The Ultimate Guide to Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort (Based on 4 Visits)

Family vacations can serve many purposes. They can be the perfect way to reconnect as a family as a break from busy, hectic schedules. They can be a conduit for learning about different cultures and meeting new people. They can be a way to have an exciting adventure. And, they can be a way to just have a fabulous time together.

At Beaches Turks and Caicos, an all-inclusive resort (and one of the top resorts in Turks and Caicos), located on the Caribbean island of Providenciales, families can enjoy a little bit of all of these things.

Over the past five years, I’ve visited Beaches Turks and Caicos four times – once solo, and three times with my family. This resort is truly the model for what a family resort can be, with activities and amenities that appeal to everyone from toddlers to adults. It really is one of the best places to stay in Turks and Caicos for families.

Disclosure: My first three-night stay at Beaches was complimentary as part of an event. Our second seven-night stay and our fourth six-night stay were at our own expense. On our third stay, we paid our own way but did receive a room upgrade. All opinions are my own.

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A Guide to Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort

Arriving At Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos

Upon landing at the tiny Providenciales airport, you’ll deplane through an outdoor ramp that is wheeled over to your plane. Once you go through immigration and customs and claim your luggage, you’ll walk out of the small airport to the outdoors.

The length of time this takes depends on how busy the airport is that that time. You’ll save time if you are one of the first off the plane – either in the front few rows or the back few rows.

Head to the left, and you’ll see a Beaches welcome area. There, you’ll be guided to your transfer to the airport, once you provide your information and be directed to a van.

The total trip to the resort is about 15 minutes, and we generally only wait a few minutes to board a van. These are small vans, not buses, so they are constantly running. The vans make stops at each village (depending on the passengers in the van), so you’ll be exactly where you need to be when you arrive.

Checking in at the resort was simple. I was offered a complimentary rum punch beverage when I arrived (alcoholic and non-alcoholic are options), and after filling out a little bit of information, I received my key. Each village has its own front desk and reception area so they generally aren’t too busy. If you have concierge service on your room, you’ll be guided to a quieter concierge area.

On our second, third, and fourth trips, we arrived pretty early in the morning and our room wasn’t ready yet. We were guided towards a changing facility, where we shed our winter garb and changed into something more beach appropriate.

We were able to go for lunch, and then our room was ready when we were finished.

If you may arrive earlier than check-in time and are coming from a cooler climate, it’s a good idea to put some clothes in an easily accessible spot so you can quickly find them and change. You’ll also want to have sunscreen available because the Turks and Caicos sun can be warm!

Butler Service and Concierge Service With Beaches Turks and Caicos Rooms

As you book your stay at Beaches Turks and Caicos, you’ll see that butler or concierge service is included with some of the rooms. These services are absolutely not necessary but do add some additional services to your stay.

For instance, those with butler service may have reserved areas at the pools and beach (including cabanas), can access room service, are escorted directly to each restaurant for dinner (with reserved spaces), and get private transfers to the airport and luggage packing and unpacking services, in addition to many other luxury services.

In my opinion, the biggest benefit to the butler service is the reserved pool/beach chairs/cabanas. If it’s a busy time at the resort, those pool and beach chairs are reserved early, despite the signs asking guests not to reserve.

Note that while tipping isn’t expected throughout the resort, butlers are one of the few exceptions (spa employees are another exception).

During my first, third, and fourth visits, I had concierge service added, and while I didn’t really take full advantage of it, there were definitely some great benefits. These include access to the concierges to book the reservation-only restaurant, daily snorkeling trips, a Dad and Me basketball shootout, a concierge lounge, and restocking of in-room bars. Without concierge service, you can book the trips and the restaurant on your own.

Upon arrival at the resort, I received a menu with different wine and alcohol options. I could choose what I wanted, and they were delivered a few minutes later. Guests without a concierge also get the option of two bottles of wine, but they aren’t generally restocked.

Beaches Turks and Caicos Rooms

Booking a room at Beaches may seem a bit complicated because there are so many options. In fact, there are 44 room categories offered at the resort. A number of “villages” comprise the resort, including Key West, Italian Village, French Village, Seaside Villas, and Caribbean Village. These areas all have décor matching their theme.

It’s very easy to move among the villages, however, so think more about what type of room you want to stay in and less about where you think you’ll be spending the night. The walk throughout the villages is very easy. A shuttle, called Da Train, is offered, but I’ve never needed to use it.

