Turks & Caicos, "We did it again!"
Mar 18th, 2010, 11:17 AM
#1
Turks & Caicos, "We did it again!"
As Caribzak said in a post "if it ain't broke-------"
That's the way we also feel about Grace Bay. After 20+ years and 20+ islands in the Caribbean, we found Grace Bay two years ago and just returned from our 3rd vacation there.
This year the weather was perfect (last year windy the whole time we were there), the flight was flawless on US Air (Chicago, Charlotte,Provo), the water was calm, warm, and gorgeous, and again the food was outstanding.
We again stayed at Ocean Club West. Yes the rooms are a bit "tired" as someone said, but it's position on the beach , it's low rise buildings, terriffic pool, convient restaurant, and the ability to walk to shopping and many rerstaurants far outweigh that. They also have a shuttle to the golf course which is easy for MDH. The new IGA within walking distance was also a good thing----we don't really cook, but like to have coffee, wine, snacks, etc. in the room.
Other pluses are enough beach chairs that you need not go at 7am to get one, the abundance of towels at all times, and an outside restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
This was a relaxing trip for me. On the beach from 8am until 6pm. Go for a walk on the beach, read my book, go for a swim, eat, have a mango margarita, chat with my neighbors ,and repeat several times a day. MDH golfed in the morning and joined me on the beach in the afternoons. I know that sounds boring to some, but it was just what I needed. Especially those mango margaritas----what a treat!
Tina's taxi service was availabe whenever we needed.
Our favorite dinners were at:
CocoBistro (outstanding rack of lamb)
Coyaba (loved the mahi-mahi)
Bagatelle (I liked the place, MDH did not)
Mango Reef (coconut shrimp, of course)
Tiki Hut (wonderful setting, very good food, especially deserts)
Calico Jacks (one of the best ceasar salads I've had along with great casual food)
Conch Shack (conch fritters --yummm)
Danny Bouys ( Fish & chips)
Seaside Cafe(Ocean Club West---great breakfast, excellent hamburger at lunch, also loved the club sand, w/sweet potato fries)
Every island has something you like and something you don't. This one just seems to have everything we like with not many negatives. Grace Bay beach is stunningly beautiful with the powder soft sand and crystal clear turquoise water that you see on the magazine covers and wish you were there.
We will probabbly return again next March if not sooner.
That's the way we also feel about Grace Bay. After 20+ years and 20+ islands in the Caribbean, we found Grace Bay two years ago and just returned from our 3rd vacation there.
This year the weather was perfect (last year windy the whole time we were there), the flight was flawless on US Air (Chicago, Charlotte,Provo), the water was calm, warm, and gorgeous, and again the food was outstanding.
We again stayed at Ocean Club West. Yes the rooms are a bit "tired" as someone said, but it's position on the beach , it's low rise buildings, terriffic pool, convient restaurant, and the ability to walk to shopping and many rerstaurants far outweigh that. They also have a shuttle to the golf course which is easy for MDH. The new IGA within walking distance was also a good thing----we don't really cook, but like to have coffee, wine, snacks, etc. in the room.
Other pluses are enough beach chairs that you need not go at 7am to get one, the abundance of towels at all times, and an outside restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
This was a relaxing trip for me. On the beach from 8am until 6pm. Go for a walk on the beach, read my book, go for a swim, eat, have a mango margarita, chat with my neighbors ,and repeat several times a day. MDH golfed in the morning and joined me on the beach in the afternoons. I know that sounds boring to some, but it was just what I needed. Especially those mango margaritas----what a treat!
Tina's taxi service was availabe whenever we needed.
Our favorite dinners were at:
CocoBistro (outstanding rack of lamb)
Coyaba (loved the mahi-mahi)
Bagatelle (I liked the place, MDH did not)
Mango Reef (coconut shrimp, of course)
Tiki Hut (wonderful setting, very good food, especially deserts)
Calico Jacks (one of the best ceasar salads I've had along with great casual food)
Conch Shack (conch fritters --yummm)
Danny Bouys ( Fish & chips)
Seaside Cafe(Ocean Club West---great breakfast, excellent hamburger at lunch, also loved the club sand, w/sweet potato fries)
Every island has something you like and something you don't. This one just seems to have everything we like with not many negatives. Grace Bay beach is stunningly beautiful with the powder soft sand and crystal clear turquoise water that you see on the magazine covers and wish you were there.
