Club Med Turkoise, Turks & Caicos

Built in 1984, Club Med Turkoise has bragging rights as being the first resort on Providenciales. First known as a party hotel where young singles could mix and mingle, the years have aged Turkoise. While she can still throw a good party, she's not the same, sexy all-inclusive beaut she was over two decades ago. As partiers themselves know, the late nights and a constant flow of guests can take a toll, and general wear and tear is visible throughout the property. Club Med is actively closing or renovating all of their classic 3-Trident properties, and with a lease expiring relatively soon, Turkoise is either in the market for a complete reconstruction or...closure. In the meantime, the massive property continues to house blocks of bold, solid colored buildings with basic rooms; wide open, verdant spaces; and a long stretch of pristine beach filled with tons of physical activities for both land and water. Its parties also still carry on later into the night than at just about every other hotel on the island.

Still centered around the Club Med principle of socialization, Turkoise offers day passes and night passes for resort outsiders, and encourages the staff to mingle with guests (socialization is built into their schedule). On an island built mainly for families and couples, this factor makes Turkoise a great find for solo travelers. Overall, with guests ranging from 18 to 88, the vibe at this mid-range all-inclusive is fun and unpretentious, with a slight twinge of "what happens in Turkoise, stays in Turkoise" still lingering from this hotel's glory days. Whatever her ultimate fate may be, Turkoise is going to keep partying like it's 1999 until her future is decided in 2023.

Just a few minutes' drive from the main tourist stretch of Grace Bay Road, Club Med Turkoise is located on the eastern edge of the Grace Bay area. After passing through the guarded entrance gate and driving down a seemingly endless gravel driveway, the hotel entrance appears, hiding among tall trees and wooden totems. To the back of the hotel, there is a quiet and spacious stretch of white sugar sand beach alongside gorgeous turquoise waters; it's arguably one of the most beautiful resort beaches on the island. The all-inclusive, village-like property provides for most all traveler needs, so a car is not necessary for those planning to stay put. For those planning to explore beyond the Club Med walls, a car or taxi is a necessity. The hotel is about 30 minutes from the Providenciales International Airport.

While some resorts on Providenciales offer a number of room categories, Club Med Turkoise keeps it simple. The hotel has two room types -- Club and Deluxe -- offering basic (and small) rooms with a few colorful, contemporary touches. Cub Rooms are the most basic of the bunch and come with either two twins or a king-size bed, boldly colored bedding and furniture fabrics, and tile floors. Amenities are typical for a mid-range property, and include in-bathroom coffeemakers, ironing facilities, and hairdryer.

Upgrading to a Deluxe Room will get you slightly more modern decor, including fluffy white bedding and a sleeker furniture style. Additional amenities include toiletries, priority housekeeping, basic bathrobes and slippers, a minibar with sodas and water, and a cute welcome gift. All rooms also have flat-screen TVs and air-conditioning (although the strength of the cooling abilities of air-conditioning and minibars can vary). Rooms have either a garden or ocean view, but none have balconies. Watch for the mosquitoes that try to sneak into your room when you open the door. Wi-Fi (for a fee) does not reach all rooms.

Turkoise has all of your typical all-inclusive, village-style property features, including shops, bars, restaurants, activities, and live entertainment. In the center of the property, off the main building, the resort's pool features great views of the beachfront horizon, and a separate pool volleyball court. The pool is small for the resort's size, but it didn't feel crowded during our visit. The perimeter is lined with loungers, side tables are equipped with ashtrays, and cabanas are large and padded with privacy curtains -- that usually just end up flapping in the wind.

Two shops with arts and crafts, souvenirs, and sundries are located in the adjacent large, open-plan main area. An outside-run dive shop, activities booking company, and portrait photography service also have dedicated space in the area. Live entertainment runs every night from the small sheltered, but open-air, theater, and consists of musicals and shows. During the day the space is used for lessons or small activities.

There's tons of lounge space that wraps around the main building, feeding into a quiet reading area on one side, and into the Blue Reef bar on the other. With the exception of the massage treatment areas (either inside or on the beach), most of the resort's features are located in large open spaces, which encourages guests to socialize, feeding the communal village vibe. Socialization is a part of staff schedules, so it's not uncommon to see staff out at night, partying with guests or approaching anyone who looks like a lone wolf.

It's important to note that while most of the services and features of the resort are all-inclusive, Wi-Fi is not one of them. Internet access (even in the business center) comes in the form of hourly, daily, or weekly passes and costs a pretty penny -- which is a shame, especially since it doesn't reach to the majority of the guest rooms and is only guaranteed to work in the main building's public spaces.

Turkoise is packed with activities, so guests are unlikely to go bored. Besides curating a nightlife scene for its guests, the resort supplies a seemingly exhaustive amount of physical activities for both land and sea (and even air!). Aside from the typical (and in this case fairly crammed) gym and separate (and spacious) exercise class room, Turkoise also gets guests' heart rates pumping with a mini soccer field, basketball court, a tennis court area worthy of a national tournament, bocce ball space, and a long stretch of soft sandy beach worthy of a marathon run or game of volleyball.

Ocean-based activities include free twice-daily snorkeling trips and scuba diving packages (for a fee). But if you'd rather stay above water, you can grab a kayak, paddleboard, or even a sailboat and float along the Caribbean Sea's surface. For true adventurers, a flying trapeze station is located between Sharkies and the tennis courts.

The resort's main bar, Blue Reef, is open late and has a large selection of libations, nightly DJ dance parties, and a small sports bar area with a TV playing the latest game. Free water is available at either end of the bar, and whether or not guests have a drink in-hand, they can lounge on padded wicker furniture that faces the pool and ocean. Sharkies, a separate beach bar and grill farther down the property, has a small bar area and limited dining space. Over here it's an even simpler affair with two local beers on tap, basic cocktails, and casual fare like hamburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. This bar has early evening social hours with live music and finger foods, and then closes up shop for the night.

The hotel's main restaurant, Grace Bay, is buffet style and has themed cuisine nights and mostly communal seating. Make sure to arrive early as the food isn't refreshed and dishes run out easily and get cold by the end of the seating. A la carte dining is offered by reservation only at Lucayan. Only open a few days a week, this restaurant has a fun maritime/old west feel and serves up seafood and other favorites. It allows for reserved private dining and waiter service, one of the more romantic aspects of the resort.