Funny Lion: A Lion Less Ordinary
The Funny Lion’s Puerto Princesa property delivers delight, beyond the ordinary
The Funny Lion’s Puerto Princesa property delivers delight, beyond the ordinary
We arrived at the resort, a mere 15-minute drive from Puerto Princesa’s international airport, as the sun was rising gracefully over the seemingly endless stretch of turquoise horizon. Soft, golden rays radiated off the water, where seas and skies meet daily; dance partners in a thrilling tropical tango set to a cacophony of myriad birds. It was spectacular to take in; quite the uplifting sight, really, especially for one harried from sleep deprivation. “Good morning, Ms. Catherine! Welcome; maambeng na pag-abot to The Funny Lion!,” came the gracious greeting, with just a smattering of Cuyonon, the local vernacular, and a generous measure of congeniality. “Good morning! Please, just call me Angie,” I insisted. By the second day, it was “Ms. Ange,” expressed with endearment, sincerity, and a deep desire to extend seamless service.
Now, I’ve been in this business a long time; nearly two decades, to be a tad more precise. While I do not claim expertise (virtually impossible, in an industry where learning and growing are constants), I do recognize a good thing when I see it. Specialness, after all, is hard to miss when you know what you’re looking for. The Funny Lion-Puerto Princesa is as special as beachfront resorts and city hotels come. At its core is a fervent flavor of hospitality on which all else pivots—and by “all else” I mean its fabulously fierce Brutalist architecture, captivating creature comforts, laudable location, creative charm, and gorgeous gastronomy.
The Funny Lion-Puerto Princesa is, at the time of this writing, the newest addition to the One-Of Collection’s remarkable roster of properties. The boutique hotel group—owned by Nikki and Ria Cauton, and renowned for its luxurious Bohol-based flagship brand, Amorita—opened The Funny Lion-Puerto Princesa in December 2023. And, the resort has been roaring robustly, since. Across The Funny Lion, sharing a spacious roundabout driveway, Amorita is slated to open its Puerto Princesa property in the fourth quarter of 2024, further uplifting Palawan’s hospitality scene.
With 77 comfortably appointed, capacious safari-inspired guestrooms across three categories (Cub, King, and Pride Rooms), The Funny Lion-Puerto Princesa is more than just an upscale hotel in Palawan’s capital city—it is a high-end yet homey hub in the heart of the lovely, lively locale. The property’s predominantly Brutalist architecture was conceptualized by highly regarded architect, Ed Ledesma, and designed by architect Rapunzel Caparas, with Eric Paras at the helm of interior design and landscape artistry. Its bold, blocky façade and crisp color palettes—in muted monochromatic medleys of richly textured sandy beige, charcoal black, and steel gray hues—is softened by warm earth-toned accents and thriving pocket gardens. In a contemporary savannah-style setting, with a variety of tall grasses and greenery undulating in the wind, the grounds are a stark yet somehow also entirely sensible contrast to the highly expressive structure. Because it has its own beachfront, from which brisk breezes blow, the resort's atmosphere is markedly serene and sublime, as well as pleasantly temperate. Quirky touches and whimsical accents (all part-and-parcel of the brand's playful positioning), on the other hand, lend an energetic, youthful feel to the slightly severe vibe of the raw and rough-hewn aesthetic. The overall impact is sheer perfection, to fuel your wanderlust in wonderful ways.
It is easily evident that this is no ordinary jungle; quite the contrary, to be sure. Passionately promoting a guest experience that is “Beyond the Ordinary,” the resort is an edgy yet elevated oasis of laid-back leisure, holding itself to stringent standards of excellence, minus the stiff, snooty service that often comes with such superiority.
“We would like to offer our guests a different experience, which we incorporate in thoughtful ways. For instance, to give just two examples, we serve handmade fresh juices, not your typical sodas, in our complimentary mini-bars in the guestrooms; we also offer our guests meals off the menu, if they wish to try a specific dish while they’re in Palawan. It’s all are part of The Funny Lion branding, to offer something unique and out of the ordinary,” the resort’s general manager, Michael “Mike” Mahinay, says. “Our main edge, as well, is that we have maximized our beachfront. It’s a great place to relax. We’ll also be using the space for unique events, like Moonrise Dinners, since we have a great view of not only the sunrise, but also the moonrise. Architecturally, although our building is long and wide, we’ve maintained a number of large, open spaces, so our guests really don’t feel like they’re in a city hotel. We highly value the comfort of our guests and we want to make their stay as special as possible,” he notes.
