Sint Maarten’s Princess Sky Lounge: Two Floors of Comfort Before Takeoff
- Mark Vogel
- May 28
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 25
SXM Airport in Sint Maarten ✈
I cleared security at Sint Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on a sunny Caribbean afternoon and followed the signs toward Concourse D. A quiet corridor led me past duty-free perfume bottles and beach-hat displays until I reached the Princess Sky Lounge. Twin blue-ceramic planters, each cradling a young palm anchored in smooth river rocks, flank the frosted-glass sliding doors. I stepped inside and felt the noise of the gate area fall away.
Before diving into the lounge itself, some context explains why this airport captures aviation minds worldwide. Princess Juliana began as a U.S. military strip in 1942, carved out of the lowland near Simpson Bay during World War II. Civilian flights followed in 1943, and in 1944 the future Queen Juliana visited; her name has been on the field ever since. A larger runway and modern terminal appeared in 1964, and expansions in 1985 and 2006 prepared the facility for wide-body jets and a growing leisure market. Hurricane Irma’s 2017 assault tore off the terminal roof and forced departures to operate from tents, but rebuilding finished in stages, with the upper-level reopening in late 2023 and the arrivals hall debuting in October 2024. Today the single 7,546-foot runway still skims Maho Beach, making every landing a low-altitude spectacle and every take-off a headline for plane-spotters.
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“Princess Sky Lounge is not the largest club I have reviewed, but it delivers where it counts: polished and comfortable seating, substantial food—albeit not kosher, reliable Wi-Fi, and a calm vantage point above the newly renovated terminal.”
Locating the lounge is easy once you clear outbound passport control. Floor-to-ceiling windows wash the two-floor lounge in daylight, yet deep overhangs and efficient air conditioning keep the interior cool. A reception desk stands just inside, and a luggage-storage alcove hides behind it—handy when you’d rather not babysit carry-ons while you relax.
Princess Sky Lounge opens daily at ten in the morning and closes at six in the evening. Any passenger on an international flight can buy entry for about sixty U.S. dollars, and Priority Pass, Lounge Key, and several premium credit-card programs waive that fee. Business-class flyers on Air France, KLM, and other SkyTeam partners are also waved inside. Visits are capped at three hours, and the lounge notes that the first alcoholic drink is on the house while additional pours go on your tab. Those ground rules temper crowds and preserve the calm that greets you at the door.
My first walk-through confirmed the space favors uncluttered lines over heavy décor. The main floor stretches under a high ceiling finished in light oak slats that run the room’s length. Polished white porcelain tiles reflect the tropical sun, creating a mild sheen that makes the lounge feel larger than its footprint. Individual pod chairs upholstered in dove-gray leather line the windows, each paired with a side table equipped with a power outlet and USB port. Farther back, café-height tables rest near the buffet so passengers can eat without balancing plates on their laps. Built-in shelving punctuates a textured concrete accent wall; the niches glow with soft spotlights and frame ceramic vases, sculptural bowls, and the occasional travel-themed photo. A flat-panel television set to international news hangs between two of those alcoves, visible from most seats yet quiet enough to ignore if you prefer.
The centerpiece of the room is a bar that runs almost half the width of the lounge. A single slab of veined stone forms the countertop, its beige streaks echoing the island’s sandy beaches. The front is clad in narrow, sea-green glazed tiles laid vertically, their glossy finish catching pendant lights overhead. Those pendants—oversized teardrop bulbs suspended from understated matte-black fixtures—cast a warm glow that softens the otherwise cool palette. Taupe molded-plastic barstools with slim black-metal frames tuck neatly beneath the counter, and power outlets hide near the footrest so digital nomads can charge while sipping. Behind the bartender, back-lit cubbies display gin, rum, and whiskey, while a television balanced in the center provides a second news feed.
Food sits opposite the bar on a white quartz counter that hugs the window, letting diners watch motorcycles zip along Airport Road below. In the morning the spread leans toward continental: jarred pain au chocolat, baskets of mini-croissants, British-style scones, whole bananas, and a rotating soup kettle—for my visit, a hearty pumpkin bisque.
Midday ushers in build-your-own deli trays with sliced turkey, gouda, cheddar, and small triangles of rye along with shredded lettuce, pickled cabbage, corn kernels, and diced mango. An adjacent station delivers pastries and muffins on slate risers, while two clear apothecary jars shield cinnamon pinwheels from drying out. Staff replenish dishes before trays run low, an important practice in a club that sees most seats turn over every hour. Kosher food, other than a selection of fruits, are not offered at this lounge, but that’s not surprising because currently there are no kosher restaurants on the island.
Beverage service combines help-yourself convenience with bartender supervision. Espresso machines on the counter churn out cappuccinos, lattes, and simple Americanos. Beside them, glass dispensers hold lime-mint water on one side and chilled tropical juice on the other. The bar covers two house wines—white and red—plus Heineken on draft. Spirits span the basics: Bacardi, Absolut, and Gordon’s gin. Soft drinks and coffee remain complimentary.
Near the back of the lounge, a glass-railed staircase climbs to the second level. Light-oak treads mirror the bar ceiling, and a brushed-steel handrail guides guests upward. On crowded travel days the quiet up here feels almost private. Armchairs sit in small conversational clusters around low marble-topped tables, while a row of counter-height stools faces inward toward the duty-free atrium. Up here a second set of restrooms, identical in style to those downstairs, cut down on lines.
Two shower suites round out the extras. Each holds a glass-walled stall, a wide vanity, and enough floor space to keep a carry-on dry while you towel off. Access costs fifteen dollars and includes a full-size towel, liquid soap, and a hair dryer. With only two showers, time slots fill quickly around the late-afternoon bank flights to Europe and North America, so it pays to book on arrival.
Wi-Fi clocked downloads north of fifty megabits per second—fast enough for video calls. Every seat I tried had a power socket within arm’s reach, crucial in a terminal still rebuilding its own public charging network. Wall-mounted flight-information screens scroll departure gates and boarding calls, sparing you from toggling back to the airport website. A glass-front conference room near the entrance was empty for most of my stay; it can be reserved by the hour and would suit small business meetings or a family needing privacy.
After nearly three hours of writing notes and sipping drinks, I packed my gear and thanked the staff. Princess Sky Lounge is not the largest club I have reviewed, but it delivers where it counts: polished and comfortable seating, substantial food—albeit not kosher, reliable Wi-Fi, and a calm vantage point above the newly renovated terminal. Dashes of island character—the sea-green bar tiles, the palm-filled blue planters, the pastry jars that recall a French boulangerie—give the space enough personality to feel local without sliding into kitsch. For travelers who want a peaceful corner before boarding or a quick shower between island-hopping segments, the entry fee feels fair, especially when tropical humidity collides with crowded gate rooms. As Sint Maarten’s aviation gateway enters its ninth decade, this lounge makes the case that aviation theater outside can pair with genuine passenger comfort inside.
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