Paolyn Houseboats Review: The Best Place to Stay in Coron

Towering limestone cliffs, crystal-clear blue-green waters, vibrant coral reefs, stunning sunsets, and first-class service – this is what you’ll find at Paolyn Houseboats and more.

Nestled along the shores of Coron Island, Paolyn is a floating sanctuary that offers stunning views and surprisingly unique experiences.

I recently had the chance to stay at this incredible hotel and was absolutely blown.

From the impeccable service to the one-of-a-kind setting and the immersive activities, Paolyn Houseboats is truly unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. 

And, I must say, given the premium price tag, I had pretty high expectations – all of which were exceeded.

What’s more, the property is managed with a focus on sustainability and community. 

In fact, many of the people who work here are from the native Tagbanwa Tribe. So, every stay at Paolyn provides the opportunity to support and give back to the local community.

In the following review, I’ll break down all of this and more – as I outline why I believe Paolyn Houseboats is the best place to stay in Coron!

As mentioned earlier, Paolyn employs and supports many members of the local Tagbanwa Tribe, which is one of the oldest ethnic groups in the Philippines. 

This deep connection to the tribe is rooted in the land itself, as the area where Paolyn resides is part of the Ancestral Domain of the Tagbanwa people.

See, Paolyn Houseboats is located just off the shores of Coron Island, and the land here, as well as the surrounding reef and waters, all belong to the tribe.

So, when the owners of Paolyn Houseboats, Paolo and April Lyn, decided to open up the hotel, they had to work closely with the local tribe in order to do so.

Not only did they need permission to utilize the land, but they also wanted to ensure that the development of the hotel respected the local culture and its values. 

Out of this collaboration, a partnership was formed – one that allowed for the sustainable creation of Paolyn Houseboats.

Paolyn, however, is much more than just another hotel. It serves as the primary source of income for many Tagbanwa families, helping to sustain their livelihoods.

In many ways, the property embodies the positive potential of sustainable tourism – offering benefits to both visitors and locals, all while preserving the natural beauty of Coron Island.

Three of those lagoons, Laknisan Lagoon, Awan Awan Lagoon, and Sunset Lagoon, are home to guest rooms and houseboats. 

Meanwhile, Green Lagoon is where you’ll find the property’s restaurant and main office.

The property offers a free shuttle service for guests that provides transportation between the main island of Busuanga and Coron Island. 

This includes transportation to and from the airport or another hotel within Coron Town.

For those arriving directly from the airport, Paolyn will arrange for a van to pick you up. It’s about a 40 minute drive to Coron Port. And then, another 15-20 minutes by boat over to the hotel.

The property is very flexible with their pick-up and drop-off times. So, don’t be afraid to ask for an early pick-up, if your plane lands in the morning.

While you may not be able to check into your room right away, you’ll still be able to enjoy the property. You can grab a bite to eat, lay out in the sun, or even hop aboard a kayak, while you wait!

We stayed in one of the Bamboo Suites and absolutely loved it! 

The views were incredible and it was amazing being able to roll out of bed in the morning and jump right into the ocean – seriously, nothing compares!

As far as the room goes, our suite featured a large double bed set in front of floor-to-ceiling glass doors as well as two bunk beds in the back. 

It was the perfect amount of space for us (and our luggage) to spread out.

In addition to this, the suite had a private restroom with a marine toilet (don’t worry they show you how to use it!) and an indoor shower. 

Meanwhile, outside there was a covered dining space, a large deck with lounge chairs, and an outdoor shower.

The suite also came equipped with a mosquito net (which we actually didn’t even need) and several fans.

There was even an A/C unit set up. However, it does cost extra to run it as it requires the use of a generator.

We found that we were comfortable enough without it if we opened the windows and used the fans. But it was nice to know it was there if needed. 

Electricity and Wi-Fi were also readily available throughout the suite, so no concerns there.

Just be aware that the houseboats are run by solar power and can’t handle anything with high voltage. 

So, if you’d like to, for example, blow dry your hair, you’ll need to let the front desk know and they’ll turn on the generator for you.

Pro Tip: I recommend booking your stay directly through Paolyn Houseboats. They seem to offer more options on their website in terms of availability and room type than third-party vendors.

These will be delivered to your room along with however many kayaks you request.

There are also paddle boards available at the restaurant if you’d prefer to use them.

You’re welcome to go out for a paddle at any point during your stay. And will have the opportunity to explore the four lagoons and surrounding area that make up Paolyn.

It’s even possible to kayak or paddle over to the famous Twin Lagoon. It’s only about a 10-15 minute ride from Paolyn, so it’s super accessible.

If you go early in the morning or closer to dusk, you’re likely to have the entire place to yourself!

In addition to this, the hotel offers a variety of private boat tours (more on this below!). As well as, on-site massages, scuba diving outings, and freediving excursions. 

Please note: The tours and massages do cost extra and need to be requested in advance.

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this restaurant offers a wide variety of Filipino and Italian food, as well as seafood.

Guests are welcome to eat their meals at the restaurant. Or, they can request to have them delivered to their houseboats.

Either way, the food is quite delicious and very fresh!

In fact, the staff travels to the main island every day to pick up fresh ingredients – which does mean you’ll need to place your food orders in advance.

All requests for food and drinks are completed via What’s App on the smartphones that are provided in houseboats. 

This makes it quite easy to communicate with staff – despite the distance between lagoons.

To begin with, all of the tours are private and personalized. So, you have complete control over your itinerary and can decide where you go and how long you stay.

On top of that, you’ll have the chance to experience many of the most popular attractions before they get too crowded.

Since Paolyn is already located out by Coron Island, the hotel’s tours arrive earlier and stay out longer than those that come over from the main island.

This means you can visit destinations, such as Kayangan Lake and Barracuda Lake, and have them pretty much to yourself – which is incredible!

Other popular destinations that you can visit around Coron Island include Skeleton Wreck, Banul Beach, Siete Picados Coral Garden, Atwayan Coral Garden, and Vivian Beach, among others!

Boat tours are available as either full-day or half-day excursions, with lunch provided back at the hotel.

It’s even possible to charter a boat and spend a day exploring some of the beaches that lie further away on the outer islands. 

In this case, your lunch will be packed up and taken along with you.

Regardless of where you decide to go, it’s nice having the freedom to pick and choose your own itinerary!

🌟Looking for more things to do in Coron? Be sure to check out my 3 day Coron itinerary!

To that end, the hotel has implemented a number of eco-friendly practices, as a means to reduce its impact on the island.

While I am, by no means, an expert on this, some of the practices that I am aware of include: 

• The Use of Solar Power: All of the houseboats are run on solar energy. While generators are available in cases of emergency (or if someone pays for air conditioning), the majority of the property’s day-to-day operations are run via solar power.
• Proper Management of Wastewater: To prevent discharge into the ocean, every houseboat has its own holding tank, where all of the wastewater is collected. This is then picked up by specially equipped boats that transport that water to a nearby treatment facility.
• Promotion of Reef-Safe Sunscreen: Paolyn encourages all of its guests to use reef-safe sunscreen. They even have some for sale at the front office, if you forget to bring your own.

As a guest, it’s important to be mindful of these efforts, so you too can play your part in preserving Coron Island. 

🌟 Planning to spend more time in the Philippines? Be sure to also check out my 10 day Philippines itinerary!