Aziza Paradise Hotel Experience
Satisfied and done with the underground river tour, we headed back to Puerto Princesa's city center, to check-in at Aziza Paradise Hotel, for an overnight stay, where our last dinner (party) in Palawan was to be celebrated. Physically exhausted from the tour, all slept (including our tour guides) as our two vans traversed the Puerto Princesa North Road that was many times zero-visibility due to heavy rains. Hah!
It took us an hour and 25 minutes (without stops) from the Sabang Boat Terminal to this hotel.
Driver told me it could have been faster, but the "zero-visibility" on many parts of the road, due to the pesky downpour, slowed us down a bit. Well, no one was rushing. Everyone was dry and comfortable.
Oh.., the comfortable clothes we wore on the van, was due in part to that Aziza front desk girl who did not allow us to drop our bags early in the morning, before we went to the underground river tour. Thus, after the tour (still at Sabang) we chose our most comfy garbs, since all our belongings were with us!
Blessing in disguise? Yeah, "blessing in the sky" sabi nga ni Tata Owan! Well, I was still not happy with the front desk girl not allowing us to leave our bags, as I was told during reservations that it was okay. I was therefore raring to see that girl again, to confront, correct and shame her, if need be. Ganun ako!
On arrival, I looked for her, but our tour guide said "she was already gone" (end of shift). Hmm, I asked the tour guide "how" and "why" did he know about that. He said, he heard me on the van, getting ready to accost that front desk girl, so he went ahead to forewarn or let her 'disappear' as we checked-in! 😇
Now that was 'honorable'! I mean our guides, not only knowledgeable, diplomatic too. Ayaw ng gulo!
Anyway, immediately after check-in, even if under intermittent rain, we ended up here..,
Exhausted from the underground river tour? Wheh! We still had the energy for this pool! And as it was at sea, the pool's water was also comfortably warm compared to the cold rain drops! Until dinnertime!
I must tell you, contrary to my first encounter with that arrogant front desk girl in the early morning, all of the staff we encountered in this hotel were very courteous and attentive to our needs. Cheerful too!
Oh well, as they say.., "in a basket of eggs, there usually is one rotten... tomato"! Yes, me ganun!
Fastforward to dinner time. This was also previously arranged (by me) via the same phone call when I asked if we could leave our bags early in the morning before going to the underground river. So, I was anxious something might also be 'off', like my early morning encounter with the snooty front desk girl!
OMG there was! But nothing serious and not due to disservice. The original agreed setup was that our dinner was to be held at an open area (outdoors) beside the pool. Sadly, it kept raining cats and dogs, so "no can do"! But the enthusiastic (and jolly) crews already had an alternative and they were actually looking for me (to agree to it), when I arrived. In fairness, I even still saw the bamboo torches that they prepared for the outdoor setup! I eagerly said "go ahead" with the alternative they planned to whip up!
Look! We were in fact still 'technically' outdoors, and by the poolside.., but had the benefit of a roof!
That's the outside area of the restaurant (Demeter?). They arranged a row of tables, only for my group!
We did not have to change our planned 'dinner outfits' of 'swimming or beach wear'. That would have been ridiculous (or might have outraged other diners), if this dinner was served inside the restaurant! What with some of us wearing sando, tsinelas, swimsuits topped by pekpek shorts and the likes. Da!
By the way, what they're putting down were our unique dinner fare - all the boodle fights in their menu!
The best option if you all want to sample a wide spread of Pinoy foods in one setting (or sitting hehe)!
We loved it that each boodle fight set had a different kind of rice (flavor), veggies and fruits. Hefty!
Oops! That human head at left was not part of the menu! He is one of the waiters! He was kneeling to carefully place that heavy boodle fight tray on the table! He was humming a song as he did that. Aliw!
It was good that we opted to have the boodle fight sets come as they are in the hotel's menu, instead of having a 'real' and big one like they do in the military or at beach parties. We got to enjoy the variety - virtually every kind of Pinoy beach party food that this hotel can whip up. And those were delectable!
Interesting too, were these "towers" that contained iced-tea and some blue-colored drink (alcoholic)!
