Timeless Turks & Caicos: Onsite Review

Recommend Magazine
2007

By Terrence K. Murphy

The arrival by air into Providenciales is simply stunning. The plane swoops in low from the north and skims over the foamy white reef and the crystal-clear turquoise water, offering glimpses of the long, curving strand of sand that is Grace Bay, widely regarded as one of the Caribbean's most beautiful beaches.

The Provo airport is fairly new, small but functional, and it doesn't take too long after arriving here to realize that this is the place to put away your watch, change gears and revert back to a more laid-back state of mind. Time and most everything move slowly here. The largely deserted downtown area is a sleepy collection of odd government buildings, a handful of banks and a smattering of shops.

Situated at the southeastern end of The Bahamas chain about 575 miles southeast of Miami, the Turks & Caicos islands are a British-dependent territory, and while there are eight main islands to the group and about 40 smaller mostly uninhabited cays, most of the current development is on the island of Providenciales.

Fifteen years ago, the island had just a few hundred guestrooms for visitors, sporadic air service and few of the amenities that are important to developing a tourism infrastructure. In recent years, however, the growth has been nothing short of phenomenal. The 37sq.mile, predominantly flat island now even boasts its own 18-hole championship golf course, and scattered along Grace Bay are several new resorts and condominium developments as well as others that are under construction. Although, clients looking for that quintessential deserted Caribbean stretch of sand will be happy to know that Grace Bay is not yet overcrowded.

Protected by the reef, the ocean here is quite calm, and the white sand is fine and powdery with a very gradual slope Into the gently lapping waves.

Home Away From Home

Located directly on the beach and just nine miles from the airport, The Sands at Grace Bay is a lush and welcoming, family-style oceanfront resort that has maintained a high standard throughout its nine years of operation. Consisting of 118 apartments ranging from studios to 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units in six 3-story buildings, the resort offers a variety of options to suit virtually every guest's need. All apartments are spacious-the 1-bedroom unit itself is a generous 1,200 sq. ft. decorated in a pleasing Caribbean tropical-style with terracotta tile flooring, full kitchens, ceiling fans and spacious screened porches. The entire resort is undergoing upgrades in all units and the renovations in building 3, the one closest to the ocean, will be completed by October. Renos include stainless steel appliances and granite countertops.

The Sands centerpiece, however, has got to be its lush, water-themed courtyard area with two free-form pools, a cascading waterfall, a jacuzzi, and serene shaded grottoes all connected by small canals that flow seemingly carefree throughout the grounds. Tucked away under the palms, the Coconut Grove area offers guests a secluded spot with hammocks, making it ideal for afternoon reading or napping. The main pool is located close to the beach near the waterfront Hemingway's restaurant and bar, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week on its popular open-air patio.

At the property's beach hut, guests have complimentary use of kayaks, windsurfing equipment, hobie cats and snorkeling gear while the tour and excursion desk will arrange for island tours, fishing, horseback riding, boating, scuba diving and power boat rentals for an additional cost. Open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., the guest hospitality area includes the Spa Tropique, a fitness center, showers, a lounge area arid TV room and computers with complimentary Internet access. Other hotel facilities include a dive shop, a convenience store, tennis court, and complimentary airport shuttle service.

'The Sands," says General Manager Pierre Beswick, "still has charm and personality and guests can really feel laid-back and comfortable here. More and more, we are becoming a family getaway. If a big family rents two or three suites for about S1,000 a night, you are in a terrific location at a reasonable cost with all the amenities that you need and none of the eccentricities that you don't."