- All suites have an ocean view
- Kids' club/daycare available for children ages 3 to 11 at no extra cost
- Close to St. Lawrence Gap, hub of Barbados' nightlife
- Only 15 minutes from Grantley Adams Airport
- All-inclusive package includes meals at excellent on-site restaurants
- No free internet/wifi, even in lounges
- Child-friendly means lots of kids, so not for the privacy-seeking romantic vacationer
- Strict dress code at Asiagos Restaurant might be too stuffy for some
- All-inclusive rates out of reach for some
- Address: Dover, Christ Church, Barbados
- Phone: 246-428-7131
- Rates for 2009: $305 - $945 nightly, all-inclusive
- Dining: 3 restaurants
- Other Amenities: fitness center, 2 freshwater pools, kids' splash pool, tennis courts, massage center, satellite TV
- Rooms: 164 rooms, all suites
- Website: http://www.turtlebeachresortbarbados.com/
For families, the highlight of the resort is the Tommy Turtle Kids Club, open for children ages three to 11 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Turtle Beach takes special pride in its kids' activities, which include games, organized excursions, and a full playground for the children to enjoy while parents get time to themselves.
"They're not just watching your kids, they're really spending time with them," said Tim Leahy, a repeat guest from New York. "They teach them local Bajan games. [The kids] love coming back each year." Babysitting is available for under-threes for a fee.
With all-inclusives, food and beverage are the critical difference between a mediocre resort and a really good one. In this regard, Turtle Beach excels. In addition to the Chelonia Restaurant, the main dining room, the hotel boasts Asiagos, the top Zagat-rated restaurant on Barbados and famed for its Italian fare. The menu is short but varied, and the restaurant has a warm Mediterranean ambiance.
Asiagos patrons can pay extra for "chef's specials" items such as beef, lobster and scallops. The dress code is "elegant casual" (slacks, collared shirts, closed-toe shoes for men, dresses for women) and is strictly enforced.
Live entertainment is provided nightly at the resort (on alternate evenings in low season), but there's plenty of music and spirits available at the many bars in St. Lawrence Gap, the center of nightlife on Barbados and just a short walk away from from the resort.
