Beaches Resorts Turks & Caicos

I’m going to be honest with you here. Turks and Caicos was not on my bingo card of places to visit but when I got an opportunity to travel there, I definitely wasn’t going to pass it up. I’m not sure why it wasn’t really on my radar before but I’m Caribbean and I think sometimes we can be particular about which islands we want to visit. For me Turks & Caicos was more touristy and didn’t really have the strong culture I look for when traveling. But each destination has its purpose and Turks and Caicos really is just a place to enjoy the white sand beaches, clear water, and amazing weather. It’s a place to unwind, escape reality, and just enjoy each moment. And for that reason, I would say it’s worth it.

 Now I will say because of this, we didn’t venture off of the resort which is not typical for us but that is typical for people visiting Turks and Caicos. And the way our resort was set up, it literally had all the things for adults and kids so there really was no need to leave. That being said, this is a guide to traveling specially to Beaches- Turks and Caicos a resort owned by Sandals. I will walk you through the process of getting there, transport from the airport to the hotel, amenities at the hotel, and our honest impressions of everything it had to offer. If you’re planning a trip to Beaches Turks and Caicos then you will want to read this! Xx

HOW TO GET THERE

So we were visiting family in Texas so we ended up flying from Houston. Though the distance is not incredibly far, there are no direct flights from Houston so we had to have a layover. There are a decent amount of airports around the US that fly direct to Turks and Caicos so I would look into the closest one to you because direct is always better with kids especially if the flight is not super long.

FLIGHTS

We flew Southwest. They had really great prices for the flights to the island but if you know Southwest you know you can’t pick your seats. But the hack is if you’re traveling with young children then you board the flight after group A so technically you don’t need to worry about seat selection. We had absolutely no issue finding seats together on every flight and some of our planes were not even close to full. We travelled in early/mid November which seemed to be a good time (right before the holiday rush of travelers). Keep in mind, there were no TV’s on the plane and Internet cost $8 per device which isn’t bad but you need a device to connect to for the kiddos which is why we brought their iPads for this exact reason. But we didn’t even need to pay for the internet because of this hack. This really ended up being a lifesaver for us because no TV on the planes was not the business. Thank God they were not long flights.

CUSTOMS

Once we landed, they handed us custom forms to fill out. The airport is very small and when you land you are on the tarmac so you immediately deboard outside. Good thing there is a ramp so you don’t have to lug your children and luggage down stairs. If you check a stroller it will randomly be outside on the floor in front of the airplane. When we got to the customs line, I was shook! I have never seen a custom line so long and that moved so slow. It took us 2 hours to get through customs. Apparently, this is typical for Turk and Caicos unless you just happen to get a flight that lands on its own with no other flights de-boarding AND your one of the first people off the plane. There is a way to expedite customs by paying $250 per person but I didn’t look into this because I don’t think it’s worth paying all that. You also may be able to finagle something if you’re travelling with an infant. I would ask someone working at customs if you have a child under 1.

 HOTEL TRANSPORT

After we finally got through customs, we grabbed our bags and headed out. When I tell you this airport is tiny, there is nowhere else to go but out. There you will see some car rental services and shuttles to different hotels. Beaches has a free shuttle and you can check the time before land so you can coordinate with your flight and you can also coordinate with the hotel when you book your trip. We used a private driver from Champion and it was nice to have our own private car. They even brought car seats for the girls. The trip from the airport to the resort is quick. About 15 minutes which is lovely after a long travel day.

THE PROPERTY

CHECK IN PROCESS

When we approached the hotel we got a warm welcome from the staff and we were greeted with cool towels to wipe us down (the humidity hits you right away once you step on the island). This is the second Beaches property we’ve stayed at and I will say I do love the check in process. Rather than stand in line and check in at the desk, someone greets you and brings you over to the couches where you can sit in their large lobby area (which is also equipped with water, snacks, and coloring activities for kids and and a TV). They sat as us down and brought us some drinks and then brought us a tablet to enter our information to check in. Then they brought us our keys and walked us over to our room where our luggage was already waiting for us.

