What makes this all-inclusive resort different from any other resort? This Beaches resort, unlike its three siblings in Jamaica, is on Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos Islands. And this resort, unlike its custom-built siblings, was developed on the grounds of an old former hotel on Grace Bay, the island's most coveted real estate. These circumstances have made the Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort & Spa especially desirable in a few ways: facilities are built much closer to the pristine beach than current environmental rules would allow, and the offshore marine preserve creates a relatively protected, shallow sea that's ideal for families with children.
In the Turks & Caicos Islands, a recently discovered financial tax haven whose motto is "Beautiful by Nature," eco-tourism is the rule. The seemingly unquenchable international thirst for a piece of this paradise is sated by water that comes from a reverse osmosis desalination plant. On Provo (as it's known to locals), the powdery white sand coast bordered by low scrub, sea grape and Australian pines is protected by the Princess Alexandra Land and Sea National Park, as is the reef system offshore. At Beaches, conservation initiatives include central air-conditioning units that shut off when room doors are open, and signs encouraging guests to reuse linens, hang up towels, and preserve the sand dunes. The resort's egret mascot introduces several environmental activities through the children's programs.
Children's Programs & Outdoor Fun
Beaches T&C also has a much more deluxe feel than your average all-inclusive resort. The excellent supervised children's programs begin with newborns and extend through age 12, so that parents have plenty of leisure to visit the resort's beautiful new spa, enjoy expert treatments, try the garden-view workout facilities or savor a frappucino at the cute outdoor Café de Paris. The Cuda Kids Club includes the nursery for up to 2-years, then a bungalow where 3 to 5's partake in social activities, games and outdoor play in a shaded playground, often with parents helping out.
While TCI's brisk tradewinds promise pleasant weather even in the heat of summer, they can whip up a strong current and create some waves. Parents with younger children have nothing to fear, as Beaches T&C has six swimming pools supervised by lifeguards and pool attendants. The very shallow kiddie pool managed by the daycare nursery staff even has bronze, water-spouting dolphins for toddlers to play in.
Especially fun for parents with preschoolers are the new family programs designed in conjunction with Sesame Street. A few times each week, Bert, Ernie, Elmo, Zoe, Grover and Cookie Monster perform in an evening show, parade around the grounds, pose in fuzzy suits for autographs and portraits, give song and reading lessons, host birthday parties, limbo, reggae dance and otherwise have fun with guests of all ages. Once per week, resort guests can have breakfast with all six Sesame Street characters, one of the few events at the resort (in addition to spa treatments) for which there's an extra fee.
Beaches T&C's shipwreck-themed Pirate's Island recreation zone houses an open-air playroom with pool tables and an arts n' crafts setup for ages 6-8 and 9-12. As part of the full-day camp activities, there is a Bubblemakers program at T&C to introduce 8- and 9-year-olds to scuba, with in-pool games and personal instruction. The resort also offers several hour-long boat trips to nearby reefs, and all the necessary gear, so families can snorkel together.
Exploring the Marine Environment
The Turks & Caicos Islands are an excellent place to introduce children to the underwater world. Beginning in late 2005, tweens from 10-14 years, and teens 15+ can participate in a five-day, learn-to-dive program offered in conjunction with National Geographic that introduces marine science, kayaking and other topics, in addition to the PADI basics taught in the standard three-day Resort Course. Both half-day programs are included in resort rates and lead to PADI's Open Water Dive Certification.
Other teen activities are loosely structured by Funpals who serve as counselors. Teens meet at the Pirate Ship in the French Village side of the resort, to use the small pool with waterslide, lounges, Xbox computer game arcade, and the 50's style diner, Bobby D's.
Experienced snorkelers and divers of any age can use the resort's equipment and scheduled boat service for easy access to buoy-marked dive sites nearby. Each has set pathways designed by the TCI National Parks Department to minimize divers' contact with the coral heads. Other watersports included with Beaches pricing are windsurfing and sailing (though many days may be too windy for beginners), kayaking, aquatrikes and a surprisingly challenging aquarobics program.
