Turks and Caicos
Onsite Review

Recommend Magazine
June 2008

By Ciara Lavelle

For a destination specializing in luxury, Providenciales sure does pack a lot of variety. Along the hotel-heavy strip of Grace Bay, you'll find upscale options of all sorts: spa luxury, dining luxury, shopping luxury, and even - get this - affordable luxury. Add the variety to the versatility of Provo, appealing to families and couples, girls' and guys' getaways alike, and it's no surprise that this tiny outpost south of The Bahamas is one of the most exciting, up-and-coming luxury travel destinations in the Caribbean.

Perfect Timing

As little as 10 years ago, most of the resorts, restaurants, boutiques and other tourism infrastructure on the island didn't exist - not that you'd know if from the efficiency with which most of the high-end product operates here. Right now, Provo is in the sweet spot between two tourism extremes: a remote, private island where there's little to do, and a destination overrun with tourists seeking the next big thing. Clients can comfortably walk the streets here without the need to elbow their way through hoards of their peers, while still enjoying amenities that are hard to find on less-developed Caribbean islands - designer boutiques, full-service spas, and gourmet restaurants with vast wine selections.

Case in point: The Somerset on Grace Bay. This member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World offers a world of services reserved for elite travelers - a stimulating reverse current lap pool complementing its wide, recreational infinity pool; onsite restaurants in both casual, poolside and fine dining settings; technical luxuries like wireless Internet access, flat-screen TV's and DVD players; and more than 300 ft. of beachfront, complete with loungers and umbrellas for shade. Inside, the resort's accommodations are divided into three sections. The Stirling House is home to 24 suites, all with ocean views, each with its own marble bathroom, kitchen with granite countertops, and private terrace measuring up to 600 sq. ft. The English Cottages are a bit more reserved - 13 split-level accommodations overlooking The Somerset's croquet court and boasting marble baths, granite kitchens and 400-sq.-ft. terraces of their own. But the top luxury stay here is in the Somerset Estate Villas, comprised of 16 expansive 3-, 4- and 5-bedroom suites and penthouses. Think private entrances and personal Jacuzzis, mahogany furnishings and high, vaulted ceilings - and escape from the escape. Clients seeking a high-style home away from home need look no further. Rates at The Somerset on Grace Bay start at $350 for Stirling House suites; $500 for the English Cottage suites; and $950 for the Estate Villas; all rates are per room per night.

Just down the beach from The Somerset sits The Regent Palms, offering its own brand of luxury. With just 72 suites, The Regent offers a setting intimate enough for the upper crust set - particularly couples hoping for a relaxing getaway minus the splashing, screaming children found at more family-oriented resorts. From dining at the elegant Parallel23 restaurant, to browsing the designer shops at Palm Place, The Regent has all the necessary elements of a luxury resort. But the standout amenity here is the Regent Spa. The layout of the spa features individual treatment rooms - each in its own building and sitting upon a reflection pond - while outdoor showers and sauna complete the experience, reflecting its island setting without sacrificing the classy, upscale vibe that permeates the rest of the resort. And the treatments here are just as inventive as the setting, with signature treatments like a Mother of Pearl Body Exfoliation that uses hand-crushed conch shells; Little Drops of Caribbean Rain, applying tiny drops of essential oils to the spine to revitalize the nerves; and Moonlight and Stars, a nighttime couples' massage to the tune of the ocean tides. One of the most unique treatments is Zareeba, an indigenous steam treatment with a mix of therapeutic herbs designed to detox the syste, followed by a wrap and body massage.

The Regent's 5-night Spa package includes accommodations, daily breakfast, and two massages at the Regent Spa pp, including gratuity. Rates start at $500 per night for a luxury ocean view room, through Dec. 19.

Casual Comfort

One of the most unique luxury offerings in Provo is also one of the most successful. The Sands at Grace Bay isn't a sleek, chick resort in the same vein of The Somerset and The Regent. Rather, it's a classy, family-friendly alternative to some of the more upscale hotels that surround it - all without sacrificing its luxury appeal.

This 114-suite property offers accommodations in studios and 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom suites, all of which combine comfort-focused amenities and spectacular natural surroundings. Each is decorated in Caribbean classic style, with muted blues and greens and wicker furnishings. Most suites - studios excluded - also come with fully equipped kitchens appointed with brand-new refrigerators, dishwashers, coffee makers and more. (Studios are equipped with kitchenettes.) Washers and dryers are also available in most units.

Surrounding these homey accommodations is a spectacular view in every direction. Most of the suites have at least one ocean view with screened-in balcony or terrace that lets clients savor the sunset in the evening without having to deal with nighttime insects. On the other sides of the buildings, a lagoon-style pool meanders through a beautifully maintained tropical garden, under bridges and around giant palm trees until it reaches the beach - a shockingly uncrowded stretch of sand with authentic thatch huts for shade. And the pool's not the only thing that enjoys and ocean view. Hemingway's beachfront restaurant gives guests the option of dining indoors or out on a beachfront deck in a setting that's casual at breakfast and lunch, but dressed up a bit for dinner when the sun goes down and the palm trees are lit, giving the restaurant an upscale "island-y" feel.

Perhaps one of the best things about The Sands at Grace Bay is its location - or rather, the juxtaposition of its homey, laid-back vibe with its location on the otherwise ultra-lux Grace Bay. Guests staying here can enjoy the same designer shopping, the same high-end spa services and the same gorgeous white sand beaches - all while staying comfortably with their families at The Sands for a fraction of the cost. In fact, clients staying at The Sands between Nov. 1 and Dec. 20 this year get their seventh night free, upping the value of their rooms even more: Regular rooms start at $185 per room per night.