March 14th, 2003 submitted by "Laura "
Beaches

We just came back from Beaches and we had a great time. I highly recommend it if you have children. There were tons of kids there. The food was good not gourmet but we didn't expect that anyway. It was not crowded at all. We were able to get chairs and cabanas at the beach everyday. The kids had a great time. We went with a 4 year and 19 mo. old. We used the babysitting for the 19 mo. old and it was good. The staff was not super friendly but I heard most people on island are like that. Some parents and kids were obnoxious but that is everywhere you go. The rooms were fine and we stayed in the cheapest room. We were never in it only to sleep. We would go back. The beach, pools, and weather were fantastic!

 I visited March 2,  2003
 I rate it  

December 26th, 2002 submitted by " Mrs Lin Campbell"
Beaches

Having saved hard for our first holiday without offspring for 18 years, my husband and I were looking forward to the holiday of a lifetime. We were to be disappointed!!
On first impression Beaches looks a beautiful hotel. However our hearts sank when we saw our  that was supposed to have been an upgrade from the basic room. The room was dingy with well worn furniture and very average decor. There was no ocean view. The verander was very small and dirty with little room to move around. The bed linen was very basic and although clean ill fitting. The paintwork was scratched and dirty.
the public walkways between rooms badly needed cleaning up!
Beaches staff in the Restaurants were charming and could not have been more kind and helpful. However the staff on the reception desk gave the impression that to help was an inconvenience and the women in particular were quite off hand at times.
The lady in the tour office has a big attitude problem !!!
The restaurants were very good and the staff very helpful. We really liked Guiseppes and Sapodillas.
Entertainment was very average.
The hotel grounds are imaculate and very well maintained and the beaches though very small are gorgeous.
Beaches is definitely not our class of hotel and our advice is don't expect anything above 3 star as that is all we would rate it. The holiday cost us near £7000, it was not value for money.
Lin Campbell UK

I visited December  2002
 I rate it  

August 25th, 2002 submitted by " Lizbeth "
Beaches

Just got back from Beaches and I must say I was very disappointed.  They were overbooked and tons of people everywhere.  The beach is beautiful but small.  It was so crowded that I felt like I was in a NY beach.  Kids running around all over the people throwing sand at each other, people climbing over lounge chairs in order to get to their spot (no kidding.  In order to get some shade on the beach you MUST get up at least by 6:30 am to secure it with towels... they you pray that somebody doesn't take it.  We learned this the hard way.  We went there because we had heard that the beach was gorgeous (we are beach people and we have to agree that it is) but nobody told us that we would have to go on a mission every morning looking for huts.  By 11:00 a.m. there were no beach towels... people were complaining by the dozens and we saw many fights at the beach over huts and awnings.  Maybe it was the week that we were there... but a very low-life crowd.  How they can afford it, I don't know because it is not a cheap resort.  It took 3 hours for us to get our room.  There are no ocean views and some rooms may have a very long walk to the beach.  Unlike the other reviewers on this board, I thought the staff was very nice.  Some seem annoyed at times (I don't blame them... a lot of really obnoxious people) but all in all I thought they were very patient.  If I had to deal with those mobs of unruly kids, I would of lost it.  I have a 7 year old, but I kept him under control.  Some of these parents just let the kids loose an it was a horror.  The food I thought was pretty good.  Let's face it folks, you don't go to the Caribbean looking for gourmet food.  I don't recommend this place for honeymooners unless you absolutely love kids (or brats)!  There was a young lady there with her husband and she was in tears! (she got hit on the head a couple of times on the beach with sand).  I would like to give this place another chance (when it's not so crowded) but, I don't know if it will ever be.  From what I hear they are always.

I visited August 17th,  2002
 I rate it  

May 09, 2002 submitted by " R "
Beaches

Well, my family and I returned from Beaches last month. How did we rate it? Well, it was o.k. Like the previous reviewer we did not get the room we were promised. The view was obscured by growth and there really is no "ocean view". A three hour wait for our room to be ready awaited our arrival, which suffice it to say, really ticked me off. Some of the help at Beaches are not friendly and at times very standoffish! It's as though you are an inconvenience to them. Jet skis are not available at the Resort, and at a cost of $90/person per hour (plus gas)it wasn't worth the trek to the other side of the island. The woman who handles the tours/activities desk had an attitude problem as did the woman making eggs/pancakes for morning breakfast at Reflections dining room. The food was so-so. Don't eat anything with tomato sauce as you will be greatly disappointed. Unless your really into tomato soup. The drinks were watered down and there is absolutely no night life. The best was the cable TV they provided. When you first get there you have maybe 6 or 7 channels. As the week progresses they take channels away from you. No kidding. Two days before we left we were down to two channels. But the beach is incredble. The water is to die for. I never wanted to get out of the water and I'm not a water person. I'm glad I went for the beach alone, but I wouldn't stay at Beaches again. If you don't have young yuppie kids, don't go to Beaches. I wish I had read the reviews on this page before I booked my trip. It would have saved me some money. Best of luck and happy traveling!

 I visited April 2002
 I rate it  

July 31, 2001 submitted by "J "
Beaches

"I read in an earlier comment about the resort to make sure that we left the grounds (of the resort) and it was highly recommended to go on island excursions. My opinion: DON'T LEAVE!!"

If your thinking of staying at beaches, and you listen to this comment your trip will suck.  Beaches was Phony, and all the staff (maybe cause there are no tips)  were very cold and unhelpful.  The resort itself is very phony.  You don't feel like your on a tropical island, you feel like your in disneyland.  Its more for younger kids.  Most rooms have none, or weak ocean views, and that sucks for a whole week stay.  The food was average at best.  (I knew that when i saw the instant mashed potatoes being wheeled in the kitchen one morning).  You gotta leave the resort.  The island itself is kinda dirty, you may see some run down cars at the side of the rode, but thats all part of the experience.  All the Beaches are GREAT.  YOu should rent a car.  nothing is cooler than driving around and seeing the ocean on both sides of you.  When you rent a car, Beaches (since they know nothing about there own little island) will fail at answering any of your questions.  I HIGHLY RECCOMEND GOING TO MALCOLM ROADS BEACH.  You will need to rent a 4 wheel drive vehicle.  It is offroad.  Its a rocky, hilly, road.  They say you can get stuck.  We didnt, it was fine.  Although at one point, there was a broken down truck in the middle of the road, we went around it.  This BEAUTIFUL white sand beach has snorkeling 10 feet off the beach, great snorkeling!  no ones there.  PARADISE.  I would also do the middle caicos excursion.  THe caves are boring, but the island is awesome!  GO TO TURKS AND CAICOS-------NOT BEACHES (unless you have little kids.) 

