I love to travel, and most of the time I don’t regularly go back to the same destination (with the exception of Disney Destinations). I usually feel like “I’ve been there, done that” or “I came, I conquered” after leaving a destination, and don’t plan on going back any time soon. Beaches Turks & Caicos is an exception, and I can’t wait to go back. This is a family-friendly, all-inclusive resort located right on a gorgeous beach of the Providenciales Island in Turks & Caicos. This is one of the most beautiful tropical locations I’ve ever been, and the resort did exactly what it was designed to do: let me relax in luxury while I really didn’t have to think of anything except what I wanted to do with all this new found free time.
So here it is, 22 Reasons why I almost didn’t come home from Beaches Turks & Caicos why I think your family may love Beaches Turks & Caicos as much as I did.
1. Turquoise Water
I’ve traveled pretty extensively throughout the Caribbean and Mexico to different all-inclusive resorts as well as sailed on different cruise lines. I thought I’ve seen blue water, I was so wrong. This is turquoise blue water, like piercing blue. The kind that you see online and in magazines and think it must be photoshopped. I could just stare at the blue water all day. It’s breathtaking. Now imagine staring at this blue water from a lounge chair or a catamaran, that’s the kind of vacation I dream of.
2. Twelve Mile Sugar Beach
This pretty much goes hand in hand with the turquoise water, but the sand is like sugar – soft and bright white. I’ve been to some resorts throughout the Caribbean and Mexico where you need to wear water shoes to walk into the ocean for fear of cutting your feet on rocks, coral, or broken shells. That is certainly not the case here. After lots of searching on the beach, you may be lucky to come across a whole conch shell or even natural beach glass. If you’re lucky enough to find a conch shell, you’re actually allowed to bring it home! The resort will even clean it for you. Maybe that’s where the conch fritters come from?
There’s no shortage of comfortable lounge chairs on the beach with umbrellas and tiki huts. There are even anchored floats out in the ocean that you can lounge in if you swim out just a short way to them. There’s an attentive beach staff there to wait on you directly from your lounge chair on the beach. I’m still working on convincing them that they need a server in a wetsuit or kayak that brings you drinks to the floating lounger in the ocean. I’ll let you know if I get anywhere with that request.
3. Unique Accommodations Perfect for Families of Every Size
The resort is comprised of 5 different “villages” each unique in theming, design, and location on the resort grounds. There are over 2 dozen different room categories at Beaches Turks & Caicos from traditional style hotel rooms all the way to your own Beach House with a private plunge pool located steps from the sand. There are family accommodations with multiple bedrooms, bunk beds, and trundle beds. It would take me a week to give you a description of every room category on property, but trust me when I say there is something here for everyone.
My room was in the Key West Village which is the newest village at Beaches Turks & Caicos, located just steps from the beach. All of the rooms in this village are Concierge level rooms, which means I had access to some additional amenities and experiences exclusive to Concierge and Butler Elite guests. As a concierge level guest, I was able to check in right at the Key West Club Level Lounge where I was greeted with a cool, scented towel and a rum punch. During check-in I was asked my preference in adult beverages. I was pleasantly surprised to find an entire bottle of white wine chilling in my refrigerator and a bottle of my favorite liquor on the counter when I arrived in my room. There was a concierge available to help me with any requests or bookings while I was on property, and a weekly reception for concierge guests later in the week.
4. Butler Elite Service (A.K.A. Your Vacation Genie)
One thing that sets Beaches Resort apart from other family-friendly, all-inclusive resorts is the Butler Elite Service. As a mom of three kids ranging in ages from 2 to 10, I hate coming back from vacation feeling like I need a vacation. If you want the ultimate level of luxury and relaxation where you seriously do not need to think about a thing other than maybe if everyone needs to reapply sunscreen, Butler Elite is the way to go. The butlers at Beaches Turks & Caicos are trained and held to the standards of the Guild of Professional English Butlers. I feel like having a butler on vacation is the closest I’m ever going to get to being Princess Kate, and I’m okay with that. The butlers can unpack your luggage, attend to your wardrobe (what does that even mean?), serve you a private meal on your terrace, reserve your poolside cabana, and wait on you hand and foot basically. A butler is like a vacation genie and that gives my mom brain a chance to rest.
5. Pirates Island Water Park
Talk about a kids’ dream come true! This water park includes 9 water slides, a lazy river, a surf simulator, water cannons, and lots of other fun water features to run and play in. Not to mention, there is the most adorable swim up smoothie and milkshake bar for kids. I quickly learned that the “Barbie Smoothie” is quite popular with kiddos that love the color pink. There are lots of loungers and shaded areas for parents to sit back and relax, while the kids can go crazy in the water park. Or if you’re a big kid like me, you might be braving the water slides and surf simulator too. Did I mention this is included? It doesn’t cost anything extra to visit the water park and you can go as many times as you want on your vacation.