The property is comprised of different villages each with their own vibes and amenities. But you can easily explore each village on foot and are able to access everything they have to offer. The resort has 21 restaurants, 10 pools, a kids club with so many activities and a build a bear workshop, Spa, Tennis, mini golf, a 12 mile white sand beach, and so much more. Honestly, it was like it’s own little town and it was fun trying out the different restaurants and activities. At first we thought we had to take a golf cart everywhere and though the property is large, it is definitely walkable but if you have tired toddler feet or are tired from carrying a baby, it’s nice that they have an option to call a golf cart for you and there’s even a cute little train that comes on a schedule that goes to different villages. We were there 6 days and barely touched all the things they had to offer. Everyday housekeeping gives you a list of free activities for the day that you or your kids and can join in. If you’re the type of person who likes to stay active on vacation you will never be bored but it’s also nice because with all the pools, beach, and swim up bars it’s also equally set up for a chill vacation too.

KIDS CLUB 

The kids club is such a great part of the resort. Not only do they have so many activities for the kiddos but they also have babysitting so you can enjoy some time alone with your significant other. It’s cute because they have a kids camp and the kids get to hang out with each other and socialize. You can also just use the kids club with your kids at your leisure if there is no camp in session. We went in with the girls and they were having a blast with all the toys. They do lots of activities with the Sesame Street characters too. They had a baking with cookie monster event where the children could bake actual cookies with the cookie monster character and that was only one of many interactions. They kids club also has a schedule and you can sign up for any of the activities. This is where you can also sign up for child care services if you want to have a day excursion without the kids or a date night with your significant other.

XBOX Lounge

We didn’t use this because it’s definitely geared for teenagers (who else is going to play video games on vacation haha), but the lounge also had fun games like fuseball and was a cool little spot to hang with your friends if you’re a tween/ teenager. I like that the resort caters to both smaller and older children in that way.

THE ROOM

We stayed in the Italian village which we really liked as it is one of the more updated villages. Each village has it’s own little vibe which I thought was really cool. We were on the ground floor with a patio that led directly to the pool. The good thing about that is it was easy to go in and out with the kids. No stairs or elevators to navigate each time. The “bad thing” was we were right next to the pool so all the parties, DJ’s, splashing etc was heard from the room. We don’t mind noise like that, but if you’re a person who does, this type of room may not be for you and I would ask about this before booking.

 Aside from that our room was perfect logistically. When you enter we found the first “bedroom” for the kids with a bunk bed and TV. Our girls are too little for a bunk bed so they brought in a crib for us for our youngest one. The room also had it’s own vanity with a sink, closet, and lots of storage. A whole wall of draws and shelves. It also had a pocket door for privacy which was amazing at night. We had the girls go to bed earlier than us and closed the door and turned on some white noise so we could have some wind down time as adults.

After their room was the full bathroom which had a tub and a shower and a double sink. The bathroom also had a lot of shelving and drawers for your things. I especially liked the “hamper” drawers for dirty clothes or towels. The second room also had a large closet, TV, California King bed and also a day bed. We easily could have brought an additional person. It also had a large dresser and two night stands with storage. We had a private patio which I mentioned led out to the resort and pool. I loved having a patio but having our room right in the thick of things meant we kept the blinds closed most times so people couldn’t see everything we were doing which wasn’t exactly ideal. But I know some people are more open than us in that way so it might not bother you to be more exposed. Show those buns hun! The way the room was set up you could easily spend two weeks there with no issues. They also offer laundry service which is a nice convenience.

THE BEACH

Beaches Turks & Caicos has a 12 mile white sand beach with the bluest clear water. And it so warm and inviting. I LOVE the Caribbean sea. The only downside is that is is a public beach so it can get really crowded and you need to man your spot. If you try to go during a popular time of day, it may be hard to find a chair and umbrella. But they are lined up all along the beach so you may just have to walk a bit up to find one. I also love that they have shower stations at different exit spots around the beach so you can shower off the sand. I’ve been to a lot of beaches and the sand in Turks & Caicos is SUPER fine and immediately stick to you. We were cleaning sand out of things for weeks after the trip. 

WATER ACTIVITIES

There are plenty of water activities you can book once you’re at the hotel (and even before your stay) These activities are booked with an outside company so it’s separate from the all inclusive prices. You can call the hotel to see their offerings but some of the activities include snorkeling, paddle-boarding, jet skiing and parasailing.

THE POOLS

There are at least 10 pools at the resort (even a kids swim up bar!) and they each offer something unique. If we were to visit again my goal would be to try to visit every pool. Some were smaller and more private while others were large and expansive with swim up bars. You need to reserve a cabana ahead of time if you want more privacy and I would recommend do ing it before your stay. But honestly you don’t really need a cabana as there are pool chairs set up everywhere. Also most of the pools have a bar nearby you can order drinks but if you want food during your pool time, you have to visit one of the restaurants and take it to go and not all the restaurants offer to go. It was very thoughtful how most of the pools had a large kiddie section with a shallow end for the kids to safely swim. The Italian Village, where we stayed,  has the largest pool. 

