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Beaches Turks & Caicos: 10 Things To Know Before You Go

Have you ever been to Beaches Turks & Caicos? Here’s what you need to know before your next Beaches vacation.

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Beaches Resorts sign

A week ago, I enjoyed paradise at Beaches Turks and Caicos as part of the Beaches Social Media on the Sand Conference (where I received a discounted stay as part of my conference fee). I had an amazing time while there, but there are also some things I wish I’d known ahead of time to make my stay even more magical.

In fact, this article may convince you to book your own Beaches vacation. After five visits myself, I’m hooked!

Personally, I can’t wait to go back for so many reasons, and I know you’ll feel the same. If you’re planning your own Beaches vacation, here are 10 things you need to know about the resort before you fly.

Looking for more tips? Check the tips at the end of this article for more ways to make the most of your vacation.

Ten Things To Know About Beaches Turks & Caicos

There are four different villages within the Beaches Turks & Caicos

Key West Village is the newest, but none feel dated. Each village has a different feel to it, and they are all within walking distance of each other, but they aren’t nearby.

Beaches has also recently started construction on a new village that will be on the far side of the property past the Caribbean Village and the Jerk Shack. This village will not be ready until summer of 2023 at the earliest.

All villages have restaurants within them, so always have somewhere to eat. You can eat at any restaurant across the entire resort at no charge, and yes, you can eat at multiple restaurants per mealtime, too.

Each village has its own pool or pools, though they have different vibes. If you want quiet, book in the French Village or Key West. The Caribbean Village tends to be the most busy, but that doesn’t mean it’s loud all night long.

I averaged over 20,000 steps per day at Beaches Resorts. If you are traveling with friends, make sure you stay in the same village.

Each village has its own front desk concierge for check in, although any of them can assist you with any questions you may have. Given the size of the resort, check out the map provided at check in and gain your bearings before you start walking.

Although there are plenty of sign posts throughout the resort, they don’t always include the specific location you may be trying to get to.

How to navigate Beaches Turks and Caicos

Beaches is an all inclusive resort, but a few things that aren’t included

All food and beverages are included, with the exception of some bottles of wine at a few restaurants. It is very clear from the menu presented before you order if you are about to step into an “extra” charge.

The Red Lane Spa, of course, is not included, nor are the shops within the resort. There is a complimentary snorkeling excursion, but there is also a more extensive excursion for $25 per person.

The Island Routes desk also arranges additional excursions for you from submarine tours under water to wildlife preserves to SNUBA and more, with the cost varying per excursion. Many specialty excursions sell out, so consider booking your extras before you travel.

If you have a C-card, your one and two tank dives are complimentary, but if you are new to diving and getting certified, there is a fee. Depending on how long since your most recent dive, you may need to do a refresher course ($140) or just a check in.

Beaches and Sandals Resorts also offer a program for experienced divers called the Sandals Elite Diver that provides additional perks to those divers for a one time fee.

This article shares everything you need to know about diving at Beaches Resorts.

That said, it is entirely possible to enjoy your stay doing new things nonstop and not spend a dime aside from your room charges.

The resort is cashless

When you check in, you receive a room key that operates your door as well as working as a payment card throughout the resort as needed. This does not have your room number on it for security.

Around the resort, if you purchase anything from the shops or use the Red Lane Spa, for example, you present the room key to pay and then can choose at checkout whether to pay the total amount in cash or via the credit card you left on file. Place your cash and credit cards in your room safe and forget about your money for awhile.

When they say no tipping, they really mean no tipping

You cannot tip waiters or your housekeepers or bartenders or anyone on the resort. The only exception is the onsite butlers and spa attendants, as well as the airport transfer drivers, as none of them is employed by Beaches Resorts.

If you indulge in a Red Lane Spa service, check your charge when you sign it. It now includes a service charge that includes a tip. You are more than welcome to add to this, but know that a tip has been incorporated.

