Turks and Caicos

A March 2006 trip to Providenciales by jkrogers

My family and I came to the island in search of some much needed leisure and fun. We are a very adventurous and fun loving group who enjoy mixing with the locals and indulging while on vacation.

  • 1 review

Bella LunaBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

We chose to go to Bella Luna after the concierge and numerous other locals told us that we would enjoy ourselves and it was "worth it." My husband called to make the reservation two days in advance. Upon calling, he specifically asked "do you allow children." The hostess on the other end said "yes, sir." We made an 8pm reservation.

We arrived promptly at 8pm and were greeted by the hostess who seemed to be fumbling thru the book when we gave the name. She told us she would be right back. At that point a very hostile lady approached my husband and demanded to know our name again. My husband gave it to her and she started searching again and said she could not find us. Then she demanded to know "where are you staying anyway?" we told her and she said "They know better, I don't take children. I see where you have a reservation but I do not take children." During this scene she was causing my son (age 7) asked why she was mad at Daddy. In addition another family we knew got up to see if they could assist me and take the children with them while everything got sorted out. My husband politely and quietly explained that we had called and asked about the children earlier in the week. She informed us she didn't know who we talked to. She finally offered to let us wait outside for 30 minutes while the table "in the very back" finished and she would seat us there. The whole time she was staring at my children as though they were about to unleash the plague on the diners. My husband politely asked me if I wanted to stay and I said no thank you. Before leaving my husband asked why they did not take children and she informed us that "children were not conducive to her business." So we left with no where to go and two hungry kids.

 (FYI everything requires a reservation and most restaurants don't take walk-ins). The irony was the other family we saw there said after we left she took a couple with a new baby immediately after us (it appears they were locals and it only confirms the other persons review of the island "warmth" towards tourists). I would not patronize a restaurant that treats its "guests" this way. Another irony here is there were other young people in the restaurant that night and their ad talks about how the dining experience in is a unique setting "housed with family" and the ad has a picture of a young girl in it.

  • Member Rating 1 out of 5 by jkrogers on March 25, 2007

Bella Luna
Grace Bay Road Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands
+649 946 5214

About the Writer

jkrogers
jkrogers
Nashville, Tennessee

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