I’m Smitten With Ocean Club Resorts – A Review Of Ocean Club West

 

The sun shines on another perfect day in paradise.  As my Hubby and I wander hand in hand along the turquoise shores of the impossibly powder white sand, my girls stroll ahead in search of the perfect shells.  The waves quietly roll onto the sand and in the distance we can see the pastel pink umbrellas calling us home.  Well, home for the week.  One more splash in the waves and we’ve reached our lounge chairs settled in front of our own little piece of paradise.  This is Ocean Club West.

Here’s everything you need to know about Ocean Club Resorts in the Turks and Caicos.

Ocean Club Resorts  – Two Resorts In One:

Situated just over a mile apart on the breathtaking Grace Bay Beach in the Turks and Caicos are the two sister properties that make up Ocean Club Resorts.  Ocean Club East (the slightly older of the two resorts) has been said to be the more classic, intimate Caribbean styled resort, while Ocean Club West boasts a Caribbean charm that quickly makes you feel at home.  Ocean Club West is a little closer to the local shopping, unique restaurants, grocery store and bright island night-life.  Both are condo style, and neither is all-inclusive.

When staying at  either property you are welcome to “stay at one, play at both”.  Eat at any of the restaurants, enjoy the pools, and of course lounge on either of the unforgettable beach fronts.  Each location also offers complimentary bikes, fitness centres, free form pools, and tennis courts.  Transportation between resorts is simple with an air-conditioned shuttle running approximately every 15 minutes.

Ocean Club West

When you arrive at Ocean Club West you are met with a small lobby.  Professional staff are eager to assist you with keys to your rooms and information about the resort.  Although this is a condo style hotel there is still daily maid service as well as a multitude of dining options between the two resorts.

Accommodations:

You will find that each one of the 68 spacious condos has it’s own unique sense of style as every unit is individually owned. Suites are available in configurations from studio suites to 3 bedroom units.

Our family of four stayed in a spacious 2 bedroom 2 1/2 bathroom condo with a large screened in deck.  The main floor consisted of a combined open concept living room, dining area, modern kitchen, a master bedroom complete with a king-sized bed, private back terrace and ensuite bathroom.  The remainder of the main floor was cleverly designed with a stacked washer and dryer tucked into the hallway and a powder room.  Upstairs was the second bedroom with two twin beds and accompanying bathroom.

 

We loved the space and the view of the pool from our generous balcony.  You could leave the floor to ceiling sliding glass doors wide open and hear the ocean rolling off in the distance.  The kitchen was well appointed, the condo was incredibly clean, and had more than enough space for our crew of four.

Dining:

Restaurants at Ocean Club include:

Opus Grille – Reservations are recommended for Opus, but the atmosphere is still Island Casual in this fine dining establishment.

Cabana Bar and Grill – Open air dining situated between the pool and the beach.  It’s casual fare with a side of home cooking.

Restaurants at Ocean Club West include:

Solona (pictured above)

Offering 3 different experiences in one!

• The Grill Deck – Serving up Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.  The Clubhouse Sandwich was a hit.
• The Bar & Lounge – Perfect for an afternoon snack.  Insider Tip.  Get something to go and eat it around the pool!
• The Solana Teppanyaki & Sushi Bar – A must do while on the island!  Serving up sinfully good dinners all against the backdrop of that infamous Turks and Caicos sunset.

Eat in:

Do you know the only thing better then have a “home” on the beach?  Being able to dash up from the pool, fill up the cooler with drinks, a watermelon, chips and sandwiches for your family to eat poolside.  Picnics by the pool and on the beach quickly became our new norm.  Not only was this a cost effective way to enjoy a meal, but no one missed out on a moment of sunshine!

BBQ:  Taking the poolside picnic up a level – Ocean Club West has an entire BBQ area complete with two BBQs, all the utensils you need and tables to enjoy your feast on.  Perfect for lunch or dinner.

All The Fun Things:

The pool at Ocean Club West is warm and welcoming and winds it’s way through the tropical landscape.  There were chairs a plenty with little to no “saving” of seats.  The atmosphere was very family friendly, quiet and relaxed.  There is no pool drink service but the restaurant/bar is only a few steps away – and so is your condo!

The beach is unbeatable.  You can walk for miles and miles. No, really. There was some seagrass in front of Ocean Club West but this also may have been a reflection of the time of year, and the sunsets from both resorts are pure magic.

Complimentary activities include bicycles, tennis court access and Wi-Fi.  Worthy of note – so are grocery carts!  We enjoyed borrowing a cart, walking the few blocks to the grocery store and stocking up on items for a couple of meals and lots of snacks.

Insider Tips:

Check-in time is 4pm.

Each suite is individually owned so the decor and finishes will vary from room to room.

October is a little buggy.  Pack bug spray!

The prices appear to be competitive or even more affordable than other properties in Grace Bay.

Food prices in general in the Grace Bay area are spendy!  Having a kitchen to create a meal or two in felt like an incredibly smart way to keep a handle on the budget.

Once you’ve stayed in a condo style accommodation with laundry, bedrooms and bathrooms for all, you may wonder how you’ve ever lived without it.

This would be a fabulous location for a family reunion or multi-generational trip.  The property has a boutique size feel and there’s room for everyone.

What I Know:

I’m smitten with Ocean Club Resorts.  If you are a family who values space and is craving the perfect beach and a little adventure, you owe it to yourself to check out Ocean Club Resorts.

 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. In exchange for this post, I have received perks in the form of products and/or compensation.  All opinions on this blog are my own.