Homey touches at Turks and Caicos’ Somerset
By Gay Nagle Myers
Standing out from the resorts that line Grace Bay Beach on Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, is no easy feat, given that the destination’s signature 12-mile stretch of sand and turquoise waters is home to an impressive lineup of properties.
The bulk of them, however, are clustered in a four-mile swath from Beaches Turks & Caicos on the west to Club Med Turkoise on the east.
Thankfully, no resort is on top of its neighbor. Sand, land and beach grass define the property lines, giving guests at each a sense of privacy and space.
Somewhere in the middle of the pack, tucked between the Regent Palms Turks & Caicos and Sibonne Beach Hotel, is the Somerset, a 53-suite resort known as much for its spacious units as for its residential approach to vacation living.
“This is meant to be an oasis and a home away from everyday life and routine,” said Ulrich Krauer, managing director.
Krauer’s interpretation of “home” means accommodations that range from 1,400-square-foot, one-bedroom garden villas to 5,300-square-foot, five-bedroom oceanfront estates.
All units have large, full-service kitchens with Viking appliances, washer-dryers, wide terraces and balconies, high ceilings with fans and in-room amenities that include bars stocked with the guests’ personal beverage preferences, complimentary WiFi and marble bathrooms supplied with European toiletries.
Krauer joined the Somerset management team last October, coming from the Kona Village Resort in Hawaii, which remains closed after sustaining significant damage from last March’s tsunami. He’s barely had time to put toes in the water, having already revamped the weddings and family programs, upgraded amenities and services and implemented a new restaurant team, all the while continuing to work on improving various aspects of the guest experience.
The resort’s tagline, “Sophisticated and Surprising,” is Krauer’s mantra.
“This year the Somerset has turned up the dial on customer service,” Krauer said. “We opened in November 2006, the resort went through a management change last year, and the owners formed their own management company, which is when I joined the property.
“We and they are committed to retaining the residential flavor and feel of the property while at the same time offering a five-star experience,” he said.
At the forefront is Krauer’s focus on agents.
“Agents are our most important partners,” Krauer said. “We pay commissions immediately upon the guest’s departure, and we also offer an online gift form for travel agents who book through wholesalers so their clients can receive a gift in the room from them upon arrival.”
A typical gift is a rum cake placed inside a coconut husk.
“This business is all about personal touches,” Krauer said. “Competitive times demand it, and we deliver because it is important that agents know there is another choice among Caribbean resorts. We want them to know what the Somerset can do, and we want to grow this market.”
New features at the resort this winter include an online concierge service that enables guests to order grocery items for their suites in advance of arrival.
“The kitchen will be stocked for them,” he said. “The cost is the delivery charge plus whatever the items are priced at in the store. We add no charges on top of those.”
Guests also can prebook spa treatments online.
Room attendants handle all guest requests on site, ranging from a private chef for en suite dining to island excursions and shopping tips.
“‘Butler’ is too formal a word,” Krauer said. “Our room attendants get to know our guests and their preferences and are there to assist in an unobtrusive, understated manner.”
The size of the Somerset’s accommodations as well as spacious public areas and the layout of the resort permit both the family market and the couples/honeymoon/wedding segment to coexist without overcrowding.
“We never do more than one wedding a day,” Krauer said. “More than that would be disruptive to all our guests, and we actually hosted far fewer than [one wedding a day] last year.”
Under Krauer’s watch, the resort appointed Rosalind McKensie as its wedding planner. McKensie formerly was with NLA Destinations in Turks and Caicos.
The Caicos Kids Club for ages 5 to 12 is complimentary this year, and the program changes daily with a variety of activities. On select evenings a kids’ group dinner with entertainment is offered so parents can have a date night.
“We’ve added new equipment for water and beach sports, all offered on a complimentary basis,” Krauer said. “There’s a one-time charge for lessons required for Hobie Cats, windsurfers and paddleboards to ensure water safety.”
Landlubbers can choose beach volleyball, croquet, beach yoga and nearby golf.
Krauer has not overlooked the food and beverage side of operations. O’Soleil, the resort’s signature Caribbean-Mediterranean restaurant, has revamped and reopened with new menu options under executive chef Joel Rheaume, formerly of the Grace Bay Club down the beach.
The LunAsea Bar & Grill by the pool and beach area offers waiter service, as does the Pearl Lounge & Tapas Bar.
Occupancy this winter and beyond “looks very good,” according to Krauer. “Providenciales has good lift from major U.S. gateways, and we sell a top product with an emphasis on service and guest satisfaction.”
Winter rates start at $900 per room, per night, double, in a one-bedroom garden-view suite, including continental breakfast.
Rates drop to $650 a night in the same room category from April 8. For details, visit www.thesomerset.com.
For Caribbean and Mexico news, follow Gay Nagle Myers on Twitter @gnmtravelweekly.
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