West Bay Club Rating: 4.5 Pearls

Turks and Caicos Islands

A view from a One-Bedroom Luxury Suite

Groucho Marx once said, "I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member." Had he visited West Bay Club on the western shores of Grace Bay, he might have changed his mind. This 46-room condo resort seems exclusive, but you won't find an ounce of pretense -- everyone feels comfortable and welcome.

What might be most surprising about West Bay Club are its prices. Entering the small but breeze-filled lobby, which leads to a palm tree-lined pool in the center of the resort's pristine white buildings, you'd never imagine that the rates here are about half as much as at the Gansevoort next door. (For instance, the 1,100-square-foot One-Bedroom Suite with full ocean view at West Bay is roughly the same cost as its neighbor's 665-square-foot studio.) Inside the rooms, you'll find a remarkable number of amenities and details that will have you wondering if you've misread your bill -- marble bathrooms, king beds with soft white linens, and kitchens (or kitchenettes) with elegant tile backsplashes and top-of-the-line appliances.

The number of on-property features at West Bay Club is also a bit of a welcome surprise. Like similar condo properties the Tuscany and Regent Grand, you'll find a solid fitness center, a full-service beachfront, and stunning pool for relaxation. But unlike its competition, West Bay Club also has a full bar and restaurant, a Club Lounge with theater projector, computers, and board games, and even a spa.

West Bay's Spa Tropique outlet is considerably larger than those at other resorts like Ocean Club Resort and The Sands at Grace Bay, which each feature just a tiny treatment room. Instead, here you'll find a proper waiting room, two treatment rooms (both with in-room showers and access to a private deck) and even a small shop of spa products.

So what's not to like about West Bay Club? If pressed, you might find cause for complaint in the small size of the studio units, which start at 500 square feet and don't have balconies. Additionally, the Atlantic Bar & Grill has a limited and somewhat uninspired menu. And while the number of amenities is impressive for a condo property, the island's traditional resorts like Beaches and The Veranda provide significantly more options.

View on a Larger Map

West Bay Club is located on Lower Bight Road, a street that sees a bit more traffic than Grace Bay Road (where the bulk of the area's resorts are found), on the western edge of Grace Bay next to the Gansevoort. Of course, none of that matters on the resort's wide expanse of beach, where full service and ample lounge chairs are enough to make you forget all about any semblance of traffic the island may have. A few businesses are located within walking distance -- a pharmacy, a grocery store, and Gansevoort's chic dinner spot, Bistrot Bagatelle, for instance. But for everything else, you'll have to drive.

• 20-minute drive from Providenciales International Airport
• 1-minute walk to Grace Bay (property is located on the beach)
• 20-minute walk, or 3-minute drive, to IGA grocery store
• 7-minute drive to shops and restaurants at Regent Village and Salt Mills shopping centers
• 10-minute drive to Smith's Reef for snorkeling
• 10-minute drive to the Caicos Conch Farm, the world's only conch farm
• 12-minute drive to Provo Golf Club
• 15-minute drive to Da Conch Shack and Rum Bar

One-Bedroom Luxury Suite

West Bay Club is a condo resort, which means that every room is actually an independently owned condo unit. Luckily, unlike similar properties at, say, the Regent Grand or the Tuscany, the crisp, stylish decor you see in one unit will be found across the board. Standard are lovely marble bathrooms, 46-inch flat-screen TVs, and kitchens or kitchenettes with stainless steel appliances. If you can afford it, skip the balcony-less Studio units in favor of a One-Bedroom.

• Full kitchens in One-Bedroom units or larger feature state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, wine coolers, and cabinets stocked with cookware, utensils, and tableware.
• Kingsley Bates outdoor furniture on balconies and patios
• 46-inch flat screen TVs with DVD players and surround sound home theater system
• iHome MP3 players and clock radio
• Dual washer/dryers (except in studios)
• Ceiling fans
• Free Wi-Fi
• King beds with Egyptian cotton linens
• High-end bath products from London company Molton Brown
• None of the studios have balconies.
• The 500-square-foot Studio is a bit small by Turks and Caicos standards, though the price is right.
• The 1,100-square-foot One-Bedroom costs roughly the same as a studio at many other high-end resorts, and features a full kitchen and spacious balcony or patio.
• Around $50 more per night will upgrade you from a One-Bedroom to a 1,500-square-foot One-Bedroom Luxury, which features a separate soaking tub, his and hers vanities, an extra powder room, and an ocean-view balcony.
• Walk-in showers in Studios, and shower/tub combos in One-Bedrooms. For a separate soaking tub, upgrade to a One-Bedroom Luxury.
• Two-, three-, and four-bedroom suites range from 1,400 square feet to 2,822 square feet. Four-Bedroom Suites have a media room with pullout sofa that can double as a fifth bedroom.
• Living rooms in One-Bedroom units or larger feature queen-size pull-out sofas for additional guests.

The pool

• A spacious, full-service beachfront with guest-only lounge chairs and umbrellas
• Infinity-edge pool surrounded by a thicket of palms
• A small poolside bar and grill that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Pool and beach attendants providing food and drink service from the resort's bar and grill
• A fitness center equipped with Cybex cardio machines, weight machines, dumbbells, and yoga balls
• Free water sports including kayaks, Hobie Cats, and snorkeling equipment
• A two-treatment room spa featuring massage therapies and signature body treatments from Spa Tropique
• Free daily breakfast
• Free loaner cell phones provided to guests (outgoing calls will incur fees)
• Loaner bicycles
• A Club Lounge featuring a computer with free Internet, books, board games, and AV equipment for movie screenings
• Personal concierge services and 24-hour front desk staff
• Kitchen stocking option available (for a fee)
• Large beachfront lawn for weddings and other special events
• Free Wi-Fi throughout
• Free gated parking