North Caicos islanders Susan and Clifford Gardiner built this small, palmetto-fringed hotel in the 1980s on the quiet, mostly deserted Whitby Beach. The couple's friendliness and insights into island life, not to mention Susan's home-baked bread and island dishes (Cliff's favorite is her cracked conch and island lobster), are the best features. Over the years upkeep of the property has been somewhat inconsistent, but rooms are nevertheless comfortable. Best are the cottage-style rooms (numbered 1 through 6), which are exactly five steps from the windswept beach. Pros: the beach is just outside your room. Cons: at this writing, rooms are still in the very slow process of being renovated and updated.
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