In general, however, Beaches Resorts forbids tipping. If you offer a tip, it puts them in an awkward position, so please don’t try.

Employees who take tips can lose their jobs for doing so.

If you receive great service, let the resort management know who was simply outstanding by giving them a good writeup in “The Loop” within the Beaches app. That ensures they receive the recognition they deserve. Beaches Resorts has many incentive programs in place, and this plays into those.

Note that you have access to The Loop only while on property. You can also use The Loop to ask questions of management, give them suggestions, or note issues you come across during your stay.

Bring a pair of pants for men

Although it is warm and tropical, there are some restaurants that require resort evening attire at night that includes pants for men and no t-shirts. We know some people who were turned away from eating there because they hadn’t brought any.

The information book you receive at check in clearly marks all restaurants that require resort attire, as well as which are adults only. Currently, those restaurants include Club Liquid, Sopadillas, Turtles Bar, and Le Petit Chateau (ages 12+).

There are plenty of other options that are resort casual, however, where you must cover up swimwear and wear shoes. I can’t recommend Le Petit Chateau or Sopadillas enough, however, so definitely bring appropriate attire!

While they do not always enforce this, you do not want to risk it. Again, like tipping, this places employees in an awkward position, so just respect the resort rules.

The only restaurant to require a reservation is Kimonos

Kimono’s is the tepanyaki restaurant, which means they have limited seating and the seating needs to go in waves. You can make reservations only for the current day, but if you forget, they may have openings if you stop by for dinner.

All other restaurants are first come, first served. We never had to wait to be seated, but in a more busy time, that does sometimes happen. With over 20 dining options, you will find somewhere to eat!

If you travel during busy times, plan to head to the restaurant 20-30 minutes before you truly want to eat to get your name in, then enjoy a drink at a nearby bar while you wait.

For lunch, Bella Napoli provides great pizzas, but the wait there also gets long simply because the pizza oven has limited capacity. Definitely plan to order well in advance of when you wish to eat there.

You can’t eat everywhere in a four day vacation

But that’s ok, you can try. I hate wasting food, but I also want to try things that I don’t normally eat.

Beaches gets that, and I loved that in general, the portions were fairly small, which means you can try more foods. I don’t normally eat three or four course dinners, but I was able to order a small appetizer, a small salad, a small main course, and a small dessert and walk away not feeling stuffed.

The food portions are designed for tastings. I may or may not have eaten at more than one restaurant each meal.

This let me attempt to experience as much as possible in the time I was there. So yes, you can get an appetizer at one restaurant and your main course at another.

Want to make sure you enjoy the best of the best? I noted the 13 meals you absolutely cannot miss at Beaches Turks and Caicos in this article.

Food at Bayside Restaurant at Beaches Turks and Caicos

Yes, you can eat when you arrive late at night

And speaking of dining… there aren’t many flights into and out of Turks & Caicos. If you are on a later flight – currently the two major arrival times are clustered around 2pm and 9pm – you won’t arrive at Beaches until close to 10pm or later.

The airport won’t have any food available, and you will likely arrive hungry. The restaurants at Beaches aren’t open late by Chicago standards.

Most resort restaurants close at 9:30pm, and the Cricketeer Pub may be open until 2am, but the kitchen closes at 10pm. Instead, head straight for Bobby Dee’s in the French village. It is open until 6am and serves diner food and makes a mean milkshake, too.

When making your flight reservations, do your best to fly in early in the day

You want to get that 10:30am JetBlue flight or that 2pm-ish American flight and fly home later in the day.

Why? Remember you’re flying international, and Beaches Resorts makes sure you have no chance to miss your flight.

The 9am flight home means a 6:30am shuttle to the airport from Beaches, and that’s not my favorite way to end a vacation. Later flights – those leaving from 2pm to 3:30pm have a shuttle at 11:30 or 12:30, which gives you plenty of time in the morning to have breakfast and enjoy the resort one last little bit before heading home and leaving your paradise.

