Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! I almost had to double check what day it was just now as it’s a short week here in the US after Memorial Day yesterday. We also just got back from our holiday in Turks & Caicos on Sunday so the day off definitely helped with the adjustment back into reality today. Mom, Kaelin & I had the absolutely best time away and completely fell in love with Turks & Caicos. I shared a lot of the trip over on my Instagram (@retroflame) where loads of you had questions about traveling there, the place & the hotel. So today I wanted to jump right back into things and answer everything while my memory is still fresh. Here goes..

Why Turks & Caicos?

Firstly, why did we choose this island? Turks & Caicos had actually been on mine & Kaelin’s list for a while now. So when deciding on where to go for the trip we actually looked on the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and spotted Sailrock Resort which looked so stunning. I’ve found and stayed in hotels from this website in the past (El Pez in Tulum) and always had a great experience. We thought this was kind of a sign and with Turks & Caicos only being 3 & 1/2 hours away from New York it seemed like a great option.

How was the journey?

As I mentioned, it’s a pretty short journey from New York to Providenciales at 3 & 1/2 hours. However, we actually stayed in South Caicos which meant we had to hop on another 20 minute flight after arriving in Providenciales. This was a really quick flight but unfortunately our flight from JFK didn’t line up well with that domestic flight so we did have a 2 hour wait on the way to South Caicos & a then a 4 hour wait on the way back. This is obviously not ideal but we all agreed that the time actually flew by when we were waiting. We each had books/phones and honestly barely felt the journey. I just want to be completely honest as I know not everyone would be interested in doing two flights.

The second plane is also a very small plane. It fits about 16 people if I remember correctly. When we first saw it on the way out, we were all a little scared but it was honestly perfect and the journey went so fast – it didn’t even feel like 20 minutes. On the way back we knew what to expect which made it much easier too. The airport itself in South Caicos is tiny but does exactly what it needs to do & you don’t need to be there too early for check in which is great. It’s good to know also that this second flight along with transfers to & from the hotel are included in your rate when booking which I think is great. Overall, we found the journey seamless.

What was the hotel like? 

I have so much to tell you about Sailrock Resort so I’ve split it into different sections. Also, to be totally transparent here I do want to let you know that this was a press trip which resulted in us paying a reduced fee for our stay. I will still obviously be totally honest with my review and give my honest opinion as I know a holiday is a huge expense and wouldn’t want to give any of you a false impression.

OVERVIEW

Firstly, I want to chat a little about the hotel itself. It is quite remote at the end of the island and pretty much by itself which makes it very zen & peaceful. It is currently a boutique hotel and hosts about 150/170 people in total, if I remember correctly. From the minute we arrived, we knew it was like no where we had been before. I personally love smaller more personable hotels rather than huge resorts so I knew I would be into that aspect of it. It was certainly the perfect place to switch off with next to no distractions. The resort is actually only two and a half years old and we were informed that they are currently still at the very early stages of their 10 year plan. It was really interesting to hear what’s to come for the resort and I think it was a very special experience getting to stay there now while it is still quite new. It was like we had our own little island to ourselves and truly was an experience I’ll never forget.

ACCOMODATION

This hotel has two types of accommodations – suites & villas. As it was a press trip, we were lucky enough to try out both options during the trip. For the first three nights we stayed in a Ridgetop two bedroom suite and for our last night we stayed in a three bedroom villa. Both accommodations were absolutely out of this world with great views of the sea. We had everything we needed and plenty of space in both. The villa in particular blew us away. We may or may not have felt like the Kardashians for a night, lol.

It came with a kitchen & private pool with one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. The decor was stunning too with lots of earth tones which I’m very into right now. It is perfect for a family or group who just want to spend time together in a beautiful place & chill out. You can also pay extra for a ‘butler’ which is basically somebody who assists you throughout your trip. If you do opt for this you can arrange for your butler to do grocery shopping and stock your fridge before you arrive which is very convenient. They give you a phone which you can contact him/her on and it was honestly just such a treat. Our butler was Putra who we just couldn’t praise enough.

If I had to nit pick the only things we found was that the doors were a little hard to lock/unlock in both accommodations but otherwise 10/10 for both.

DINING

The resort currently has two restaurants. One in the hotel next to the lobby called the ‘Great House Restaurant’ and the other by the beach called ‘The Cove Restaurant & Beach Bar’. We ate breakfast (which is included in your rate) & dinner in the Great House and our lunch in The Cove. I would describe both menus as pretty universal with lots of options such as seafood, pasta dishes, vegetarian meals. We actually met the chef as well and he was very accommodating if you had dietary requirements. He would come out each night to every table and make sure everyone was happy. I love those small touches. I also loved the fact that they had a wellness menu in both restaurants which included healthier options & juices. I genuinely felt so great coming home from this trip!

SERVICE

The service we received was some of the best I’ve ever experienced. Before going there I had read a lot of reviews where people said that they felt like they knew every staff member by the time they left and I can totally understand that now. Everyone was so lovely & helpful. From Putra, our butler who couldn’t have been nicer to us, Junie, the shop keeper who greeted us with the biggest smile every morning & Lalu the barman who kept us laughing. We really couldn’t say a bad thing and they were like this with everyone not just us from what we could see. Throughout our stay the thing we heard most from the staff was that ‘anything is possible’ and to me that is really what made the resort seem extra special & personable.

FACILITIES

The facilities included an infinity pool, a gym, a shop, a games room/computer room & a spa. There were also some areas around the hotel to sit down and relax. You could also rent bikes which we meant to do but never got around to. And lastly, there are water sports on the beach like paddle boarding & kayaking that you can use too. Although the facilities were smaller than other resorts we had been to they were perfect and nothing was ever too busy. We had the gym to ourselves most mornings and we never had to rush to the pool to get seats which I definitely prefer. In the resorts we’ve been to in the past there is usually night-time entertainment however, that’s not something this resort really had. I personally don’t mind that but it’s something to consider if you are looking for somewhere lively. People went to bed quite early here and got up early.

What was the weather like?

The weather was actually hotter than we expected it to be. It was quite humid and warm all day long so I would definitely recommend bringing lots of sunscreen. We luckily avoided any rain/storms but quick ones are common there sometimes apparently. However, that is normal for any Caribbean island. There are also mosquitos at nighttime but the hotel provides you with spray and bracelets so no need to bring any yourself.

How would you compare Turks & Caicos to other Caribbean islands you’ve visited?

Personally I think it was my favourite. I’ve been to Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, St Lucia & Barbados so far but this island, for some reason, felt the most luxurious & peaceful to me. The water was so beautiful and the sand was some of the whitest I’ve seen. It’s definitely one I will 100% be going back to.

Do you need a visa for Turks & Caicos?

No, you do not need a visa. You can stay there for up to 90 days on holiday.

Did it feel safe there?

Mom & I are huge worriers and Kaelin’s not far behind us so the fact that the hotel was quite isolated definitely made us a little wary but we can confirm that it was SO safe and we had nothing to even worry about. Although South Caicos is still recovering from Storm Irma and not the wealthiest place, we learned that the crime rate is very low.

This trip was truly a dream and I’m so glad that we got to experience it with our mom. We already chatted about going back to Sailrock Resort in a few years time to see the progress and I could not recommend it more if you want a little slice of paradise for your holiday.

I hope you enjoyed this review & chat soon,

x Erika