We’re back from Turks and Caicos and I’m not kidding when I say it was the most relaxed we’ve been in almost four years! Between COVID times and “family trips” [not vacations, as the saying goes], it’s been difficult to sneak away just the two of us and really disconnect so this time together was much needed and quite special.
Because of this, we intentionally didn’t make any plans outside of dinner reservations each night and a couples massage. We wanted to leave our schedule open so there was no pressure to be anywhere at anytime and I’m so glad we did because we truly were able to check out and relax. And sure, we probably missed out on some of the amazing excursions and experiences T&C has to offer but bottomless piña coladas, a comfortable lounge chair and a great view were more than enough to satisfy these tired parents.
So as not to bore you, I’ll try to focus on the highlights and things of note in case you’re considering Turks and Caicos for an upcoming trip or babymoon yourself!
January 28, 2023 – Arrival to Providenciales
We arrived at Providenciales International Airport [PLS] Saturday afternoon via direct flight from Chicago O’Hare. Important to note here, United only offers one direct flight to PLS a week on Saturdays. I’m not positive about other airlines or flights from other airports but I imagine they’re limited. Figuring this out ahead of time is key in being able to plan and determine hotel accommodations.
When we finally made it through customs [about an hour], we grabbed our bags and left in search of our rental car. We opted to rent a car vs. using a taxi or car service because we weren’t staying in Grace Bay and wanted the freedom and flexibility to come and go from the hotel as we pleased.
I will stay the car rental process was not the smoothest. We reserved a car through Expedia and when we visited the counter at the airport, were directed outside. There’s no clear area for car rentals, just some people wearing branded shirts and the occasional car rental shuttle that would pull up but we eventually tracked down someone from Budget to inquire about our car. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any cars left so he offered to drop one at our hotel the following day or recommend us to a local company. For better or worse, we went with the local company, Quality Cars, and they kindly matched what we were quoted with Budget and quickly found us a car. We were simply told to fill it up with gas, drop it in the parking lot and leave the keys under the mat with the doors unlocked when we returned. We paid upfront so there were no additional fees or hidden charges, to my knowledge. At the time, it seemed a little fishy but there wasn’t anything more to it. The car ran great and we were glad to have it because we heard Ubers/Taxis were pretty expensive – even though driving on the “wrong side of the road” was a bit terrifying and took some getting used to.
Luckily we didn’t have to go too far on our maiden drive since our hotel, Rock House, was less than 10 minutes from the airport. When we arrived, we were welcomed inside with a cold towel, chocolate chip cookies and refreshment. Our room wasn’t quite ready so we were given a quick tour of the property before we settled in at the bar for a late lunch. After lunch, we were taken to our room which was perched up on the rocks with spectacular ocean views.
For dinner that night we went to Grace’s Cottage and enjoyed the food, drinks and ambiance. It’s more inland so not on the beach or water but
still a great vibe with live music in a garden type setting. As with most restaurants, Grace’s Cottage is in Grace’s Bay so it was about a 12 minute
drive from our hotel.
January 29, 2023 – Pool & Spa
Sunday we woke to the beautiful sun shining and made our way down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. On the way, we claimed two lounge chairs by the infinity pool – they are first come, first serve and usually all claimed by ~8:45am. Breakfast is included in the room rate so long as you eat in the restaurant. If you choose to do room service, then you pay à la carte plus a service fee. Not to fear, the restaurant is beautiful – open air but shaded with views of the ocean beyond. Breakfast service includes fruit, pastries and beverages for the table and a main entree. It’s a lot of food and decently good but nothing special.
The rest of the day included some rotating combination of poolside beverages, frequent dips in the infinity pool and reading/napping on our lounge chairs. If I’m being nit-picky [easy to do when you’re staying somewhere really nice], I’d say the poolside service could have been a bit faster and the orientation of the pool to the sun is not ideal. The resort is on the north side of the island so the pool and lounge chairs all face north towards the water. It’s a gorgeous view to be sure but the sun starts out strong on your right side, rises directly above [if not slightly behind] your head before heading down the other side. Although by late afternoon there’s usually some clouds that roll in so the sun is not nearly as strong. Ultimately results in an uneven tan, in case that matters to you.
On this particular afternoon we actually did get a quick rain shower but it worked out perfectly for us because we had a couples massage back
in our room. Rock House does not have a spa onsite – though you can access the Anani Spa at the Grace Bay Club since the hotel is affiliated. While we love the amenities of a full spa, we opted to just have them come to us and it was still quite lovely given the room aesthetics and view.
Our second dinner was at Infiniti Restaurant & Raw Bar, another Grace Bay Resort property. The menu isn’t dissimilar to that of Grace’s Cottage so I was a little disappointed but the food was just as delicious as the night before – if not more. And this restaurant is located along the waterfront so we practically ate on the beach with the ocean waves lapping in the background.
January 30, 2023 – Taylor Bay Beach & The Conch Shack
Monday was probably our most action-packed day of the trip, if you can even say that. After breakfast, we decided to hop in the car and head to Taylor Bay Beach. It’s the one and only spot I wanted to check out and it didn’t disappoint. Outside of Grace Bay Beach[which we never visited during the day], it’s a top attraction in Turks & Caicos. It took us about 20 mins from our hotel and we just parked along the road and walked down a short path to a moon shaped beach with 100 meters of calm blue waters. It has a very relaxing vibe, not overly crowded or commercialized and the water is the perfect temperature. We spent the morning just wading in the thigh high waters and enjoying the serene setting.