Room types include villas, family suites, and individual rooms. You may not be spending too much time in your room, so keep that in mind as you decide what type of room to book.

If you are traveling with grandparents, a villa is a great option. These accommodations, located in the Key West section, include kitchens and washer/dryer facilities.

While you won’t need the kitchen, since the resort is all-inclusive, it’s so nice to have the washer/dryer. I was able to wash all of my clothes on my last night and returned home with a suitcase full of clean clothes.

Room amenities do vary based upon the room type and village area but include complimentary WiFi (higher speed WiFi is available at an additional cost), coffee maker, clock radios, televisions, satellite television, and air conditioning.

I was able to use the complimentary WiFi with no issues, but if you have to work during your vacation, it may be worthwhile to pay for the upgrade. You generally can’t stream on this free WiFi, and it does sometimes drop service.

For our second stay, we booked a French Village Luxury Walkout Double. This room contained two double beds as well as a chair that pulled out into a single bed. As a “walkout”, we also had a small patio with two chairs and a table right on the first floor.

Room amenities for this particular room included a coffee maker, a safe, a television (with some, but not all US stations), a small table, a chair, and a stocked refrigerator.

Daily, the refrigerator was restocked with soda, water, juices, and beer. This is one of the least expensive room categories but it was still very comfortable for our family.

On our third visit, we were upgraded to a Family Suite in the Italian Village. These rooms can accommodate up to six guests, with a king bed and pull-out couch in the main room, and a bunk bed with a trundle in a separate sleeping area.

Our room included a small desk with chair, lots of drawers, two closets, a safe, a coffee maker, a stocked mini-fridge (with juice, sodas, and beer), a double sink in the bathroom, a separate sink in the kids’ area, a shower, a tub, and more. There was lots of space for my family to spread out.

The family suites include two televisions, so the kids can watch something different from you. There’s also a checker/chessboard table. Bring your own pieces from home or you can borrow them from the activity center.

During our fourth stay, we booked the Seaside Honeymoon One Bedroom Concierge Villa Suite. Despite the name, this was the perfect room for a family of four. It included a bedroom with a king bed and a main room with a couch with a trundle, a large bathroom with a shower and tub, a wet bar with sink and mini fridge, a table with two chairs, and a great outdoor patio with lots of seating.

The Seaside location that we had, Parrot Cay Villas, was very central and the perfect location for us. We especially loved the patio, which was perfect for sitting and waiting while the rest of the family got ready for dinner.

Things to Do at Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos: Activities and Amenities

I could do an entirely separate article about things to do at Beaches because there truly is so much. Of course, as you’d expect, the gorgeous beach is a big part of the draw here. Located on Grace Bay (among the best beaches in Turks and Caicos, the beach is filled with lounge chairs and umbrellas so you could really spend a full day there.

While the January (and February, in subsequent visits) water was a bit chilly, even for this Bostonian, I did still cool off a bit in the sea. If you don’t want to swim, it’s nice to even sit and read a book as you enjoy the gorgeous turquoise waters.

Food isn’t available at the beach. However, it’s pretty easy to head back up to one of the restaurants for a quick break before enjoying an afternoon on the water.

We especially enjoyed setting up at the far end of the beach by the Jerk Shack. Then, we’d head up for a quick lunch before going back to our seats at the beach.

Water sports are also available, including scuba diving (for certified divers), snorkeling, aqua trikes, paddle boarding, kayaks, and much more. Unlike other all-inclusive resorts, motorized water sports are included at Beaches, just one of the reasons it’s one of the best all-inclusive Turks and Caicos resorts.

All of this is dependent upon beach conditions – if it’s a red or yellow flag day, options will be limited. If your family enjoys water sports, this is definitely a huge benefit. These are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

One day, my husband and daughter got a kayak and paddled around in the water. On another day, we got snorkels and walked a short distance to the reef. We saw turtles, rays, and so many fish during our brief snorkeling excursion.

An hour trip on a glass-bottom boat is also included with your stay. This can be booked through your concierge (if you have one) or with the dive shop. Snorkeling trips are also offered.

We decided to do a glass-bottom boat ride on our third trip and enjoyed it. Board the boat, and you’ll travel to the reef for fish and sea turtles. We didn’t see a turtle but did see some fish.

