Travel Agent - October 29, 2007 - (Page 47)

room Villa at Rocky Point. Rates are $4,080 per night through December 20, 2007, not including 10 percent tax and a 10 percent service charge per night. Like at a lot of top properties at this point, there is no availability now for Christmas or New Year’s. One of Parrot Cay’s most underrated rooms is Rocky Point’s One-Bedroom Beach Villas, particularly room 1004, which is extremely private and secluded and has a heated plunge pool and an outdoor shower. Parrot Cay offers a 10 percent commission. Agents should contact Richele Morgan, sales and special services manager of Parrot Cay Resort & Spa, at 649-946-7788 or richele. morgan@parrotcay.como.bz. Another agent contact is Kiesha Meadows, reservations manager: 649-946-7745, 877-754-0726, or kiesha.meadows@parrotcay.como.bz. Regent Palms Turks and Caicos We recently stayed at one of the finest properties we have visited in the Caribbean in quite some time. The recently re-flagged Regent Palms Turks and Caicos (www. regenthotels.com/thepalms) is perfect for couples looking for an unspoiled destination in the Caribbean and a resort that offers peace and quiet on just about every inch of its 12 acres. We stayed in room 4203, a one-bedroom Oceanview Suite. Although it is not the top category, we highly recommend it. The suite has two balconies: one leading from the dining room, which has a small bed and overlooks the property’s $1.8 million serpentine infinity pool with partial views of the ocean, and one leading from the bedroom, which is a little smaller and does not have a bed. Check-in was done in our room. We were greeted by a welcome fruit and cookie basket and a bottle of water on ice, and noted that the kitchen was fully stocked with glasses, dishes and silverware and has a full-size refrigerator. The bedroom has a king-size bed, a TV (smaller than the one in the living room) and a DVD player. It also has a chair with a foot rest off to the side of the bed closer to the balcony. There are two closets in the bedroom. This room costs between $625 and $1,800, depending on the season. We also toured room 5504, a three-bedroom Oceanfront Penthouse that costs between $2,600 and $6,500 a night and could be closed off into a one- or two-bedroom penthouse as well. It’s similar in design to the Oceanview Suite, but is more spacious. An outdoor Jacuzzi with front-and-center views of the ocean is its best feature. The Regent Palms Turks and Caicos has two restaurants: Plunge, a poolside eatery, and Parallel 23. Both are open to locals and serve great food, but Parallel 23 is the best restaurant at the hotel and one of our favorites in the Caribbean as a whole. It serves local cuisine—mainly seafood, such as conch, and meat dishes. You can sit inside or outside, but, as is the case on all islands of the Caribbean, some mosquito repellent is recommended. The tables are lit with candles and a gas lantern hanging on the wall just outside the restaurant also lends a soft glow. This atmosphere is very old-fashioned and classy. We had the Thai pumpkin soup as an appetizer and the char-grilled 14-ounce pork chop as our entrée. The soup is adorned with crispy tofu, pickled shiitake mushrooms and coconut cream and costs $15. It’s worth it. The chop is soaked in garlic and thyme, topped with a foie gras torchon and served with a six-bean stew with caramelized red onions and asparagus. The stew gives the chop a sweet aftertaste. We recommend washing this $38 dish down with a bottle of Wishing Tree, a tasty chardonnay. Commission here is 10 percent. Agents should contact Scott Hagan, reservations and revenue manager, at 866-877-7256 or reserva tionstc@regentexperience.com. Nikki Beach Resort and Spa This property will require a little imagination, as it is still about a year away from opening. Miami-based Nikki Beach recently announced Nikki Beach Resort and Spa Turks & Caicos (www.nikkibeachhotels.com) as the newest addition to its growing portfolio. If this property is anything like its Miami counterpart, it should be a magnet for young couples and singles. Agents will be able to book this for guys’ or girlfriends’ getaways, as well as for young couples. Just over an hour‘s flight from Miami, this Turks and Caicos resort could also attract many of the same guests as the Miami property does. Agents should note, however, that this property will most be luxury-oriented, not for your average spring breaker; and it will have a marina for yachters. Nikki Beach Resort and Spa will rest on white sandy beaches within a gated 423-acre resort on the northeastern tip of the island of Providenciales and comprise a five-star hotel, spa, nightclub, signature Nikki Beach Club and eco-friendly marina. Nikki Beach Club, the Marina Club Villas and the marina will open in March 2008 and the 100-room Nikki Beach Resort and Spa will debut in 2009. “Known for its natural beauty but lacking luxury resorts, Turks and Caicos has been a Caribbean destination for the adventurous traveler,” Blair MacPherson, director of sales and marketing for Nikki Beach Hotels, tells Travel Agent. MacPherson says the new resort will have all of Nikki Beach’s internationally well-known amenities. As far as the commission for travel agents, Nikki Beach representatives told us they have not gotten that far yet, but are in the process of making such decisions. The Tuscany Resort The Tuscany Resort (www.thetuscanyresort. CONTINUED ON PAGE 48 October 29, 2007 TravelAgent | 47 http://www.regenthotels.com/thepalms http://www.regenthotels.com/thepalms http://www.nikkibeachhotels.com http://www.thetuscanyresort.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - October 29, 2007

Travel Agent - October 29, 2007 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe European Tour Packages Mexico Mexico Deals Pacific/Asia Australia Deals Las Vegas Vegas News, Packages and Deals Caribbean Caribbean Deals Hotels Tours Hawaii Cruise River Cruising Takes on a New Life Cover Story: Tanzania Agent Profile Technology: Using Videos Trabsportation: Riding the Rails The Industry: Agenda Holland America and Trump Hotels Bahamas Luxury Booms, BVI Gets First Resort in 15 Years Expanded Family Travel Tours Korean Air Exclusive Report From Results! Travel Conference Travel Week In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertsing Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch

Travel Agent - October 29, 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.