Like many here in the States, I never spent much time thinking about Turks & Caicos—a tiny chain of islands just north of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Now, my time there is all I can think about.
That's in no small part thanks to where I stayed: Villa Cielo, a massive ivory house that feels like a movie set. For starters, the house faces an inlet with glimmering turquois waters and has its own private beach with palm trees, a volleyball court and hammocks. The massive windows in the main living area flood the entire house with that distinctly bright Carribean sunlight. There are five bedrooms for up to 10 people, each with it's own private bathroom. There's also a pool with a deck; a jacuzzi upstairs on its own private terrace; an outdoor home theater; an open kitchen; and a gym in one of the bedrooms downstairs.
Even in all of the house's splendor, my favorite part was the service. The chef brought us the ingredients and made all the food for us fresh, whether it was jerk chicken, curried shrimp or giant chocolate chip cookies.
We spent the days paddle boarding and kayaking on glass-bottomed kayaks across the quiet inlet. I was there in November, and never saw anyone besides the people who were staying in our villa. Each evening we were able to enjoy the sunset, conveniently located directly across from the house, in absolute peace.
Neighborhood
I never left the house, and you're not really inclined to do so if you stay at Villa Cielo. It's just a 15- to 20-minute drive from the Providenciales International Airport, which has direct flights from JFK, Newark, Atlanta, Toronto, Fort Lauderdale, Philadelophia and other North American cities. The surrounding neighborhood consists of other large vacation homes for the ultra wealthy, so you're far from the chaos of the islands' large resorts. You're also literally inside a national park, which explains why it's so quiet.
Time Out Tip
Bring bug spray and sunscreen.