I visited June 2001
 I rate it  

February 21, 2001 submitted by "Lorraine "
Beaches

We will be returning to Beaches in Turks thus coming July again, and we are bringing two more families with us.  It is one of the best vacations we have ever experienced.  We stayed in the French Village, and the rooms are very nice but most of all the place is so clean.  Pools and beach are just great.  Food was wonderful, you will gain a few pounds
but it is well worth it.. My husband became very ill our second day there and I have never experienced so much concern, and excellent treatment anywhere.  Turks seems to becoming very well known  now and I hope it doesn't change.  We are so looking forward to going back.   

 I visited xxxxxxxx
 I rate it   no rating given

September 21, 2000 submitted by "Stacey Malmgren "
Beaches

I am a single mother and a travel agent for 13 years. I went to Beaches Turks and Caicos expecting a wonderful vacation. What I got was THE BEST VACATION I HAVE EVER HAD WITH A 4 YEAR OLD. My mom, son and myself went for a week in the end of July. The weather was beautiful. Never rained once. The ground is very hot especially around the pools so please buy those water shoes especially for the children. I don't even know where to begin!!! From the moment you wake until the time you go to sleep you are relaxed, full and happy. For starters the kids club program is the best I have ever seen. They seperate the children by their ages and only within 2 years. So my son being 4 was with the 3 and 4 year olds. This way they are not bored or feel like they are the babies of the group. They have a book in your room that gives you an hourly look into your childs day. They take the children swimming, playing in the playground, walks on the beach to collect sea shells, (then they made me a picture frame using the sea shells my son had collected, very cute to put one of your vacation pictures in), boat cruises, ice cream parties with Barney, One night a pajama party, that was alot of fun for the children, I can go on and on forever. As a parent you know how difficult it is for you to relax when you have small children and I am not saying to drop your kids off 24/7; but in my case a 4 year old can only handle the sun for so many hours before they need a nap or to just relax in the air conditioner. So when your child starts getting tired of being by the pool and you want to stay, bring them to the club. They also have computers

I visited July 23-30 2000
 I rate it  

October 12, 1999 submitted by "Jamie Masterson"
Beaches  

My wife Robin and I just returned from our honeymoon at Beaches Resort (Sept. 27-Oct.4) and had an unbelievable time. We would have payed twice the price that we did. We arrived at the resort to find that our room was complimentary upgraded by the resort to a grand deluxe ocean view room. The entire resort was impeccably clean. The staff always went out of their way to help us....from the management to housekeeping. One particular person who went above and beyond his call of duty was an assistant manager, Harriet Beeput. I had forgotten the charger to our video recorder at home. When I shared this problem with Mr. Beeput, he immediately took us in his car and drove us around the island to different electronic stores, looking for a charger.He became our best friend at the resort. As far for as the food....it couldn't have been better. We ate at a different restaurant at the resort almost every night...I recommend "Scooners." The food and service was excellent. I read in an earlier comment about the resort to make sure that we left the grounds (of the resort) and it was highly recommended to go on island excursions. My opinion: DON'T LEAVE!!!! We had more than enough to do and had so much fun and relaxation at the resort, there is really no need to leave. One morning we took a 2 mile cab ride into town to find it cost us 24 dollars! Stay at the resort and enjoy the staff, people, sports and activities.....or just relax on the beach or by the pools. I could go on and on....I can't say enough about the resort. It was the best vacation I have ever been on and look foward to returning to Beaches next year.  

December 2, 1998 submitted by "Ingrid willis"  Beaches

Hi! My husband and I just got back from Beaches in the Turks and Caicos last night. Here's what we thought about the resort and the islands there: 1) The resort management and people who work at the hotel lobby desk were very rude to us. We got there and they put us in the lowest category room for 2 nights, when we had paid for the highest category room. The reason was because they overbooked the hotel. Some people were sent to the Comfort Suites. I pitched a fit as soon as I entered the room - there was NO oceanview. Anyway, I called and called the manager and they kept trying to tell me it was the same room category as what I had paid for - until I showed them their own brochure and had my travel agent call them. They gave us the right room after 2 nights, but NO apologies whatsoever - they actually told us to hurry and move our stuff before they gave the room away to someone else. We will be writing the Sandals home office for a refund on the room for those 2 nights. Besides the front desk people being rude and NEVER able to give us change for a 20 or 50, the gift shop didn't have ANYTHING useful in it. The room we did end up getting was extraordinary - same room category my ass! The right room had the view we paid for. Once all the room stuff was squared away, we started the vacation for real - we were there for 11 days. We had done our research, so we knew all the excursions we would be taking. WE HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend taking excursions to see the other islands, or you will get very very bored hanging around the resort. The resort was very nice and the food service was excellent...the drinks and the facilities were very very nice and elegant for the most part. We just didn't sepnd very much time at the resort because we were out all day going to the other islands with J&B TOURS - they were awesome. Very punctual and very professional. They take you sightseeing and snorkeling to the reef and other islands and they cook lunch for you, etc. It's a little expensive but totally worth it. We were the only people from Beaches going on any excursions. It was always us and a bunch of people from Club Med. People at Beaches have all these kids so they don't leave the resort too much. I WILL STRESS IT AGAIN, LEAVE THE RESORT! You have to see the sights in Provo and the other islands. I couldn't stop taking pictures! Turks and caicos was everything we expected and more. It was the most gorgeous set of islands I have seen - no because the islands have that much to offer, but because the views from the ocean and the beaches and the water are spectacular. The water was sooo clear, it was like sailing on glass. We saw lots of fish and sharks and turtles and there was one whale passing through the columbus passage between grand Turk and the Caicos  I highly recommend the trip to Grand Turk with J&B - you get on a little puddle jumper and you have the chance to get the best pictures ever! I can go on and on about what a wonderful place the islands were, so I will just say that it was the best vacation I have taken in a long time. Beaches was  nice and the whole service was great except for the front desk people. I would never go there again because of the whole room problem. To me, the view is everything and I want a hotel that won't try to hustle me out of what I paid for. Sandals hasn't treated us that way before, so we will see how they reply to our letter - to determine if we will continue going to Sandals - BUT never beaches again. I want to stress that the facilities at Beaches are very very nice and the service for the most part was very good, just the room problem. I have to mention that the weather was excellent. In 11 days, it rained a couple of times but it didn't last but for like 20 minutes. This was Nov. 20 until Dec. 1 So, if anyone's going and is worried that this is the rainy season, don't worry about it. I also recommend a Taxi tour of provo - see the Conch Farm, plantation Ruins, Blue Hills, Pirate caves, etc. Email me if you want to know more. Ingrid  

