waterpark will include water geysers, bamboo water cannons, spray water to cool down toddlers and youngsters, splash pads, wave pools, and fiberglass and artistic renditions of Palawan’s endemic flora and fauna. Also in the plans is a 2-meter-high corkscrew slide, a fishpond and rock-climbing wall. Glass-bottom boats and acrylic kayaks will be available for guests wanting to view the underwater wildlife of Honda Bay.

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