“Additionally, we want our guests to feel at ease with us; like they’re with family, in a home away from home. To heighten this feeling, and since I’m from Puerto Princesa, I make myself available to our guests, as a guide around the city. I call it ‘City Tours with the GM,’ which I try to do once a week, as an added activity for our guests. It’s a continuation of the experience of being at home with us,” he shares.
And, of course, what’s a hospitable home stay without mouth watering meals? At The Funny Lion-Puerto Princesa, every meal is an epicurean experience! The resort has already made its way to the forefront of Puerto Princesa’s culinary scene, with the city’s foodies and families coming to dine on a regular basis, as well as to celebrate their special occasions. Its all-day dining venue, Hunt Restaurant, features a well-curated breakfast buffet and a sumptuous showcase of ala-carte Western-Asian Contemporary specialties. The main bar doubles as a poolside bar, serving a selection of wines, cocktails, and small-plate dishes. As part of the resort’s commitment to sustainability, the lion’s share of ingredients in the kitchen is sourced locally, from nearby market vendors, farmers, and fisher folk.
“Flavor and freshness go hand-in-hand; we do what we can to source local ingredients and use these in our recipes, to ensure quality. This is also very much tied in with our brand’s sustainability efforts,” the resort’s head chef, Ace Manalo, underscores. “What really sets our cuisine apart, aside from the freshness of our ingredients, is the art and story behind each dish; the little twists we put. Our menu is always evolving, to cater to the varied profiles of our diners—across Asian and Caucasian palates, plus our local flavors—since Puerto Princesa is really a melting pot of cultures,” Manalo adds. So, with an a la-carte menu of over 30 items, you have dishes like the Fili Cheesesteak sandwich, a hearty hybrid of two classics, Philadelphia cheesesteak and beefsteak Tagalog; and Great Graze, a version of beef short ribs, but instead of a red wine-base, the sauce is made with San Miguel Cerveza Negra, a Philippine-made dark lager. The Cubano Bowls are likewise popular in the “something for everyone” category, with their take on traditional Cuban fare of annato rice, plantain chips, bean stew, mango salsa, sunny-side-up egg, topped with a range of locally-sourced protein choices.
My personal favorites were the Nutting But Shrimp, a crave-worthy concoction of succulent stir-fried prawns, Palawan cashews, and cucumber slices, in an umami-rich sticky mulled wine sauce, with a side of steamed rice furikake; Surf Scampi pasta, a tasty combo of juicy garlic shrimp scampi with creamed spinach, atop a bed of al dente spaghetti; and Catch Up, tender whole grilled grouper fish with tangy anchovy-caper brown butter compound and potato fondant. The Ice Cream Tower was a winning after-meal indulgence, for its gooey Rocky Road ice cream, sandwiched in a stack of three generously sized, thick, chewy homemade toffee-chocolate chip cookies.
The resort also offers personalized dining experiences, creating unforgettable gastronomic moments for guests. On our first night there, we dined by the seaside, within the soft glow of a large circle of candles, as lively tribal-inspired music drifted through the air. Our specially crafted “Of Grass & Sand” menu highlighted fresh local produce, including delicacies like seaweed salad, mahi-mahi ceviche, and an assortment of steamed shellfish.
Soon, a French-Vietnamese restaurant will be opening at the resort, in homage to Puerto Princesa’s history as a former Vietnamese settlement.
My personal favorites were the Nutting But Shrimp, a crave-worthy concoction of succulent stir-fried prawns, Palawan cashews, and cucumber slices, in an umami-rich sticky mulled wine sauce, with a side of steamed rice furikake; Surf Scampi pasta, a tasty combo of juicy garlic shrimp scampi with creamed spinach, atop a bed of al dente spaghetti; and Catch Up, tender whole grilled grouper fish with tangy anchovy-caper brown butter compound and potato fondant. The Ice Cream Tower was a winning after-meal indulgence, for its gooey Rocky Road ice cream, sandwiched in a stack of three generously sized, thick, chewy homemade toffee-chocolate chip cookies.
The resort also offers personalized dining experiences, creating unforgettable gastronomic moments for guests. On our first night there, we dined by the seaside, within the soft glow of a large circle of candles, as lively tribal-inspired music drifted through the air. Our specially crafted “Of Grass & Sand” menu highlighted fresh local produce, including delicacies like seaweed salad, mahi-mahi ceviche, and an assortment of steamed shellfish.
Soon, a French-Vietnamese restaurant will be opening at the resort, in homage to Puerto Princesa’s history as a former Vietnamese settlement.
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