Turks and caicos

Seven Stars, Suite Luxury on the World's Most Beautiful Beach

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

The luxe Seven Stars resort in Providenciales on the Turks and Caicos islands presides over the world's best beach, according to the new TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards. It was also just named the world's Most Romantic Hotel or Resort in About.com's 2011 Readers' Choice Awards. Looking at its luxurious pool area (above) fronting the fine white sand and ultra-blue sea of Grace Bay it's easy to see why. You can of course stop in for a quick getaway but Seven Stars is perfectly equipped for longer stays as well thanks to its massive, luxuriously-equipped suites.

Tags: beach, hotel suites, luxury resorts, Providenciales, resorts, seven stars, spa, swimming pool, Turks and Caicos, worlds best beach

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Reach the Beach: Luxury Resort Style in the Turks & Caicos Islands {Exclusive Feature}

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist

Click above for a high-res image gallery

The Turks and Caicos islands in the British West Indies is well known for having the world's most beautiful beaches. It also has some of the world's most stylish and luxurious beach resorts, which are remarkable for their amazingly private settings and lush natural landscapes, far removed from the over-development that plagues some other Caribbean hotspots. The perfect setting for our latest style feature, we're sure you'll agree.

Parrot Cay, located on a pristine 1,000-acre private island, including a mile-long powdered beach, is an elegant combination of glorious nature, understated luxury and unparalleled privacy complete with an award-winning holistic spa, healthy gourmet cuisine and beach villas with private pools (above).

The villas are a favorite with celebrities including Donna Karan, Bruce Willis, Keith Richards and Sir Paul McCartney. Some like Willis and Karan were so entranced they decided to build their own beach houses on the island. Want to own one? So do we. Parrot Cay is currently offering a small selection of villas for private ownership, starting at $10 million.

Tags: Aman resorts, Amanyara, architecture, Bagatelle, beach, beach resorts, books, Caribbean, celebrity vacations, Donna Karan, Gansevoort, Girard-Perregaux, Helly-Hansen, islands, JetBlue, Land Rover, luxury resorts, Parrot Cay, private island, R A E N Optics, resorts, Rizzoli, Royal Elastics, shoes, spa, Tods, Turks and Caicos, Vineyard Vines, watches

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Architecture, Nature & Elegance at Amanyara, Turks & Caicos

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Tags: Aman resorts, Amanyara, bar, luxury travel, resort, Turks and Caicos

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Ralph Lauren's Cars, Private Parrot Cay Villa & More in Bid to Save the Earth Auction - Part 2

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Celebrity Shopping, Charity, Celebrity Design

Parrot Cay Villa for auction in Bid to Save the Earth

Last week we reported on the host of international celebrities, creative icons, industry leaders and conservationists joining together with famed auction house Christie's to support the 2011 Green Auction, a momentous live event and companion online auction raising funds and awareness for the preservation and sustainability of the planet.

Christie's has partnered with luxury charity auction site charitybuzz.com to put more than 200 coveted auction packages online from now through April 7 to raise funds for Oceana, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Conservation International and the Central Park Conservancy. Supporters can make a Bid to Save the Earth at www.charitybuzz.com/BidtoSavetheEarth.

A companion invite-only event and live fantasy auction hosted by Seth Meyers will be held at Christie's New York on March 29 in partnership with Vogue's Runway to Green. The event will feature a fashion show sponsored by Tiffany & Co. on the night of the live auction, with designer collection selections available online through Net-A-Porter.com.

In part one of our report on the incredible experiences on offer, we focused on the big ticket items estimated at over $100,000 apiece, including a ride with Harrison Ford on his private plane. Now we're selecting some of our favorite lots across a range of expected prices (N.B.: Lagerfeld and Ducasse are being auctioned off live tonight):

Tags: Alain Ducasse, auctions, bid to save the earth, celebrity auctions, Chanel, charity, Charity Buzz, Christies, christies+bid+to+save+the+earth, christiesbidtosavetheearth, environment, Ferrari, Girard-Perregaux, green+auction, greenauction, Karl Lagerfeld, luxury travel, Paris, Parrot Cay, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren car collection, Robert F. Kennedy, Turks and Caicos

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Luxe Destinations: Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

We recently reported on JetBlue's great new direct service to the island paradise of the Turks & Caicos. To help you plan your glamorous getaway, Luxist is featuring the best of the Caribbean hotspot's luxury resorts, beginning with our top pick, Parrot Cay, situated on a private island.

