As a follow up to our guest blog post a week or so ago, we have made a short video on the event. Just some fun! Enjoy!
The fashion nation event was a collaboration of the top young models in the Turks and Caicos islands along with the island’s best designers.
Hosted at the Somerset Resort it’s just one of the many events that the resort helps promote and host throughout the year.
As the first “guest blogger” on the Somerset Resort blog (how cool is that!) it’s wonderful to be able to talk about a great event from last week that is celebrating its third anniversary. The Somerset sets itself apart from many other resorts in Turks and Caicos with its events. It’s always reaching out to the community and supporting great causes and there is always something fun happening at the resort – jazz evenings, conch parties, movie nights, lobsters on the beach – fun!!
Last week it was the annual fashion show which features many local designers and local models. We were delighted to be asked by Karen (the GM) to come along and help document all the spectacular models and outfits. Read the rest of this entry »
O'Soleil Restaurant, The Somerset on Grace Bay
The Somerset on Grace Bay is pleased to announce that it’s restaurant, O’Soleil has been featured in the latest issue of WhereWhenHow magazine. We are proud to say that the restaurant received an outstanding review. To read the article online, visit the following link:
http://www.wherewhenhow.com/turks-caicos-islands/magazine/restaurant-reviews/osoleil/
O’Soleil | Pearl Lounge | Zen Garden
Wednesday, April 29
FEATURING:
For the full “Wine Down” experience after the event, dine from our special six-course menu with wine pairings, available at O’Soleil restaurant.
O’Soleil at The Somerset on Grace Bay
RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED
649.946.5900
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands, April 28, 2009 – Executive Chef Lauren Callighen is a young chef in her mid-twenties whose spirited culinary vision is rooted in seagoing traditions. She is the Turks & Caicos’ rising culinary star, noted for her innovative cooking at O’Soleil, the restaurant with a stunning all-white interior design at The Somerset on Grace Bay that is drawing diners from resorts throughout Providenciales as well as island residents. Chef Callighen borrows from the local Caribbean bounty giving it a unique approach, informed by her coastal upbringing in Newfoundland and executed with a zeal for fresh ingredients from the land and sea.
Chef Lauren Callighen’s inventiveness and creativity have led her to prepare sea bass with chorizo and balsamic salad as well as the pumpkin and tamarind soup with oxtail ravioli. As for wahoo, she likes to grill it, and surround the fish with a coconut peanut sauce, a side of baby bok choy and a garnish of banana relish. With Caicos Bank red snapper, she makes a curried mango risotto and serves it with Mojo sauce and Thai basil.
Apart from the local harvest from the sea, Callighen makes an effort to find, use and support locally-grown organic produce. Much of what she uses comes from Island Fresh Produce, a hydroponic farm in Providenciales. As a nod to her Canadian roots, Callighen also sources several Canadian products including Atlantic salmon, Prince Edward Island mussels, venison, Quebec duck, among others.
2009 Culinary News from The Somerset:
The Somerset is located on the pristine beach at scenic Grace Bay, in the Providenciales of Turks & Caicos Islands, a brief hour and twenty minute flight from Miami and an easy three hour, non-stop flight from New York, with service from most other major U.S. and Canadian gateways. The resort’s O’Soleil restaurant is one of the top tables in the Caribbean, serving the inspired, contemporary fare of Executive Chef Lauren, and a more casual menu at the LunAsea poolside restaurant. Open since June 2006, the 54 exceptionally large suites ranging from 1,353 to 5,327 square feet feature marble baths, gourmet kitchens and whimsically designed interiors by Keith Baltimore. Rates for The Somerset, start at $600 in peak winter season and at $350 during summer value season. The resort is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and has been providing guests with a five-star luxury experiences since its inception. For reservations and more information, visit www.thesomerset.com or call toll free 877.887.5722, or the local hotel number at 1-649-946-5900.
U.S. Press Contact:
Conran Communications
192 Lexington Avenue, Suite 805
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212.447.1010
Gayle Conran: gconran@conrancommunications.com
Shin-Jung Hong: shong@conrancommunications.com
www.conrancommunications.com
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands, April 24, 2009 – The Somerset on Grace Bay in the Turks & Caicos Islands is one of only a few resorts developed specifically for families by someone who knows – a mother. The family-friendly concept, like many of the insightful, caring elements found here, were created in part by Allyson Nick, a New York real estate developer who also happens to be the mother of five children. She intentionally helped design the 54-Suite resort, which opened in June 2006, to feature unscheduled time for building sand castles on the beach, exceptionally spacious suites with large fully-equipped kitchens, multiple bathrooms, as well as two swimming pools, one with a zero-entry shallow end for toddlers and another with an underwater music piped in for teens keeps kids safe and engaged.
Nick has real estate in her blood. She grew up in working in her father’s residential real estate business in Manhattan and her watched her mother learn resort development first-hand by buying a 4,000 acre Rocky Mountain ranch and transforming it into the exclusive Keyah Grande Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Yet Nick, a busy mother of five children, has used The Somerset on the island of Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos Islands to put her own theories into action. She has strong opinions about why being a woman may well be an asset in a world traditionally overseen by men.
