Grace Bay Club

Grace Bay Club epitomizes barefoot elegance, offering quietly luxurious units, chic facilities, and superior dining with no pretension. Glittering ocean vistas claim the spotlight throughout the resort, with the coast visible from every restaurant and guest room. First opened in 1993 as a 21-room hotel, Grace Bay Club has continued to stay ahead of the curve as it has expanded over the years.  The resort is defined by its three distinct sections: The adult-only Hotel Building; family-friendly Villa Suites; and ultra-swanky Estate, which ensure that couples and families will fit in equally well here. Spread across 11 acres of lush, landscaped grounds, the property offers ample space for couples seeking romance as well as areas where kids can play freely without receiving glares from other guests.

As one of the first high-end resorts on Providenciales, Grace Bay Club’s stretch of beachfront is among the island’s biggest and best. The resort is situated within a 15-minute walk of the shops and restaurants lined along Grace Bay Road, as well as the Graceway Gourmet grocery store. The Casablanca Casino can be reached in five minutes on foot, and it’s an 18-minute walk or three-minute drive to the Provo Golf Club. The property is a 12-minute drive away from wonderful snorkeling at Smith’s Reef, and it’s a 15-minute drive to Providenciales International Airport. 

Accommodation options at Grace Bay Club are grouped into three categories: Adult-only guest rooms in the Hotel Building; family-friendly units in the Villa Suites; and massive apartment-style units in The Estate. The decor varies, but expect elegant, modern furnishings throughout -- smart, striped patterns, and gray palettes with muted accent colors are a common theme. Featherbeds don Egyptian cotton linens, and every unit has at least one king-size bed. LCD flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, and free Wi-Fi are standard.Aside from the Villa Junior Suites, all units offer kitchenettes or kitchens with granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. Kitchenettes have two-burner stovetops, microwaves, and mini-fridges, while huge kitchens include ovens and dishwashers. Large balconies or terraces with comfy loungers offer stunning ocean views. Beautiful bathrooms have glass-door showers, and separate soaking tubs. Wide vanities with double sinks are stocked with high-end Elemis bath products. Other extras differ significantly between units, which range in size from 600-square-foot Villa Junior Suites to the 7,000-square-foot Penthouse Residence, which features four bedrooms, a media room, and a study. Many upper-level room categories offer washer/dryer units, half-bathrooms, walk-in closets, and multiple balconies. Some also have private plunge pools and whirlpools, as well as terraces with outdoor rainfall showers and barbecue grills. The newest addition to the resort is the Private Villa Collection, freestanding beachfront villas with five bedrooms, which are located a short drive from the main resort.  

It's tough to beat the amenities at Grace Bay Club, which are top-notch for a property in its category. The resort offers direct access to a striking, 1,100-foot stretch of Grace Bay Beach. All-white day beds, lounge chairs, and beach umbrellas complement the beach’s pale sand and sparkling blue waters. Guests are provided with free non-motorized watersports equipment, including gear for snorkeling, windsurfing, and kayaking. Food and drink service is available on the beach. Each of the resort’s three areas has its own heated, freshwater pool. The rectangular Villa Pool, which is open to children and adults, has a built-in whirlpool and a circular swim-up bar, with dry seating on one side and submerged seating on the other. The Hotel Pool, which is open to guests 16 and older, has a dramatic infinity edge overlooking the coast, with a glass bottom and a separate whirlpool. Lastly, there’s the Estate Pool, which is only open to Estate guests. This pool raises the bar for a luxurious experience, offering four cabanas with private showers and minibars. Modish daybeds are also available, along with cushy loungers. The Estate Pool area includes a shallow, splash pool for kids.   For wellness, treatments ranging from Japanese sulfur mask facials to deep tissue massages are offered at Anani Spa. There are six treatment rooms, a mani/pedi area, and a relaxation space with soothing plants. The adjacent fitness center is large and particularly exceptional, with an array of Life Fitness equipment, including elliptical machines, treadmills, free weights, and strength-training machines. The resort also boasts two lighted tennis courts, and free bike rentals are available. The fantastic Kids Town and Teen X-Treme programs has free morning activities every day, ranging from crafts for younger kids to mocktail parties for teens. Off-site excursions, such as eco-tours and diving trips, are available for a fee. The Very-Important-Kid (VIK) program also comes at a surcharge, and includes additional perks like unlimited use of the playroom (which was under renovation during our visit in mid-2017), and special gift packs filled with age-appropriate goodies.  Other amenities include a polished business center with three PC stations and a printer, a well-stocked boutique that mainly sells beachwear, plus free on-site parking and Wi-Fi throughout. FoodVaried restaurants and bars, ranging from casual to sophisticatedGrace Bay Club’s impressive (but expensive) dining options draw guests and non-guests alike. The Infinity Restaurant and Raw Bar is a sprawling, beachfront dining area that connects with The Lounge. Guests can dine on Caribbean-inspired tapas at The Lounge, where pendant lights are suspended from palm trees. Next to The Lounge is the resort’s 90-foot Infiniti Bar, a gleaming black bar lined with high-tops, known for being the longest bar in the Caribbean. The space continues to unfold into the more formal Infiniti Restaurant, where tables are set under a thatched roof and out on an attractive, wooden deck.  Grill Rouge is the most casual dining option, featuring a breezy aesthetic that's reminiscent of a bistro terrace. Free breakfast, which is included in the room rate, is served here each morning. The restaurant also offers a solid international lunch menu, before switching to Italian fare in the evening. The Estate has its own open-air restaurant and bar, Krave (although all guests can dine here). Open for lunch and dinner, Krave specializes in gourmet comfort food, like burgers and jerk chicken. Stix is a tiny beach restaurant, furnished with a pair of white, communal tables, plus a few seats at the bar. The restaurant serves light, shareable fare on skewers and kebabs (or “sticks” -- hence the name).