only1alexa

Good evening everyone. I need recommendations for a Caribbean resort for a family with 4 children. I returned this week from a terrible trip to Beaches Resort in Turks and Caicos and am certainly not returning to Turks and Caicos or any Beaches or Sandals resort EVER again.

The children will be 7,5,5,and 4 at the expected time of travel - the week before Memorial Day 2010. I need something that has plenty of activity for these four energetic children yet is laid back enough for two parents who just like some quiet time. My husband and I don't care for casinos, nightclubs, parties, etc., but we certainly won't exclude resorts that have all of that. We like the family beach time, swimming, snorkeling, diving, and good food. Food is a VERY big factor in where we stay. We don't care if it's all inclusive or not though we kind of like the all inclusives. I have visited Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Grenada. Grenada was beautiful but I wouldn't take the kids there, Puerto Rico is great but I haven't seen a really great resort on the beach, and I won't return to Jamaico or TCI. He has visited these as well as the Dominican Republic, Bermuda, and Barbados, with the Dominican Republic being his favorite. (Though that was a decade ago)

We also want something that will allow for some quiet time for just the two of us. One of the only bright spots of our recent trip was the candelight dinner for two on the beach. It was a very nice experience and we hope to do that again someplace else.

Roomwise we'd love something that accomodates all of us in one room or suite but that's not looking likely. Adjoining rooms is obviously our second choice with two rooms next to each other but not adjoining being our last choice.

We are light packers that like getting dressed up for dinner on occaision but don't want to have to do so every night. We don't mind walking a bit from our room to get to the restaurants, activities, and pools and usually pick resorts with rooms that are not all part of one huge building. We also have to have non-smoking accomodations. (Two of our children have allergy issues and asthma, though I'd never stay in a smoking room anyway.)

Can anyone offer advice? Any recommendations - either from places to visit or places to stay away from? I appreciate any advice, thank you.

Caribzack

Question...? I can understand no return to Beaches Turks & Caicos--not my scene but,not return to the entire island of Turks & Caicos? May I ask why? Did you leave the resort and look at other resorts? The dining is great, visits to other Islands , wonderful people etc...just wonder why the blanket statement? We have been to 20+ Islands , love Turks and Anguilla best.

emcash

I too was surprised to read your comment about never going to T&C again- i can understand not wanting to go to Beaches, but the whole island? perhaps you have been to T&C before and are making that statement based on that,but i wouldn't let your experience at aBeaches mar your view of an island.

i was going to suggest T&C , but since you don't want to go there, I would suggest maybe Atlantis in the Bahamas. I think it's a step (or a few steps) above a Beaches resort and would definitely have enough to keep your kids busy, while giving you enough options for quiet time with your DH.

I would not suggest Anguilla- though my favorite island to date, not somewhere I would go with kids.

virginia

i too would like to know why you found provo so distasteful.
my suggestion would have been fdrpebbles on jamaica but you don't want to go there either. at least take a look at it...
perhaps if you could tell us what it is about particular islands you don't like we could suggest alternatives.
when you stay at an ai do you leave the resort?

for swim, dive, snorkel & dine well i'd say grand cayman might be a good choice. the island resembles provo but is more sophisticated. when i went i stayed in a villa on the north side of the island, so i can't really suggest specific resorts but others on here could. no ai's on seven mile beach, but if you want to dine well ai's should be off your list anyway.

only1alexa

I apologize for not being so clear about why I will never return to TCI. Here's the rest of the story lol: I was reading the local paper and saw that there was a robbery at gunpoint at a Grace Bay restaurant, a hotel employee (not a Beaches employee) was forced to drive to Beaches to get help after a couple men tried to get into her car near the resort, and another couple at Beaches told me they were warned by their driver of recent spikes in robberies and what they described as carjacking attempts in the nearby area. Could be they were paranoid but they were pretty unnerved by what they were told and the newspaper stories were from the week I on the island.
That wouldn't be enough to deter me from visiting an entire Island, but the fact that my husband almost got into a fight with an airport employee and the overall attitude many of us got while in the Provo airport is enough for me to think that the service issues are not just a Beaches problem. This issue with my husband and the employee happened after the employee and another worker got into a verbal argument in front of our kids which resulted in this employee letting out a string of profanities while trying to get us to let him help us with our bags, again in front of the kids. My husband told him "No thank you" and the guy got pissed so my husband explained that he doesn't use that kind of language in front of our kids. Well, that peeved the guy enough for him to walk toward my husband as if he were going to start a physical confrontation. Fortunately the guy came to his senses and stopped short when my husband stood up to him. That didn't stop the jerk from walking by twice as we waited in line to give my husband dirty looks. (not being paranoid, the guy just walked by, gave him a look as if he wanted to start something, then walked out...then did it again.)
As for Jamaica, Ocho Rios was BEAUTIFUL, but I didn't feel as safe as I have on other islands so I don't want to travel through there with four little ones in tow. If it were an adults only trip I wouldn't mind. My husband and I are both law enforcement officers and neither of us feel comfortable with taking the kids to Jamaica though. (I don't know how I ended up typing never again to Jamaica, I think I'm realizing I'm not going anywhere without the kids for a VERY long time lol. So it seems like I'll never get a chance to go back.)
I hope that helps you understand why I dismissed Turks and Caicos as a whole though. I truly had a miserable trip and am just not willing to risk it when there are so many other beautiful islands to explore. Maybe in a few years I'll give it another chance...

virginia

hi alexa, thanks for going into detail. i appreciate it and while your experience won't deter me from going back to provo i can understand why you feel as you do - and i do not have kids in tow.

so i think even more that grand cayman would be a nice choice for you. tourism is very well established and they do not have provos current issues. (there has been some suggestion that provo is experiencing an illegal immigrant issue with ppl coming from dom rep/haiti & that this has increased robberies, etc)
staying in the villa for almost 3 wks we met quite a few caymanians. very nice ppl, most are at church every sunday morning. i would have felt safe leaving kids with my villa manager or one of her children - well they were 25-40 but... very very nice folks. while i frown on captive dolphins there is a place on island you can go that might be a cool experience for your kids. across the street is a turtle farm. kids will enjoy the botanical gardens too, besides the plants are green parrots loose & in cage and blue iguanas wandering around. rum point is fun to spend an afternoon. stingray city - shallow spot where you can pet rays.

to accomodate your family, would you consider a villa or condo? could solve the rooms for all problem. would probably cost less. kids could play on their 'own' beach while you relax and watch them. many come with daily housekeeper to make beds, clean up kitchen, baths, sweep sand, etc. many villas have a private pool. you'd save on meals too. we mostly eat breakfast and lunch at home and dinner out a few times per week. (we travel with a cooler of food but that's another issue)
you might consider the reef resort which has kids program/activities - on the east end of the island (45 mins drive from seven mile beach - main hotel area) or on seven mile maybe the westin resort with kids club for 4-12.