On 1,000 pristine acres including a mile-long powdered beach, the resort is an elegant combination of glorious nature, understated luxury and unparalleled privacy. The first private island property from COMO Hotels and Resorts, it features an award-winning holistic spa, healthy gourmet cuisine and beach houses with private pools.

Parrot Cay's rooms are designed to maximize light, facing the sea or the island's natural landscaping, and awash in ocean breezes. Balinese day-beds, four-posters and private pools encourage relaxed lounging outdoors, while interiors come in whitewash and teak, with many of the Hamptons-style houses offering direct beach access.

There are also luxe villas belonging to private owners who make their properties available to rent. The spa, COMO Shambhala Retreat at Parrot Cay, overlooks mangroves and wetlands rich with birdlife. Situated just behind the beach is one of the world's most beautiful swimming pools.

We'll see you there.

Gallery: Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos - Preview

Tags: beach, beach resort, best beach resorts, best Caribbean resorts, best island resorts, best luxury Caribbean resorts, Caribbean, COMO Hotels and Resorts, island, JetBlue, luxury travel, Parrot Cay, private island, private island resorts, resorts, spa, swimming pools, travel, Turks Caicos, Turks and Caicos, Turks and Caicos resort, villas

Canal House, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Dreaming of a second home in the Caribbean? This one isn't a mega estate but it offers a private and tranquil retreat for those in need of warm weather and turquoise seas. This home in the Turks & Caicos islands is located on a desirable area of the canal with easy access to open water from the private dock. The home sits on an acre of land and has flowering trees and a large back lawn. Driving in you are greeted by a circular drive and center palm garden.

The house is approx. 2,800 sq. ft., with attached covered terrace and separate two-car garage. Tile floors, beamed white ceilings and fans add a lovely island touch. The home is designed for entertaining and a covered patio offers welcome shade and views of the pool and spa. It could be a second home or dream retirement home. The listing states that the home is in move-in condition but could also be updated. It is priced at $995,000.

For additional information, please contact Grace Lappin, Avalon Partners, Ltd., (212) 717-5477 or email at info@avalonpartnersltd.com, www.avalonpartnersltd.com.

Gallery: Canal Home Turks and Caicos

Tags: caribbean real estate, estate of the day, turks and caicos

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The New Luxury Deliverable: Turks And Caicos Sporting Club, Ambergris Cay

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, By Design

In some of my recent Luxist articles, The Dawn Of A New Economy and From Conspicuous to Conscious Consumption I have suggested how newer definitions of luxury help inform the decisions about how and why people buy in this unusual social-economic climate. I learned from the many presenters at the Luxury Summit, a luxury ideas symposium held last month, about the nuances of an emerging economy with new luxury consumer decision-making processes, especially regarding big ticket items. And few are bigger than second and third homes. It is no secret this market has suffered, as has the primary home market in 2009. But there are rays of light in 2010, and especially with the Turks And Caicos Sporting Club at Ambergris Cay. Amid the barrage of news about market declines and foreclosures, this club is doing well. And the reasons for success circle back to the trends explored at the Luxury Summit.

" Last year," recounts Steve Schram, CEO and Managing Partner of DPS Development who owns and runs Ambergris Cay, "was basically a static year. We didn't make money, we didn't lose money There were a few sales, but nothing like we were used to. Then, in 2010, YTD, we have done 20M worth of new home sales. It seemed as if potential buyers were actually hesitant to call us in 2009, and then, in 2010, they called. It was as if the phone lines were reconnected. Most were member referrals, which is always rewarding. There are three new homes just started and another seven to ten starting in the next six months. We will start two of these houses in the next two months. Members and their families know what they receive here, and it fits so well with a newer sense of social and environmental responsibility, along with a sense of being connected to each other and to the island."

One of the many trends gleaned from the Luxury Summit, and borne out by the success of the Turks And Caicos Sporting Club, is that the luxury consumer is not on autopilot anymore. Their purchasing interests have evolved from I want to I need to we need: essentially a journey from individual self-absorption to a kind of familial populism. The consequence of such a shift is the take away value -- which has also moved from quantitative excess to a qualitative rediscovery of feeling favorably connected -- whether it is with people or new experiences. In both instances, Ambergris Cay fits with these ideas in an eco -sensitive, communitarian way.

