Grace Bay Club
Grace Bay Club in the Turks and Caicos, which is on a twelve mile white sand beach, has stood the test of time. New hotels have come to this main tourist but Grace Bay, opened in 1993, continues to reinvent itself. The resort is one of the few, if not the only one, that manages to appeal to both the affluent single traveler and families. It’s well known that one of “the” places to be at cocktail time in Provodenciales is Grace Bay’s Infiniti Bar, a one of a kind marble-topped bar that extends ruler-straight for 90 feet to overhang the turquoise ocean. Infiniti serves full meals and the Lounge offers Caribbean-infused tapas.
Grace Bay Club resembles a small Spanish village in stucco. Red-tile roofs at staggered levels, terra-cotta floors, stone balustrades, wrought-iron balconies, canvas awnings and shaded terraces are interlaced with lush courtyards, splashing fountains and arched pathways seductively cloaked in bougainvillea. Elaborate landscaping enhances the graceful setting, with hundreds of palms and hidden corners heady with exotic fragrances.
Guests arriving Grace Bay Club are served tropical punch during check-in formalities at the huge Brazilian desk in the informal, airy reception lounge. Ceiling fans twirl above the open-air sitting area with wicker furniture and a large glass table supported by three intricately carved wooden horse heads. A well-stocked boutique flanks the lobby. Complimentary Internet access is available.
Facing the white-sand beach is the beautifully designed Anacaona restaurant, where diners enjoy not only by superb Euro-Caribbean fare and excellent wines, but great ambience because of its imaginative seating. Seating is theatrically arranged on four levels, so diners on each have front-row views of the floodlit palm trees and flaming torches lining the shore at night.
The new open-air Grill Lounge, at the Villas, caters to families.
Grace Bay’s Amani Spa offers a wide range of health and beauty treatments, including six types of massage. The new spa area at the villas adds recreational options and is open to all guests.
Activities at Grace Bay Club are plentiful, with a clover-shaped freshwater pool, a whirlpool and two lighted soft-surface tennis courts. The hotel also offers most watersports, including snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing and the use of Sunfish and Hobie Cats. A small library is stocked with books, videos and games.
Accommodations at the adults-only hotel range from 63-sq-m studios to a 153-sq-m two-bedroom penthouse, some with lofts and roof terraces. No two units are alike, and little seems square or symmetrical, although sophisticated white, beige and chocolate color schemes and contemporary decor are standard. All are self-contained hideaways with waterfront terraces or patios, refrigerators with icemakers, microwave ovens, dishwashers, and washers and dryers (detergent thoughtfully provided).
Amenities throughout Grace Bay Club include air-conditioning and ceiling fans, phones, fresh flowers, flat-screen TVs , CD/DVD players, iPod docking stations, high-speed Internet access (both wired and wireless) and VCRs. The entirely distinctive decor includes furniture in rattan and wicker from Thailand and the Philippines, handcrafted wooden armoires, tables and mirrors from Mexico and Guatemala, carpets from Turkey and Spain, sumptuously comfortable feather mattresses and Egyptian linens, and objets d'art from Haiti, Mexico, Brazil and Thailand. Fax machines are available on request, and The New York Times fax service arrives daily.
One-bedroom suites contain two baths, and two-bedroom suites have three, all done up in decorative Mexican tile. Master baths are replete with dual vanities, marble Roman tubs, WCs, magnifying mirrors, luxurious toiletries, and his and hers Egyptian cotton robes.
Grace Bay Club has added 38 new villas set amid a charming landscape of gardens and four Mediterranean-style buildings, which are perfect for families or couples looking for extra space to spread out. Each of the new villas are topped by a gleaming new penthouse suite and are together served by an extended spa area, steam rooms and a fitness center.
A dedicated oceanfront swimming pool and bar and grill handles the extra capacity, including catering to families with children. Families are especially pleased by the resort's new children's program, which rivals that of the all-inclusive Beaches down the road. And the latest addition, The Estate, to one end of the complex, features 22 even more sumptuous custom residences in two six-story buildings with state-of-the-art entertainment systems, private pool cabanas, and dedicated concierges and chefs.
Ground-floor units boast patios with private solariums and paths leading through greenery to the beach, all hidden from view in a fragrant feat of tropical landscaping. The most extraordinary suites are the vast, pie-shaped units with wraparound views to die for. Housekeeping is twice daily, with romantic evening turndown that includes dimly lit oil lamps. Room service is available. Fresh fruit and flowers await guests in their rooms upon arrival.
Management at Grace Bay Club provide meticulously attention. Room service delivers during regular hours. The hotel has set the standard for the many new arrivals in the area but is still the master of them all.
Grace Bay Club is a member of exclusive Virtuoso travel network. Book online or contact our Virtuoso Travel Advisor [email protected] for more details.
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