Should we stay at Windsong or Villa Renaissance in Turks and Caicos?
False
Turks and Caicos
Should we stay at Windsong or Villa Renaissance in Turks and Caicos?
Family of 5 (3 teenage boys) planning to go to Turks and Caicos in April. Debating whether to stay at Windsong or Villa Renaissance. Frommers listed Villa Renaissance as a "find" in past g
0
Cat:Caribbean and the AtlanticForum:0EE96865
Cat:Caribbean and the AtlanticForum:0EE96865Discussion:eb1708d7-c4ca-458b-8745-b521f14b8aae
Family of 5 (3 teenage boys) planning to go to Turks and Caicos in April. Debating whether to stay at Windsong or Villa Renaissance. Frommers listed Villa Renaissance as a "find" in past guides, but then the most recent guide no longer listed it. I wonder why? It seems like Villa Renaissance is more conveniently located, but Windsong is nice in that it has great snorkeling right there. Is there much of a difference in the beaches in the two locations? We are likely to spend a lot of time on the beach, but also might go out on a boat one day to snorkel. We are not likely to cook meals, though might like to buy snacks and stuff at the grocery store, which I understand we can walk to from Villa Renaissance. Although convenience is nice, we prefer natural beauty to commercialism. Would love any insights. Also wondering whether we would have to rent a car in either place, or only Windsong. Another difference I have noted between the two places is that Windsong has complimentary kayaks and paddlboats. Are there good places to go to in those? Are we likely to want to use them a lot, and are there enough available so we could all go out together? Not sure how important this amenity is. Maybe we could rent them at Villa Renaissance if we would only kayak once. Or maybe kayaking is better on an excursion somewhere else?
I think the greatest differences between the two are location, and proximity to shoreline snorkeling.
Villa Renaissance is located in the heart of the Grace Bay "hub," with shops and restaurants at your door step. It is more of a self-catering resort, with no restaurant on site. However, there are plenty nearby. Accommodations are spacious, and very nice, and they have a beautiful courtyard pool. Shoreline snorkeling at Bight Reef is about two miles away.
Windsong is located almost directly in front of Bight Reef, on the western side of Grace Bay. However, it's by no means isolated, as there are other resorts and restaurants nearby. Accommodations are very nice (rivaling some of the most expensive resorts on the island). The pool is smaller, but is oceanfront, and heated. They have a small restaurant, and the very popular "Somewhere" restaurant is directly next door.
Of the two, Villa Renaissance is in the more commercialized area, but their beachfront is a little less busy. People staying at other resorts tend to walk down to the reef, so you'll see more of them at Windsong. However, by staying near the reef, you'll have the luxury of snorkeling any time you get the urge to watch the fish. Neither beach is considered "crowded." The only crowded spot on the entire stretch of Grace Bay beach is directly in front of Beaches Resort, IMO.
We kayak every time we visit Grace Bay, and have stayed at eight different resorts there. There's plenty of room to kayak. You might want to make arrangements with the beach attendant if going out as a group.
Some resorts are closer to more restaurants and shops, but no resort is close to all. We've always rented a car our entire vacations in the Turks & Caicos, but I recommend at least renting for a few days, no matter where you choose to stay. Cabs are expensive, and charge per person. With a family of five, you'll spend as much on one cab trip as you would renting a car for the entire day. If you take a look at www.turksandcaicosreservations.tc , you can make your resort reservation through them, and receive at least one day's free car rental to get you started. We used them in November, and plan to do the same this summer. Great service.
I've not personally used "Big Blue" outfitters, but lots of people recommend them for kayak excursions.
Hope this helps. Let me know if I've missed something, or if you have other questions.
We stayed at The Somerset three years ago. It's a beautiful property, closer to Bight Reef, but still a little more than a mile away.
Our family of four stayed in a two-bedroom English Cottage, and enjoyed it very much. We were not oceanfront, but had spacious accommodations, overlooking a croquet lawn / courtyard. Accommodations were top notch, as are most resorts along Grace Bay. The pool is oceanfront, which is nice. Location-wise, it's not as central as Villa Renaissance or Regent Grand, but Somerset has two restaurants on site, and several other resort restaurants nearby.
I can honestly say that there's not a "bad" choice to be made. It's more a matter of determining which resort(s) fits your needs this year, and which one you would like to choose next year. That's just one reason why we keep going back. :-)
You might also want to take a look at Regent Palms, Grace Bay Club, and Seven Stars for a similar price range as Somerset.
There are also several other nice resorts, in a more moderate price range.
