As resorts across the Caribbean continue to recover from hurricanes Irma and Maria, and prep for the busy summer vacation season ahead, one resort is already laying out the beach towels and pouring the mimosas. The Shore Club Turks & Caicos, the island's newest property tucked away on Providenciales’ tranquil and turquoise Long Bay Beach, has not only fully resumed business but recently unveiled three new oceanfront villas with private beachfront access in time for summer’s many destination weddings, family adventures, and couples’ end-of-season blowout getaways.
Turks & Caicos’ mild climate, crystalline waters, legendary snorkeling conditions (comparable only to the barrier reefs of Belize and Australia), conifer-dotted islands and sandbars, and inviting local culture have long made it a draw for dignitaries and celebrities; most recently, Justin Bieber caused a stir when he ventured from a nearby private villa to Grace Bay Beach to mingle with beachgoers. But the island is fast becoming home to a growing community of repeat vacationers looking beyond jet-in jet-out stays and typical tourist fare, in search of a community they can return to annually and, in some cases, multiple times a season.
Catering to this emerging clientele, The Shore Club’s new villas offer the chance to “buy into the property” using a popular condo model. A practice common throughout the island, according to one rep we spoke with, “most resorts in Turks and Caicos, except a scant few, actually run on ‘condo ownerships’—where rooms are individually owned, rented, and operated by a management company or hotel.” This means individual investors can purchase rooms and use them at their leisure, and then “return” them to the hotel's “available room inventory” when not in use, allowing guests to book as hotel rooms. The owner can then recoup a portion of the income derived from the hotel's renting of the room, and also keep a year-round place in the Caribbean.
Each 8,800 square ft villa at The Shore Club is decorated in a Mediterranean style with hand-painted tile work and offers a private oceanfront space with three to six-bedrooms—in the largest; five are located in the main house with a detached unit for privacy. All three homes include their own heated pools, private courtyards, terraces for entertaining, outdoor showers, guest room(s), dining spaces decorated with modernist artworks, heated whirlpools, and grand master suites with private saunas. The space is ideal for larger family getaways, as the villas can comfortably accommodate multi-family occupants; high-profile clientele looking for privacy will enjoy the convenience of nearby spa services and world-class restaurants; wedding and bachelor/bachelorette parties; or even newlyweds looking to splash out on a grand stay. Ultimately, the bungalows give the feeling of living on your own island, with the amenities of a top luxury hotel.
Available to all guests are three pools, boat and jet-ski rentals, yoga classes, a children’s center, exercise space, and the Dune Spa’s beachside cabanas, offering Tata Harper's organic facials and a full range of massages. Also on premises are three separate eateries, including the poolside Sea Grapes, specializing in Caribbean flavor with a beach-friendly presentation, the Colonnades Mediterranean fare of Caprese salad and baba ghanoush, and Sui Ren, a Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant serving dishes like miso roasted duck and bay scallop ceviche. If none of these options whets your appetite, take the shuttle to sister-site The Sands, also part of the Hartling Group, located at Grace Bay, for seared red snapper or the chef’s multi-course tasting menu, best sampled while surrounded by palm trees. Or, stop by for a meal and stick around to take a ride on one of the hotel-organized excursion boats, ideal for diving and snorkeling. But be sure to make it back to The Shore Club for a dip in the “adults only" pool overlooking the tropical sunset.
Turks and Caicos are just 3 hours direct from JFK via JetBlue, or an easy 1.5 from Miami—as well as a range of other U.S. cities—and can easily be experienced in a long weekend, making it an excellent option for those who still haven’t booked Labor Day or 4th of July plans.
