By Sharon Demonaco
Turks and Caicos March 2012
After taking long flights for our last few vacations, my husband and I were looking to go somewhere closer to home. It didn’t take us long to decide on Turks and Caicos! How can you go wrong with a flight that’s a little over 3 hours from Newark Airport, gorgeous water and an amazing resort?
When we booked the Gansevoort, we had no idea how truly incredible our stay would be. http://www.gansevoortturksandcaicos.com/. The Gansevoort was awarded the 2011 Readers Choice Award by Conde Nast Traveler and we were not disappointed!
View from the plane as we were landing
There are 91 guestrooms, 84 are beachfront and 32 are suites and 4 are three bedroom penthouses with private wrap around terraces and outdoor jacuzzis. We chose a deluxe oceanfront studio which had a side view of the beach from the terrace, king bed, bathroom with shower, kitchenette and sitting area. We were delighted with our room – it was ultra modern, the bed was comfy and we had a great view! The pool attendants were always there to assist with anything we needed whether it was moving the umbrellas, refilling our drinks, replenishing our ice bucket, etc. We had no complaints at all with the service. Housekeeping and the nightly turndown service was always efficient. They provided us with extra towels, bottled water and chocolates. The Staff was very accommodating to any requests we had.
The resort has an adequate gym and I noticed that quite a few guests attended the yoga classes that are offered. Exhale, the resort’s spa, was relaxing and we enjoyed our massages after a busy day of sightseeing.
Gansevoort Lobby
Gansevoort Beach
Gansevoort Beach Bed
Gansevoort Yoga Studio
Gansevoort Pool
Breakfast at the resort’s main restaurant, Stelle, was included with our room rate and we enjoyed the variety of food offered there, including the omelet station. We ate lunch a few times at the Beach Bar as well as the pool and were pleased with the portions and selections.
We had a rental car so we decided to venture out for dinner each night. I highly recommend Danny Buoy’s, Tiki Hut, Hemingway’s, Grill Rouge, Bella Luna, and Magnolia’s (call in advance for reservations). If you are looking for more casual places definitely check out Pizza Pizza and Jimmy’s Dive Bar.
My husband went on two deep sea fishing charters with Panoply. http://www.panoply.tc/turks-caicos-islands-sport-fishing-charters/#!/main The Captain and crew really worked hard to find the fish and he was thrilled when he caught his first Atlantic sailfish and a few mahi-mahis. He had an enjoyable time on the boat and was impressed with the crew’s knowledge and techniques.
If you want to take a break from the pool and beach I suggest visiting Conch World. http://www.conchworld.com/conchfarm. During the tour, you will learn everything about the process of raising conch and get close to resident conchs – Sally and Jerry. There’s also a small gift shop where you can pick up some souvenirs.
Another attraction worth stopping at is The Hole located in Long Bay. It’s a giant sinkhole that collapsed and measures 40 feet across and 80 feet deep! It’s pretty amazing.
Overall I definitely recommend Turks and Caicos and especially Gansevoort. I know that you will enjoy your stay as much as we did!
Sharon@EasyEscapesTravel.com
1-800-294-6643