After we left, we drove to da Conch Shack for lunch where we sat directly on the beach in the shade of a palm tree. We shared the fried conch fritters, I got a sandwich and Kevin the fish tacos. Food was delicious and the ambiance was super laid back – we really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend for a more local experience.
The rest of the afternoon was spent parked at the infinity pool back at our hotel and for dinner that night we went to Coco Bistro. Coco Bistro is commonly touted as one of the best restaurants on the island and reservations fill up quickly [recommend emailing them several weeks in advance to get a reservation]. People we met at the hotel said it was overhyped and yes, it’s far from the best food we’ve ever had but it was still our favorite dinner of the trip. We loved the jungle ambiance, service and food options. It was honestly nice to eat at a non-Grace Bay property.
January 31, 2023 – Rock House Pool & Restaurant
No surprises here, our last full day was spent lounging at the Rock House infinity pool. I think we may have been one of the first guests to arrive and definitely the last to leave that afternoon. We read, swam, drank our fill on tropical beverages, ate pizza, napped and it was glorious.
And for our final dinner, we elected to eat at the hotel restaurant, Vita. We first grabbed drinks at the outdoor cave bar to watch the sunset before making our way up one level to dine on the outdoor terrace. I was excited about the menu because it’s Italian but was a little disappointed in the food. Overall, this was probably our least favorite dinner so I’m surprised to see it rated so highly on TripAdvisor [ranked second at the time of this post] but it was nice that we didn’t have to drive anywhere and could just walk back to our room at the end of the night.
February 1, 2023 – Departures
Our flight departed from PLS around mid-day so we spent one last morning at the pool before quickly freshening up and heading to the airport. We arrived with less than two hours before our flight and had no issues cruising straight through check-in and security with plenty of time to grab a few snacks and some souvenirs for the girls on the other side.
And that’s pretty much a wrap on our trip! I hope one day to go back and even bring the kids!
xo
Kara
Accommodations & Country Specific Details
Stay: Rock House
I alluded to this above and I’ll say it again, when something is near perfect, it’s really easy to pick out the flaws. And when you’re paying a pretty penny for top notch accommodations, it’s probably warranted. That said, we had a great stay at Rock House and would 100% stay here again if we returned to Turks & Caicos so please keep that in mind as you read!
Things we didn’t love:
- The service was inconsistent, often slow and occasionally not the most personable.
- Rock House is part of Grace Bay Resorts and I felt like they touted their company way too much. I don’t know how to articulate it really but it felt like all staff is trained to only recommend other Grace Bay Resort properties/restaurants opposed to the best of what the island has to offer.
- The beach area is small. People rave about the beaches and clear waters of Turks & Caicos and usually Kevin and I prefer the beach to the pool but at this resort, the beach area is super small, a little crowded and unimpressive. That said, Rock House does provide beach service including chair setup and food/beverages down at the beach.
- Overall, it seems like they’re still ironing out some of the kinks since the resort is so new. There were a few annoying instances like construction at the pool (i.e. loud drilling), no shampoo/condition holders in the bathroom, plastic tableware, our mini fridge made a very loud buzzing sound one night.
Things we did love:
- The aesthetic is beautiful – new, modern, light and airy. The rooms were equally impressive with floor to ceiling windows and incredible views of the ocean. The room was spacious and quiet and the bed was super comfortable.
- We loved the infinity pool and could have spent our entire trip just relaxing there and been happy.
- We loved how small the hotel is and how it never felt crowded or busy – even during mealtimes and in the common spaces. I should probably caveat that we aren’t big resort people and prefer a boutique experience over all inclusive. We also didn’t mind the location or having to drive “into town” for dinners each night.
- Random but there is a constant supply of free bottled water available. Doesn’t seem like a big deal but it was nice to not have to worry about it – especially since I’m drinking so much water right now!
Transportation:
To Turks & Caicos: As I mentioned above, United only flies one direct flight from ORD to PLS per week on Saturdays. Definitely be sure to check your airline and airport of choice for flight options before you plan hotel accommodations.
Around Turks & Caicos: We rented a car through Quality Car Rentals after our reservation through Budget was canceled. They matched the price we were quoted at Budget [$325] and we paid up front.
Currency: US Dollar (USD) is accepted everywhere.
Language: English.
Outlet Adapter: The standard voltage is 120 V. The standard frequency is 60 Hz. The power sockets that are used are of type A and B. Standard United States adapters.
Passport/Visa Requirements: To enter the Turks & Caicos, you must have a passport valid for at least six months from the date of departure.
COVID/Vaccinations/Medicines Requirements: All visitors over the age years must be fully vaccinated as defined below:
Fully-vaccinated means 14 days after receiving the second dose of any World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccine course (or 14 days after the first dose if a single dose course such as the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine).
Weather: We visited at the end of January and had decent weather. Temperatures were in the upper 70’s and still pleasant mid-day in the sun. Clouds would usually roll in towards late afternoon and there was one day with late afternoon/evening rain showers but still quite pleasant. One thing to note, it was quite windy while we were there so dinners on the water weren’t as comfortable but overall was fine in sleeveless dresses without any type of jacket or sweater.
KARA VALLARI 