Villa Renaissance is a beautiful resort that is quiet and very comfortable. The rooms are well appointed and the location on Grace Bay is excellent.

The pool area is beautiful, but be aware it is a courtyard pool and not by the ocean.

After staying in Turks and Caicos for the second time we finally "get it" : This "hotel" is not actually a hotel. Like so many of them there, they are Condos that are owned by others and locals manage the property. The rooms are clean and the grounds are well cared for. The local people in TCI are really new to what it takes to provide a first class vacation experience and because it is not really a hotel, they are not trained like real hotel staff would be. The people at this "hotel" don't get up from behind their desks, the cab drivers are rude, drinks are very expensive and they don't really seem to care about your experience. On a brighter note, we did also stay at the Gansevoort hotel while we were here too. Same price. Way better experience. Their people are very well trained. I would go to the Gansevoort again.

We visit the out islands of the Bahamas a lot also. The Bahamians get it. If you are looking for a real Caribbean experience stay on one of the Family Islands in the Bahamas.

My husband and I recently travelled to Turks and Caicos for a last minute, long weekend trip. I found a very reasonable rate at VR which I booked by phone after seeing a "coupon" on trip advisor. This was our first time to T&C. We did not rent a car. Cab from the airport was $26 for both of us - not bad at all. You can walk to the grocery store and to some other hotels, shops, and restaurants from the VR. However, there are not a lot of people walking the street at night. After walking the first night, we took a cab the second night.

Positives:
Very quiet
Grace Bay is a gorgeous, clean beach, and you can walk for miles
The water is crystal clear, no rocks, no seaweed, no jelly fish - perfect
The hotel is very clean and well-maintained
It is a boutique hotel so even though we had a garden/pool view room, it only takes about a minute to walk through the pool area to the beach
80 degree weather with a slight breeze
We stayed in a 1 bedroom suite and it's very big with a full kitchen, dining room table for 6 and a washer/dryer. Top of the line appliances and fixtures. Very clean and looks to be new. 1 bathroom. TV in living room and kitchen. Large balcony.

Negatives
I did not find the customer service to be very good. Definitely not 5 star service. We stayed at an all-inclusive last year in Riviera Maya that had 5 star service, so this paled in comparison. When we arrived for check-in the 1 person at the desk was on the phone. She did recognize our presence with a quick wave, but there were people standing around just staring at us...I think a few of the housekeeping staff and I'm not sure who else. Kinda weird.

They sent me a guest information form which I promptly sent right back because of booking so close to arrival. No one responded to my email. I sent it again the following day. By the day before check-in, someone responded askiing me to send the form? Upon check-in there was no mention of the form or anything I wrote on it. I asked for dinner reservations to be made, etc, and none of it was done or acknowledged.

The entire time I was there it was not clear to me who was the concierge. There seemed to be only 1 person at the front desk at most times (sometimes 2).

The first night we asked for them to make dinner reservations for us and when we got to the restaurant our name wasn't in the system. Luckily they sat us anyway. The second night our reservations were entered for 30 minutes later than the hotel told us.
I did not find the workers to be very friendly or helpful.

There are no restaurants on the property but there are a few within a short walking distance - Thai, Indian, and The Vix. Our reservation included a buffet breakfast at The Vix. I did not think it was good although my husband didn't mind it. They didn't seem to be up on food safety. I would avoid it for breakfast. You can order lunch at hotel bar (there is a small bar and it is only open until about 6 pm). We met 2 ladies at the bar and they asked us "is it always this quiet?" My answer was yes. They were the only 2 people that we saw at the bar the entire time. The pool/beach/room service food comes from the Vix. I did enjoy lunch the 2 days I ordered it - had a burger and a grilled chicken sandwich. The guy who delivers the food to you (they will bring it to the beach) is probably the most friendly person working there. There is no beach service in terms of someone coming to ask you if you want drinks. They did bring cold bottled water one day.

If you want to meet people, hang out at the hotel bar, or you want personalized attention I would not book this hotel. If you want to relax in a beautiful, very quiet environment, and you do not require a lot of personal customer service, then this hotel is for you.

We are one of two couples enjoying an "empty nest" vacation. We don't own property here or any other vacation location. The Villa is NOT a full service hotel, nor an all-inclusive.

It DOES have a beautiful view from the rooms. Well kept grounds, a great pool and easy beach access. But it is the staff that really makes the place happen. They are helpful, friendly, solicitous, and want to be sure that you are having a good time. if you are seeking a quiet, beautiful place with access to beach, shops and restaurants, this is it.