A Castle at The Sands

Canadian Travel Press
Oct 16, 2006

By Greg Coates

In keeping with the tropical, relaxing lifestyle of the Turks & Caicos, The Sands at Grace Bay offers guests the luxury of keeping busy or doing nothing at all.

A true home away from homes, the all-suite, plantation-style resort is located on 2.4 oceanfront hectares on Grace Bay beach. The 114-unit resort features six, three-story buildings and offers accommodations ranging from studios (with kitchenettes) to one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging from 81 to 144 square metres with full kitchens.

Ideal for couples and families, suites – many of which have been recently refurbished – come with washer and dryer. Oversized balconies complement the large suites and offer space for quiet reading, dining and family play.

Recent room refurbishments included the addition of Sealy Posturepedic mattresses in the bedrooms, new curtains and valences in the living area, as well as new sofa cushions and area rugs in the suites.

All Sands units feature air conditioning, ceiling fans, cable television, electronic safe, and internet access. Families interested in dining in can shop at the on-site convenience store or take advantage of the daily shuttle to the local grocery store.

Other resort amenities include the popular Hemingway's Restaurant and Bar, which is nicely situated on the ocean and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, two free-form swimming pools set among a lush garden courtyard, fitness centre, spa, tennis and video games room. Turks & Caicos is well-known for its barrier reef and a variety of scuba diving options can be booked at the resort's dive shop.

Guests also receive complementary use of bicycles and non-motorized water sports, including kayaks, wind surfing equipment, snorkel gear and Hobie cats. Golf tee times can also be arranged for the nearby Provo Golf Club.

On Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Hemingway's hosts a Caribbean Night, complete with live music.

Rates at The Sands, which range from US$175 per night in low season to US$1,300 for a three-bedroom, ocean-front deluxe unit in high season, include airport transfers, welcome cocktail, weekly manager's cocktail party and use of towels and chaise lounge chairs on the beach or poolside.

Sands general manager Pierre Beswick describes the Turks & Caicos as one of the Caribbean's "hot" destinations, and says weddings, romance and dive packages are becoming very popular at the resort.

"It seems the islands are virtually unknown to many people," he says. "For those looking for a new experience, Turks & Caicos is untouched and offers great beaches and great diving. It's also very easy to get to and is very easy to sell. It sells itself."

He added that Turks & Caicos is known for its laid-back atmosphere and not a place to send clients looking for wild nightlife.

Canadian tour operators selling The Sands at Grace Bay (www.thesandstc.com) include Air Canada Vacations, LaCURE and Red Seal Vacations.