My sister who lives near Princeton was hosting Thanksgiving for 22 family members. Three groups of us decided to spend the night nearby and got a great deal at the Westin Princeton in Forrestal Village. The hotel was very nice-comfortable beds, great showers, nice on site cafe for breakfast, and a coffee bar serving Starbucks lattes and capuccinos available in the lobby. The staff was helpful and pleasant and overall I was very pleased. I just wish I had read about all of the amenities ahead of time because I would have loved to have enjoyed the very nice indoor pool (they have an outdoor one too!) I'd recommend a trip to the Main Street Cafe in nearby Kingston for great sandwiches, soups, salads and baked goods and a stop at Dabblers Boutiqe, a great gift store with handmande gifts, just a few doors down the street.

We have stayed at the Princeton Westin twice with our two young children (1 year-old and 3 years-old) and could not have had a better experience. The hotel's location off of Route 1 makes it an ideal pit stop for those traveling along the Turnpike, visiting Sesame Place, or checking out Princeton. The Lobby is modern and welcoming, and the staff are genuinely dedicated to making your stay comfortable.
For our most recent stay we were able to reserve a two-room suite on the 6th floor (large continental breakfast is available on this floor). This made it very easy to put our kids to bed and still watch television and enjoy the Westin experience.
The lobby bar is clean and modern, and the food is actually outstanding. The bartender was even able to find ice cream for our toddler, which wasn't on the menu. The pool is great for kids, and was empty every time we used it (which was frequently).
We most recently used this hotel as a halfway stop for a road-trip to Boston from Virginia, and could not have been more pleased. Lynn Wood, the front desk manager, is outstanding should you have any special requests or questions about the area. We already have plans to stay at this hotel again soon.

Decades ago, the genteel town of Princeton and its timeless university were surrounded by farmlands. Today, the area is home to office parks, academic institutes and countless hotels bearing every known brand (and a few you may never have heard of). It seems that every business wants to have a "Princeton" address. But how many of them live up to the expectations of their patrons in this still upscale locale?

The Westin does. There are unique features here that will make you feel welcome from the moment you arrive. First, the hotel is the anchor of an attractive shopping area with upscale stores and restaurants. The lobby is spacious, warm and inviting. The lobby bar, located down a couple of steps from the main level, reminds me of the recessed living rooms that were popular years ago, and has that same cozy feel. The indoor-outdoor pool is also very inviting for a facility so far from the tropics.

The rooms have the characteristic amenities of the Westin chain, including of course that heavenly bed. Westin's decor, while contemporary, seems warm rather than sterile. An unexpected touch was the complimentary breakfast bar on the sixth floor--no place to sit down there, but guests were welcome to take their selections back to their rooms. The coffee service in the room (Starbucks) was surprisingly good, from a machine that truly was easy to operate.

This visit was not flawless. The hotel was crowded with two wedding parties and a convention of pre-teen cheerleaders (who, by the time my wife and I located the breakfast room, had already devoured many of the offerings). Burdened by these crowds, the elevators were slow, there was a lot of commotion in the hallways, and guest services seemed a bit overwhelmed (for example, after two tries we gave up asking the front desk to turn off the message light on our room phone).

Still, I would choose the Westin over other hotels in the area (and we've tried many of them). The hotel surpasses the others in its setting, decor and room comfort. This is one Princeton hotel that lives up to its address.

I have stayed here a number of times because of the convenient location. The hotel has usually been OK for short business trips. On my latest stay however, two aspects have caused me great disappointment. Number one, none of the 3 elevators was working when I checked in but noone deemed appropriate to notify the guests, so we were several people waiting for about 10 minutes in front of the elevator doors, until we decided to ask the reception what happened. The response was that we could use the emergency exit stairs, which we were forced to climb with our luggage, with no offer for help from the staff... On the following day only one of the elevators seemed to be working so there was again a long waiting time to go up or down... This has apparently been a recurring issue at this place and they should really get it fixed.

Next disappointment was the state of the bathroom: peeling paint on the ceiling, stained marks on the walls, corroded plumbing... Not at all what I would expect from the Westin standards. See the pictures, which speak for themselves...

Also be careful - the hotel originally charged me twice for internet connection; I fortunately got this fixed but it's another of those things which just shouldn't happen - I already find it irritating enough to pay once for such a basic service.