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Visit Princess Heights: April 23, 2006 |
I’ll be back!!!
Excellent place with excellent views. Nestled in the hills of Oyster Bay, it was a positively wonderful place. Unfortunately, a hotel is being built just below it in front of the beach. The rooms are huge and the wrap around balcony is absolutely marvelous. The staff is top rate and truly they’re there to assist with your every need. I’ll definitely be back!!
Lots of kid’s stuff. Glass bottom boats, pirate adventures, calm water for snorkeling and dolphin swims.
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Visit Princess Heights: March 2006 |
We went to Sint Maarten/ Saint Martin in early March. This is one island shared by two countries – The Netherlands and France. We stayed on the Dutch side in a hillside hotel condominium style Princess Heights.
I can sum up the accommodations in one word – luxury. This one-bedroom apartment with 1.5 baths, had marble floors, granite tops, huge terrace, full kitchen, etc. We got a very good deal on --- that included free massages in the condo, breakfast daily, a car for a week, and other nice amenities. You can ask the hotel to do grocery shopping for you, which is a bit pricey, but once you get off a 6-hour flight it was nice to have fruits and drinks pre-ordered, waiting in the fridge for us. The hotel has a 1-800 number from the States - it's on their web page - and you can talk directly to the manager. So we called in advance for the food and the shuttle they sent to the airport.
All the staff of the hotel was wonderful – responsive and pleasant. The maids clean the condo; serve you breakfast, do laundry and load the dishwasher.
Our ocean view suite had St. Barths in the distance and the beach beneath us. BUT there is a heavy construction work at the bottom of the hill for Westin resorts and an expansion of the Princess right next to the suites so it is loud and dusty all day. Don't let it be the highlight of the trip though!
Also, the hotel is located in the Oyster Pond area, which is largely residential community with small 2-storey French hotels and restaurants and a magnetic marina.
They told us at the hotel about a special kids’ beach - Le Gallion, where the water was clear and shallow and lots of kids were running around. It was on the French side and we frequented it with great pleasure.
Since we had to feed ourselves we discovered that the Dutch supermarkets had variety of imported foods / drinks from all over the world and we indulged in Swiss & Spanish chocolates, Dutch cheeses, Costa Rican coffee, German and French delicatessens, wines, and Bulgarian feta and yogurt.
We drove on the French side and enjoyed nice beaches, quaint restaurants, cafes and little shops. We climbed Pic Paradisus – the highest point on the island - a beautiful mountain where one can feel the change of climate right away and have a wonderful view of the sea and the land.
We went to Orient beach – a popular classy area, called “The Little St. Tropez” – boats, exquisite houses, narrow streets, all concealed in luscious flora. Of course the eccentric French had Au Naturel resorts and beaches where people actually come to spend their vacation naked. Marigot is St. Martin’s capital and Phillipsburg is the St. Maarten’s capital. The former is more architecturally developed and built , the latter is kind of eclectic but still charismatic. We went to the island’s 1776 fortress ordered by Lois XVI for protection from pirates.
From the Oyster pond marina - by the hotel!! - we embarked on our trip to St. Barts – an island which is about 20 miles away from St. Maarten. The ferry is every Tuesday and Sunday. For the other days you have to drive to Marigot. FYI, the French are not as polite as the Dutch.
That is one of the negative things we brought back with us. Their side of the island is more expensive; they are grumpy, suspicious, pushy and rude, quite unappealing, period. Food in most of the places gets served slowly. So expect to wait and better like what you are served!...lololol.
We are off to our next destination and although we firmly are not going to return, we recommend this place as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
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Pre-arrival 