Sunset at Beaches Turks and Caicos

Part of the fun of Beaches is all the included watersports

In the water park, there is a SurfStream surfing simulator that is fun for both kids and adults (more on that later), but there are also free activities on the beach from Aqua Trikes to windsurfing to kayaking and more.

If you want to participate in the free snorkeling tour, sign up one day in advance. I highly recommend you do so, as the snorkeling fills up.

Additionally, if the water is rough or there are weather issues, for safety reasons, they may also cancel snorkeling (which they did when we were there), so signing up early in your trip so that you don’t miss out on snorkeling is a good idea.

Want more info on what you can enjoy? This articles shares all the details on free watersports at Beaches Resorts Turks and Caicos. The Jamaica resorts include more options like banana boat rides that are prohibited in Turks for ecological reasons.

Ready to book your own Beaches Resorts vacation?

Book through this link to get the guaranteed lowest rate on your vacation, as well as any extras Beaches Resorts offers when you book!

More tips to make the most of your vacation

Reasons to visit Beaches Resorts

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  1. tiffany says:

    Hi Michelle,

    My fiance and I have our hopes set high to visit Turks and Caicos this year most likely in October/Novemeber. Just wondering if the weather is nice then and about what temperatures should we expect? Also, since you’ve walked possibly the whole resort from your comments in your blog, what village did you think was the nicest one to wish to stay at? Im sure they are all beautiful, but which one was more ideal for young couples, closest to activities and restaurants and the water ofcourse?

    • Michelle says:

      I was there near the end of October, and it was absolutely gorgeous. Not unbearably hot at all but definitely beach weather. I have definitely walked the entire resort. Repeatedly! The villages all have slightly different personalities. The Key West Village is the one we stayed in. It’s probably the quietest village and the one on the far “west” of the resort. The Italian Village and the Carribbean Village are the closest to the water and pools, meaning also the water activities. The restaurants are spread throughout the resort, so you’re always close to one, no matter where you stay. The French Village is set furthest back but has an awesome pool near it and some of the more fun restaurants like Roy’s and such are at the convergence of the last three villages. I would probably recommend the Carribbean Village, with the Italian Village as an almost tied choice. No matter where you stay, you won’t regret it! I hope that helps 🙂

  2. Sherry says:

    Great job! Straightforward and a perfect primer & planning tool. I think you will have many new eyes looking at this with the recent emails this week. Hope to see you there in October-I’ll have one of those drinks in your photo, please!

    • Michelle says:

      Awww, thank you, Sherry! I hope to catch you there again in October. The drinks were great – and I loved how they made the straw sculptures with so many of them. That just made them taste better!

  3. Excited Mom says:

    Thank you for your wonderful info. We are going to Beaches next week for Spring Break. I know it will be crowded. But just happy to get away form the snow! I am just curious….Is this one of those resorts where you need to get up at the crack of dawn to save a beach chair? Can you reserve chairs and umbrellas the night before? We are staying in Key West Grande. Traveling with two teens daughters. If you have any other advise I would love to hear.
    Thank you so much!

    • Michelle says:

      Thanks – I appreciate the feedback. I still need to post about all the dining options and recommendations. Hoping actually to get that up this week. Maybe! When I was there, there were always a TON of chairs. We never had any issues, but it wasn’t truly high season. That said, I know people who have been during high season and not had issues. You can’t reserve chairs the night before, as the staff goes through and cleans everything at night once the pools close down (and set up the cutest little towel displays in the cabanas – make sure you check them out each day). The beach with the chairs and such there were less used even than the pools. You’ll have a blast – wish I were going again, too! Have fun 🙂

  4. Tara says:

    great tips! totally agree on not being able to try all the restaurants in one trip, but I look forward to trying the others next time 🙂

    • Michelle says:

      Thanks, Tara! We did our best to trying as many of them as possible (and a post to come just on restaurants), but 20 restaurants is impressive for a single resort!

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