Why We Recommend the Royal West Indies Resort
THE WELCOME
Cheerful Kendro greets you with a genuine smile and a glass of tropical fruit punch to sip as he shows you to your suite. Welcome to your paradise home-away-from-home!
THE ROOMS
The garden-view studio suites are spacious, bright, and reasonably priced (by Turks and Caicos standards) at around 200 USD per night. Ideal for couples or solo travelers, these 540 sq. ft. units feature tasteful, colonial Caribbean design balancing warm, dark wood furniture with cool, beachy linens and decor. We’ve found the mattresses and bedding to be as luxurious and comfortable as can be, the A/C to be cold and powerful, the housekeeping to be superb, and the en-suite kitchenette and laundry facilities to be valuable and convenient. Oh, and each suite has its own private outdoor space (ample porches on the ground floor and expansive balconies above) where the soothing ocean breeze and picturesque surroundings elevate your morning coffee or nightcap ritual to new levels of enjoyment.
THE GARDENS
When it’s time to leave your suite, cobblestone paths wind through the property’s immaculate central gardens. You’re enveloped by balmy warmth and the sweet fragrance of plumeria blooms. Little curly-tailed lizards (locals call them bugwally) scurry past as you stop to admire intricacies of the pristine grounds, from expertly manicured kaleidoscopic bougainvillea to a hidden banana tree showcasing clusters of young fruit and a splendid, sangria-colored flower at the terminal end of its stalk. Although the ocean’s melody draws you nearer, you want to take your time meandering because the Royal West Indies’ landscape is just that enchanting.
There’s no need to rush. You’re on island time now. On the shores of gorgeous Grace Bay Beach, a royal blue beach lounger is waiting in the shade of a carmine umbrella, just for you.
THE VIBE
Indeed, we’ve stayed at the Royal West Indies three times so far, both in high and low season, and have never arrived to find the ocean too crowded or all of the beach loungers occupied. The 105-suite resort, one of the first in Turks and Caicos, has fostered a laid-back atmosphere and sense of intimacy that exists in stark contrast to the many larger resorts on Grace Bay that can feel congested and even garish. And when it comes to beachfront property, the RWI has it on lock down; you’ll be lying on the finest stretch of what has been voted the world’s best beach.
THE NITTY-GRITTY
Amenities:
• Optimally located on award-winning Grace Bay Beach and in excellent, walkable proximity to a majority of Grace Bay’s restaurants, shopping, and facilities.
• Studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes, en-suite laundry, and private outdoor spaces.
• Complimentary use of bicycles, snorkel masks, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and Hobie cats.
• Free wi-fi. Connectivity and reliability are excellent on the grounds, and we’ve occasionally been able to connect from the beach.
• On-site, poolside Pelican Cay Bar and Restaurant. Daily Happy Hour with two for one drinks from 5-7pm is super popular and presents a great opportunity to meet other guests and get to know some of the staff members.
• Two fresh water pools, one of which is designated a “quiet pool” intended for adults only, and a jacuzzi.
• Friendly, accommodating, local staff.
Downsides:
• Fairly close proximity to Club Med. Generally, it’s not at all an issue, but there are times throughout the day when thumping beats resound from monstrous speakers and travel down the beach to the RWI’s otherwise serene sands. It’s obnoxious and, while not terribly loud where you will be sitting, a bummer.
• Though we’ve been impressed with Pelican Cay Bar and Restaurant’s delicious and inventive cocktails, we cannot recommend the food. To be fair, we only tried it once, for lunch service. The spiced chicken nachos were smothered by such copious amounts of cheese that I honestly could not identify by sight or taste any of the listed accoutrements; chicken, peppers, and onions were all lost to the sticky, orange blob. And this review is coming from a woman who loves cheese. Also disappointing were the fish tacos. The fingers of blackened white fish were bland and dry despite being laden with a heavy-handed portion of mayonnaisey “tropical slaw”. Spend your money and delight your taste buds elsewhere.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Trust us. For affordable, elegant, unpretentious, true-to-the-islands beachfront accommodation on Grace Bay Beach, look no further—the Royal West Indies is the place to stay.