It’s worth the 60 minutes, even if you don’t see much. The boat ride itself is fun, but don’t forget your sunscreen. It’s hot out on the water!

If you’d prefer to do a longer water excursion or other water sports that aren’t included in your stay, there are several desks where you can book a trip. These are offered at an additional fee.

Prefer to explore the included Beaches Turks and Caicos waterpark? You’ll find three large water slides, two medium slides, several small slides, a lazy river, a surf simulator, as well as other water activities. There’s also a fun little kids’ swim-up bar with non-alcoholic drink options.

Everything is right there and included in your stay. Regardless of where you are staying, it’s just a short walk.

Staying in the French Village, we were so close to the water park. We never spent the whole day at the water park however, preferring to spend an hour daily. If you stay in the other locations, you can easily walk to the water park.

There are also a whole bunch of pools on the property. We counted six, including four large pools (French Village, Italian Village, Iguana’s pool, and Arizona’s pool), and two smaller ones in the Key West Village.

The water in the pools was so warm, and we enjoyed spending so much time in them. Some of the pools had swim-up bars and other activities, like water volleyball. The Italian Village pool is the largest and busiest, with daily poolside activities.

Cabanas at the pools are generally reserved for butler service. However, on occasion, empty cabanas can be rented out by other guests. We were lucky enough to be able to rent one at the Caribbean Village pool during our stay.

To check on availability, visit the sales office in the Caribbean Village. They generally know what’s available by 9 am, but it could be later. You can also visit the day (or more) before and ask them to call you if one becomes available the next day.

With the rented cabana, you won’t get butler service. However, it will be set up with a stocked cooler (with beverages) and towels. The cabanas generally include a small couch, a table with two chairs, four chaise lounges, a ceiling fan, and an outlet so you can keep your devices charged.

Kids ages 0-17 years can spend some time in the kids’ camps. Little ones (up to 4 years) can enjoy Camp Sesame, which is open from 9 am to 9 pm (with 2-hour-long breaks). The regular kids camp is available for kids 5-10 from 9 am to 9 pm.

There’s also a tween and teen club for older kids. If you need babysitting outside of the scope and/or hours of the kids’ clubs, sitters are offered at an additional price.

There’s plenty of entertainment each day and night. Little kids will especially love all of the Sesame Street characters and events that are offered as part of the Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street. A schedule was placed in my room each evening with a listing of the next day’s events.

Some of the offerings over the week included a Turks and Caicos culture night (complete with a Fire Dance spectacle), a Sesame Street parade, live musical entertainment, shows, poolside activities, and a street party.

Each week, there are themed musical theater shows performed on the property, and twice a week, local artists and merchants set up booths with their wares for you to purchase.

Several days per week, they offer tie-dye. You can purchase a white shirt in the gift shop or in a set up by the tie-dye, or bring your own from home.

On our most recent stay, we enjoyed the Friday night Street Festival. In the past, there were two different festivals – a Beach Party and a Fish Fry event. Now, there’s one event with food, Sesame Street characters, vendors, entertainment, and more.

Beaches Resort also includes lots of other activities and amenities, including the Red Lane Spa (services offered at an additional fee), fitness centers, tennis, volleyball, lawn chess, basketball, and more. You can also borrow board games from the activity center.

In addition to the vendor fairs, there’s lots of other shopping to be done at the resort. There are boutiques, gift shops, a jewelry shop, and a candy store with some Build-a-Bear products.

Family photos are offered at the resort, and lots of families take advantage of that opportunity. There’s an additional fee to purchase them, but the sitting is free. If you want to do this, you may want to pack outfits for the pictures.

The highlight of my first trip was the Reading Road Trip. We had the opportunity to bring some of our favorite books to read to local schoolchildren. I brought along Make Way for Ducklings, a book that takes place in Boston. As I read to them, I answered some questions about Boston and the US (they were fascinated by the idea of snow) and learned about their lives.

It’s absolutely a worthwhile detour on your family vacation – learn more about it here. (Note – if you go, the kids were especially interested in getting coloring books, so bring some along to give them).

During our last three trips, we were unable to do the reading road trip because the schools were closed for midterms. We still wanted to give back, so we decided to Pack for a Purpose, which is another program offered by Sandals.

After reading the wish list, we purchased school supplies like construction paper, scissors, and crayons, and packed them in our suitcase. Upon arriving at the resort, we dropped them off at the front desk.

