PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

Big changes are coming to this popular Grace Bay resort, which fronts one of the beach's top snorkeling and diving spots on Bight Reef in the Princess Alexandra National Park. Coral Gardens is now Reef Residences on Grace Bay, and the resort is undergoing a $6-million renovation that includes the addition of 24 new garden suites, a new pool, a new gourmet restaurant (the Epicurean) serving Italian-style cuisine, and a greatly expanded spa and fitness center. The popular restaurant Coyaba is moving to what is currently patio space at the Caribbean Paradise Inn . In its place will be the expanded spa, with more treatment rooms and state-of-the-art fitness facilities. The current resort suites will be refreshed, a good thing: In spite of their supremely generous space (full kitchens and even walk-in closets in some!) and deep, expansive balconies, at press time the suites were looking a little worse for wear, with motel-quality linens and slightly beat-up bathrooms. The new expansion should also help open up the resort and make the public spaces feel less cramped. What hasn't changed is the excellent snorkeling and diving opportunities literally right out your door; the on-site dive operator Cactus Voyager offers scuba courses, snorkeling tours, and complimentary snorkeling equipment. The new restaurant, the Epicurean, is expected to open in late 2006 -- but you can always rely on the Beach Café for tasty food at breakfast, lunch, and dinner and the delicious feel of sand in your toes while you're dining. Ask about the Tuesday-evening Tide Affair five-course dinner -- a barefoot gourmet extravaganza served right on the beach ($60 per person; reservation only).

An all-inclusive option includes such amenities as all meals, beverages in designated areas, a daily spa treatment, and the complimentary use of a car for your entire stay.

Facilities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars; 2 outdoor pools; golf (nearby); spa; fitness center; excursion desk; 24-hr. room service; babysitting; nonsmoking rooms; bikes; convenience store; dive and snorkel shop; fishing; kayaks; sailing; scuba diving; snorkeling; Wi-Fi. In room: A/C, TV, dataport, full kitchen, hair dryer, iron, safe, bathrobes, beverage maker, CD and DVD players, washer/dryer (in penthouses and Ocean Grand suites).

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Portable Turks and Caicos, 1st Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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