Rock House: Lush, lazy and luxe in Turks & Caicos
It was like “The White Lotus,” without the murder: lush, sunny, private, exclusive and beautiful. Dubbed “the Caribbean Capri,” Rock House is a precious jewel of a resort on the north side of Providenciales, AKA Provo, one of the eight inhabited islands in the Turks & Caicos. Its first anniversary was in May, and it’s quickly gaining global acclaim for its ravishing combination of high style, quiet luxury and environmentally sound ethos. And, crucial to us, the reef was beautiful and we could snorkel from the beach.
The Rock House concept has been decades in the making. Mark Durliat, CEO of Grace Bay Resorts, explains: “The idea of Rock House was born in France over 24 years ago, when my wife, Melissa Durliat, was a regular feature at Cannes Film Festival as an ambitious and inspired TV producer. Melissa stood on the red-carpet steps for hours, fighting for the attention of celebrities while producing footage of the film festival for ‘Access Hollywood’ and NBC News. Her favorite part of the job was conducting one-on-one celebrity interviews at the renowned Hotel du Cap in Antibes, which has always been among the most exclusive properties. While interviewing celebrities in the cabanas along the coast, Melissa saw a glimpse into the dreamlike (and seemingly unattainable) vision of what an iconic hotel was.”
The couple tucked that dream away … thankfully, though, not forever. Durliat continues, “Decades later, Melissa and I took a trip at Hotel du Cap and had the idea of bringing such a property — carved into the cliffs, defined by Mediterranean elegance — to Turks & Caicos. It was a huge and risky departure from the classic resorts on Provo’s Grace Bay beach, where we built Grace Bay Resorts’ brand. After careful research, ample brainstorming and finding the perfect plot of land — a majestic 14-acre oceanfront [property] on the rugged coastline of Providenciales — the vision started taking shape. I asked Melissa what name to give the new concept. She hesitated only briefly and said ‘Rock House.’ So simple. And so it began.”
My sister and I arrived on Provo mid-afternoon and were quickly whisked to Rock House, where we were greeted with flutes of good Champagne and equally good cheer. After a quick tour of the intentionally boutique-sized property, we were happily ensconced in our villa, with its private infinity pool, spellbinding ocean view and magical powers of relaxation. Exhales became deeper, smiles wider, glasses were raised and shoes immediately relegated to the back of the closet.
We’d had the forethought to take advantage of Rock House’s provisioning service and had stocked the place with loads of fresh fruit, wine, ice cream and any other simple, delicious goodies we could think of like martini supplies, lots of bubbly, baguettes, delicate lettuces and good cheeses. As we took stock of our situation, it was hard not to feel a little smug. Harder still not to do a smug little dance of elation.
“Rock House features a collection of 46 chic studios and freestanding homes made of white excavated limestone with private pools and terraces, lush outdoor shower gardens and floor-to-ceiling windows that maximize the drop-dead views of the island’s renowned turquoise water,” says Grace Bay Resorts COO Nikheel Advani.
The place so perfectly fits its surroundings, you’d easily think it’s been there for hundreds of years. Steps and trails carved from the very cliffs curve their way to Rock House’s private beach with its exuberant reefs. Native plants are everywhere, and we soon started to notice how very little plastic there was anywhere on the resort. “We are proud to take sustainability seriously and preserve the resort’s beautiful natural setting on Providenciales’ north shore,” Advani says. “As Rock House is built directly into the limestone cliffside, we repurposed the native limestone into wraparound feature walls in the homes, to incorporate the surrounding environment into the resort’s design. All foliage in Rock House’s landscaping is indigenous to the site, including the centuries old, slow-growing Joewood trees, native orchids and ancient lignum vitae, also called the ‘trees of life’ for their medicinal use. We use greywater harvesting to help preserve and minimize water use and are almost completely PVC-free — even our room keys are made of bamboo.”
Turks & Caicos has been the setting for two mid-winter idylls for my sister and me; other locales have been lovely Aruba, easy St. John and lush Jamaica. We have loved them all and, as with one’s children, it’s (almost) impossible to choose a favorite. Rock House will be a pretty tough act to follow.
