The Palms Turks and Caicos

More new upscale Caribbean than traditional mellow island funk, the Palms is a new addition to the pantheon of haute-luxury Turks and Caicos escapes. Don’t be fooled by the main house’s Palladian architecture; this place is a full-service luxury resort in the modern mold, with all that that entails, from the private beach to the stand-alone spa complex to the restaurant, serving the kind of inventive high-end cuisine that’s still too rare in this part of the world.

Modern also means big rooms. All come with plenty of space to stretch out, private terraces or balconies, and a kitchenette at minimum — all suites come with full kitchens, outfitted with Viking appliances. Bathrooms are luxuriously oversized as well, each one with a hydro-massage bathtub, and here the up-to-date amenities go hand in hand with classic styling: coral stone, marble, and ornately detailed moldings and wainscoting.

The location on Grace Bay places the Palms close to the heart of the action, such as it is, on Providenciales. But many of us will be content on the resort’s grounds, or in the water — there’s a pristine private beach and a labyrinthine infinity pool (complete with swim-up bar), and golfers, divers and sport-fishers will find Provo lacks for almost nothing.