We will probabbly return again next March if not sooner.
Mar 18th, 2010, 12:16 PM
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We would love to get back to Provo but lost our cheap flights with Spirit. Grace Bay beach is so beautiful -- the beach and water is absolute perfection I think.
"Go for a walk on the beach, read my book, go for a swim, eat, have a mango margarita, chat with my neighbors ,and repeat several times a day."
Sounds like a perfect day to me! Glad you had a great trip!
"Go for a walk on the beach, read my book, go for a swim, eat, have a mango margarita, chat with my neighbors ,and repeat several times a day."
Sounds like a perfect day to me! Glad you had a great trip!
Mar 28th, 2010, 12:02 PM
#10
vickie1------I don't know about 18-25 year olds. It's a very quiet beach. They do have parasailing, bannana boats, Hobiecats, and boat trips to go snorkeling, scuba, etc. There is walk-in snorkeling at the Coral Gardens area. Never saw any jet skis, but maybe they are elsewhere on the island.
The food & drinks are expensive for dinner, less so for lunch. The casual food places are reasonable (ex--$12 hamburgers). The beautiful dinner places are expensive(ex--$30-$40 for one course only). Since most of the resorts are condos you can do breakfast, snacks, wine etc. on your balcony----there is a huge grocery store. At Ocean Club West where we stay, they have 2 large grills on an island in the pool where you can grill out yourself.
I don't mean to discourage you, only to state the facts as we have seen them. It is the best beach we have been on after many other islands. It may be costly, but most of the islands are so we did not find it more expensive than other trips. IMO the only inexpensive beach resorts are in Mexico.
Do hope I've helped.
The food & drinks are expensive for dinner, less so for lunch. The casual food places are reasonable (ex--$12 hamburgers). The beautiful dinner places are expensive(ex--$30-$40 for one course only). Since most of the resorts are condos you can do breakfast, snacks, wine etc. on your balcony----there is a huge grocery store. At Ocean Club West where we stay, they have 2 large grills on an island in the pool where you can grill out yourself.
I don't mean to discourage you, only to state the facts as we have seen them. It is the best beach we have been on after many other islands. It may be costly, but most of the islands are so we did not find it more expensive than other trips. IMO the only inexpensive beach resorts are in Mexico.
Do hope I've helped.
May 17th, 2010, 01:45 PM
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Hi,
I am researching "new" destinations to travel. My husband's best friend wants to plan a 30th bday trip for his wife in March 2011. I'm helping him out! Turks & Caicos is one island I have not visited, but is on my list. We are in MD and we only plan on going for 5 days, so we don't want to waste a lot of time traveling. So far this is our closest bet I think. I've not been to Bermuda but pretty sure they are on our weather pattern, so March would be rather chilly there. Other places I am considering are Anguilla, Antigua, St. Barts. Have you been to any of those?
I know someone that always stays at the Royal West Indies on Grace Bay. Are you familiar with? If we stayed at a place near there would we need to rent a car? Are their shuttles, taxis, walking distance places? Thanks so much! Julie
I am researching "new" destinations to travel. My husband's best friend wants to plan a 30th bday trip for his wife in March 2011. I'm helping him out! Turks & Caicos is one island I have not visited, but is on my list. We are in MD and we only plan on going for 5 days, so we don't want to waste a lot of time traveling. So far this is our closest bet I think. I've not been to Bermuda but pretty sure they are on our weather pattern, so March would be rather chilly there. Other places I am considering are Anguilla, Antigua, St. Barts. Have you been to any of those?
I know someone that always stays at the Royal West Indies on Grace Bay. Are you familiar with? If we stayed at a place near there would we need to rent a car? Are their shuttles, taxis, walking distance places? Thanks so much! Julie
May 18th, 2010, 09:37 AM
#12
We have been to all islands you listed.
Anguilla and St. Bart's are both favorites of ours, but much harder to get to. St. Bart's probably would be twice the cost of TCI.
Antigua after 2 visits is just not our favorite unless you go really high end.
As far as March in TCI, we've gone 3 yrs. in a row from around the 7th to the 18th-----2008, perfect weather---2009, a bit cooler, extremely windy(felt like Aruba) on the beach, so I was at the pool amoung the palm trees everyday---2010, the best weather, perfect for the beach every day and warm for eating outside at night.