“There are strengths to being a woman in this business,” Nick says. “We’re more detail-oriented. I try to think outside the box as often as possible and I try to implement. I’m not a person who thinks this should be a typical resort experience.”
“I support other women in business,” she says, noting that her general manager, Karen Whitt, is the new president of the Turks & Caicos Hotel Association – the first woman ever appointed to the position – as well as a member of the Turks & Caicos Tourist Board. The Executive Chef, the position that is traditionally dominated by men, is also a woman. Lauren Callighen is in a leadership position not only at The Somerset, but is established as one of the top chefs in the Turks & Caicos, highly praised for her culinary skill and creativity.
This unique energy that Nick and her team generate is what distinguishes this Mediterranean-style resort with its 54 stylish suites, some with private floors, panoramic ocean views, private outdoor Jacuzzis and marble baths. The centerpiece of the resort is the multi-million dollar pool, which ends in a cascading waterfall overlooking miles of white sandy beach, abetted by an underwater sound system and water currents for simulating lap swimming.
“The Somerset is about understated elegance,” Nick says. “I think the word ‘luxury’ is totally overused. At The Somerset, trying to do less is more. This is not an over-the-top place. It’s upscale elegance and we have a very friendly staff.”
“We try very hard at The Somerset,” she says. “It’s the Caribbean and tropical, so service is not as white-gloved as you’d find in Europe or in Asia. And it is not second nature to do this type of service here. So the service level at The Somerset is something that I’m most proud of.”
Guests are enthralled with the service level at The Somerset and for that, Nick is eager to give credit to her General Manager Karen Whitt, who brings her special skills to bear. The fact is that The Somerset staff is loyal to a fault, with the least turnover of any resort on the island.
“I have to give 99 percent of the credit to Karen,” says Nick. “She has great flair and understanding and she’s been the manager since the opening in 2006. She’s the one who pulls it off.”
Despite the “juggling act” that she must perform with her five children, who range in age from 11 to 20, Nick is at The Somerset at least once a month. “What I wanted to have at The Somerset was this welcome familiarity, so when you arrived, it was like you were going home,” she says. “There’s always a staff awaiting you, people who dotted the “i’s” and crossed the “t’s” and were waiting for you to come home.”
That high level of warmth and service is precisely what continues to make The Somerset the most desirable resort in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
The Somerset is located on the pristine beach at scenic Grace Bay, in the Providenciales of Turks & Caicos Islands, a brief hour and twenty minute flight from Miami and an easy three hour, non-stop flight from New York, with service from most other major U.S. and Canadian gateways. The resort’s O’Soleil restaurant is one of the top tables in the Caribbean, serving the inspired, contemporary fare of Executive Chef Lauren, and a more casual menu at the LunAsea poolside restaurant. Open since June 2006, the 54 exceptionally large suites ranging from 1,353 to 5,327 square feet feature marble baths, gourmet kitchens and whimsically designed interiors by Keith Baltimore. Rates for The Somerset, start at $600 in peak winter season and at $350 during summer value season. The resort is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and has been providing guests with a five-star luxury experiences since its inception. For reservations and more information, visit www.thesomerset.com or call toll free 877.887.5722, or the local hotel number at 1-649-946-5900.
U.S. Press Contact:
Conran Communications
192 Lexington Avenue, Suite 805
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212.447.1010
Gayle Conran: gconran@conrancommunications.com
Shin-Jung Hong: shong@conrancommunications.com
www.conrancommunications.com
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands, March 26, 2009 – The Somerset on Grace Bay came away with three top honors at this year’s Annual Star Awards on Treasure Beach presented by Turks & Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association. Honored were the people that make The Somerset such a highly personal and memorable experience, as well as one of the best resorts in the Caribbean. The Somerset’s three awards went to Karen Whitt for Hotelier of the Year, Marjon Limboc for Best Supervisor and to Warren Bennett for Employee of the Year.
“Our staff is at the heart of every guest experience at The Somerset. Guests come for the setting along Grace Bay beach, but return again and again because of our warm, welcoming team. We are proud to accept these on behalf of each of the exceptionally dedicated employees who on a daily basis ensure that our guests are greeted with a welcome familiarity and in turn, truly feel at home,” says General Manager Karen Whitt.
Marjon
Each hotel and resort was given the opportunity to create submissions for 14 various categories this year. The Somerset was one of a few hotels who went above and beyond the call of duty, resulting in the highest number of awards and recognition for their exceptional work and dedication to their guests.