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Caribbean Paradise Inn in Providenciales

December 07, 2002 submitted by "Brian Willis"
Caribbean Paradise Inn

Our stay at the Caribbean Paradise Inn was the most relaxing. The property is kept very clean and well maintained. Great landscaping and the manager, Cliff, made our stay the best by his recommendations for dinner and sites to explore. We will return! Thanks Cliff!

I visited  December 2002
 I rate it  

Club Med Turkoise in Providenciales
Club Med is an international "resort" chain. Some "resorts" cater more to singles , some more to families.

July 9, 1999 submitted by "Tim Reardon"
Club Med

I just got back yesterday after a fantastic week there. They
have so many things to do, great food, the best beaches in the hemisphere, and the other guests were the best part. I went alone, and this is my first club med, but after 10 minutes, I knew it was going to be great. -- I suggest going again, relax, loosen up, drop your guard and meet as many people as possible. I guarantee a good time. 

July 9, 1999 submitted by "Peter Keri"  
Club Med

I went to turkoise in September. The day-time events are good you can dive, play tennis, sit on the beach etc. etc. the food is great. But the night life really SUCKS, it is in the range of the juvenile (drinking contests) to the insulting (male dancers). I was bored 2 days into it, give me my money back. I guess It depends on your mentality; if you are a moron you may like it. 

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Coral Gardens on Grace Bay in Providenciales 
Whitehouse Reef

June 11, 2002 submitted by "David" 
Coral Gardens

We stayed at Coral Gardens in March of 2000 and again in March of 2002.  It is a top notch facility with all oceanfront units.  We like the ambiance of the smaller resort.  The one bedroom luxury unit was great, plenty of space for two of us and lots of dive gear.
The reef in front of the condo is excellent for snorkeling.

I visited  March 2000 and 2002
 I rate it  

September 8, 2000 submitted by "Maria Williams" maria_williams@sonymusic.com
Coral Gardens

Fabulous rooms with incredible views, amazing coral reef right at your doorstep, wonderful service, peaceful, friendly and beautiful. My highest recommendation! Feel free to email me with questions. 

I visited  May 21, 2000
 I rate it  

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Ocean Club Resorts on Grace Bay in Providenciales 
2 Condo resorts Ocean Club (East) and Ocean Club West (newer)

January 30, 2002 submitted by " Peter " 
Ocean Club Resorts

What's not to like about OCW and OC?  Ben and his staff were some of the best we had experienced.  Chris's menu's were very well rounded and the food was well prepared and very fresh.  The beach was the best we have experienced so far.

The complex was very quiet amd well groomed.  We will go back.

If you want to see a full trip review, see:
http://hometown.aol.com/cabojack1/Turkstravel.html

Thanks for allowing us to visit your home.

I visited  January, 2002
 I rate it  

August 22, 2001 submitted by "Jennifer S." 
Ocean Club Resorts

Beautiful suite, and best beach on Grace Bay since it's the last resort on the Bay - very private.  Great drinks at the cabana bar, and excellent restaurant, Gecko Grille.  We took 4 kids from 12-27, and they all had a great time with beach time and water sports.  I highly recommend both the resort and the islands! 

I visited  July 28, 2001
 I rate it  

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Royal West Indies on Grace Bay in Providenciales
Condominiums available for sale or rent

April 28, 2003 submitted by " Donna & Otis Scarbary"
Royal West Indies

We just returned from a week in paradise - the RWI in the TCI is a fabulous place!  The resort is beautifully landscaped and impeccably maintained.  The view from our oceanfront studio of the most beautiful turquoise water and sugar white beaches was breathtaking.  The resort's restaurant, Mango Reef, was surprisingly good.  The menu was varied and compared to the rest of Provo, the prices were slightly less.  Two things kept this place from being just about perfect...1)   they have no public transportation system yet - they are still relatively undeveloped and that's ok but it does run into some major bucks hiring taxis to take you places and we weren't really comfortable renting a car.  They drive on the left and their roads were awful.  I'm sure that by the time we go back, the roads will be much improved as they were in the process of road construction while we were there.  Number 2 is the mosquitoes - by the millions, it seemed.  It's easy to have one's outside meal ruined by having to constantly swat those pesky skeeters.  One is wise to pack industrial-strength Off.  Other than that, it is close to being heaven.  Only other place comparable is Shoal Bay, Anguilla.

 I visited  April 19-26, 2003
 I rate it  

April 23, 2003 submitted by "Jennifer" 
 j.drezek@andor-tech.com
Royal West Indies 

Trip Report - Royal West Indies (April 4 - 11)

Just recently returned from a fabulous one week stay at RWI on Grace Bay and would like to share our trip report with the board - Enjoy…
(Warning: this is a long one - I took a couple of days to put it together)


Pre-Trip Info

This was the second trip to lovely Grace Bay for my boyfriend and I.  And just to give you an idea on our perspective, we are a couple in their late 20's, with 2 previous trips to the Caribbean under our belts (T&C and Antigua) (Stayed at the Sands last time) - We are from New England so we love WARM, SUN & LOUNGING AROUND.
We are not the type of couple who looks to be very active & touring around - simply give us good sand, turquoise water and some cocktails, and we are the happiest of campers.