6. Twenty-One Restaurants
You are not reading that wrong, there are really 21 restaurants at this resort and even 15 bars. I am not going to lie, I was not able to eat at all of them – which is why I need to go back, right? There is everything from Caribbean to Japanese, Italian to French, Seafood to Sushi, and lots of other options in between. You can dine with your feet in the sand, or on a rooftop with glass, infinity balcony views of the sunset. All of it included and there’s no limit on ordering – I know, because I’m sure I would have met the limit when eating at Soy, the sushi restaurant.
7. Food Trucks
I do not lie, there is a Mac n Cheese food truck at this resort. If that doesn’t convince you right there that you need to consider Beaches Turks & Caicos for your next vacation, then I don’t know what will. Located over by the water park, there’s not one but two food trucks. The first serving gourmet mac n cheese, my favorite being the fried mac n cheese balls and the lobster mac n cheese. The other food truck is an ice cream truck. A perfect spot to take a break between water slides with the family.
8. Pools, Pools, and more Pools
If you get tired of the gorgeous crystal water and white sand beach, there are 10 freshwater pools, 4 whirlpools, and even a pool dedicated to learning how to scuba dive at Beaches Turks & Caicos. I especially loved the giant whirlpool inlaid in the Italian Village pool. The multiple swim-up bars on property are fantastic, and they serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. I witnessed a bartender serve a Barbie Smoothie on his head to a delighted little girl at the swim up bar in the Italian Village pool. He couldn’t figure out where her smoothie went!
The French Village’s pool was very quiet in comparison to the Italian Village pool. Depending on what you’re looking for, I’m confident you could find a lively or a relaxing poolside environment anywhere on property.
9. Sesame Street Characters Galore
Every day at Beaches Turks & Caicos there are countless opportunities to play and explore with 12 different Sesame Street characters. Baking with Cookie Monster, creating art with Julia, treasure hunting with Abby Cadabby, and making cool science experiments with Grover, Bert, Ernie and Zoe are just a few of the fun activities offered. A fantastic parade and stage shows are sure to delight your family. Plus there’s a character breakfast one morning and your favorite character can even come to tuck your kiddos in bed at the end of the day.
10. Camp Sesame: Kids Club for Kids 0-4 Years Old
If you have kids or grandkids, then you know how babysitting costs can really add up. What if I told you that all the kids programming at Beaches Turks & Caicos has no extra cost? Doesn’t a date night in Turks & Caicos sound fantastic?! Camp Sesame is the kids’ programming designed for kids ages 0-4 years. This center is equipped with cribs, swings, and rockers for the youngest guests. And for the toddler and preschool aged guests, there is a children’s swimming pool with a giant canopy, lots of play areas (both inside and outside), arts & crafts, music, and more. All the staff is extensively trained in child care services and are passionate about making sure your kids have a lot of fun while being safe.
11. Big Kids and Tweens Kids’ Clubs
I only need to mention three words to my 10-year old son and he would be packing his bags for the next flight to Turks & Caicos: Xbox. Play. Lounge. The Xbox Play Lounge lets kids play the new Xbox One X with a variety of games to choose from. There’s not just one Xbox in there either, we’re talking dozens of Xboxes- making kids’ vacation dreams come true every day.
In addition to the Xbox Play Lounge (if you can drag your kids out of there), there are organized, supervised activities every day so parents can have a break while their kids hang out with other kids their age. Activities like swimming, water sports, land sports, relays, crafts, and nature exploration.
12. Teens: They’re Not Too Cool for Vacation Here
Teens (ages 14-17) have their own lounge at Beaches Turks & Caicos to hang out at with air hockey, foosball, basketball, flat screen tv’s called Trenchtown. And down at the beach, there’s a Teen Beach Shack with dance parties and a juice/soda bar. At night, Club Liquid dance club is a teen-only dance club until later in the evening when it’s transformed to a 21 and older only club. Your teen may be “too cool” for some things, but this vacation isn’t one of them.
13. Partnership with Autism Awareness and Inclusion
Brand-wide, Beaches Resorts, has partnered with The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), to ensure the staff members working with children at their properties are trained and equipped to ensure all children are included and cared for. A big emphasis and training was completed by staff members so that all of their child care centers are now Certified Autism Centers. This way families can feel comfortable knowing their child with autism or other special needs is cared for accommodated while on vacation. This also goes hand in hand with the Sesame Street character, Julia, who you can find at Beaches properties for meet and greets and art time.
14. Land Sports
Want to challenge your family to a game or stay active while on vacation? There are so many included land sports to choose from: volleyball, soccer, tennis, shuffleboard, table tennis, billiards, outdoor chess, basketball, board games, and croquet. There’s also a 24/7 state of the art fitness center that offers a variety of classes and personal training sessions.