Tags: Ambergris Cay, DPS Development, Luxury Summit, private clubs, Turks and caicos, Turks and Caicos Sporting Club

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Party with the Gansevoort Turks & Caicos On The Hotel's Anniversary

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

If you haven't checked out the Gansevoort Turks & Caicos hotel yet here's a hotel deal to inspire you. The hotel is marking its first anniversary with a weekend celebration including 15% off room rates. The Gansevoort Turks & Caicos anniversary weekend celebration takes place on May 13-16 and includes a Friday night beach party with guest DJs, a Saturday afternoon barbecue, Saturday evening anniversary party and Sunday morning farewell breakfast.

The hotel is located along the western section of Grace Bay Beach on Providenciales. Gansevoort Turks & Caicos is a 91-room property built around the 7,000 square foot infinity-edge swimming pool which has "lounging islands" for daytime sunbathing or romantic nighttime candlelit canoodling. The resort has a fitness center, Bagatelle restaurant and beach lounge and the Exhale spa.

Tags: Gansevoort Hotel, hotel deals, turks and caicos

Estate of the Day: Turks and Caicos

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Real Estate Developments

Fantasy island-wise, they had me at "Turks and Caicos" -- islands in the British West Indies that I visited in my youth and now fearfully refuse to return to lest they have changed. Then lo and behold, into my inbox comes this: A chance to own -- at least partially -- the 12,000-square-foot Coral House estate that sits squarely on Grace Bay Beach, voted by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the top 10 beaches in the world. My heart be still.

The luxury residence, which sits on nearly an acre of white powdery sand, has five bedrooms, two living rooms, a family room with a large flat screen TV and a library for all that mindless beach-reading you'll want to do.

But the devil -- the one who could lure me back to the Turks -- is in the details: The home has stunning coral render flooring with glass tile inlays, Brazilian hardwood doors, antique wrought-iron gates imported from Saudi Arabia, France and Egypt and furnished with antiques and one-of-a-kind designer pieces.

The estate is being sold in fractional interests, starting at $1.1 million for four weeks of use. Since we're fantasizing here, we won't get bogged down in the fine print, but basically 13 shares are being offered which guarantee four weeks of use a year and the opportunity to trade usage in other Elan Collection properties if desired.

The residence, constructed from coral stone blocks imported from Barbados, features an outdoor covered breakfast nook and an outdoor beachfront dining pergola with an area for a table setting of 30. There is a one-bedroom guest cottage with its own pool and garden and separate two-bedroom staff quarters. The central courtyard is filled with mature giant frangipani trees, bougainvillea, ferns and other lush landscaping. For those who misplaced their atlas, the Turks and Caicos are a territory of the United Kingdom consisting of two groups of more than 40 islands and cays, eight of which are inhabited. The island chain is known for its pristine white sand beaches, turquoise waters and legendary diving, snorkeling and fishing activities

Gallery: Turks and Caicos, Estate of the Day

Tags: estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, fractional, fractional ownership, fractional real estate, FractionalOwnership, FractionalRealEstate, turks and caicos, TurksAndCaicos

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Emerald Cay, Now At A Deep Discount

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

I've seen some deep discounts recently but this has to be one of the biggest. Emerald Cay, a private island in the Turks & Caicos Islands was for sale last year at $75 million. Now you can get it for millions less. The incredible property is a luxury hideaway that is accessed via a remote-controlled swing bridge and a Turkish marble driveway.

The island is on over two acres sits surrounded by turquoise water and white powder beaches. The magnificent estate encompasses approximately 30,000 square feet of interiors all wired for everything through a Crestron system. A three-story great room has 45-foot-high cypress ceilings. There is also a three-story library, a master bedroom pavilion and an award-winning home theater.

The estate includes three guest suites, a 6,000-bottle wine cellar, two adjoining swimming pools with a waterfall, a barbecue pavilion, tennis and volleyball courts, two boat slips, a boat house, a guest house, a caretaker's home, and two private beaches. Life's short - but your quality time doesn't have to be, says Lyle Schmidek, owner/broker of the Christie's affiliate for the Turks and Caicos Islands who has listed this home at the new low price of $48.5 million.

Gallery: Emerald Cay

Tags: emerald cay, EmeraldCay, island for sale, IslandForSale, private island, private island for sale, PrivateIsland, PrivateIslandForSale, turks and caicos, TurksAndCaicos

The Estate at Turks and Caicos, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's estate is an idyllic retreat in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This home is on 2.5 acres with an additional .68 acre available. It is located less than two miles from the Grace Bay Beach area which offers access to restaurants, golf, casinos, resorts, shops and more. This home is gated and has its own private road and waterway access.