The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association represents a broad range of members from hotels and resorts, insurance companies, and financial service providers among others. TCHTA aims to assist the organizations through networking opportunities, training, promotional activities and representation at all levels of decision-making in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Association is dedicated in achieving sustainable growth in tourism, benefitting its members and the greater community, while protecting and enhancing the unique environment and original beauty of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The Somerset is located on the pristine beach at scenic Grace Bay, in the Providenciales of Turks & Caicos Islands, a brief hour and twenty minute flight from Miami and an easy three hour, non-stop flight from New York, with service from most other major U.S. and Canadian gateways. The resort’s O’Soleil restaurant is one of the top tables in the Caribbean, serving the inspired, contemporary fare of Executive Chef Lauren, and a more casual menu at the LunAsea poolside restaurant. Open since June 2006, the 54 exceptionally large suites ranging from 1,353 to 5,327 square feet feature marble baths, gourmet kitchens and whimsically designed interiors by Keith Baltimore. Rates for The Somerset, start at $600 in peak winter season and at $350 during summer value season. The resort is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and has been providing guests with a five-star luxury experiences since its inception.
For reservations and more information, visit www.thesomerset.com or call toll free 877.887.5722, or the local hotel number at 1-649-946-5900.
Gayle Conran: gconran@conrancommunications.com
Shin-Jung Hong: shong@conrancommunications.com
www.conrancommunications.com
Resort To The Best
234 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 503
Toronto, Ont. M4P 1K5
Tel: 416-322-7824
Lillian Day: lday@on.aibn.com
www.resorttothebest.com
A Resort Developed by a Mother Offers Families The Most Treasured Amenity – Time Together
Plus New Packages, New Kid-Friendly Services and Added-Value Across the Board
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands, March 26, 2009 – The Somerset on Grace Bay is one of only handful of Caribbean resorts that is honest about giving families what they seek most on a sun vacation – time together and a decidedly unscheduled place to relax and unwind.
That’s because The Somerset was developed specifically for families by someone who knows, a mother. The family-friendly concept, like many of the insightful, caring elements found here, were created by Allyson Nick, a New York real estate developer who also happens to be the mother of five children. In addition to the unscheduled time to build sand castles on the beach, the exceptionally large suites, ranging from 1,353 to 5,327 square-feet with one to five bedrooms, were specifically designed for large families, as well as multi-generational gatherings. Two swimming pools, one with a zero-entry shallow end for toddlers and another with an underwater music piped in for teens keeps kids safe and engaged.
To cater to families further, The Somerset has introduced a new four night “Family Value-Added Special”, available now through December 18, 2009 with no blackout periods.
The offer is valid on all suite categories and excludes standard rooms. As an added bonus, this Family Package is combinable with The Somerset’s 4th Night Free Special, offering four consecutive nights for the cost of three. This amounts to a savings of $500 to $4,000 depending on the level of room booked. Rates start at $500 in a one bedroom suite from May 30 to October 30, 2009.
The Family Value-Added Special includes:
The Somerset is located on the pristine beach at scenic Grace Bay, in the Providenciales of Turks & Caicos Islands, a brief hour and twenty minute flight from Miami and an easy three hour, non-stop flight from New York, with service from most other major U.S. and Canadian gateways. The resort’s O’Soleil restaurant is one of the top tables in the Caribbean, serving the inspired, contemporary fare of Executive Chef Lauren, and a more casual menu at the LunAsea poolside restaurant. Open since June 2006, the 54 exceptionally large suites ranging from 1,353 to 5,327 square feet feature marble baths, gourmet kitchens and whimsically designed interiors by Keith Baltimore. Rates for The Somerset, start at $600 in peak winter season and at $350 during summer value season. The resort is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and has been providing guests with a five-star luxury experiences since its inception. For reservations and more information, visit www.thesomerset.com or call toll free 877.887.5722, or the local hotel number at 1-649-946-5900.
Gayle Conran: gconran@conrancommunications.com
Shin-Jung Hong: shong@conrancommunications.com
www.conrancommunications.com
Resort To The Best
234 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 503
Toronto, Ont. M4P 1K5
Tel: 416-322-7824
Lillian Day: lday@on.aibn.com
www.resorttothebest.com
Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross.
Creative art, prints, paintings, handcrafted jewelry, metal art… over 50 pieces of art!
Presented by O’Soleil Restaurant and The Somerset on Grace Bay.
For reservations, call 946-5900
Representatives of the TCI contingent at CHTA Marketplace
“Turks & Caicos Islands showcased at CHTA marketplace 2009″
February 3, 2009
Excerpt:
“The Turks and Caicos Islands had a strong presence at CHTA Marketplace. CEO Caesar Campbell represented the TCHTA, along with representatives from Amanyara Resort, Grace Bay Club, Parrot Cay, Royal West Indies, The Regent Palms, The Somerset on Grace Bay, The Sands, Turks and Caicos Club, West Bay Club and the Windsong…”
“…We were very well represented at the marketplace, not only because it is an important industry event but it also gave us an opportunity to let everyone know that the TCI is fully back in business since the passing of the storms in September 2008” said Karen Whitt, President of the TCHTA and General Manager of the Somerset Resort.”
For the full online article, visit:
http://www.tcinetnews.com/news-1003–2-2—.html
You can also download it here:
http://www.thesomerset.com/portals/7/docs/Mediaclip/TCNetNews_Feb03-09.pdf
Andy Mann | 
12 19th, 2009| 