15. Water Sports
The aqua blue water is really the crown jewel in Turks & Caicos, so this is where I spent most of my time. Kayaks, windsurfing, snorkeling, aqua trikes, Hobiecats, paddle boarding, and even an Underwater Vision boat are all included activities while staying at Beaches Turks & Caicos.
16. Unlimited Scuba Diving
As a certified scuba diver, included, unlimited scuba diving is pretty much unheard of. My husband and I are accustomed to spending a small fortune on rental equipment and guided dives whenever we travel to the Caribbean, so I figured there must be a “catch” when Beaches claims to include unlimited diving for certified divers. I was wrong… I was seriously impressed with their dive operation including the guides, the boat, and the equipment. There really was no hidden additional costs. Not a certified diver? You can pay to take the course while vacationing and be certified in a few days.
Did you know that Turks & Caicos has the 3rd largest barrier reef in the world? I didn’t either. A big portion of the Providenciales island’s coast is protected as a National park, making the reefs practically untouched. The water visibility is fantastic and you can see an abundance of sea turtles, varieties of fish, dolphins, rays, reef sharks, and more. January through March, Humpback Whales migrate through the area.
17. Strict “No Tipping” Allowed
There is a strict “NO Tipping” policy at Beaches Resorts and most of the staff members actually where buttons that say so. It’s a practice that’s hard to break, and I feel like I just got used to it when it was time to go home. There were several nights where we sat around a good 20 minutes after we were done with dessert at dinner, waiting on a check only to remember everything’s included and we aren’t allowed to tip. I’ve never “dined and dashed” before, but that first night at the resort is probably the closest I’ve ever felt like I was doing just that. The only exception to the No Tipping policy is for spa therapists and butlers.
18. Complimentary Airport Transfers
When staying at Beaches Turks & Caicos, your airport transfers are included with your vacation. It was easy to find the shuttle once I exited the Providenciales Airport, where I was met with a cold bottle of water. The shuttle was ready as soon as I checked in at the podium, and I was whisked away to the resort in a multi-passenger, air-conditioned van. The transfer was only about 10-15 minutes to Beaches Turks & Caicos, which gave me an opportunity to take in a little bit of the island. We stopped at the Italian Village to drop of some guests and then I was taken to the Key West Village for my check in at the concierge lounge. The night before I left (which I’m still depressed that I had to leave), an envelope was delivered to my room. Inside were details on my departure and when the shuttle would pick me up at the Key West concierge lounge to take me back to the airport. It was super simple and convenient.
19. Red Land Spa: Making Mom’s Dreams Come True
Nothing says vacation to me more than spending a little R&R at the spa. The Red Lane Spa at Beaches Turks & Caicos did just that. There are so many different treatments you can choose from plus a sauna, steam room, and cold and hot plunge pools. The treatments are an additional cost, but with everything else included at the resort, I didn’t feel too guilty getting a one hour massage. I do recommend considering booking your spa treatments before you arrive as it was pretty busy the day I went.
20. Shop ’Til You Drop
At Beaches Turks & Caicos, there’s actually a 7,000 square foot retail village offering high-end shopping, souvenirs, and convenient items that you may have forgotten to pack. I grabbed a great Turks & Caicos ball cap that I pretty much live in now, while my friend bought a gorgeous blue jeweled necklace that reminded her of the ocean in Turks & Caicos. I promise you’ll want to swing by here and find something to take home to remind you of this vacation.
21. Nighttime Entertainment
If you didn’t find enough things to do during the day, you can find different included activities offered every night. There are weekly themed parties for the whole family, the Sesame Street Live Parade, and four separately themed musical theater productions. The musical theater productions include acrobatic performances, state of the art technology, singing, dancing, and acting infused together to present fantastic entertainment. Late night sweet tooth? How does a chocolate buffet sound? Or you can grab a treat from Cafe de Paris Patisserie, which serves the most delicious pastries, desserts, and crepes. Bobby D’s, the 50s diner, serves ice cream, milkshakes, and floats.
22. Give Back to the Local Community
The Sandals Foundation partners with local communities to provide support for schools, health facilities, animal shelters, and more. With the program, Pack for a Purpose, I packed school supplies in my suitcase, dropped it off at the front desk, and they delivered it to a local school in Turks & Caicos for me. It’s so simple! You can find all the locations and current projects for Pack for a Purpose on their website.
If you’ve stuck with me this long, then you’re probably thinking that a vacation to Beaches Turks & Caicos might be the perfect fit for your family. I’m a little partial, but I think you should go for it. From grandparents to babies and everyone in between, I’m certain at the end of your vacation you’ll be dragging your heels to come home too.
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