The Prince Palace is a fine hotel...
The Prince Palace is a fine hotel with poor service. It was also a little too far from "the sights" for tourists wishing to walk. We bookended our stay on the beaches with two nights at the Palace. It is a handsome, centrally located hotel and appeared to provide good value. We then spent two hours attempting to acquire a key from the front desk for our room. Entering the wee hours of the morning, the enormous lobby of the hotel provided a Twilight Zone of haggard guests attempting to find their rooms, obtain room service or to check in and out against all odds. As I tried to stow a bag in the left-luggage area, an enterprising staff member tried to sell us a "bargain" 750 baht cab ride to the airport.
We returned two weeks later on our way out of Thailand and had a completely different experience. This time, we were courteously received, checked in right away, and had a great night. However, there always seems to be someone arguing at the Prince Palace desk, and with many other options in the area, we would likely not stay again.