Better than a juice box
I’m often asked, “What is your favorite hotel?” As much as we travel, that’s a tough question. But if you ask my kids, they will tell you they love The Somerset on Grace Bay. My favorite description of this resort comes from a Frommer’s review in the New York Times, “This new resort looks and feels like old money. Gobs of old money.”
Ok, don’t stop reading, you can afford this. They even run specials, really. My kids don’t love it because it’s fancy, they love it because the staff treats them like family, the kids’ club meets under a coconut tree and the bellman Winston aka DJ Snoopy lets them spin records at parties. Even after experiencing the sublime Parrot Cay on our last Turks and Caicos trip, they still love The Somerset.
“Ok boys, chicks dig this move, give it a try”
Here’s the 411
Getting to Providenciales (that’s the main island in Turks and Caicos and where you want to fly in to)
A bazillion airlines fly here, even JetBlue. You need a passport, but it’s a British Protectorate, they speak English and all business is done in the US Dollar.
Getting to The Somerset- They will pick you up at the airport. You really don’t need a rental car on the island, the hotel shuttle will take you anywhere you need to go.
They have really young shuttle drivers
Booking your room- We love that the property has enormous accommodations for our enormous family. All of the rooms are suites and have full kitchens. Not that I ever want to cook on vacation, but we stock it with pb&j, cheerios and other snack items so that we don’t spend our entire budget on food at the pool restaurant. If you order before you arrive, they will stock your kitchen for you, score.
They have one bedroom garden view rooms at great rates that can easily accommodate a smaller family. We like the three bedroom ocean view suite. It’s ridonkulous. It has a wrap around porch with views and sort of feels like you have your very own seaside mansion. This is less affordable, but way more awesome. Regardless of what room you book, the beach is what you care about.
This is just the living room, the suite was bigger than our first house
Napping on the wrap around porch-heaven.
Grace Bay beach-This eight mile stretch of powdery white sand might have racked up the most awards of any beach ever. I’m not going to bore with all of their “World’s Best Beach” accolades because it would take up the rest of my post. But the sand really does feel (and look) like powdered sugar and the water really is that surreal aqua blue. It’s kind of like a dream sequence, it’s that amazing.
Kids Club- Want to enjoy an umbrella drink on the beach and read your book? Kids don’t agree? Enter the FREE Kids’ Club at The Somerset. Yes, FREE. And you don’t have to sign up, space limited, blah, blah, blah. They meet under the coconut tree and have such fun activities like making your own kite, baking cookies in the hotel kitchen, outdoor movies, etc. that your kids WANT to be there. The program is run by the amazing Miss Tracy who is a school teacher and all of the counselors are similarly trained, they know how to keep kids interested-read “away from you”.
Making kites at Kids’ Club under the coconut tree
It works!!!!!
You can read more of my tips on fab restaurants, must try spas and adventure activities in Turks and Caicos on the Exclusive Resorts Blog (I’m their family travel blogger).
In case you were wondering, the dance lessons worked out for Wilson. The beach party in front of the hotel was the “best night of his life”.
I told her I was in third grade, but I’m mature for my age
How you doin’ ah?
I was the guest of The Somerset however my children’s opinions cannot be bought with free rooms, since to them, all rooms are free.