The Flight to Providenciales

We had nothing but smooth travels down to the Caribbean via American Airlines.  Our flight left Hartford promptly at 6:20a.m. via Miami, and landed in Provo at 12:30 - this was great because we still had almost a full day ahead of us to start enjoying our vacation.
Customs in T&C was extremely easy (last time we went, the lines were LONG and it took quite some time), we were cleared in on our shuttle to the RWI within 30 minutes.

Royal West Indies

We checked-in with ease at the RWI - very friendly staff & courteous.  I had to remind myself to slow down to 'island time'…
We had a garden/botanical view room on the bottom floor (#314).  Our room was a beautiful suite, and you can tell that the resort is brand new.  Some extras that we enjoyed were the washer/dryer, full size refrigerator, plentiful storage space and all sorts of "homey" items you needed for your stay (Tupperware items, dishes, dishtowels, cutlery, etc).  I've heard many people on this board report the landscaping is magnificent, and they were 100% correct.  If you've ever stayed at the Sands, the RWI has a smaller property, and a more cozy feeling.  Our room (and all rooms) have a nice porch area right outside (not screened in, not a huge deal, but if I got buggy at night they were a small nuisance).  There is still construction going on at RWI, they've told us the ETA for completion is June.  Once completed, there will be a front office and have a similar setup to the Sands where is the office is in the front of the resort.  Housekeeping services I rate as excellent! Whatever we asked for me got, they even did our dishes on the days I could not get to them.  Always need and clean and the staff was warm and kind when you spoke to them.

Poolside - The pool at the resort is breathtaking (not as large as other resorts), a good size with plenty of chairs available in and out of the shade.
The Mango Reef restaurant is located right near the pool, so it was easy to hop out and grab a drink when necessary (as with most people, I highly recommend the rum punch at the bar - my boyfriend highly recommends the local Turks Head beer - he loves it!)


Mango Reef Restaurant (at RWI)

We had the pleasure of dining at the resorts restaurant 3 times.  The day we arrived we sat at the bar and had a very enjoyable lunch - Eric had the conch fingers and I had the Mango Reef salad (fresh greens, chicken, mango, pineapple and the mango cream vinaigrette)
We ate breakfast and another lunch there as well on other days.  All meals, in my opinion, were top notch - we enjoyed them very much.

Other Dining Choices

As everyone knows there are MANY places to dine out in Provo, here's our list of restaurants we went to while on vacation.
We started with a quick trip on our first night to the local Graceway IGA (this has improved even more than the last time we visited!)  The cab fare to the store was ~$12.00 each way (no shuttle offered from RWI, a small negative).  We bought fruits, breakfast food, alcohol and snacks.
This worked out well, as we ate breakfast in most morning to save a little cash.  Having snacks right in the room was a huge plus as well, it was nice to take a break from the sun, come up to the room and enjoy a nibble while watching the lizards play on our porch.

The other restaurants visited are:
Latitudes (Ports of Call - 10 minute walk from hotel) - casual dining - I had the beef tacos - very yummy!
Calico Jacks (Ports of Call) - more casual dining (very hospitable staff) - attended the all you can eat pasta night - highly recommended
Mango Reef - At RWI resort - more pricey, but many dishes to choose from & very romantic atmosphere (had a chicken dish that was out of this world)
(also on one night did 'take out' from Mango Reef - pizza & salad - it was FANTASTIC (and had leftovers for our lunch the next day)
Coco Bistro - we saved this restaurant for our last night of vacation, and it was worth the wait.  This restaurant is about a 5 min walk from RWI, and the atmosphere is absolutely breathtaking, hard to explain over email, it's a must-see!  I had a filet and it was out of this world, my boyfriend had the sirloin and could not stop "ooh-ing" and "aah-ing".

Places we would have liked to try/go back to if more time:
The Caicos Café (5 min walk from RWI) extensive menu choices - middle of the road prices
A new Cuban restaurant opened up "Cubavera", but heard from some folks staying at the resort it was very good!
The Gecko Grille (at OCW) - looked at the menu and looked wonderful
Anacaona (Grace Bay Club) - Walked by at night and the place is beautiful & was very packed (more expensive there too)


The Beach

Grace Bay, and its beautiful turquoise waters, are just as amazing and beautiful as I remember them to be.
The calm waters and perfect temperatures are what made us yearn to return to TCI.  We had stayed in Antigua last year, and in my opinion, the waters could not compare to Grace Bay.  The fine sugar-fine sands were the same as I remember also….feels so good beneath your feet.
Recent posts regarding choppy waters proved to be untrue (however, I heard it was raining the week before we arrived, so it is possible).

The next resort in line is Club Med - Saw some topless women there.  I had read posts in the past of people asking if naked sunbathing was allowed, and most people responded NO - well, this is not the case.  I remember one morning when a young girl jogged by our resort topless and in a thong - my boyfriend was pretty happy about that….we looked at each other and both said "Club Med girl"..
On the subject of naked sunbathing, we did stumble upon a nude beach - yep, no lie…however, never anyone there.  Here's how to find this beach…walk right out of RWI, keep walking down past Club Med, then past Ocean Club (OC is the last resort on this end of Grace Bay) keep walking by limestone rock for another 10 minutes, and you will finally see the sign "Caution, nude beach, pass at your own risk" J

You do have to somewhat have to play the "put-two-beach-towels-on-your-chairs-by-the-water-or-not-have-a-seat-game" - Strange, some days in front of the resort were deserted and only a few other couples and other days during that week, you had to save some seats no later than 10:00a.m. 
The beach chairs I found were more comfortable than those we saw walking by other resorts (RWI's are padded!)

We packed two rafts and blew them up when we got there.  We got this hint from a traveler a couple of years back, and it's well worth the $3.00 spent at Target.  The resort had the foam noodles to use as well for your floating needs.

