6 Best Hotels in Turks and Caicos Islands

Enormous, locally painted pictures of hibiscus make a striking first impression as you enter the reception area at one of the island's most well-established condominium resorts, which enjoys a quiet location away from busier developments. Regular shuttles run along the ½-mile (1-km) stretch of Grace Bay Beach between two artfully landscaped sister properties, Ocean Club (popularly known as Ocean Club East) and Ocean Club West. Plenty of beach and pool toys make Ocean Club a great family option.

You can't get any closer to the water's edge than this two-story oceanfront hotel and the adjacent guesthouse-style Atrium overlooking a tropical courtyard. Palms, fragrant frangipani, and brilliant bougainvillea framed archways, adding stunning contrast to the old white stone walls that separate the hotel from the narrow laneway. Rooms upstairs feature vaulted ceilings and spectacular views, while ground-level guests enjoy direct beach access through their own garden. Some of the rooms have kitchenettes, so if you want to prepare some of your own meals, be sure to request upon booking. There's a full-service restaurant and bar and spa services, and you're steps away from all three dive shops on the island.

North Caicos islanders Susan and Clifford Gardiner built this small, palmetto-fringed hotel in the 1980s on this quiet and almost deserted beach in Whitby, and the couple's friendliness and insights into island life help create a full island ambience. The spa offers massages, facials, and a wide range of other services. Rooms are simple and comfortable, putting you steps away from the beach. Beds vary, as do amenities—some rooms have a fridge. 

An unpretentious inn filled with island character and charm, this 19th-century house was built by shipwright Jonathan Glass in the 1850s, complete with its quirky nautical features. A large anchor on the sun-dappled pathway marks the entrance, and a large, breezy balcony with commanding views over the sea gives one the sense of what living on Grand Turk must have been like for those during the salt raking era, keeping watch over the comings and goings on land and at sea. Although ground floor rooms are shaded havens, they have no sea views. The two rooms upstairs share a balcony—a fabulous spot to watch the sun set and the donkeys that stroll the beach. One of the inn’s best features is the hidden garden of tall tamarind and neem trees, with climbing vines, hanging and potted plants, and a tiny pond, home to the Secret Garden Restaurant. 

Staying at this true B&B, one of just a few in all the Turks and Caicos, gives you a feel for the way the Caribbean used to be, without requiring you to give up comfort. Sleepy, quiet, and charming, it does feel like a home away from home, but with a better view, given its prime Front Street location. The home is updated with all the modern conveniences, including air-conditioning, satellite TV, and some colonial-style furnishings mixed with bamboo and rattan; each suite has a full kitchen, two TVs, and a DVD player. A huge sundeck on the rooftop faces the ocean and historical waterfront. You can easily stroll back and forth to Front Street, with its excellent restaurants and watering holes; local musicians play nightly along the main strip. Staying here, you will certainly meet and mingle with the locals, so that when you come back, you'll feel as if you are returning home; guests return year after year.

Back-to-back hurricanes in 2017 destroyed the main house and cottage, but three oceanfront, one-bedroom cabanas with kitchenettes and amazing sunset views keep this property going. The freshwater pool with its huge patio is shared among all guests; it's a great gathering place after a hot day in the sun. It's an easy walk from here to listen to a band at Coral Reef Bar & Grill or to pizza night at Oceanaire Bistro. Daily housekeeping service is included, and the management will help you with provisions if you want to eat in.