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Turks & Caicos Hotel, Resort & Villa Reviews
Beaches Turk & Caicos Resort & Spa 01/09/2004
Reviewers Rating:  Fair
Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort & Spa
Let me start this evaluation with an explanation of our family. This was a family reunion trip consisting from Grandmother to great-grandchildren. We are a family group of 30 people whose made up includes 3 doctors, a computer programming manager, a computer systems engineer, a stock brokers, a nuclear engineer and various other business and professional positions.
I manage the computer programming for a large mid-western county. I am currently a member of a steering committee for a software vendor’s user’s group and involved in planning conferences for that group. I have dealt with evaluating hotels, food service, meeting space, transportation, sightseeing, tour providers and destination management groups. With this in mind I submit the following evaluation of Beaches Turks & Caicos.
Overall Assessment:
Fair to poor on the ability to work with people and meet commitments.
We were a family group of 30 people occupying 12 rooms. We had been working for over a year on arrangements so all of our rooms would be together, and a wedding reception dinner could be done.
The rooms were not together even though the travel agents (a Beaches Specialist) had been sent a chart of room assignments several months ago showing a block of rooms right together and who would have each room.
The dinner was arranged for a specific date and time yet when we arrived we were told the restaurant could not guarantee seating all 30 of us together. O’Brien did arrange things but we were very upset.
For another group dinner, they wouldn’t arrange Reflections seating for us so they took us to Schooners, where they were going to seat us on the beach in extremely windy conditions because even though we had contacted the staff ahead of time they wouldn’t guarantee seating for all 30 of us together. We refused the seating because of the wind and chill, we were moved back to Reflections and seated us outside under cover. Good thing because it rained heavily during the meal.
Transfers from the Airport
Poor.
Three families in our group of 30 arrived on the same flight. The 2 men who were trying to arrange transfers were extremely confused and had extreme difficulty matching people with rooms and luggage. One of the pieces was marked for the same room. They did not tell us that the number they were marking on the tags indicated room even though we were asked later for our room number which we didn’t realize was the tag number until we checked in.
Reception Desk.
VERY POOR.
We were supposed to have Concierge Suites Check-in. We did not get it.
We had to rewrite and provide information they should have already had on the vouchers, reservations and computer system. None of the rooms were ready.
The bellmen left the suitcases sitting OUTSIDE the rooms where anyone would have access to them. They missed one of our bags and we finally had to go down to the lobby, search thru the mounds of luggage and retrieve it our selves. Several other family members in the 12 rooms reported the same problem.
When the desk was called about use of Calling Cards the operator was very rude. When they were called about location of thermostats for temperature control we were told there were no controls in the room and they would have to send maintenance the next day to change the temperature from MEAT LOCKER to comfortable. We did finally find the controls hidden under and behind the decorative shelf the water and alcohol is stored on.
Guest Accommodations.
Good.
We paid extra for a suite that would provide a couch and a chair that would fold out into beds so our 9 & 20 year olds would not have to share a bed. There was NO chair bed. The best explanation was it had been moved someplace else. They brought in a roll away bed. The same occurred for one other family. The 3rd family that had the same suit did have a chair bed but because of the height of the children and the fact that the bed was less than twin size it did no good, and even though the staff was notified in late afternoon a roll away was needed they did have it by 11:00 PM and had to make repeated calls to the Reception desk.
Guest Services
O’Brien and one of the Matthews were of great assistance to the Greaves group. The rest were definitely on the questionable list.
Reflections
Fair. A big disappointment
We had difficulty getting seating, especially if more than one family group was there and needed more than 4-6 seats.
Very poor layout for buffet, plates in the middle then back track and end around to get food. We were never able to get a bowl or a spoon of the first try. We couldn’t even get spoons after asking several servers during a meal.
The quantity of food was pretty good but the quality was only fair. The variety was all right at breakfast but only fair at dinner. The breakfast quality was better that dinner. A great disappointment compared to Beaches Negril general buffet restaurant.
Arizona
Good.
The lunch buffet was again a strange layout but the food was pretty good, better that Reflections dinners.
The dinner was very good. The quality and quantity were good. Service was only fair. We were asked about drink orders (there were 21 of us at this meal) only once, after that we had to catch some one to request a drink or go get them ourselves.
Kimonos
Good.
Because of the size limitations all 30 of us ate there over 3 different evenings during the week we were there. The overall rating was good. Our chef (Sydney) was not as flamboyant or entertaining as some of the other chef’s we saw or as the fun other family groups told us about. Also the shrimp and mahi mahi were SO spicy the children couldn’t eat them and the adults could barely eat them. This was not the case with the other groups.
The noise level was uncomfortable. It was impossible to carry on any kind of conversation.
Sushi Bar
My group of 4 did not eat here. Others in the 30 did and said it was ok.
Bobby Dee’s
Good.
The kid enjoyed to food and the easy quick access.
Giuseppe’s
Good
Did not eat breakfast there.
Lunch provide a good quality, quantity, variety and presentation.
Dinner was good. This is where we did the belated wedding reception dinner. After an initial hassle of seating 30 together (arranged months ahead of time), we had to adjust the time of the dinner to try to be seated inside because of the wind, chill and rain the previous evening. They would not guarantee indoor for 30 at 6:30, the originally scheduled time, so after several conversation with various staff and no guarantee, we changed to 6:00 when the restaurant opens and arrived at 5:45 to be first in line and force indoor seating. When we arrived they did have as set up indoors and together in a sections that allowed some privacy. The waiters who served the Champaign were very good. They were friendly, cheerful, and very attentive and should be nominated for the Monthly employee awards. The food was very good as well.