Excursions

I'll stress the fact that the two of us are big 'beach loungers', and we didn't have intentions of doing many activities.  We used J&B Tours to do an excursion we had 2 years ago.  The "Island Getaway" was a wonderful and amazing way to spend the day.  A shuttle picks you up in the morning and takes you to Leeward Marina.  From there, you are whisked off by boat to a secluded island (cay) of your choice for the day (this trip is $195.00/couple).  The tour company provides a beach umbrella, cooler filled with food/water/wine/beer and snorkel gear.  I highly suggest bringing your own snorkel gear if you plan on doing a lot of it.  The snorkel equipment they provide is not that great, lots of leaks, etc.
We were dropped off at 10:30a.m. and when asked what time did we want to be picked up, we responded "the latest you can do" (which was 4:00pm - but they were kind and came at 4:30 and gave us an extra ½ hour). 
If you had not seen us up close, one would have mistaken us for 2 kids, we played in the sand all day, explored our island and lied around naked for a short time too ;-)

We did the 'Beach Cruise' 2 years back (1/2 day cruise to Little Water Cay to see iguana's, snorkeling and shelling on Fort George Cay) - Not done this time around, but highly recommended…shelling was our favorite part.

We had all good intentions of renting a 4-wheel drive vehicle to tour around and go to Malcolm's Beach, but that never happened.  We basically got too lazy and just enjoyed tooling around the beach every day.

A recommended excursion we came up with on our own is the "Walk to Snorkel" day trip!  We threw together a backpack including our snorkel gear, cold water, snacks & beach cover ups and headed down via foot on the beach towards the Coral Gardens Resort.  Previously we had snorkeled at the White House Reef, and were planning on doing so again.  I spoke to Annie at the tour desk (at RWI) and mentioned this to her, and she had a better idea which proved to be just as much fun (without all the people).  We did walk down the way of Coral Gardens, but we stopped a short ways before in front of Treasure Beach Villas (no sign, but you can see small villas set back a distance with the tiki huts on the beach in the shade).  Here is where Annie suggested we drop our stuff and snorkel here - what a great suggestion!
We had the whole area to ourselves and saw some amazing sea life. 

The reason we made a day of this is because the walk from RWI down to this area is a good roughly 3 miles+
It's very enjoyable if you're up for it, you can see what all the other resorts look like that you hear mentioned on the board so often.
On our journey back to RWI, we stopped at Hemingway's for lunch - the food and resort were as awesome as we remembered (you gotta love eating right on the beach).

Bring tons of sunscreen (not that you don't know this already) - we had a super large bottle of spf 15 and another bottle of spf 45 and used both up within days.  Definitely got cooked, but came home with a very nice tans (this was much needed especially since Connecticut's total snowfall for this winter season was 73 inches!!)


JO-JO The Resident Dolphin

On our trip report from 2 yrs back, we had to sadly report that we never caught a glimpse of the resident dolphin named Jo-Jo.
Well, I'm happy to report we saw him 3 times on this trip!!
The first occurrence was directly in front of RWI believe it or not.  The gentleman sitting next to me said "I just saw Jo-Jo jump out of the water".  I thought he maybe had one too man rum punches, but he was right.  A group of us turned around and I was immediately nervous the first time I saw him jump out of the water.  The first impression is 'wow, that kind of looks like a shark'.  He fiddled around and then made his way down the beach and we lost sight of him.  Same thing happened on the morning of our departure, but he was closer this time, and we took a walk along down the beach and followed him all the way to almost the Allegro, then he swam out deep.
What a treat that was!!

We also heard from a couple of locals that Jo-Jo warns the residents when rain is coming by swimming up and the down the channel where the boats travel.  He was spotted there many times at the end of March, and sure enough it poured for days right before we arrived (they had not seen rain since August, but warned us days of rain in a row are very rare).


Time to Go Home…

The week was a dream come true and I cherish all the new memories Eric & I made there.  I was very sad the day we had to leave, but the wonderful thing was our flight to go home was not until 4:00, so we were able to get up early and spend from 8:00a.m. till past noon on the beach!
We took advantage of late check out (2:00pm check-out for $40.00 only if no-one is checking into your room that day - well worth the money!)

The beach was a dream, the sunsets were absolutely breathtaking, the water was perfect - I wish I could be back there right now as I type this report from my desk at work.

I hope you enjoyed the trip report, and if you go to TCI, I hope you enjoy your time spent there as much as we did!

Jenn & Eric

I visited  April 4-11, 2003
 I rate it  

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June 11, 2002 submitted by " David"
Royal West Indies

Terrific location and facility.  One bedroom deluxe oceanview unit was great.

I visited  February 14-24, 2002
 I rate it  

December 27, 2001 submitted by " jerryengland "
Royal West Indies

First came to Provo 1985, this is my second visit to this well-appointed "new" resort. First time (February 2001) I had a one-bedroom with all the catering facilities, this time a Studio with limited facilities. Choosing the right accommodation to suit your needs is essential. The gardens, location and accommodation are truly first-class. The Mango Reef Restaurant provides an interesting and varied selection of well-prepared food at all times. I found both hotel, restaurant and bar staff pleasant and acceptably friendly. The resort has one of the better beach locations and a visit to the adjacent Club Med for Dinner & Entertainment is a sound investment. TCI is pretty laid back and the local people are somewhat reserved when in a tourist environment. Hiring a car (4-wheel preferred) for at least 3 days will enable one to to visit some remote parts of the island. Superb sandy beaches, turquoise waters and comfortable temperatures provide a truly relaxing atmosphere. If you want lots of shops, night clubs and the ability to stroll to the action this is not for you!

I visited  December 9-16, 2001
 I rate it  

December 03, 2001 submitted by "Nick"
Royal West Indies

The hotel grounds are nice. The restaurant staff is terrible, the telephone charges are ridiculous.  There are no cooking facilities in the units and the taxi cab rides are also VERY expensive.  Cappuccino's are $5 and usually come with a grumpy server.

(Editor's note: I checked with RWI and here is there reply "studio suites are kitchenettes only which includes coffee maker, microwave oven, toaster and refrigerator.  Our one and two bedroom suites are all full kitchen."
  I do not usually verify comments made.)