The Royal West Indies is a very nice property(we love Mango Reef for lunch or dinner). It's a bit older(as is Ocean Club West) and in the same price range as Ocean Club West where we have stayed all three trips. Both properties are surrounded by much higher end places.
We prefer the location of OCW because it's a little closer to more shops and restaurants(look on a hotel location map). We have not rented a car, as we do on most islands, because OCW was so convenient to everything we wanted. They do have a shuttle to some places and cabs are always available (Tina's Taxis service, great) but sort of expensive. A huge grocery store is a 5 min. walk. We go out for dinner but like breakfast on our balcony and wine and snacks, etc. in the room. They do have a restaurant ouside by the beach for all 3 meals.
If we didn't stay at OCW, we'd stay at RWI. The original Ocean Club is also nice, but a bit too far away from what we like to do. So make sure you look at Ocean Club WEST. Also if you stay there upgrade 1 click to a Junior Suite. Some of the studio rooms are not in good locations, noisy-bad view. Also look on www.VRBO.com and www.homeaway.com for some very good deals from condo owners. Much better deal than the resorts themselves. We've rented from both services all over the world with great success.
Anguilla and St. Bart's are both favorites of ours, but much harder to get to. St. Bart's probably would be twice the cost of TCI.
Antigua after 2 visits is just not our favorite unless you go really high end.
As far as March in TCI, we've gone 3 yrs. in a row from around the 7th to the 18th-----2008, perfect weather---2009, a bit cooler, extremely windy(felt like Aruba) on the beach, so I was at the pool amoung the palm trees everyday---2010, the best weather, perfect for the beach every day and warm for eating outside at night.
The Royal West Indies is a very nice property(we love Mango Reef for lunch or dinner). It's a bit older(as is Ocean Club West) and in the same price range as Ocean Club West where we have stayed all three trips. Both properties are surrounded by much higher end places.
We prefer the location of OCW because it's a little closer to more shops and restaurants(look on a hotel location map). We have not rented a car, as we do on most islands, because OCW was so convenient to everything we wanted. They do have a shuttle to some places and cabs are always available (Tina's Taxis service, great) but sort of expensive. A huge grocery store is a 5 min. walk. We go out for dinner but like breakfast on our balcony and wine and snacks, etc. in the room. They do have a restaurant ouside by the beach for all 3 meals.
If we didn't stay at OCW, we'd stay at RWI. The original Ocean Club is also nice, but a bit too far away from what we like to do. So make sure you look at Ocean Club WEST. Also if you stay there upgrade 1 click to a Junior Suite. Some of the studio rooms are not in good locations, noisy-bad view. Also look on www.VRBO.com and www.homeaway.com for some very good deals from condo owners. Much better deal than the resorts themselves. We've rented from both services all over the world with great success.
May 19th, 2010, 07:56 PM
#13
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Thank you so much for all the information. I was looking into private villa homes, but looks like we are just going to have 3 couples and it's out of our price range (with flight). They are SOOOO beautiful though.
OCW sounds perfect. I would prefer to NOT rent a car, so the fact that there is a lot within walking distance is great. We never rent a car unless we're going to Hawaii. Prefer to use taxis so we don't have to worry about parking and driving on the wrong side of the road scares me a bit. We do the same thing - eat breakfast in the room and pack snacks for lunch and go out to dinner.
So glad to hear the weather was beautiful this March. We go to St. John in November and 2009 was the most rain we've ever seen. Usually passes pretty quickly over the mountains, and only a couple days throughout the week. But this year it was almost every day!
Thanks again for your help. If I have any other questions I'll be in touch.
OCW sounds perfect. I would prefer to NOT rent a car, so the fact that there is a lot within walking distance is great. We never rent a car unless we're going to Hawaii. Prefer to use taxis so we don't have to worry about parking and driving on the wrong side of the road scares me a bit. We do the same thing - eat breakfast in the room and pack snacks for lunch and go out to dinner.
So glad to hear the weather was beautiful this March. We go to St. John in November and 2009 was the most rain we've ever seen. Usually passes pretty quickly over the mountains, and only a couple days throughout the week. But this year it was almost every day!
Thanks again for your help. If I have any other questions I'll be in touch.
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