On Location: “Beaches is having a moment”: Treasure Beach Village opens in Turks and Caicos

“As our executive chairman would say, ‘Beaches is having a moment,’” said Maureen Barnes-Smith, vice-president of sales and marketing, Canada, at Unique Vacations.

PAX sat down with Barnes-Smith in the BRU coffeehouse at the new Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa.

In fact, Adam Stewart, executive chairman of Sandals Resorts International, which owns the Beaches brand, used those exact words when we sat down with him later to discuss the new addition to the resort.

Turks and Caicos is a popular choice for Canadians, and the numbers are growing. Barnes-Smith saw that first-hand on her flight in.

“I was watching people coming on the aircraft. There was a couple sitting beside me. And there’s a couple behind me and one across from me. I realize now, as I’m walking along the property, that I’ve seen all of these people before,” she said.

Canadians are coming to Turks and Caicos, and they’re coming to Beaches. Overall, Canadians account for between 10 and 12 per cent of the brand’s global business.

At a cost of $1 million per key, the $101-million investment is a significant one for Sandals. Stewart explained why SRI is making that investment now.

“We’re living in a world where there is so much happening, there’s so much information coming to us. It’s non-stop,” he said. 

“We recognize that the importance of multi-generational family time to turn it all off, to create memories and moments and to reconnect as human beings in an unbelievably overwhelming digital world.”

A shift in what luxury means

The business of all-inclusive resorts has changed over the past 10 years. Stewart is well aware of that, and Sandals and Beaches resorts are adapting to meet clients’ needs.

“I’ve seen a shift in wellness, activities, much more athletics and gyms. We’ve seen a shift in quality of food. More fusion, better ingredients,” he said. 

“But the overarching desire to really reconnect, I don’t think there’s ever been a moment in time that has been more prevalent. That’s luxury today: time. Time together.”

Sandals routinely reaches out to clients to learn what they are looking for, and Stewart wasn’t entirely surprised when Wi-Fi concerns came up again and again.

Not because the Wi-Fi doesn’t work well. The high-speed Wi-Fi at the Turks and Caicos resort is excellent. 

Instead, some clients said they don’t want it to be everywhere. Instead, spending family time together and reconnecting is central to the strategy. 

The Treasure Beach Village Activity Hut is full of board games, puzzles and other non-screen diversions. 

The Starfish Cinema gives families a place to watch movies and television shows together on a large screen after grabbing popcorn and candy from the refreshment stand.

“You take the devices away from the kids and all of a sudden you’re having conversations,” Stewart said. 

“Of course, if it’s not for you, there’s Wi-Fi everywhere. But, for me personally, my three kids, my sister’s four kids, all their friends: it's a constant battle to be able to connect with them.”

Beaches 2.0

The plans for new Beaches products are expansive, and Treasure Beach Village is indicative of where the brand is heading.

“This is the first of what we’re calling Beaches 2.0. As you walk in here, you’ll feel the difference,” Stewart said. 

Treasure Beach Village is the first of five Beaches projects announced last year, with new resorts planned for Exuma, Barbados, Runaway Bay in Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 

With growing competition in the luxury family travel segment, Stewart is quick to point out what he sees as the Beaches difference.

“So many, particularly in the luxury segment family travel brands, they really give lip service to features for kids. The kids are usually bored out of their minds after two or three days,” he said. 

“Many of the luxury brands, they also just don’t have the complexity of gastronomic offerings. This is a resort with the better part of 30 food and beverage outlets. Food from all over the world."

Sandals Resorts has also embraced the pickleball trend, adding more than 100 pickleball courts across the Caribbean.

Stewart sees the Caribbean family segment becoming a larger growth area for Caribbean tourism overall.

“Families are craving more. The Caribbean is close to our source markets. Canada, for instance. Toronto is right there," he said.

The success of Sandals Resorts has also provided lessons for Beaches.

“One of the things that Sandals and Beaches both have, and it’s really intentional in what we do, is that there’s no upcharge,” Stewart said. 

“There’s no armband and village restrictions. You could be staying in the most affordable room or the most premium water bungalow. You have total access to all facilities.”

Dining, suites and family-focused design

There are more than 25 dining venues and food trucks across the resort. 

Treasure Beach Village is home to three of them: Pinta’s, which serves buffet breakfast and dinner, plus à la carte lunch; Butch’s, the steakhouse familiar to Sandals clients and new to Beaches; and BRU, a coffee shop serving coffee, pastries and cocktails throughout the day.

The swim-up bar features in-water tables and benches, along with Sno-Cones, another first for Beaches.

There are also vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options at the restaurants. For clients with dietary restrictions, the Culinary Concierge can help with menu planning.

Treasure Beach Village officially opened on March 1, 2026, while the weekend of May 14 to 17 marked a celebrity-filled celebration. 

Chad Michael Murray, Taye Diggs and Jesse Eisenberg were among the stars enjoying the resort with their families. The Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Honourable Andrew Holness, was also in attendance.

The addition of 101 suites at Treasure Beach Village brings the resort’s total room count to 758, joining the Caribbean, French and Italian-themed villages.

Treasure Beach Village features six CrystalSky four-bedroom, three-storey Reserve Villas with private pools, rooftop terraces and butler service, accommodating up to 10 guests.

The Chairman’s three-bedroom penthouse suite, where our interview took place, is a two-storey suite with living areas designed for large families. 

Stewart had his three children, along with a handful of their cousins and friends, staying in the suite with him.

There are also Oceanview Concierge and Butler Suites, with two- and three-bedroom options that include bunk beds for children and cribs upon request. 

The children’s bedrooms are positioned farthest from the balconies and outside noise, making them ideal for a quiet night’s sleep.

Barnes-Smith loves the configuration.

“Just these 101 suites are almost like a mini vacation,” she said. 

“It’s like you’re in your own hotel, and it complements the property so absolutely well.”

Barnes-Smith said she is enthusiastic about the addition and what it could mean for Canadian business.

“The possibilities of getting many more Canadians to not only visit Turks and Caicos, but to experience the Beaches brand,” she said.

Stewart summed up the positioning this way: “This is a world where design and sophistication collides with things to do that keeps kids having the time of their lives.”

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.