 I visited  December 01, 2001
 I rate it  

April 30, 2001 submitted by "Mitchell Grant"
Royal West Indies

The Royal West Indies on Provo was exactly what we were looking for!
My wife and I were scouting out a great place with a wonderful beach to vacation, and did not want to be surrounded by drunken adolescents doing karaoke.  We wanted to relax, sip drinks on the beach, eat great food, snorkel, dive, and get on island time. And we found that this is the perfect spot for doing just that!
The resort's restaurant, which bears the name Mango Reef, was excellent! eg. one evening I ordered Blackened Chilean Sea Bass with banana/kiwi-lime chutney, and my wife got the grilled Swordfish with Guava Glaze, fresh mango slaw, fresh bread with olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, and a couple of ice cold bottles of Presidente' beer from the neighboring Dominican Republic. Very good . . . every single meal. We never even wanted to try different restaurants!
The resort will help take care of all your fishing and snorkel trips as well.  Be sure to talk to either Vaughn or Shawn at the activities booth by the beach about taking an island excursion with Silver Deep.  They have several different trips to choose from, some full day, some half day.  Including a trip to snorkel the reefs, (the water has the best visibility that I have seen, and some of the reefs are incredible) dive for Conch, explore caves, visit Iguana Island etc. Be sure to ask about the island drop off excursion, which basically means you get to have a private island for a day, with meal, drinks, chairs, umbrella, private beach, etc.  (A couple we met loved the island drop off so much they did it two days in a row.)
We only made one mistake with this trip, and that was not staying longer!

I visited  April 28, 2001
 I rate it  

February 22, 2001 submitted by "Dick Capello"
Royal West Indies

New resort, excellent rooms and views. On site restaurant Mango Reef is great. Pool and lounge area. Been to Provo 6 times, 5 times at hotels and the 6th was at this condo resort and it was the best of all....

I visited  JAN. 27, 2001
 I rate it  

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Sands at Grace Bay in Providenciales
Condominiums available for sale or rent

March 06, 2003 submitted by " Diane Lapine "
  dmlapine@adelphia.net 
Sands Resort

Summary:  Lovely beach - but, beware the Jellyfish!  Sands Resort excellent, but crowded and noisy a few nights (extremely atypical we are told).  Skip the Car and the casino!  Snorkel, take excursions - relax.....Most other guests are not friendly - everyone seems to come here - like we did-  to be left alone and the beach resembles a tropical library.

The Review 

We stayed at the Sands last week for our first visit to the Turks and Caicos.  The resort was extremely well maintained but packed...one owner told us that the resort had never been so full and was at capacity.

Unfortunately, that meant going down to the beach before 7:30 am to get a Palapa.  There were a limited number of umbrellas available once the palapas were full.

Important!

No one told me about the jellyfish and I did not see them mentioned on any other reveiws of the TCIs.  But,my entire rib cage and breasts, were covered with raw red welts for the entire week --they prickled and felt like bruises. It looked horrible, I didn't really know what it was until the last day! Are these things always there???? Other people's looked like mosquito bites, but I looked like raw meat.

The other thing was:  3 of our six nights were very, very noisy.  Six woman occupied the room next to us and drank and talked far too loud for us to enjoy our balcony (which, we loved)while they enjoyed theirs.  Then some lunkhead brought sixteen high school seniors with them and they began having loud raucos, drinking parties - breaking glass etc. in their two adjoining suites (near us) until we finally called the front desk and security quieted them down.  Other guests complained the following day.

Again, I was told that this is highly unusual and the Sands is usually very quiet.  I have travelled the Carribean a lot and this has never happened anywhere I have been.

For 4 of the days, the beach in front of the Sands was packed and hundreds of people walked the beach continuously creating a lot of traffic. This may be the future to come.... For the other 2 days - the last two, everything was peaceful and the beach uncrowded, though shade still needed to be secured before 7:30 am.

We stayed in a studio deluxe with garden view, but could easily see the ocean from our balcony (I love the screened balcony - we lived out there when we could) - plenty big enough for both of us and the kitchenette more than adequate.  However, I would choose a one bedroom next time with a fuller kitchen.  After a relaxing day at the beach, I don't always want to go out and eat dinner.

We wanted only for shade and some quiet at night!  The staff was friendly and accomodating, the rooms very clean - even to the details such as cleaning and drying the soap and soap dish!  Hemingways was good for lunch - the Shrimp Mango Salad yummy and light. 

We had dinner and one breakfast there (I prefer to eat on my balcony) and we thought they settled for okay when going for great would have been a short put away.

We loved the washer and dryer and did laundry every evening after the beach!  Next time, we will bring 1/4 of what we dragged with us this time. 

We also rented a car from Rent A Buggy and got a very expensive heap!  Not only that, but believe me....there is nothing to see.  Grace Bay Beach is about it and your $250 or so is better spent on excursions or Dinner.  The Sands will arrange a taxi anywhere on the island for dinner for $5 per person round trip and $8 per person to the IGA, so skip the car.  If you must see the island hire a taxi for one day and let them show you around.

We ate at the esteemed Coyaba and were not really impressed.  We like good food simply prepared.  We dropped $150 on two appetizers, one glass of wine and two entrees!  Lovely setting though.

Baci was good and Tiki Hut has some nice Pizza.


Aside from noise, crowds and the jelly fish we returned burned to a crisp and very relaxed.  I would return, but for a shorter stay of 5 days/4 nights or so IF I could be assured that the jelly fish would not be there all of the time.

The Sands was excellent, but Ocean Club and Ocean Club West, the Royal West Indies, The Alexandra, and Coral Gardens all had happy vacationers.  We concluded that we would have been very pleased with all of these.

The Sands hospitality suite was a new one on me and I loved it.  After checking out yesterday, we went to the beach for several hours and then to the hospitality suite to take showers etc.

This is a very nice feature and it is quite nicely done.  Only flaw, everyone leaving on my bus was in line for one shower.  Still, it moved quickly and we all got done in time.

The Sands is one of the best resorts I have stayed at, but TCI and the Sands may be experiencing some growing pains!

