It is hard to believe it has been over a year since my last blog post from February 2020 just before the pandemic hit. Like most, I hunkered down at home for many months however in December I took the plunge, masked up and flew to Turks and Caicos where I have had the good fortune to spend two months this winter on Turks and Caicos. This has given me the opportunity to view many of the luxury properties during my stay but also enjoy the island and feel like a local. Luckily my “home away from home” was located just a few hundred yards from H2O Lifestyle Resort. Opening in December 2020, this condominium resort is a hidden gem located on crystal clear blue waters of the 5 km Long Bay Beach a quiet and more undiscovered area of Turks & Caicos. This is not a full-service hotel however a contemporary boutique style condominium property with large, oversized accommodations. An interesting hybrid between renting a private villa and staying in hotel.
The property is an arrangement of roughly 15 condominium style suites, from studios to four-bedroom penthouse each with complete kitchen dining and living area completely outfitted by Restoration Hardware with a beautiful, homey, contemporary design, and aesthetic.
With two very large pools with tons of lounge furniture, hammocks swinging from palm trees as well as lots of lounge chairs on the beach there is plenty of outdoor space to chill out and find your own private space.
In the common area there is a large outdoor kitchen with two 42-inch barbecues which are for all the guests. We were invited to a couple barbecues hosted by the management which brought a few of the guests together to meet each other and share a drink and some stories. If you are worried about not having a restaurant at your disposal The Shore Club Hotel is 5 minutes’ walk down the beach where you can find three or four restaurants for lunch and dinner daily. And of course, I should mention that Turks and Caicos has many great dining options within a 10-minute drive from H2O.
The property has a nice little gym that offered a good combination of aerobic, resistance training and stretch areas. Additionally, the hotel offers yoga classes on their rooftop three times a week. There is also basketball, pickle ball court access to a tennis court.
The management is very hands-on and because of the small size seem able to accommodate most of your requests. They are very knowledgeable about the island regarding dining and activities and will certainly help you make the best of your stay.
As a side note, if you are a kite border or interested in learning, Long Bay Beach is known for its shallow white sandy bottom beach and regular breeze. H2O does offer a kite boarding school on the premises as well as kite storage and equipment rental for the guests.