Sands At Grace Bay

Great family vacation - can’t wait to go back!

A GREAT family vacation! The hotel was perfect for our family (mom, dad and 4 children - 11, 9, 7 and 21 months). The room was beautiful - new and clean. The kitchen was great - we ate breakfast and lunch in the room (on the screened in porch) and dinners out. We ate all dinners at Hemmingway’s (restaurant on site) except one (had sushi one night) - food was excellent, reasonably priced and SO convenient. Most of the time we would go from the beach to dinner. :-) Kids loved the pools and beach - so safe and clean. The staff was awesome - very accommodating. The boys loved to learn to sail the hobiecat and take the ocean kayaks out. We went on a family snorkeling trip on Reef Peepers (booked at hotel) and it was great! I can’t say enough great things about it - we hope to return in 2010!

Sands at Grace Bay - October 2009

Beautiful, luxurious, spacious condominium units. Wonderful, beautiful, pools and gardens. Spectacular beach front. Clear, calm aqua colored water. Totally beautiful overall... Hemmingway’s Restaurant was totally wonderful and top rate. Right on the beach, we enjoyed the work of our God each evening as the sun was setting while we feasted on some of the most delicious seafood, deserts, and drinks that we’ve ever enjoyed. The staff at both the resort and the restaurant was also 100% top rate, courteous, and professional. We hope that we can return in the future and be able to bring our entire family...

Great Location, Extremely Hard Bed

If you are looking for a place to relax, then this is a solid bet. My wife and I spent a week there this fall and were satisfied overall. Pros: Beach is amazing. White sand, clear warm water, no hassling by people trying to sell you stuff like we experienced in Aruba and St. Lucia. Hemingway’s restaurant is solid but not spectacular. Cons: Extremely hard beds. It was actually remarkable. We were there with friends who stayed in other rooms, and everyone agreed that the beds in all rooms were similarly hard. Other: The staff members were generally very helpful and friendly, although we got some incorrect information about a restaurant -- the concierge told us it was closed and we found out later that it actually was open.

Nice but an older property

The staff was very friendly, but consistantly gave conflicting information. It is best to ask for them to call and confirm for you ahead of time. I went in the off season and enjoyed myself. If you are traveling alone I would reccomend the Sands because it is little community that happens to be located at a hotel.

WILL DEFINITELY GO BACK

FELL IN LOVE WITH THE RESORT IT WAS PEACEFUL AND YOU HAD EVERYTHING THERE NO NEED TO LOOK ELSEWHERE. CAROL AT FRONT DESK WAS AWESOME

Sands at Grace Bay

We stayed at the Sands in early September, 2009. We had the cheapest room, a courtyard view, nevertheless the room was fine - separate bedroom, sitting room and a small kitchenette. We loved the hotel - we hardly even went in the pool as the beach at his hotel is THE BEST on Grace Bay. Add to this that the catamarans and snorkelling equipment is free and all you need to do is get your breakfast made in your apartment and head on down to the beach. We saw Manta Rays, Sea Turtles, many fish, crabs all from the beach. Staff are friendly and any issues are dealt with quickly. A/C is great. Hemingways restaurant is wonderful - we didn’t go to many other places as the food was so good there. Other resorts are newer and fancier, but guess what - this one is well maintained and the location is the best. Club Med is tired and needs updating, Beaches is full of families and gets very busy. During September everyone is watching the hurricane alerts, but check the websites and book - you’ll have the place to yourselves. If you want a quiet and relaxing, intimate vacation go to the Sands - we made a good choice and we’ll be back.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

Head to the supermarket for your breakfast, snack and drink supplies. Eat at Danny Buoy one night, head to Somewhere on the beach for a good Mexican meal and treat yourselves to dinner on your last night at Mango Reef restaurant at the Royal West Indies - try the lobster curry and the pork tenderloin - delicious!

Fabulous Beach and Aqua Waters!

