The Latest Hotel Updates From Turks & Caicos

The Residences are new, private beachfront villas set within a gated enclave directly on Providenciales’ renowned Grace Bay Beach.
The Residences are new, private beachfront villas set within a gated enclave directly on Providenciales’ renowned Grace Bay Beach.

From new villas at Grace Bay Club to a recently completed $3.5 million renovation at The Palms, Travel Agent breaks down the latest hotel news out of Turks and Caicos. We also have the latest on what to expect from Turks and Caicos’ recently upgraded airport.

Hotel News

Grace Bay Resorts recently announced the completion of its new collection of freestanding private beachfront villas, The Residences, which are now available for booking. Set within a private, gated enclave directly on the island of Providenciales’ renowned Grace Bay Beach, The Residences are a trio of privately owned, five-bedroom villas, two of which feature sophisticated decor from acclaimed interior designer Thom Filicia. All three are managed by the Grace Bay Club.

The Residences offer direct access to Grace Bay Beach, as well as personal concierges, a community library and full-service fitness center. Living spaces at each villa afford all the comforts of a home to accommodate families, but with an intimacy that is also welcoming to small groups and couples traveling together.

Each home, which is available for rent through Grace Bay Club, comes complete with ocean views, its own infinity pool, a detached cottage that houses the fifth bedroom and bath, and 6,400 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space.

In the main living area, there is a clear balance between raw and refined with a mix of natural elements and man-made fixtures. Design features include green and blue Bombay Kelly cotton fabric used in window dressings and throw pillows, driftwood credenzas, stools with finishes of crackled gold, and custom Sherwood sofa daybeds from the Thom Filicia Home Collection.

The two oceanfront master bedrooms bring the outdoors in, capturing the colors of the Caribbean Sea in Marrakesh Lagoon Heacy Basket Fabric, which drapes the windows, and turquoise waxed linen side tables.

Each home’s outdoor space is landscaped and thoughtfully designed, from the infinity pool surrounded by a spacious deck and palapa, to the oversized daybed and decadent outdoor showers. Interior spaces have 18-foot-high ceilings, appliances by Sub Zero and Wolf, and high-quality imported fixtures and finishes.

The Palms Turks and Caicos offers 72 suites, a 25,000-square-foot spa, serpentine infinity pool and a selection of fine dining.
The Palms Turks and Caicos offers 72 suites, a 25,000-square-foot spa, serpentine infinity pool and a selection of fine dining.

Meanwhile, the 72-suite Palms resort, just steps away from Grace Bay Beach, offers a 25,000-square-foot spa, serpentine infinity pool and a selection of fine dining, among other amenities. (Note: This resort is once again officially named simply The Palms Turks and Caicos. The hotel decided to drop “The Regent” from its name last September and operate as independent property under The Hartling Group.)

Just last year, The Palms celebrated its 10-year anniversary in conjunction with a $3.5 million renovation project that brought room refreshments and new dining outlets. While breakfast was previously offered at Parallel 23, the property’s fine dining restaurant, it is now served in a completely new venue called The Garden. The Garden is an outdoor restaurant that surrounds guests by indigenous flora and fauna and live music while they enjoy their complimentary breakfast.

While many visitors to Turks and Caicos may be content to remain at the resort and sip fruity cocktails all day, there are a variety of local cultural experiences for guests, including the Thursday Fish Fry, conch diving followed by The Palms’ chef preparing a dish made from your conch, and moon bathing at The Palms, in which one lays right on the beach and takes in the gorgeous Turks and Caicos stars while getting mini spa treatments and after-dinner drinks. Each of these experiences can be set up for guests by the The Palms’ staff.

A short stroll down the beach from The Palms, the Alexandra Resort recently completed renovations in the majority of the hotel’s rooms. The room renovations consisted of fresh paint and window coverings in most suites. In addition, numerous rooms received new soft goods, bed linens, headboards, mattresses and decor items.

Property upgrades included a new restaurant called Asu on the Beach, new beach towels, a new Hobie Cat for sailing and other new watersports equipment, new European-style pedal bikes, upgraded entrance/gateway, renovated reception center and landscaping improvements property wide. At the end of last year, the hotel also added a $15 daily breakfast credit included in the room rates.

The Palms Turks and Caicos offers 72 suites, a 25,000-square-foot spa, serpentine infinity pool and a selection of fine dining.

 

The 21-suite Beach House Turks and Caicos recently added free cooking classes for Beach House guests at Kitchen 218 on Wednesday evenings with Executive Chef Cristian Rebelled. Also, complimentary afternoon tea is now covered in room rates and a new Caribbean extended continental breakfast is included as part of the daily breakfast credit that is offered at the resort. New digital TV service is being introduced at the resort this spring.

A new contemporary Mediterranean menu and an expanded evening entertainment program has been added at Blue Haven Resort and Marina’s Fire & Ice restaurant.

Flight News

Inter-Caribbean now offers flights from Provo to San Juan, Santo Domingo and Cuba, and soon to BVI as well. British Airways offers a flight now twice a week via Antigua from Gatwick. JetBlue introduced a daily direct flight from Fort Lauderdale in November. United now offers a weekly direct flight from Chicago (December to April). American Airlines has announced they will expand airlift from Texas and Philadelphia this year.

Overall, airlift continues to expand and Turks and Caicos Islands is now one of the fastest and easiest Caribbean destinations to reach. Due to expanded airlift, prices are generally now more competitive. There was a complete airport upgrade and expansion in December of 2014, which has made visiting the islands a greatly improved experience.