Diane

 I visited  Feb. 27 - March 5, 2003
 I rate it  

October 31, 2001 submitted by " tpoole "
Sands Resort

We had a wonderful time. The rooms were impeccable and the service was excellent. Hemingways the resort restaurant was always accommodating and the food was great for casual dinning. The staff was very attentive. The tour desk and pool attendants were all very helpful. the coral reef is a 10 minute walk away and is fantastic. I am very close to purchasing a place there. If there are any left. Much better than the all inclusive resorts if you are not a big eater.

I visited  July 7, 2001
 I rate it  

October 3, 2001 submitted by Bruce Shawver
Sands Resort

My wife and I just returned and read thru all the posts in regard to the Sands Hotel and must agree with everyone of them.  We ate at Hemmingway's there at the Sands the first night and then to Graces Cottage the next and finally at Coyaba just right up the beach from the Sands.  All were really excellent.  We have stayed at a lot of beaches before and must say this was awesome.  We had no one on the beach Thursday when we arrived.  The following two days we had just a handful of people with us.  Just make sure you take enough cash to leave the airport it's $23 each person.  I didn't and had to buy 2 mugs at the airport, which then the lady gave me some cash back. They don't use ATM's and the the bank machines were out of cash from the long week-end there.  But other than that, great-

Hurry and get your ticket you won't regret it!

PS make sure you take the hobie cat out for a spin, it was the first time I ever used one and they helped to show you how- once you do, you'll be hooked!

I visited  September 26-30, 2001
 I rate it  

January 16, 2001 submitted by "Charlene"
Sands Resort

PROVO REPORT
*** JUST KEEP IN MIND PLEASE THAT THESE ARE MY OPINIONS?.THANKS***


Time Of Year:
We went November 19-25, 2000

Hotel:
Sands at Grace Bay Resort

Number of People:
2 Adults, no kids

Hotel Information:
The Sands at Grace Bay was beautiful.  All the rooms are new.  We had a 1-bedroom suite in the back overlooking the pool.  You could see the ocean in the distance.  The room was huge.  The kitchen was full size, with a full size refrigerator, stove, and microwave.  The cabinets were full of
plates, glasses, pots & pans, and stuff.  The sitting area consisted of 2 big chairs, a pull out sofa bed, and a TV.  The unit even had a washer and dryer.  Our bedroom was one of the only rooms with a king bed.  That was nice; but from my understanding most of the rooms only have queen-size
beds.

The towels were changed daily.  The laundry soap and dish soap were also provided.  The room was also cleaned from top to bottom daily.  The staff was very nice at the front desk and around the pool area.  They just don't "move" like we are use too in the States.  It is a very slow pace on this island.

Pool Area/Grounds of Hotel:
The pool was beautiful with lots of turns and twists.  It looked nice with all the landscaping.  Hotel grounds were well kept up and looked great.

Beach:
Grace Bay was so blue and beautiful.  The water was very calm.  Only a few waves now and then.  The Sands had beach chairs and umbrellas for their guests to use.  There beach was very quiet compared to other hotels on the
strip.  My husband and I enjoyed the quietness very much.  The Sands also had some free non-motorized water stuff that we enjoyed.  We took out the hobbycat several times.  This was fun.  They also had snorkeling gear, but we had brought our own.  You could walk the beach in both directions for miles.

Restaurants:
We stocked up at the local supermarket, so we ate beachfast and lunch in.  The Sands provides a shuttle each morning to the grocery store; there is a charge for this.  Hemingway's at the Sands was very good.  The average
price was about $20 per plate.

We also walked to a few other restaurants in the Ports of Call:
Lattitudes Bar and Grill:  This was ok.  They had a variety of choices, and not very expensive.
Calico Jacks:  This was very good.  They had again a variety of choices on the menu and not overly priced.  We ate here a few times.  Pizza was very good.

We also walked down to the next hotel:  
Sibonne and tried Coco Bistro.  The service was horrible and the food was NOT very good; especially when we were paying $25 dollars per plate.  We do not recommend this restaurant at all.  I have read that this place was suppose to be good, but maybe we went on a bad night or something.

We did not try the expensive restaurants at all; maybe next time; but I heard they were very good!

*One thing: if you are planning to walk to some of the restaurants, pack a small flash light; it was dark in some spots walking back.  We felt safe at all times though, and asked all around and received the same answer that it
was safe to walk on the road.  The road has a lot of pot holes so wear good shoes.

Snorkeling:
If you walk out the Sands and turn left, go about 20 minutes and you will reach the reef right in front of the Coral Gardens hotel.  This reef was excellent and worth the walk.  We saw fish of every color, barracudas, and even 2 sea turtles.  It is a nice place for beginners too, because it starts about 3 feet from shore.  THIS IS A BIG MUST!!!

Transportation:
There is no public bus system.  This made it very hard to get around the island.  I missed not being able to hop on the bus to go to the restaurants.  The taxis were very expensive.  The Sands provided a shuttle to some of the restaurants; they charged about ? of what if would cost you to take a taxi.  We did not use this service at all; we just ate at the places we could walk too.  I suggest that if you really want to try many restaurants, then rent a car or a jeep for a few days.


Around the Island:
We rented a jeep for one day.  I do not remember how much it was; (ball park, I would say about $70 with all the taxes, insurance, and stuff).   There is NOT very much too see on the island.

We went to Leeward marina and looked around; just had a few boats on the docks.

We also traveled down to Chalk Sound. This area had HUGE houses being built and had many little islands that you could see when you drove.  It was nice.  There was really no beaches along the way though that you could stop at and jump in.

We also went to Turtle Cove and ate at Sharkbites Restaurant. This restaurant was good, and not expensive.  They had a few shops to look in and a lot of boats you could walk along and view. Some of the boats were HUGE!!!

The island had a few malls here and there, but if you are BIG into shopping, then you will be disappointed.  My overall option would be to stay on the resort; THERE IS REALLY NOTHING TO SEE!  Grace Bay is the nicest beach on Provo.

I hope this reports helps.  We wanted a nice, quiet, relaxing vacation, AND THIS IS WHAT WE GOT.  I would recommend the Sands and the island of Provo to someone who is looking for this kind of vacation.  If you are looking
for parties, and nightlife, or lots of shopping, than this is not the place for you.

