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Imagine your perfect vacation. I did exactly that when my husband said it was time to get away. It was time to replenish and relax after a long and somewhat taxing year. I knew what I didn’t want: I didn’t want to navigate a big city, or spend 6 – 7 hours on a plane going to an international destination. I didn’t want to drive to a place like Asheville, and the Gulf Coast was still too cold. Bottom line — I didn’t want to work too hard to find relaxation. What I really wanted was a quiet beach – perhaps, somewhere new to add a little adventure. I typed my list: easy travel connections, beach, interesting restaurants, reasonable costs, quiet, secluded and safe. Also, more importantly, we needed to book our stay on a short notice.
The gorgeous Grace Bay
Here is what we came up with: Turks and Caicos.
Turks and Caicos is located at the Southern end of the Bahamas Island chain known as the British West Indies and is often overlooked as a vacation destination. If you say “Turks and Caicos,” most people acknowledge they’ve heard of it, but that’s about it. Interesting, because of all the vacation destinations in the Caribbean, Turks and Caicos has the best website. All the hotels, condominiums and all-inclusives are listed in alphabetical order, by island and by rating, with great photos of each locale. Most flights connect through Miami, however American Airlines offers direct flights from New York, US Air from Charlotte and Delta from Atlanta. All airlines fly into Providenciales, the main Island.
One benefit of selecting Turks and Caicos as a beach destination is that once you clear customs at Providenciales Airport, you can cab to your hotel, check in and be in your lounge chair, on the beach with a fancy umbrella cocktail, in less than 3o minutes.
Most of the big hotels are located on Grace Bay, one of the prettiest and most dramatic beaches I’ve ever seen. The water is so intensely blue it gives you pause, as you know you’ve never seen a color quite like it. I booked a room at Le Vele, a small Italian inspired boutique hotel and condominium located smack dab in the middle of Grace Bay. As we pulled up to the hotel, my husband asked me, “How did you hear about this place?” My reply, “I didn’t. I just liked the look of the place on the website.” Yikes. I can tell you from experience those gut decisions can either work for ya’ or against ya’. Thankfully, this time it was the former.
Le Vele, an Italian inspired boutique hotel
Le Vele was perfect for what we needed. It was small and intimate with only 22 rooms. The general manager, Clayton Thomas, and his staff were incredibly accommodating from greeting us upon our arrival with a rum punch to assisting my husband in finding his briefcase left in our cab from the airport.
I love how the rooms are like mini-apartments
In the morning, we awoke to a basket of croissants and fruit left by the staff, then wandered a short way over a dune to the beach with chair and umbrella awaiting us. After a couple of hours of swimming and sunning, we faced our toughest decision of the day: whether to head out to the right or left down the beach in search of a late lunch.
StyleBlueprint HQ located on Grace Beach
There are some great restaurants on Providenciales, we were told, but for us, the restaurants within walking distance on the beach were perfect. Grace Bay’s restaurants cater to all types of palates with conch being a staple in the Islands. Conch is considered a poor man’s lobster and is absolutely delicious. We ordered conch in all sorts of ways from fritters to chowder, but our absolute favorite were the award-winning conch wontons served at the Bay Bistro located in the Sibonne’ Beach Hotel.
The conch wontons at Bay Bistro are fabulous
Walking down a quiet beach on a starry night on our way to dinner was its own special treat. There’s nothing like looking up together and seeing the same falling star to make you feel good about where you are.
Turks and Caicos offers wonderful options for massage, facials and therapeutic treatments at several hotels. We booked a massage at Point Grace Hotel, which has a small spa cottage tucked away from everything which affords you an outdoor massage experience not to be missed. As you fade away under the masseuses’ hands, a gentle breeze from the ocean lulls you into an altered state. It’s a little bit of heaven.
A view from the veranda at Turks and Caicos
Of course, Turks and Caicos offers every snorkeling and diving experience known to man, I just wasn’t up for moving off of my chaise lounge. The Islands are under British rule so driving can be somewhat precarious as you drive on the left side of the road. The shopping is fine, but not as sophisticated as St. Thomas or other destinations in the Caribbean. Turks and Caicos is about the beauty of the place… and it’s astounding.
For more information about Turks and Caicos, the New York Times featured the island in the travel section on Sunday November 15, or pick up last month’s Architectural Digest and read about Donna Karan’s oasis of a resort.
If you decide to book Le Vele, be sure to ask for Clayton. He’s the unofficial ambassador of the Island and rest assured, all your needs will be taken care of…
Turks and Caicos awaits your weary bones, ready to refresh and inspire!
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19 Responses to “Turks & Caicos: A Paradise for the Perfect Vacation”
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$350
57%
$201
$149
I am drooling at my desk.
I booked Le Vele today after reading your description that mirrors what my husband and I have been looking for in a getaway in March. Thank you for your enthusiastic remarks from a Virginia resident who has family in Nashville.
