Sea Princess Beach Resort

HOTEL OVERVIEW

You know what struck me first about Sea Princess Beach Resort? It’s not actually right on the main tourist strip in Port Blair – it’s tucked away on New Wandoor Beach, which honestly took me by surprise in the best way. I mean, most people rush straight to Corbyn’s Cove, but this spot gives you that proper Andaman Islands feeling without the crowds fighting for selfie space. The resort sits maybe a ten-minute walk from where the boats head out to Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, so you’ll hear the occasional motor puttering by in the morning, but it’s more charming than annoying.

The five-star rating feels… well, it’s complicated. The bones are definitely there – spacious rooms with those floor-to-ceiling windows that actually open (thank god, because the sea breeze is half the point), and the property itself sprawls along the coastline in a way that makes you feel like you’ve got your own private slice of beach. But here’s the thing about island luxury – it’s different from your typical city five-star experience. The Wi-Fi cuts out sometimes, the hot water takes a minute to kick in, and you might find sand tracked through the lobby because, honestly, that’s just island life. What they nail though is the setting. I spent most evenings on my balcony watching fishing boats come in as the sun dropped behind the hills, and the restaurant actually sources fish directly from those same boats. The staff genuinely knows the area too – not just the tourist handbook stuff, but like which tides are best for walking out to the coral formations and when the hornbills come through the resort’s trees.

Here’s why I’d actually recommend it despite that 7.3 rating (which seems harsh, honestly): location trumps perfection when you’re in the Andamans. You’re a quick autorickshaw ride from Wandoor village if you want local food that doesn’t cost resort prices, but far enough from Port Blair’s chaos that you can actually hear the waves at night. The beach here isn’t postcard-perfect – there’s some seaweed, and it’s more about gentle swimming than dramatic coastline – but it’s real. I watched hermit crabs shuffle around my feet during morning walks, and the resort doesn’t rake it clean every dawn like some places do. If you’re looking for Instagram-perfect and everything working flawlessly, maybe stick to the mainland. But if you want to actually feel like you’re on a remote island where the pace slows down and the biggest decision is whether to snorkel before or after lunch, this place gets it right where it counts.