THE WATERPARK

Having a waterpark in your resort is next level. There were large waterslides, a splash pad, a kids play area for smaller children, a swim up bar, multiple pools, a lazy river and surfing simulator. They also have lounge chairs all around so you can lounge while your kids enjoy the water. The girls really liked the lazy river. There is also an Ice Cream Truck located in the waterpark which you already know was a hit. If you have older kids you feel comfortable venturing on their own then this is the perfect spot to let them hang while you go enjoy some peace and quiet lol. Either way it’s definitely a great place for the whole family.

THE FOOD

The food oh the food. 21 restaurant options in fact. We definitely were not able to go to every one in our week stay (although I guess we could have tried and challenged ourselves). Some restaurants are ages 12+ so if you have littles you wouldn’t be able to go or you would have to leave them with their child care services. I was actually pleasantly surprised with the amount of plant based options they had on the resort. Every restaurant we went to had a plant based offering. Though I am mostly plant based and do not eat dairy or meat, I do dabble in seafood here and there and of course there’s no better place to get seafood then on an island so you know I had to indulge a little. Below are the restaurants we tried and how we liked them.

Neptune’s

Neptunes had a lot of great options especially for breakfast for the kids. But not really good options for a vegan for breakfast. My kids love oatmeal and they had that on the menu so it was perfect. Neptune’s faces the water but it’s on the ground level with lots of plant life surrounding the view so you don’t exactly get that “I’m eating on the beach” vibe. Their dinner was amazing and they had more than 1 plant based option as well as great seafood options. I would definitely recommend Neptunes. And kids of all ages are welcomed.

Bobby Dee’s

There is a cute diner with old school vibes located by the water park. The food is very basic. Burgers, fries etc. also in the diner is grab and go pizza, and little ice cream parlor that makes milkshakes and cotton candy. They had a veggie burger here that was ok. Though this is a great spot to just grab some chicken nuggets and fries for your kids especially if you are enjoying the waterpark, it wasn’t our favorite but worked for the conveinance.

 Sky

Sky is a must visit because it’s a rooftop restaurant so you can eat with a view. Although the tables closest to the edge get the best view. The breakfast was good with lots of options. I’m not sure how it is for dinner but I could see it having cool vibes at night. It would be a cute spot for date night.

Kimonos

Habachi is another fun one for the kids even though our kids especially the youngest were not a fan of all the fire and loud noises. It’s like any other typical hibachi where the chef entertains and cooks the standard food you normally see on a hibachi. You have to make a reservation for this so keep that in mind before your visit as reservations tend to book up. I would book this before you even arrive. You need to allot at least 2 hours for hibachi since it’s already a process and the service is slow.

There are a few restaurants we intentionally didn’t visit because they are buffets and that’s not really our jam but if you want a plethora of options for you and the family without waiting on a server this is a great option. And they switch the menus up so it’s not the same thing every night. We did stop by Bayside which is a buffet to grab some dessert. It was fun just picking out any dessert we wanted from the options. The girls loved being able to grab dessert and eat it in the room.

Please note, there is not room service at Beaches. You have to leave your room to eat so if you are really set on room service vibes keep this in mind. It is nice that you are forced to leave the room though and because there are so many restaurant options there is always one near you. Keep in mind for dinner some of the wait times were LONG and the service is very slow. Some slower than others. We spent sometimes 1 hour before we received our food at some spots. Of all the restaurants we visited. Neptune’s had the fastest service. I also did notice that service picked up on the weekend and was quicker than the weekdays. I’m not sure if it’s because they have more people visiting on the weekend and thus more staff but it was a notable difference in service.

Overall, we had a nice stay and I do think it’s the perfect trip for a family if you want to just turn off and stay in one spot during your vacation. For the price of the resort I wouldn’t really want to venture off and not really enjoy everything it has to offer so to me this is a stay at the resort kind of trip. They do always have promotional offers so I would make sure to check for those before booking. If you want to actually explore the island of Turks and Caicos I would not recommend staying at Beaches. But for the expansive resort retreat for the whole family, it’s definitely checks a lot of boxes.

If you have any specific questions about our stay or the resort feel free to email us at hello [at] thebrownfamilytravel.com and I would be happy to answer! xx