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June 28, 2000 submitted by "Vivian"
Sands Resort

We just came back from TCI stayed at the Sands for a week (6/18 to 6/25). Besides that the beaches at Provos are one of the most beautiful I've seen in my life, our stayed at the Sands has been one of the best experience of my life. (I'm in my 40's..and because of work I travel a lot in the states, Europe, Pacific and Asia.and I felt that the Sands and its staff was there just there for us. The Sands condo are quaint, very romantic and not crowded. If you want to relax, and have a romantic interlude the Sands its your place. 

We had our wedding-honeymoon at the SANDS and there is no words that can describe the hotel, the service and the people. The foods at Hemmingways (the restaurant at the Sands) was delicious...We had and are still savoring the delicious flavor of their the Conch chowder, the curry chicken, conch salad, and the catch of the day (The best Tuna I've have so far). We also ate at another top notch restaurant Coyaba and the food was delicious. 

My husband Jim and I, stayed on a front beach suite with a Jacuzzi, a gorgeous balcony and front beach view, marble floors and top notch accessories. The staff at the Sands from Teresa Brunner (The front Manager) that arranged our wedding ceremony, the restaurant manager, Terry who was one of the witness of our wedding (and saved the day for us several times: in the middle of the ceremony we realized that we have left the wedding rings back at the suite and Terry ran to the suite and got it for us. He did the same with my flower bouquet. We had a beach wedding right in front of the Sands. Teresa, the front Manager arranged beautifully the table with the cake, champagne, appetizers etc. 

ALso we felt in love with the maids at the Sands. Amparo, Shirley, and the maid's manager Sandra, there were so caring and sweet to us. They even helped me getting dress on my wedding day. I felt like if they were my Aunts and my cousins helping me out during my wedding. 

The tour desk manager, Annie, who set up excellent tours for us with JB Tours, was very nice and friedly. The beach activities coordinator Ron, we had a ball with him.  
All of these people became our friends and they went our their way to make our stayed at the Sands unforgettable. We had Pastor Myers presiding the wedding ceremony (Teresa Brunner made the arrangement with him). He was so a nice guy and very patient. I was the typical bride late for my wedding...and he waitied patiently even though he had another wedding to preside right after our wedding. The photographer Karen from JB tours, took our wedding photos and they came out so beautiful, my co-workers are so pleased with them that they are wondering if Karen can come to Arizona and take their picture. She brought out the best of Jim and I. She did so many great shots. Annie, the tour desk manager told me that Karen attended a prestigious photography school in Canada. 

ALso the video guy ((a british national) Jill Swann from JB tour got him for us) did a great job. The editing was well done and very professional. We left the island with our wedding photos and video.  

Last but not least, the captains of the tour boats at JB tours..Chad my man (I called him Bob Marley)..He is a comedian. He took us to the Island getaway--our own paradise. Kevin, the captain of two of our tours , The island discovery, and the beach cruise and Devon that help us dived for Conch and showed us a lot of the nicest corals and tropical fish in the area. Also Devon and Kevin cook the conch salad , the lobster and chicken on our island discovery tours. That conch salad was so good , that I went to the Conch factory in Five Cays and bought 20 pounds of Conch meat. (No problem with Depart of Agriculture they were frozen). Other members of JB tours Dennis, Dinesh, and Henry who came every morning to pick up us to go to the tours. 

The local native restaurants like Gilley's, Pub on the Bay and the small restaurant (kiosk) on the Marketshops (next to Bamboo Gallery)..The food is delicious, the pigeon peas rice was to die for...I can guarantee you that the Turks and Caicos, its people and the staff of the Sands will make you
enjoy your time and will help you bring great vacations memories. 

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Sibonne Hotel on Grace Bay in Providenciales
24 Rooms

June 05, 2001 submitted by "M. DeGuire"
Sibonne

I just returned from a wonderful, too- short visit to quiet, peaceful Grace Bay and the Sibonne Hotel/Bay Bistro Restaurant. The biggest problem was having to leave!

Many have commented on the beauty of Grace Bay Beach, and after 20 years in the travel business I have to say it's the best! Calm, clear water, white sand and miles of walking, floating, swimming and relaxing.  The strech of beach by Sibonne and The Sands was almost deserted -- even on Memorial Day Weekend.  Sibonne (pronouced see-bo-nay) is small, quaint, (in the good sense of the word) recently renovated, only 24 rooms and a couple of suites. It is perfect for a quiet getaway.  While not luxurious (the bathrooms have only stone-tiled showers and not a full bathtub.. not important for me, but an issue for some) the rooms were delightful, and quite elegantly decorated - A/C, ceiling fans, queen bed, 33 channel cable TV, small fridge in room. Each room overlooks a lush, beautiful tropical garden with palms, hibiscus and bougainvillea fed from an underground well. Some upstairs rooms have partial oceanview, but the gardens are so pretty is doesn't matter. The reception has a small staff of one or two people (but, there are only 50 guests maximum at the hotel!) who are quite helpful. The small pool overlooks gorgeous Grace Bay, and while no watersports equipment is offered, beach towels and the beachside shade palapas are readily available. Excursions and activities can be arranged at the front desk with a water-front pickup right in front of the hotel. But why leave?

The biggest treat (and pleasant surprise)was the Bay Bistro restaurant which is apparently under relatively new management. Though service is typically "caribbean paced" it is very attentive, and the wide variety and quality of food was beyond excellent! The restaurant and bar overlook Grace Bay and made for a fantastic sunset dinner each night. Fresh-baked breads and desserts, over 30 "tapas" to select and Eggs Benedict with Lobster and a mimosa for breakfast every day! The menu was varied enough that for a three-day stay we never ate anywhere else! The only time the property got crowded was at dinner -- always a good sign for a restaurant.

This little gem is a great (and reasonably priced) find for anyone looking for a quiet, romantic getaway that won't set them back an arm and a leg. May-June is a perfect time to go to Turks and Caicos! Warm, but not too, too hot.

Everything just meshed together so well, I have to give this unique, small hotel and restaurant experience 5 stars!  Just don't tell TOO many people - it's only 24 rooms..

I can't wait to go back!

I visited  MAY  27, 2001
 I rate it  

Ratings are from 1 - 5.

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