The goal of our annual snorkeling trip is two-fold: interact with as few fellow humans as possible and snorkel as much as possible. Stretch goals include sunning, napping and lots of reading, preferably low-stakes novels.
We decided we’d tolerate a little dab of human interaction on the first night by dining at Vita, the on-site restaurant perched some 30 feet above the sea with beautiful views and terrific Italian food. We did this mostly out of laziness, but also out of laziness. It was a brisk evening and staff circulated through the open-air dining room distributing cozy Turkish cotton wraps, which added to the already-splendid vibe. Bathed in the golden light, awash in ocean breezes, the well-heeled crowd bedecked in classic-chic resort wear looked like a beautiful dream … and also like a scene from that certain wildly popular Hulu series. As far as we know everyone lived, and the meal was certainly flawless. We split salads, pasta dishes and desserts. It was all fresh and, like Rock House, mostly classic with an interesting twist here and there.
“Our dining offerings are inspired by the Amalfi Coast, from the oceanfront alfresco surroundings to the curated menus,” Advani says. “Envisioned by Executive Chef Dennis Boon, our signature restaurant Vita embodies traditional Italian cuisine with a nod to the Caribbean; think lemon spaghetti with local
Caribbean lobster, mascarpone, Parmigiano Reggiano and yellowfin tuna crudo with fennel, orange and olives.”
Day after day we followed the eat, snorkel, nap, snorkel, eat, sleep regimen that is our wont, punctuated liberally with gin and tonics, laughter and much comparing of notes at the end of each foray into the sea. This trip, we happily report having seen eagle rays, a sneaky little octopus, the most vivid coral I’ve ever seen, a huge, shifty-looking barracuda and scads of rainbow-colored parrotfish.
By the end of our stay, we’d become fully immersed in reef life. Our own moveable lair was as easy to spot as an octopus’ garden, only instead of a trail of empty conch and clam shells, the run-up to our location (whether it be villa, beach umbrella or poolside) was strewn with an assortment of fins, snorkels, masks and rash guards hung to dry. •
LUXIERE LIST — TURKS & CAICOS EDITION
A stay on Turks & Caicos can be as glam — or as low-key — as you want it to be. Here are a handful of tried-and-true tips to make your trip your own.
Provisioning is made easy by After 5 Island Concierge, which will email you a couple of forms to fill out in advance, including an extensive grocery and liquor store menu. Make your selections, send the forms back with a credit card number and everything your heart desires will be waiting (artfully arranged, I might add) in your villa when you arrive. Make contact at ictcgroceries@gmail.com or by calling 649.244.9720.
For airport to resort transportation, Luxury Express VIP Transport is the best. Impeccable, reliable and personable. Shouldn’t those be our criteria for everything? Pro tip: Should you wish to leave your resort to shop or dine, you can map out your entire itinerary with this company. Book online at luxpresstransport.com or by calling 649.431.5610.
To book a stay at Rock House—which I cannot recommend enough—working with the resort’s excellent agent, Jessica Higgs, is the way to go. You can reach her directly by phone at 649.946.5050 ext. 8157, or you may email her at jessica.higgs@gracebayresorts.com.
You’ll want to pack plenty of reef-safe sunscreen, but if you’re carrying on rather than checking luggage, aerosol sunscreen is a no-no. Our choice was lots and lots of Supergoop. It’s clean, dermatologist tested and safe for reefs and marine life. We love Supergoop Play for body and Unseen Sunscreen for face. We also love this company’s tinted sun products for face, especially (and surprisingly) the powder formulation called (Re)setting 100% Mineral Powder SPF 35.
Cocktails and dinner at Vita Restaurant on the Rock House grounds is exactly what you need after a day of travel. Start with a classic Rock House Negroni, or my sister’s fave, the Uptown Funk: a fun take on an Aperol Spritz using house-made passionfruit liqueur in place of Aperol.