Judy-
That is great! Where in VA are you from? I'm from Fairfax originally:-) Still have tons of family there. I hope you saw their deal: Guest pays for 3 nights in one of our ocean facing suite and receive the following; Continental breakfast delivered to suite each morning, stay 1 night for free, guest will also receive a dinner for two at Graces Cottage one of our nearby [4 star] restaurants and free return airport transfer.
Guest pays for 5 nights and receives 2 free nights and a dinner/ massage for two. This special runs until April 10th 2010,
we just found out about it today and will send out an email about this next week! If you did not get this, call them and I'm sure they will honor it!
Have SO MUCH FUN and I'm filled with green envy:-)
-Liza
Hey E. McD. . . .
Are you a travel writer. GREAT pics. I LOVE the commentary . I travel a lot. Got any recommendations on South America destinations ?
Judy,
I am so excited you are going to Turks and Caicos. Get your cab driver to stop at the smaill grocery store on the way in for munchies or Clayton will lend you a bike. We loved our walks in search of the best rum punch and definitely book the massage next store.. report back! Elizabeth
I do not, but my dear friend is a travel agent here and totally knows South America. Her name is Ann West and email is [email protected]. Her trip there was amazing and one I am truly envious.. check out the archives on my post on Mackinac Island! elizabeth
We traveled to North Caicos last year and loved it, but didn't get to spend much time on Provo. After seeing your wonderful pics I'm ready to go back!
after reading your post and seeing the pictures my husband and I are ready to book. Any other tips? Are all the rooms oceanfront. How did you book? I had trouble booking from their website?
Thanks!
Shannon,
The rooms are oceanfront and it is a wonderful boutique hotel. Please send me your email via [email protected] and I will connect you with Clayton via his email at le vele. He is amazing and will insure you get all your needs met at Turks and Caicos. there is a ton of things to do . thanks for commenting
Hello there! I just loved seeing your pictures. My fiance John and I are getting married in Ft Lauderdale, Sept 25th at the W hotel…we are SO excited! We initially were considering the Bahamas for our honeymoon because it is so convenient . I am now thinking we may have to change our itinerary. Is there ever a bad time of year to go? We love sailing…we were planning on chartering a boat while in the Bahamas for a few days to explore the islands…is this something we could do in Turks & Caicos as well? I would love to get some more information and advice from you. Here is my email [email protected]. My name is Raechel. Thanks!
Raechel,
Hurricane season "officially" is from June 1-Nov 30 in the Bahamas. As you know, it is a hit or miss situation. I traveled through the Abacos on a sailboat and loved it. Turks and Caicos offers tons to do, from deep sea diving to bone fishing. I loved Turks and Caicos because is is relaxing and really low key. Having been to Mexico several times and to the Bahamas many times, I found Turks a wonderful respite from the hustle and bustle of say Cancun or Negril. I definitely would go to the other Islands in Turks, some are remote. thanks for reading the blog! Elizabeth
Hey Elizabeth…We have decided to definitely make Turks & Caicos our honeymoon destination. We want to stay at Le Vele. Is there a certain airline that is better to fly than another? We will be leaving out of either Lauderdale or Miami. I was checking out flights and they seemed quite expensive. As far as sailing while we are there or traveling to the different islands…what do you recommend? What other Turks islands should we check out? We love everything from fishing, sailing, snorkeling, scuba and just plain old relaxing on the beach. We love trying new things. Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I stayed at La Vele this weekend and I was more than impressed! It is much more modern and clean than the other places on the Island. You can walk on the beach to The Veranda for lunch. You can hop on a kayak and spend the day in the water (which feels like a lovely bath). The beach is shockingly quiet and very private. LOVED every second that I was there and want to go back ASAP!!!!!!!!
i wonder how turks and caicos compares with Boracay in the philippines. Judging from the pictures, they look alike…
Just happened upon your blog. 3 girlfriends and I are going to T&C this Thursday…your blog made me more excited than I was already. Read all the books…but would be interested in your personal recommendations on restaurants. Plan on nothing all day…but dinners out. Cheers!
Tammy,
Have a wonderful time. Don’t forget to check out the restaurants I mentioned in the blog and also, pop by LeVele to say hello to Clayton. I am soooo envious.. elizabeth fox at StyleBlueprint.
Hi
We are looking at the Verandah for one week in November.
But here’s the thing…
We have a two year old little girl who loves toddling around
in the pool. Is the verandah a good choice with a big open beach + toddler friendly? I hesitate on Beaches…a little rundown possibly?
Hope you can help?!!!!
Thx
Kristine
Hi Judy,I plan to go on my 1st vacation on an island.After reading this beautiful blog I chose to come here,Thanks for all the great information!!!Wish me luck;)
hi there Elizabeth thank you so much for ur input!! i was looking for a nice, cal, sunny place to go with lots of stuff to do and it looks as if T N C is the place to go!! thank you!!