The Sands at Grace Bay made our vacation! It is a beautiful place to stay and the staff are truly helpful and nice. Only one complaint - we took an excursion to another island and the hotel had set up a rental car person to meet us there with a car. No one showed up and as a consequence, we had to pay for a $24 cab ride to the car rental. However, that aside, I would recommend the Sands at Grace Bay to anyone; and yes, I would go back there!

Traveler's tip on recreational activities

A mile or so down the beach (before you get to the Tikki Bar if traveling by car) is a great beach to snorkel. You can walk right into the water. We saw a lot of fish including parrot fish and we also saw small stingrays. Sorry, I forgot the name of the area - just ask around.

Perfect family vacation

This was our second time back to TCI - this time with the kids (16,14 and 11). Our stay at the Sands Resort was great - the rooms were clean and spacious. Great kitchen and screened in porch. The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful. Great place for a family vacation.

TCI, like all islands in the Carribbean, is expensive, especially when traveling with kids. Strongly recommend staying at a resort that includes a kitchen. First stop should be at the Gateway to stock up on groceries. Definitely rent a car to explore the island and it’s beautiful beaches. Take a day to explore North and Middle Caicos - a real adventure for the family (bring water, snacks and bathing suit).

Beautiful Beach

The beach at The Sands is incredible. Soft sand and turquoise water. Ocean view or Oceanfront room is definitely the way to go. Staff are warm and atmosphere is relaxed. Great place for rest and relaxation - not for night life. Go somewhere else if you’re looking for a "cruise ship on land." Only disappointment: the windsurfer was being repaired and not available for use. Otherwise, kayaks, bikes, hobie cats, snorkle gear is available for use (no charge) for guests. Activities can be booked through Ocean Vibes right at The Sands. They were great for scuba, deep sea fishing was only ok (via Catch The Wave).

many good restaurants and shopping within a 10 minute walk. Graceway IGA is a good high-end grocery close by. bikes are available for use for free at The Sands.

Its a wonderful stay all the time

This is our fifth year straight that I have taken the family to The Sands for our summer vacation. Its a wonderful stay all the time.

Great resort for couples and families

With the boom of large properties built over the past few years, The Sands retains its small, friendly feeling. It provides the service you’d expect, while giving your more of the local flavor of the island.

Traveler's tip

One tip for the Sands. If you book a "courtyard view" room, there is no private balcony/patio with your room. The room is actually the back side of the 3 bedroom unit, sectioned off as a separate rental property.

Can’t wait to go back

The hotel is wonderful. The staff is very knowledgeable and courteous. The facilities are very well maintained and are in excellent condition. It is an outstanding value for the price.

Great hotel, excellant location!

Great hotel, excellant location. Fabulous beach!

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Bike or cab to the IGA gormet store instead of regular IGA market run from hotel, much better store.

Paradise Found

The Sands Resort exceeded our expectations in every category. The location on Graceway BAy was, of course, superb and it was wonderful to gaze out upon the azure and turquoise waters as well as the blindingly white sand. The facility is impeccably maintained both in the public areas and the suites. Staff were friendly and exceptionally helpful in every regard. The Sands, like Turks and Caicos, is truly Beautiful By Nature.

The Sands is really family oriented. Many attractions, e.g., day boat trips, can be booked at the resort. The fully equipped kitchens are really wonderful and offer an option for quick family meals. Finally, the multiple pools are great for kids.

A great place!

This was a great place to stay, the rooms are actually apartments, very big and with all the comforts. The staff is pleasant. It’s very clean. The only down side was the elevator which had issues at times (we had a stroller). I would recommend this hotel. Turks and Caicos has the best beach! The most beautiful, calm, clear water and silky sand. Never made it to the pool! A great place for children, my 9 month old baby enjoyed the beach!

Perfect in paradise!

This hotel was wonderful! Large room, beautiful pools, gorgeous beach, great restaurant. The bed could have been a little comfier, but other than that it was perfect!

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

The rooms include a refrigerator and basic kitchen supplies. You can take a shuttle or walk to the local grocery store to buy food for breakfast and lunch. It’s an easy way to save some cash, as the restaurants can really add up.

