When Wymara Resort + Villas changed ownership in 2019, it set out to distinguish and firmly establish its unique, two-product offering in Turks and Caicos.
Wymara has two locations on Turks' main island, Providenciales: the resort on Grace Bay Beach and the Villas and Sunset Cove Beach Club on Turtle Tail on Provo's south coast.
Andrea Lowe, Wymara's director of sales and marketing, describes the two properties, eight minutes from each other by car, as different brands under "the Wymara DNA."
"There is nowhere else on the island that has that two-center approach, with two units that are very different in their own way, that appeal to different consumers, different guests, different geographical markets and have different offerings," she said.
I stayed at the 97-suite resort in May. Upon entering the sleek, whitewashed complex, guests are greeted with a blue rum punch and views of the property's centerpiece, a stunning pool with poolside cabanas.
/A-one-bedroom-suite-at-the-resort-on-Grace-Bay-Bea.jpg?n=5340&tr=w-600%2Ch-340%2Cfo-auto "A one-bedroom suite at the resort on Grace Bay Beach.")
A one-bedroom suite at the resort on Grace Bay Beach. Photo Credit: Wymara Resort + Villas
Room with a view of blue
My one-bedroom suite was airy and bright, with light wood and cream-colored decor. A large balcony looked straight at the turquoise water Grace Bay is famous for, a view all rooms have.
The large bedroom had a standalone soaking tub, and the bathroom, stocked with Aesop products, had an ample closet and two sinks.
With so many on-site eating options, I didn't make use of the full kitchen, but for guests staying longer than three nights, it's a nice option to prepare some meals and snacks there.
I appreciated Wymara's commitment to sustainability, which earned it Green Globe Certification. Small examples include no single-use plastics, with wooden key cards and water-filling stations around the property. It also partners with the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund to protect the approximately 340 miles of barrier reef surrounding the islands, preserving one of the Caribbean's best spots to snorkel.
The reefs also keep the Grace Bay Beach calm and great for swimming, which I did daily. I've stayed in several resorts on Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales, but Wymara's location is by far my favorite. The area to its left is a public park, a rare undeveloped piece of Grace Bay. Beyond that, for at least the mile-plus I walked down the beach to a snorkel spot, there were only low-slung private villas. It meant an uncrowded beach, and on the Sunday of my stay attracted local families, their children playing in the sand and water, enjoying the beach off the park.
The ocean pool at the Villas and Sunset Cove Beach Club complex on Provo's south coast. Photo Credit: Wymara Resort + Villas
Villa upgrades
Getting to Wymara's Villas only required requesting a complimentary car ride from the resort.
Wymara has invested heavily in the villas side since its ownership change and has added several villas, a beach club and a restaurant in the past few years.
Its 15 villas, varying in size from one to six bedrooms, are built on a rocky coastline and have their own platforms and even slides to enjoy private waterfront locations.
The Sunset Cove Beach Club has a bocce court, a pickleball and tennis court, a 25-foot lap pool and open-air game room. Last year it opened what Wymara calls "the Caribbean's first ocean pool," a 130-foot swimming pool carved out of the rock and fed by the sea, its depth rising and falling with the tide. New to the region, the ocean pool concept came from owner Bruce Maclaren, who spent many years in Australia, where ocean pools have been around for decades.
The villas also have a private beach with the Tiki Bar and a newly opened restaurant, Land & Sea. Villa guests have full access to the Wymara resort and its amenities, while resort guests can eat at Land & Sea but must buy a day pass for club access.
Good partners
For guests looking to be pampered, the Wymara resort's small but lovely spa last year launched a partnership with the 111Skin brand, whose A-list following includes the cast of "The White Lotus" and Anne Hathaway.
The spa gives Wymara guests a second skin-care option: It also has its own Wildflower brand, which is locally created using organic ingredients sourced from the island.
The addition of 111Skin adds what Lowe calls a "scientific-results driven brand." I wish I'd never known about 111Skin: My facial was so lovely and rejuvenating, I am now compelled to buy its upscale products. Lowe said 111Skin is an example of partnerships Wymara has in place that have to be right for both parties. "You both have to have the same goal, the same client and the same commitment and passion," she said.
That extends to trade partnerships, Lowe added, an important pillar for Wymara. The brand invites advisors to visit its properties and offers trade-focused webinars. Most important, she said, is reassuring them that their clients will be taken care of.
"We value our travel partners. And we uphold our commitment by making sure it is passed through to the guest when they arrive," she said, adding that she is in touch with travel advisors daily to arrange special amenities and extras for clients.
A recent one was for guests who would miss their dogs while away. A member of Wymara's guest services team sent the advisor a photo of the client's suite, set up with framed photos of the dogs next to a complimentary bottle of wine. "That's really showing you value a partnership," she said. "Not just being a partner, but being active in the market and following through with those requests."