Restaurants At Beaches

As an all-inclusive resort, Beaches makes sure that you’ll never go hungry. There are 22 specialty dining concepts scattered throughout the resort, all with different cuisines and themes. Several of them are slightly more upscale.

A few require resort evening apparel – so pack long pants and nice shirts if you want to be able to eat at these spots. In most cases, you can just walk up to the restaurant you’ll want to dine at, although Kimonos, the teppanyaki restaurant, requires reservations (and is definitely worthwhile).

If you want to eat at Kimonos, make your reservations when you arrive for the greatest availability. You can either call directly or if you have concierge service, they can make the reservation for you.

There are enough restaurants where you could easily try something different each night. Cuisines include Japanese, Caribbean, Italy, and Indian. It’s fun to wake up in the morning and think about the various cuisines you can try throughout the day. Our favorite restaurants were the following:

Barefoot by the Sea: This outdoor restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a casual (and sandy) environment. My favorite dish was the fish tacos at lunch.

Arizona’s: We loved lunch here, with a built-your-own taco grill located right by the beach. It’s fun and casual.

Mario’s: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner with an Italian buffet for dinner on the weekends. This is a large restaurant so there is generally more availability.

Soy: Delicious sushi for dinner (we went there three times, and could have returned another time!)

The Jerk Shack: This casual, open-air shack serves fish, pork, and chicken. This was my favorite lunch on the property, and the perfect stop if you are spending the day at the beach. There’s also a delicious rum punch bar adjacent.

Neptunes: Our favorite breakfast – my kids loved the pancakes, and I loved the avocado toast.

Schooners: This beautiful beachfront restaurant serves breakfast and dinner. Dinner is mostly seafood specialties, although my kids loved the chicken.

We also loved Cafe de Paris for coffee in the morning and desserts during the day, Bobby Dees for ice cream, popcorn, and cotton candy, and the Mr. Mac food truck in the water park for deep-fried mac bites.

One thing I did notice is the lack of quick healthy snacks. There’s popcorn, ice cream, and desserts, but in general, finding healthy snacks during the day was a little difficult.

As the mom of a child with food allergies, I’m always concerned with how resorts handle dietary restrictions. I was impressed with how well Beaches handles food allergies. The servers always asked about allergies before taking orders, and we were able to accommodate requests.

There’s also a culinary concierge who can assist with special requests – especially if your allergies make it challenging to order off the menu.

What Else to Know for a Stay at Beaches

You won’t need to tip employees at Beaches Turks and Caicos, so you really won’t need to bring too much cash along with you for tips (note that spa staff and butlers do accept tips). The currency in Turks and Caicos is US dollars, and you may want to have cash if you plan to purchase from the local vendors who set up for the craft show and the Street Party.

There are no ATMs on the property. Electrical outlets are the same as those in the United States, (120 volts, 60 cycle) so converters aren’t necessary if you are American. A nurse is available from 8 am-10 pm, if necessary, right on the property.

When it’s time to return to the Providenciales Airport, Beaches Resort will arrange for your complimentary transportation. The day before my departure, I had a form in my room The time I needed to have my luggage ready, the time of check out, and the time of my airport shuttle.

Your time will be pretty early since you’ll need to arrive well in advance for your international flight. The airport typically requires you to be there three hours in advance for an international flight. However, for my most recent flight, our departure time was 2 hours and 50 minutes before our flight.

Keep in mind that there’s only one place to eat at the small airport, so eat before your departure if you can. If you have an early departure, the breakfast buffet restaurants are open early. Check the exact times on the night before you depart.

Guests staying in Key West Village are picked up at that lobby, while guests of the other villages are picked up at the departure lounge. Late check-outs can sometimes be arranged for an additional fee.

Otherwise, there are facilities available at the departure lounge so you can change. Lockers are available in the departure lounge, but you’ll want to bring along your own lock if you plan to use them.

If you’d prefer to stay at the resort longer, there’s an optional Airport Fast Track service that can be booked through the Island Routes desk. With the Fast Track, you’ll be brought to the airport later, and will be greeted by someone who will help you check in and navigate customs. It’s available during both arrival and departure.

See more about Beaches Turks and Caicos here .

Edit: A commenter has mentioned there are no adult-only restaurants here anymore, but we haven’t returned to confirm that.