The hotel itself was beautiful, but here comes the but. The staff wasn’t friendly or accomodating.

The front desk was almost indifferent to our presence. Any time I was there, either waiting for a taxi or a shuttle, and needed to ask a question, it was as if you were bothering them. The day before check out, I asked for the phone number of US Airways to confirm our flight and was told she did not have the number and made no efforts to get it for us. Unfortunately being accommodating, was also not the case with other staff. No matter what time we went to ask for snorkeling gear, it was never available. If they ran out of beach towels they told you to come back in 20 minutes! The woman arranging tours had coped a big attitude with my husband when we tried to arrange a fishing trip. We ended up making our own arrangements.Even though the rooms were wonderful and clean I would not go back unless I brought my own snorkel gear, beach towels and lap top to make my own arrangements.

excellent

staff was wonderful, as were the accomodations

Amazing tranquil hotel!

This hotel was perfect as far as location and comfort goes. The rooms were very clean and spacious equiped w/ a kitchen, living room and dining room. Hemingways is a restaurant attached to the Sands and I would highly recommend it. We ate there at least 3 separate times. My only gripe was that the service could be a little slow and uninformative but when you are in a resort such as this one and surrounded by the beautiful white sand and vividly blue water I think you can look past that.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

Since we had a kitchen and refridgerator we would walk about 7 minutes to the local supermkt which is located on the right just past Bella Luna. Dont take the shuttle to the local mkt as they will charge you 9$ each. And they take you to a further mkt as well.

Nice condo, but with maid service!

The Sands at Grace Bay is an established "condo-tel" with an experienced and friendly staff and a great on-site restaurant. It was completely renovated last year (2008), so everything is in really great shape, especially compared to some of the other older resorts. The screens on the porches/balconies may make it hard to take a good picture from them, but it’s soooo worth it for mosquito protection when the sun gets low. I saw it mentioned before we went that The Sands has the best stretch of beach, and I think that’s true. There’s a chunk of land next door that can’t be built on, so it’s still got some wild-dune aspect to it. Because it’s older, it’s not set back as far as the newer resorts, and the beach palapas are grandfathered under the new zoning laws. It’s not a place for partiers, but if you want a romantic stay like we had, or if you want to have a family gathering (we’d totally take our kids back there) it’s a beautiful, quiet, calm, place. We loved it!

great resort, weather and amenities. check-in could have been better

Great hotel. Great location. Hotel staff could have been alot better. Check in left something to be desired. We had to wait two hours to get keys to our room. This was frustrating considering the resort was half full.

Traveler's tip

Be prepared to spend alot of money on cab rides and dining.

Courtyard Room

Did not like the courtyard room. I believe it was in building six. We have been to the Sands twice before and I guess we didnt realize there were rooms like that. Tiny living room, small bedroom, and bath, no screened porch or view. The garden view rooms are nice and that is what we usually stay in. Just picked the lowest price and assumed we could get an upgrade if not acceptable. Wrong. Usually not that busy in May but this time no rooms available to upgrade to. Not blaming hotel as they tried to accomodate and staff was extremely courteous and friendly. Would still return but choose gardenview or oceanview. Love Hemingways, the restaurant. Good fish tacos with spicy fries. Music twice a week.

Great, quiet condotel

The grounds of The Sands at Grace Bay were beautiful. The pools were very quiet and it was a very relaxing setting for a vacation. The only complaint was that the bed was very squeaky and not very comfortable.

We are planning to go back next year.

The hotel and the grounds are lovely.We had an ocean front view and spent a lot of restful hours on the beautiful sreened in porch just reading and watching the ocean. It was the most relaxing vacation ever and the staff helped it be.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Take advantage of the wonderful natives and rent a car to see the beautiful out-of-the way beaches

Great Value Resort

The Sands was a great value resort. They offered many extras including different water sports and bike rentals. They had an excellent restaurant on the property offering a variety of great food and a full bar. The resort staff was very friendly and helpful. Everything about the resort was very beautiful and comfortable.