Grace Bay,Provo Trip Report
 

I must start out thanking again all the fodorites for their input. We were at a loss of where to go this March, when I started reading all of your comments.

After 18 years of going to the islands, we have finally found our "home".

Every island has it's own charm, but Grace Bay and the Ocean Club West seems to fit our style.

The beach is stunning, the location for walking to restaurants excellent, very good golf close by, and the comfort of a beautiful condo very relaxing. Another plus was the abundance of beach chairs and umbrellas, enough for everyone.

The restaurants we enjoyed(most from tips on this site) were:
The Grill at Grace Bay Club---beautiful setting.
Coyoba---Very pricy, but oustanding.
Calico Jacks---good for inexpensive, casual food.
Hemmingways--walked down the beach for lunch, very good.
Coco Bistro---Gorgeous setting and excellent food.
Magnolia---pretty sunset from terrace, O.K. food.

All in all, it was one of our best vacations, and we definitely plan to return to the island in the future, probably with our grandchildren as it appeared to be very child friendly. I guess that's a pretty good recommendation.

i've not been to as many islands as you i suspect, but i also felt like i found my bliss on provo. glad you enjoyed your trip. any pictures?

Hi! I leave for Provo on APril 16 for 8 days with my teenage son, sister and mother. I too have never been to Provo but other islands in the carribean. After reading many reviews on this site plus Traveladvisor.com i decided to book a one bedroom suite at Ocean Club West. I also rented a car. Anything specific i should know about Ocean CLub West? ANy tips about the island? Did you rent a car?

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip!

I know you have been to Anguilla too from our previous discussions on the forum and was wondering how you would compare the two. I'm going to Anguilla in April and will be able to make my own comparisons, but it is interesting to get different perspectives. Thanks!

Good for you for discovering an island to come home to! Now when you return to the island that you love you'll get the best feeling.

Giggyice - Ocean Club has bicycles they will loan you. It makes getting around very easy without a car.

This is to elaborate a bit on my review above, and also to answer your questions.

We rented our condo at OCW through VRBO.com(also recommended by fodorites). The rental process was very efficient, and we were happy with the service in every way. We will use them again in the future
in Provo and elswhere in the world.

We did not rent a car, as this was to be a relaxation vacation. OCW was a great location with shops across the street, and many restaurants in walking distance.

They do have a shuttle to the golf course, the other Ocean Club, and the IGA.

Taxis are plentiful, and the drivers are friendly and helpful. We took one to and from the airport and a few other times. They are a bit pricy, but with gas on Provo at $4.80 per gal. it's understandable. I guess it depends on what you want to do. When we return, we will probably rent a car for a day or two for snorkeling and touring the island.

The golf course is very nice and reasonable for the islands---$375 for 3 rounds of 18 holes.

The IGA grocery store has everything you could want. The convenience store at The Ocean Club has a few things to get started. We arrived at 5 P.M. and took the shuttle there for a quick pick up of milk, water, etc.

Tips for OCW:
There is a computer center in reception to keep in touch.
Every day between 4P.M. and 6P.M. there is a different tropical drink special available for $4.00
The restaurant at night is a bit pricy, but you can get one of their great hambergers. Just ask, and they will be glad to make it.
There are 2 grills at the pool for your use.

To compare Provo to Anguilla:
On Anguilla we stayed at Shoal Bay East and the beach was similar to Grace Bay in softness and clear water, just smaller.

The beaches are all small pocket beaches instead of long like Grace Bay. You really need a car to go out for dinner and the store, etc.

The only shopping is in a few high end shops in very high end resorts which seemed a bit stuffy.

We did love "Shoal Bay Villas". It was older, but having a balcony right on the sand was a real treat. It was a very well run property. "Ku" next door also looked nice.

Anguilla was harder to get to than Provo, and the golf was more expensive. The restaurants were similar--excellent food at about the same price.

I hope this answers some ofyour questions. You'll have to let us know your comparisons when you return.

I'll try and add some photos this afternoon or tomorrow.

Thanks for the detailed Anguilla-Provo comparison. I'm really looking forward to visiting Anguilla, but I think that Provo, assuming it does not change too much with increased development, will remain one of my favorites no matter where else I go.

Glad you loved provo. We went several years ago ... they were just starting major construction so I imagine it is different.

Although your restaurant reviews are close to what ours were.

We also enjoyed OCW. Provo is on my list of 'return to' islands once I've finished collecting them. LOL.

Thanks so much.

My son works on Provo so have been many times. With regard to driving on Island unless it is essentail I would not recommend it for all your stay. The roads have only been paved in last year and they are still being used as speedway tracks.

If you are staying on Grace Bay most places are in walking distance, many hotels and some restaurants have shuttle buses and taxis are easy to use. All Dive companies will pick you up.

Suggest rent a car for a couple of days to see the Island and visit the special resturants.

Enjoy

TPAYT,

So glad you enjoyed your trip and thanks for the report. We also recenty returned from Provo and loved it too. It will be a great place to take your grandchildren, our ten year old loved it.

Giggyice,
We rented a car for a week while we were there and found the driving easy. Very little traffic and the roads were fine. Of course, years of navigating 635 and Central Expressway in Dallas can put things in perspective I guess but we thought it was no big deal.

Thanks for your reply! As long as the roads aren't too busy i should be fine!:) I'll give a full trip report when i return. Cant wait!!!

We stayed in Provo for almost 2 weeks this winter and liked it very much. However, we are regular visitors to Anguilla and have to acknowledge there are some real differences. The pace is slower on AXA--the roads and driving and rate of building & construction is much busier on Provo. While there are many good restaurants on Provo, AXA has some of the best dining in the Carib. and we actually found the Provo prices to be the same, not less than AXA. As already noted there are more beaches on AXA. If you want more action--go to Provo--if you want more laid-back, great dining--go to AXA. Either way--you will have a great holiday!

Provo is a favorite destination.
We loved the Royal West Indies for location on Grace Bay, and the restaurant is the best on the island. What a spectacular bay!

Just unfortunate that the high-rise condos are now lining Grace Bay - the island will surely change as these are filled...

GIGGYICE-
I will be going to OCW same time as you with my 15 yr old son and 7 yr old son. How old is your teenager? Boy or girl? I'm looking forward to this trip! Do you have anything planned yet for your stay?

Hi Melinda!

I was just checking this thread to see if there were any other comments i should see and i saw yours! Cool, you'll be there the same time as us! My son is 15. He's not big on sports, loves the arts and music. So far we have a Kayak tour with Big Blue planned for the 19th and i've rented a car @ Grace Bay rentals. I am so grateful to this site and although the kind people who write these reviews! Because of them I've chosen this vacation! Where are you from? We are in Maine (way too cold and we still have snow on the ground!) Let's connect at the hotel! -

Michelle:)

**Giggyice**

Hi Michelle,
We are from Massachusetts. I cannot wait to get away from the cold! I will be with my 2 boys, I am 5'5 long blonde hair. If you want to e-mail me I can send a pic so u can know who we are and we can connect at the resort. I also rented a car through the same company. Haven't booked any tours yet, but have some ideas and waiting to get the Turks and Caicos magazine in the mail. These message boards are great! I always turn to Fodors for advice and always gotten the right advice. Send me an e-mail at the address of my thread. Look forward to meeting you.

-Melinda