Those towers are in the shape and color of bamboo trunks (but I guess made of plastic?) whatever!
The fun and funny thing about Aziza's boodle fights is that.., they also bring in a whole dinnerware set just stacked at various parts of the table and easy for everyone to reach! But boodle fights are meant to be enjoyed without them, right? So, we the "young once" in the group decreed that anyone who use any of the utensils will be fined heftily! And we saw smirking faces in the "young ones"! Barbaric daw!
Of course, talo ang mga tanders, when things like crepes and cakes started descending on our table!
The young ones ordered those, paano mo nga naman isusubo ang mga iyan a la boodle fight, di ba?
Now now.., one end of our table already touched part of the lobby, and there was live entertainment!
Young and old in my group liked this band's music and musicality - expected in the Philippines, right?
They kept engaging our group, asking us to suggest songs, even asking some of us to sing with them!
Eh as you can see, they had no choice, we were the only audience, other than those foreigners at right!
It came out to be like the band had just been playing for us! The whole lobby became like our very own private party venue! In fact, we would have gone out to the city for a night-out (as planned). But it kept raining, and the band was entertaining. So we stayed put! Mahal lang ang drinks. Butas ang bulsa ko!!
Anyway.., the morning after, I got to see more this Aziza Paradise Hotel.
By the way, we occupied a whole wing of this facility, plus another room on another floor!
The swimming pool at 6:46AM!
I don't know what for, but behind me, as I took that last shot of the swimming pool was this..,
I visited the villas that we originally wanted to book, but just one was available (for 6 persons only)
Each of the villas have that mini-pool right by the entrance. Would have been the most ideal if we were able to get at least three of them, even if not adjoining. But to get just one of these with the rest of the group over at the hotel building would have been amiss since this is far - on the other side of the pool.
The buffet breakfast was fairly regular, except that pancakes came with an entertaining twist
Yes yes, that's the one that looks just like my very own かわいい face! With blue eyes and red hair! Ya!
The pancake maker is positioned just before the entrance to the restaurant, beside the egg station!
You just tell them what you want, like those regular pancakes at left, and of course free like the eggs.
It is such a crowd drawer, especially for the 'bagets' that they don't want to eat anything else anymore!
Note and warning: the pancake master (obviously very artfully skilled) could be naughty at times and could make a hideous caricature of your already ugly face hahaha! Eat it anyway. They are delicious!
I'll post a short video of that pancake-drawing (I mean pancake-making) process here. It's amazing!
That pancake art was really a hit to most guests of Aziza. The younger ones in our group even wanted more for take away (bring home ba) but we had to discourage them since our flights were at 3PM pa!
Anyway, after breakfast was free time until 130PM when we must depart from Aziza for the airport. Of course, many went out to the city center (and the nearby Robinson's Place) for pasalubong shopping! They even had lunch where they were in the city. I stayed around to chill and check-out more of Aziza!
And when it was time to go, no less than five people got busy just to board us on that coaster!
Well, this shirt that my brother wore on our way home seems to summarize the experience!
Need I say anything more? Ah yes there is..., Palawan, I shall return!
It took us an hour and 25 minutes (without stops) from the Sabang Boat Terminal to this hotel.
Oh.., the comfortable clothes we wore on the van, was due in part to that Aziza front desk girl who did not allow us to drop our bags early in the morning, before we went to the underground river tour. Thus, after the tour (still at Sabang) we chose our most comfy garbs, since all our belongings were with us!
Blessing in disguise? Yeah, "blessing in the sky" sabi nga ni Tata Owan! Well, I was still not happy with the front desk girl not allowing us to leave our bags, as I was told during reservations that it was okay. I was therefore raring to see that girl again, to confront, correct and shame her, if need be. Ganun ako!
On arrival, I looked for her, but our tour guide said "she was already gone" (end of shift). Hmm, I asked the tour guide "how" and "why" did he know about that. He said, he heard me on the van, getting ready to accost that front desk girl, so he went ahead to forewarn or let her 'disappear' as we checked-in! 😇
Now that was 'honorable'! I mean our guides, not only knowledgeable, diplomatic too. Ayaw ng gulo!