Schooner
My group of 4 did not eat here. Others in the 30 did and said it was ok.
Sapodillas
My group of 4 did not eat here. Others in the 30 did and said it was way overrated, and being used to New England and fresh seafood said that the seafood entries were not very well presented.
Caf頤e Paris
Good
Le Petit Chateau
Excellent.
This was by far the best food and service we received during the entire stay. The manager even checked with us to insure satisfaction. The manager and wait staff of the restaurant were the most attentive and considerate. The food was the best meal we had on the trip.
Bars
Good.
Rivera was some time too heavy with alcohol.
Activities and Entertainment
Good.
The New Year’s Eve buffet and entertainment were very good, but again they would not work with a group of 30 to guarantee we could be together. Several family members went out early and staked out an area, when questioned by staff that would be seating people for the evening we told them that if they wouldn’t assist us we’d take care of ourselves.
Pirates Island
Good.
The kid enjoyed the area and activities even if the water was extremely cold.
The pool was closed one morning for cleaning. Why isn’t it done overnight.
Cuda Kids Club
We did not use this amenity.
Water sports
Good.
The pools were very cold.
12 of the 30 people signed up for scuba and we understand that weather plays a factor in the dives but 3 people who took training after ours were put before us on the dive. Because of this the group of 12 did not get to dive together. Very poor at working with groups.
The snorkeling, windsurfing and sailing were very good.
Gift Shop
Good. Prices are comparable to the very few shops that are accessible for exorbitant taxi fares.
Photo Desk
Poor
Beaches made promises for family photos (as we had done in Jamaica 3 years ago). On arrival the photo desk informed us Beaches couldn’t set that up for us Photo is a separate entity and we had to make arrangements with them. The minimum charge for a sitting for 30 was $450.00, this did not include even as many copies of 5 X 7 photos as there are family groups, and did not include the cost if individual family groups decided to have just their family photographed. We figured just to get the number of 5 X 7’s of the whole family the cost would exceed $600.00. We did not to a Family Portrait for the first time in 18 years.
There were roaming photographers who were polite and friendly and the photo quality looked good but we refused to buy because of the hassle we had from Beaches. The price for a single 5 X 7 was $12.00.
Tour Desk
Dolphin Bus Tours is a scam. And Beaches will not back up the customer because of their symbiotic relationship with the tour desk.
Our family of 30 booked a boat trip on Sunday December 28, 2003, to be taken on Friday January 2, 2004, adults cost $55 & children under 11 $39. We were suppose to have a boat with only our family and go to Iguana Island, Snorkeling on the Reef, and time on a island to search for shells.
They picked us up in a bus and a van and took us to the boat. The family members that own boats noticed from the start that there seemed to be problems with the transmission. We made it to Iguana Island, and then on route to the reef the boat broke down. They tried to cover it up by saying snorkel here. We were in a shallow area with a heavy current and fire coral. There was not much to see. Most of the family either snorkel or scuba and have seen some pretty remarkable sights. This trip was booked to give some of the younger family member their first snorkeling experience (very disappointing and dangerous).
When everyone had finished snorkeling and was ready to go shelling or to the reef we were told we would have to wait until 2 boats arrived to take us off the disabled boat. After a 30-45 minute wait much small speed boats arrived and we were loaded onto them. I’ll sure they weren’t legal carrying that many people and equally sure there were not enough life jackets for everyone. We were given 10 minutes on the island for shelling, we took longer. These boats were not designed to load and unload easily or safely without a dock. When we did manage to get back on them we were told there was no time to go to the reef (besides all the equipment was on the disabled boat).
Upon our return to Beaches we went to the tour desk. We were told we had to see the manager he would be there at 4 PM, we returned, he didn’t show up. We were told 8:30 AM Saturday (2 families departed Beaches at 7:30 AM, the rest at interval and the last by 2:00 PM); again the manager did not show up and wouldn’t talk to us by phone. At this point we went to Beaches for assistance.
We were told by a Beaches employee to document everything and email it to him; he would work with us to see if we could get a partial refund for the trip. We are in that process right now (Jan. 8, 2004); our first round has been useless we emailed Shaun Malcolm but received a response from someone else with the attitude “why are you writing to us, your problem is with Dolphin?” We don’t hold much hope of a satisfactory resolution.
Health Spa
Good. Would have been better if Hair Salon did frosting, all the boys did that in Jamaica & were looking forward to doing it again.
Suites Concierge
Fair.
The in room amenities, snack, & drinks were very well handled and the gentlemen doing our room was very nice.
When calling the number for Concierge suite service the service & attitude were not nearly as good or as helpful.
Ground & Gardens
Excellent
The grounds and gardens are very well kept and the variety for flora is lovely.
Environment suggestion:
Save energy. Our room was like a meat locker when we arrived. Coldest setting medium fan, we changed it to middle setting and low fan. Everyday housekeeping returned it to meat locker setting. We had to move the couch bed because the person who slept there froze no matter what the setting because the vent blew right on the bed.
D Greaves
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