St. Martin?
 

I am finding it hard to get air from Seattle to Turks and Caicos for under a thousand pp (and I'll go to Europe for that amount of money) but I can get to St. Martin for half the cost. I'm wondering if you guys recommend this island. I don't know where to begin or which side to stay on. I prefer calmer waters but you can't get it all. We have two swimming kids 7, 5 years and they are well behaved. We like nice resorts (400 a night or so) on the beach, nice grounds and pool area. We'd mostly stay at the resort. Any suggestions for places or which side? Thanks.

i would suggest the Radisson Hotel on the French side.
it's a lovely setting.
calm beach, beautiful pool, beautiful grounds

http://www.radisson.com/stmartin

I have not yet stayed on St. Martin but have been to Anguilla which is a quick ferry ride from St. Martin. It is very similar to T&C so you may want to look into it. Beaches are incredible and the restuarants are the best I have found in the Caribbean (I understand the same is true about SXM restaurants). Hotels you may want to check out are Cap Juluca, Malliouhana, Frangipani and Ku (though they may not allow younger kids). Anguilla is very quiet and laid back and you will need to rent a car. Or look into a villa...Spyglass looks nice.

I've stayed many time in St. Martin. Nice beaches, but not as nice as Anguilla. I now go to Anguilla every year and stay at CuisinArt. If you have small children, Cap Jaluca is probably a better bet since it has more activities for children than CuisinArt. Both are excellent hotels. There is a new hotel called The Viceroy. It's very expensive and located at a very nice beach. I don't like Ku hotel nor its location, even though the beach is also excellent. It is not a five star hotel, more like a 3 star.

I highly recommend the Radisson in Anse Marcel on St. Martin. We stayed there last year. The beach there is very nice and the water is calm, perfect for kids. They also have a large pool right next to the beach. In addition, St. Martin has some great dining options. It is worth renting a car if even for a day or two just to explore the island a bit. You can also take cabs to Grand Case for great dining, both expensive and inexpenive at the lolo's.