Anyway, immediately after check-in, even if under intermittent rain, we ended up here..,
I must tell you, contrary to my first encounter with that arrogant front desk girl in the early morning, all of the staff we encountered in this hotel were very courteous and attentive to our needs. Cheerful too!
Oh well, as they say.., "in a basket of eggs, there usually is one rotten... tomato"! Yes, me ganun!
Fastforward to dinner time. This was also previously arranged (by me) via the same phone call when I asked if we could leave our bags early in the morning before going to the underground river. So, I was anxious something might also be 'off', like my early morning encounter with the snooty front desk girl!
OMG there was! But nothing serious and not due to disservice. The original agreed setup was that our dinner was to be held at an open area (outdoors) beside the pool. Sadly, it kept raining cats and dogs, so "no can do"! But the enthusiastic (and jolly) crews already had an alternative and they were actually looking for me (to agree to it), when I arrived. In fairness, I even still saw the bamboo torches that they prepared for the outdoor setup! I eagerly said "go ahead" with the alternative they planned to whip up!
Look! We were in fact still 'technically' outdoors, and by the poolside.., but had the benefit of a roof!
We did not have to change our planned 'dinner outfits' of 'swimming or beach wear'. That would have been ridiculous (or might have outraged other diners), if this dinner was served inside the restaurant! What with some of us wearing sando, tsinelas, swimsuits topped by pekpek shorts and the likes. Da!
By the way, what they're putting down were our unique dinner fare - all the boodle fights in their menu!
We loved it that each boodle fight set had a different kind of rice (flavor), veggies and fruits. Hefty!
It was good that we opted to have the boodle fight sets come as they are in the hotel's menu, instead of having a 'real' and big one like they do in the military or at beach parties. We got to enjoy the variety - virtually every kind of Pinoy beach party food that this hotel can whip up. And those were delectable!
Interesting too, were these "towers" that contained iced-tea and some blue-colored drink (alcoholic)!
The fun and funny thing about Aziza's boodle fights is that.., they also bring in a whole dinnerware set just stacked at various parts of the table and easy for everyone to reach! But boodle fights are meant to be enjoyed without them, right? So, we the "young once" in the group decreed that anyone who use any of the utensils will be fined heftily! And we saw smirking faces in the "young ones"! Barbaric daw!
Of course, talo ang mga tanders, when things like crepes and cakes started descending on our table!
Now now.., one end of our table already touched part of the lobby, and there was live entertainment!
They kept engaging our group, asking us to suggest songs, even asking some of us to sing with them!
It came out to be like the band had just been playing for us! The whole lobby became like our very own private party venue! In fact, we would have gone out to the city for a night-out (as planned). But it kept raining, and the band was entertaining. So we stayed put! Mahal lang ang drinks. Butas ang bulsa ko!!
Anyway.., the morning after, I got to see more this Aziza Paradise Hotel.
By the way, we occupied a whole wing of this facility, plus another room on another floor!
The swimming pool at 6:46AM!
I don't know what for, but behind me, as I took that last shot of the swimming pool was this..,
I visited the villas that we originally wanted to book, but just one was available (for 6 persons only)
The buffet breakfast was fairly regular, except that pancakes came with an entertaining twist
The pancake maker is positioned just before the entrance to the restaurant, beside the egg station!
It is such a crowd drawer, especially for the 'bagets' that they don't want to eat anything else anymore!
I'll post a short video of that pancake-drawing (I mean pancake-making) process here. It's amazing!
That pancake art was really a hit to most guests of Aziza. The younger ones in our group even wanted more for take away (bring home ba) but we had to discourage them since our flights were at 3PM pa!
Anyway, after breakfast was free time until 130PM when we must depart from Aziza for the airport. Of course, many went out to the city center (and the nearby Robinson's Place) for pasalubong shopping! They even had lunch where they were in the city. I stayed around to chill and check-out more of Aziza!
And when it was time to go, no less than five people got busy just to board us on that coaster!
Well, this shirt that my brother wore on our way home seems to summarize the experience!
Need I say anything more? Ah yes there is..., Palawan, I shall return!
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