The Ocean Club is a Turks and Caicos original. The luxury resort, located on the widest stretch of stunning Grace Bay Beach, was the first on the island to offer guests condominium-style one-, two-, or three-bedroom accommodations. Each suite includes a spacious dining and living area that feels like an island retreat with all the comforts of home.
Service reigns at this sprawling, yet immaculately maintained property. Not only do guests have access to all the pool, restaurant, diving, spa, and golf services that the The Ocean Club provides, but they also have admittance to everything offered at the sister property, Ocean Club West—think two for the price of one.
If cooking is the last thing you want to do on vacation, you’re not alone, and there’s no need to worry. The Ocean Club’s superior amenities rise to the occasion when it comes to satisfying your palette. The Cabana Bar & Grille offers alfresco dining steps from the ocean, while The Opus restaurant features a five-star menu. Your suite’s full kitchen is a welcome convenience however, when you just want to watch the sunrise from your balcony with a cup of freshly brewed coffee.
Ocean Club beginnings
When the Ocean Club first opened its doors, there were but a handful of hotels in Providenciales, now the most populous of all the Turks and Caicos Islands. At the time, Grace Bay Beach was the Caribbean’s best kept secret. Ocean Club General Manager Tom Lewis remembers those early days. “People used to say, ‘You’re going where?’ Back then, people referred to us as the Turquoise Islands,” Lewis said.
Lewis, who worked for years at Keystone Ski Resort in Colorado, was thrilled with the idea of working on a site where his back door looked out on the bluest water he’d ever seen and a golf course was stationed a stone’s throw from his front entrance. Dreams turned into reality in 1999 when the Ocean Club opened on one of Grace Bay’s prime sections of beachfront.
Provo Golf Club
For those who love the beach and golf, the Ocean Club is a special treat. Located a short walk from the Ocean Club entry is Provo Golf Club, the only golf course in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Consistently ranked as one of the top golf courses in the Caribbean, Provo is a wonderful blend of flowers, palm trees, conch shell tee markers, and exotic birds.
Your round of golf is accompanied by a serene sense of quiet. This is a Caribbean golf experience where exhilaration and relaxation become one. Your golfing gift doesn't end after the 18th hole though. The bonus will be made apparent once you walk into the Provo clubhouse. Check out the waves or the golf flags adorning the clubhouse ceiling. The flags represent some of the most famous golf courses in the world. One way to top off your day is with a cocktail on the outdoor deck, where you can observe golfers on the 18th green, or just revel in the exquisite surroundings. And remember that the course is right across the street from the Ocean Club if you should choose to repeat the whole ritual tomorrow.
Turquoise as far as the eye can see
Grace Bay Beach and the Caribbean Sea are definitely the main attractions for anyone choosing Providenciales as a vacation destination. If you enjoy thrills below sea level, Turks and Caicos has one of the best coral reefs in the world.
The Ocean Club is home to Provo Turtle Divers, the oldest dive shop on the islands, and a great resource for master divers and first-timers alike. Turtles, parrot fish, yellow tangs, French angel fish, and blue hamlets are just a sampling of the mysterious marine life thriving in the Turks and Caicos underwater world. Provo Turtle Divers is also on hand should snorkeling be your preferred method of sea exploration.
Get away from it all
In the early days, what originally drove people to Providenciale[s] was the idea of “getting away from it all.” Today, “Provo” is a mainstream island retreat, with several major airlines making daily stops to their new International Airport (PLS). Whether you’re seeking a romantic retreat or bonding Caribbean-style as a family, the Ocean Club is a wonderful window into Grace Bay’s 12 miles of powder-white beach.
Relaxing in the sun, fine dining, water sports, and golf—The Ocean Club Resort provides island vacationers with all of this, and much more. What General Manager Lewis thinks is really special about The Ocean Club however, is “nothing.” While gazing out at the turquoise waters glittering off of Grace Bay Beach, Lewis revealed what makes the Ocean Club a Turks and Caicos original: “This is where we've perfected the art of doing nothing,” Lewis said with a smile.
