Four years in a row now we have made our annual off season trip to the caribbean islands of Turk & Caicos. The first year we happen to find an exclusive resort called Amanyara and we fell in love ever since. The clear blue waters and the perfect “summer” weather in the winter drew us back year after year. The relaxed island vibe and the resort’s “say yes to anything” mantra made us feel at home.

Pulling up to the resort you are welcomed by the general manager, head chef, director of villa sales, and your personal guest assistants offering your first island libations. After your guest assistant has given you a tour of the resort and explained its offerings, you are escorted to your private villa or pavilion where a bottle of champagne on ice is there to greet you.

Amanyara is one of the many boutique hotels of Aman Resorts. With its asian influences in both design and food, it is a departure from what you would usually expect from a caribbean island resort; in a good way! This resort features a private beach where you can enjoy paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing, snorkeling, or even have your fishing charter or scuba excursion pick you up right from your beach chair. You can call down to your personal guest assistant that can arrange an eco hike or reserve a couple hours in the golf simulator. If outdoor sports are your thing, then they have both clay and turf tennis courts, as well as a soccer field and beach volley ball court. If playing tennis or soccer on a smaller scale is your thing, you can enjoy the clubhouse adjacent to the tennis courts and start a ping pong or foose ball tourney.

There is a fully stocked gym and personal trainers on hand to keep you in shape for when the season starts. After a massage at the five-star spa, you can enjoy complimentary yoga or pilates classes as well.

Beach cruiser bikes are located all over the resort so you can bike to and from your villa to the spa, gym, and beach club as a share program.

Shuttle services to and from the airport is included in your stay. If you book at the right time you can catch a deal that includes all meals either in room or at either the  resort’s restaurant or beach club; excluding alcohol. Scott and I usually book a deal that includes food and a massage for the both of us along with a $200 resort credit. All mini bar items are included as well, excluding wine. The mini bar is stocked with beer, water, sodas, and snacks to enjoy at your leisure.

This resort is kid friendly. There are multi-room villas available for families and kid friendly activities available. They also have child care available upon request.

Your guest assistant will be more than happy to book various activities for you and keep you organized by leaving a note in your room at turn down service to remind you of what is on your itinerary for the following day. We usually give the assistant a list of activities we would like to partake in and they arrange an itinerary for us during our stay. Our usual activities include golfing at Provo Golf Club, either deep sea or bone fishing charters with Catch the Wave, and scuba diving and snorkeling with Big Blue.  

Private dinners on the oceans cliff can be arranged as well as special menu requests. I am half Filipino and the majority of the attendants on the island are as well. Every trip Scott and I arrange for a private Filipino dinner with all our favorite dishes from my childhood. The talented chef could make anything you wish if you just give them a day advance.

Over the last four years we have made relationships with various staff members and it is exciting to see them move up the ranks but sad to hear some have left to open the next Aman resort. The friendly and attentive staff is one of the biggest draws that keep us coming back.

Every night at turn down they leave a special token in your room to take back home to remind you of your stay at the resort. At the end of your stay you are sent off by the same staff that welcomed you and they leave you with a parting gift in the form of a perfectly packaged bite-sized baked good.

There is a reason why we go back to this resort year after year. The attentive and thoughtful staff always seem to be a step ahead of you anticipating your every need. The privacy and the exclusivity of the resort is also a must when you are looking to unplug and wind down before the hectic travel schedule of the baseball season has consumed our lives.

Mabuhay!