The TCI has so many natural attractions that we highly recommend an off-property daytrip. We took a half-day Beach Excursion ($68/adult and $47/child) with Silver Deep expeditions in which Captain Pringles (yes, like the potato chips) and his mate J.R. stopped at Little Water Cay for a walk through an iguana preserve, then took us snorkeling at a large and shallow reef where parrotfish, many types of grouper, soldier fish, lobster and coral vied for attention. Our last stop was at the far side of Big Pine Cay, where a sandbar created a treasury of sand dollars. The youngest passengers especially enjoyed being able to walk out from the boat in their life jackets and enjoy the waves, and the beach was strewn with bleached finger, fan and sponge corals that had washed ashore in storms.
At Last - Family Welcoming Guest Rooms & Suites
Beaches' original 300 rooms are stacked in pastel, British Colonial-style, shingle roof buildngs facing the beach. Another 153 rooms are in the newer, Disneyesque French Village set inland from the beach in landscaped gardens. All are immaculately maintained by the staff of 750 and feature A/C, ceiling fans, full bathtub, hairdryer, ironing setup and coffeemaker; only views, proximity to the beach and amenities vary.
More than one hundred are larger one-bedroom suites in the original Village, furnished in an elegant Caribbean style with dark wicker, rattan, and mahogany furniture accented by tropical print cushions. Our suite had white tile floors topped by Oriental rugs that absorbed the sand tracked in from the patio. The large living room boasted a queen size sofabed, dining area and armoire with TV, plus a marble-topped wetbar with microwave, coffeemaker, stocked minibar and liters of premium alcohol. In the bedroom, two steps led from the king-size bed to a bathing area with walk-in shower, sunken bathtub, marble-topped vanity and toilet closet.
Many families prefer the French Village's two and three-story, chateau-style buildings. The rooms are identical to each other but smaller than the original ones. Each has attractive mahogany furniture, floral patterned fabrics and is configured with one king bed and one double pull-out sofabed or two double beds and one pull-out single chair; all sleep up to five (if the fith occupant is an infant.) Because all the rooms connect, and ground floor units have patios facing the pool deck, many families request one, two or three bedroom suites by connecting certain room types, and gaining extra bathrooms for all the kids. In this configuration, the rooms that serve as a suite's parlor have a pull-out double sofabed, coffeemaker and stocked minibar of their own.
However, since the one-bedroom suites in the original Village are larger -- each contains a pullout sofabed in the living space -- these can be a better value for families than two adjoining rooms. The number of bathrooms required usually makes the choice apparent.
At Last - Superior Service
In addition to attracting families with toddlers, Beaches is going after upscale parents and grandparents who always shunned all-inclusives because they lacked service. Now, many of the original Village and French Village suites have concierge or butler service included in their premium rates. The added staff provide more personalized attention for booking excursions, changing travel plans, making dinner reservations in the wonderful a la carte restaurants, or sending in room service. Jimmy and Jeffery, the two butlers assigned to our suite, seemed genuinely concerned that there wasn't more asked of them.
Dining is another area where Beaches T&C excels, by offering a few buffet restaurants at each Village, as well as the beachfront Schooners for seafood at night, the excellent and elegant le Petit Chateau bistro in the French Village, and the wild teppanyaki dinners at Kimonos Japanese restaurant. If the kids don't adore the flashing knives and freshly grilled seafood and meats cooked at the table, they are sure to enjoy the entertaining banter between the chefs at each station.
Regular readers know how highly Family Travel Forum regards this resort group, which promises "ultra" everything: cuisine, rooms, staff, watersports, and activities, all included in one "ultra-inclusive "price. Returning to Beaches T&C in October of 2005, we found even bigger promises than in the past, this time fulfilled beyond our "ultra" expectations.
| Beaches Turks & Caicos, Providenciales, TCI, BWI www.beaches.com;  649/946-8000 $$$-$$$$per N, from $3000/WK | | | | Extra Credit: Bravo! to Beaches for giving parents even more reasons to spend time with kids on vacation. Comments: This crew goes all out to ensure guests' comfort, and they sure know how to please little ones. | | 
| |
