Rooms with a View: Philippines – LivingMini®

My hotel rooms lately have been sparse to say the least. We’re talking one bed, a combo shower / toilet, a fan and a window. Electricity is sporadic after 6:00 pm and a hot shower a distant memory.

Luckily each of my rooms has had an amazing view — which underscores one of main principles behind Living Mini: learning to live inside out. The “inside out” idea being that your abode can be simple if you spend the bulk of your time exploring and enjoying your outside surroundings.

And I am. Here’re the silver linings of my Palawan hotels:

El Nido’s Alternative Inn’s Seaside View

Ask and you shall receive! I was given an upgrade here, relocating to a deluxe room that gave me access to a back porch that fronted the sea. The water was so close I got spray on my windows at night and I was rocked to sleep by the sound of the crashing waves.

Even with my semi-private outside sitting area, I mostly chose to perch in the Crow’s Nests upstairs off the restaurant. They were the perfect place to chill out and work on my New Year’s Resolution, which is to learn how to relax. I’m making huge strides!

Coron’s Discovery Island Resort’s Porch

We’re using the term “resort” fairly loosely these days, but quite simply the hammock saved it all. Love love love the hammock on the front porch. Perfect for that afternoon siesta after a morning spent diving or swinging in the nighttime breeze reading a good book. Want one in my new home (wherever that may be).

And the view from the porch ain’t bad neither. I spied several boats anchored off their little island pier with red hibiscus flowers framing the vantage. Prettiest view to wake up to!

Culion’s Hotel Maya’s Courtyard

From my room I could hear the children from the Jesuit school singing for hours in the morning. And in the afternoon, I lingered in the hotel’s courtyard café, reading a book about the island’s history.

From the courtyard I could also spy the activity down at the rock piers where the island locals gathered to swim at the end of the day. Even from high up on the mountain, I could hear the squeals of laughter, count the passing fishing boats, and see the clarity of the aquamarine waters. A very sweet view of humanity.

Each of my stops in Palawan gave me a fresh perspective – on my surroundings and my newfound neighbors. Rooms with a view indeed.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 12th, 2011 and is filed under Heart.