We had a great time and plan to return this October. Always get 2nd floor accomodations. That was one of the perks of staying there. We found the open porch to be so relaxing in the early a.m. and late p.m. Things we learned and to be aware of is: they don't use washcloths on the french side, so carry your own if you need to, the food is very expensive and we found it was worth the drive to the dutch side to eat or other parts orf the island, the pool was small, but private. Staff was accomodating and helpful with excursions and other questions. If you come in on Sunday afternoon, there isn't a store closeby to buy food, etc. without paying an outrageous price. There is a large food supermarket on the island, but not open on Sunday. We felt very safe here and had no problems. Carry a good book because T.V. reception is terrible. Kind of nice, that's part of relaxation!

After I booked this trip, I saw these reviews, warning of the thefts, etc. I contacted the management and they acknowledged that they had some problems last year, but advised us that the security of closing the hurricane shutters off of the patio would prevent any security breach. They were right! The suite is huge, the view, while not of the beach, since we were on the first level, was still great. There is maid service every day. The people here were very friendly and very helpful. There is a safe in the unit, so your valuables will be secure even if you leave the shutters open. By the way, instead of leaving through the patio, thus the sliders are left unlocked, you can walk another 50 feet, leaving through the locked front door to get to the beach.
The only two things I would improve are the television, since they are small and the cable access is French, thus no programs of interest to us, and the lighting in the unit is very dull, so it was hard to read. If they are not going to improve the tv's or the cable, I would suggest they add dvd players, since there is a rental place within walking distance.
Otherwise, we loved the Caribbean Princess and would not hesitate to stay here again.
Beware!!!! There are fireworks on Sunday night and it took us too long to realize what it was, so we missed a lot of it! We thought it was gunshots!
Mark, Owings Mills, MD, USA

My family stayed at the Caribbean Princess from July 20-30. Our villa was 2 bedrooms on the ground floor. The villas are nice and kept well. The beach is beautiful and location is great. Aleksandra, the woman who mainly manages the front desk, is very helpful and knowledgeable. However, when we arrived, management neglected to tell us that there had been robberies in the area and to make sure our storm shutters were closed - especially at night. On the night of July 18th, robbers broke into our villa between 1am and 9am WHILE WE SLEPT. They stole a laptop computer, IPod, digital camera, gms phone, and a watch. The French police told us there were 200 robberies last year and it didn't sound promising that we would get our stuff back. Finally, management did nothing to make up for our loss, not even a "sorry". If it weren't for the robbery - and the creepy fact that we were in our villa when it happened - this vacation would have been great - unfortunately, I would not recommend a stay at the Caribbean Princess.

My wife and I stayed at this hotel for several days in May, 2006. I have read all the prior reviews from Trip Advisor and have found them to be accurate for the most part.

The good: The suites are large and very well maintained. They are constructed in typical European style - tile floors, tile kitchens, tile baths. The pictures on the resort's web site are accurate. Our suite was large, very clean and very comfortable. In spite of booking a one bedroom unit, we received a two bedroom unit (although management made us promise not to use the second bedroom). Freda, the reception manager at the front desk was very pleasant and cordial. Maid service was good, providing fresh towels and linens every day.

The bad: If the outdoor balcony is an important factor in your decision to stay at this hotel, be certain to reserve a second floor unit. ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN. We reserved our suite, in large part, based upon the pictures of the large balcony and the vaulted ceilings featured on the hotel's internet site. When we arrived, we were informed that no second floor units were available, and were assigned a suite on the ground floor. The ground floor suites don't have a balcony or vaulted ceilings. They have a patio. And while the patio is quite large, it is surrounded by bushes and plants. In the daytime, it is great for preserving the privacy of the guests but offers no view whatsoever, except for the bushes and plants five yards away, which surround the patio. I felt like I was in my back yard. Furthermore, the suites are about 100 yards from the beach. At night, there is total darkness. The only barrier between you and any possible intruder is - you guessed it - those bushes and plants. Naturally, my wife and I felt uneasy about spending evenings on the patio. In fact, management warned us to close the roll-down steel gates, which enclosed the patio, while out of the unit, as there had been some recent burglaries in the (largely residential) neighborhood. Not a very safe or relaxing atmosphere. Having no view at all, we were unable to enjoy the patio during the day, and, given the eerie darkness and lack of security, we were unable to enjoy the patio at night. So much for our dreams of breakfast on the balcony, overlooking the ocean, in the mornings, and coffee on the balcony, while feeling the ocean breeze, at night. The biggest selling point of this unit was gone. And, if you think you can enjoy comfort and some relaxation in the suite, be warned - television reception is VERY limited. There are only 4 channels: HBO-Latino, CNN, and two channels in French. For about half our stay, HBO and CNN did not work. For the other half, I saw movies like Spanglish. So, unless you are fluent in French, I would strongly consider how you will spend mornings and evenings in the suite. My wife wanted to talk. Don't say I didn't warn you.

The ugly: For several days, the scent of the salty sea air was masked by the delicate aroma of the neighborhood sewer, which had backed up into the front walk of the development. The smell did not carry into the interior of the unit. Electricity was spotty. There were several outages during our stay, which lasted from 15 minutes to several hours. These events were only inconveniences, and beyond the control of the hotel, of course, but typical of life on the French side, in a smaller resort. The hotel should have provided an iron in the suite, however, which was conspicuously missing and decidedly inconvenient in a suite at this price range.

Overall, I would stay at this resort again, but only if a second floor unit was guaranteed. You will note that most Trip Advisor reviews which praise this hotel are from guests who stayed on the second floor. Otherwise, for the price, there are better options.