The property includes a spectacular main house with a glass bottom pool, commercial restaurant quality kitchen facilities, three master bedrooms with en-suite baths, library, sitting room, living room, screening room, secret stairway, cigar/wine room, servants' quarters and an elevator. There are two additional guest homes with private reflection pools. The estate is being sold fully furnished, including art, goods, and equipment. The property can stay as a private estate or be developed a resort.

The asking price is $15.75 million for the main estate property and $1 million for the additional .68 acre. It is listed with Grace Lappin of Avalon Partners.

Gallery: The Estate in Turks and Caicos

Tags: caribbean real estate, CaribbeanRealEstate, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, grace bay, GraceBay, turks and caicos, TurksAndCaicos

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Nikki Beach Turks and Caicos Closes

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Say farewell to another luxury resort. Leeward Resort Ltd. the owner of the Nikki Beach Resort & Spa in Turks and Caicos, has been placed into receivership. The resort, which offered 48 rooms and suites with luxury amenities, has been closed after being open less than tow years. The Nikki Beach brand remains afloat with resorts around the world including Miami, New York and Thailand. The British Caribbean Bank will manage the 430-acre resort and 110-slip mega-yacht marina and is hoping for a buyer. Since the Four Seasons Exuma was recently snapped up by Sandals there's reason to believe that their might be another hotel company willing to make a deal and pick up a resort which has been widely regarded as one of most exclusive in the Caribbean. Expansion plans for the resort had included condominiums, a spa, casino and new restaurants.

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Tags: hotels in trouble, HotelsInTrouble, nikki beach, NikkiBeach, receivership, resort, turks and caicos, TurksAndCaicos

Bruce Willis & New Supermodel Wife Bare (Almost) All for W

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Design

W magazine / Steven Klein

It looks like aging action hero Bruce Willis, 54, and his new supermodel wife Emma Heming, 32, are trying out to be the next Brad and Angelina. The pair just shot a sizzling cover feature for the new W magazine with a decidedly kinky S&M theme. (Click here for all the pix which fyi include a couple of rather risqué shots.) The couple, who got married married in the Turks and Caicos in March, are in amazing shape, which makes sense considering Heming is a lingerie model and they met at the Los Angeles gym of their trainer, Gunnar Peterson, in 2005. Photographed by Steven Klein, the saucy shoot is of course peppered with luxury clothing and accessories, including above a Dior leather jacket, Eres lingerie and half of a Giorgio Armani tuxedo. You can read the accompanying cover story here and learn about what went on behind the scenes at the shoot here.

Tags: Bruce Willis, BruceWillis, Dior, Giorgio Armani, GiorgioArmani, Turks and Caicos, TurksAndCaicos, W magazine, WMagazine

Gansevoort Heads to Turks and Caicos

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

The Gansevoort Hotel brand is opening its first island resort officially next month: Gansevoort Turks & Caicos. The hotel is located along the western section of Grace Bay Beach on Providenciales. Gansevoort Turks & Caicos is a 91-room property built around the 7,000 square foot infinity-edge swimming pool which has "lounging islands" for daytime sunbathing or romantic nighttime candlelit canoodling.

The resort has a fitness center, Bagatelle restaurant and beach lounge and the Exhale spa. Packages start at $295 per night but for big spenders you can opt for the high roller package which includes a three-bedroom penthouse stay, daily continental breakfast, catamaran excursion, day of golf, two 60 min massages at Exhale Spa, a bottle of Dom Perignon and chocolate covered strawberries upon arrival and two monogrammed Gansevoort TC bathrobes starting at $2,500 per night.

Gallery: Gansevoort Turks and Caicos

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Lusso Debuts New Multi-Million Dollar Residence Club

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The Lusso Collection portfolio of multi-million dollar residences in the world's most desirable vacation spots has just announced an exclusive new membership club. The 30 properties in the Collection, worth an average of $4 million each, are located in luxe spots such as Cabo San Lucas, Aspen, Miami, Hawaii and the Bahamas (the Turks & Caicos property is pictured above). Each features an on-site concierge, pre-arrival grocery shopping and a chauffer service from the nearest airport. The new offering enables members to experience the properties for 21 days out of the year for a deposit of $325,000 and annual dues of $21,000. Only 50 of the Lusso 21 memberships are available. By year's end the company plans to expand its portfolio to 39 properties in 21 destinations, including Europe.

Gallery: The Lusso Collection