Wymara Resort & Villas

Gansevoort Turks and Caicos makes a bold and lasting impression from the moment guests approach its entrance, which sets the tone for the entire property with its clean, contemporary design. It’s the island’s sexiest resort, seamlessly blending a hip, urban aesthetic with easy-going island vibes. The lobby’s elongated layout and neutral furnishings help focus attention on the sleek infinity pool and serene coastline, which are immediately visible in the airy lobby. Walkways lined with wooden trellises draped in bougainvillea cut between the property’s modern, whitewashed guest room buildings.Unsurprisingly, the resort is most popular with affluent young couples, including a fair number of celebrities and high-profile business execs. It does draw some families as well, particularly during holidays, but there’s absolutely nothing kid-friendly about this property. With a pool that seems designed for seeing and being seen rather than swimming, noisy kids can expect to receive a few disapproving glances. 

One of the westernmost properties in the string of resorts lining Grace Bay, Gansevoort feels a little more removed from the action than its neighbors to the east. This means its beach tends to see less traffic compared to nearby resorts, which is a plus, but it also means guests at Gansevoort are a tad farther away from restaurants and entertainment -- that said, most of the island’s key places of interest are still less than a 15-minute drive away. There’s a grocery store found within a 20-minute walk, and Bight Park Botanical Gardens and Park is located right next to the resort. The shops at Salt Mills Plaza and Regent Village can be reached in less than 10 minutes by car. Providenciales International Airport is a 20-minute drive. 

Guest rooms at Gansevoort Turks and Caicos are subtly glamorous, with open floor plans and dark wood furniture. Muted blue accents and colorful beach photos pop against otherwise white-on-white color schemes. Platform beds feature 400 thread count Frette bedding, and floor-to-ceiling windows have electric blackout blinds. All rooms offer full or partial ocean views, with most including large terraces furnished with dark rattan furniture. Free Wi-Fi, Bose iPod docking stereos, and LCD TVs are all standard. Studios include attractive kitchenettes with mosaic-tiled backsplashes, and are equipped with microwaves, mini-fridges, and toasters. Suites take things up a notch with big, beautiful kitchens stocked with gleaming Liebherr, Gaggenau, and Bosch appliances. Bathrooms offer square vessel sinks and glass-encased Kohler Watertile rain showers. L’Occitane bath products are provided, along with the kinds of extras you would expect from a high-end hotel, such as plush bathrobes and free bottles of insect repellent. Some bathrooms add deep soaking tubs. The bathroom layouts sometimes make privacy an issue. For example, glass showers aren’t always separated from bedrooms. Other rooms have peek-a-boo windows between the bedrooms and bathrooms (although these include privacy screens that can be closed for modesty). The resort’s stunning, 3,700-square-foot penthouses feature a wraparound balcony, hot tub, and service perks like round-trip airport transfers.   

The resort’s gorgeous, 7,000 square-foot infinity pool is the property’s most striking feature. The pool’s infinity edge draws the eye to the ocean, which peeks out from between two guest room buildings. Palms protruding from floating planters combine with a virtually all white backdrop -- imagine cushy white loungers, white beach umbrellas, and white building facades -- to give the pool a dreamy effect. Guests are free to use the loungers lining the pale stone deck that surrounds the pool. However, floating island decks in the middle of the pool have to be rented for steep fees. The pool area also includes a little round hot tub.As one of the last resorts on the west end of Grace Bay Beach, Gansevoort’s stretch of white sand is also blissfully uncrowded. Guests have access to the resort’s Hobie Cats, as well as free paddleboards, kayaks, and snorkeling gear. Similar to the set-up by the pool, loungers are free while oval rattan daybeds can be rented for an additional fee. Exhale Spa is small -- with just three treatment rooms and a nail services room -- but lovely with an earth-toned color scheme. Treatment rooms include private outdoor terraces with rain showers. Yoga classes are offered on a pretty veranda. While the resort’s 24-hour fitness center isn’t especially remarkable, it’s nonetheless a bright, practical space with a good range of Star Trac cardio equipment, weight machines, and free weights. The compact shop just off the lobby sells a standard assortment of snacks, liquor, and sundries like sunscreen and toothpaste. There’s a tiny, unassuming business center in the lobby with three personal computers, a printer, and ergonomic chairs. A limited number of free bicycles are available for guests. The reception desk has a library of DVDs to borrow. Free Wi-Fi is offered throughout, and there’s free parking on-site. 

Gansevoort has two restaurants: one by the pool and another overlooking the beach. The poolside restaurant, Stelle, features a chic terrace accented with palm trees wrapped in glowing fairy lights. The interior has a lounge-like vibe, with whitewashed brick walls and gray leather chairs creating an understated, achromatic color palette. It’s one of the island’s most popular nightlife venues, with live DJ performances on Friday nights. Stelle’s menu of Mediterranean-inspired cuisine is good but expensive. An excellent free breakfast buffet, which is included in the room rate, is served here each morning. Stelle also has a private dining room that sometimes doubles as a meeting room, featuring a capacity of up to 60 guests. The resort’s beachfront restaurant, Zest, is more casual. High-top tables are clustered around a wood-detailed bar. Additional tables are set under a canvas shelter and line a sunny boardwalk that stretches down to the sands. Zest serves lighter fare like salads and seafood dishes, in addition to pizza cooked in an outdoor oven.