It’s not often that you’re granted more privacy on vacation than in your own home but COMO Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos proves otherwise. The 25-minute boat ride from Providenciales escorts guests away from the crowds of the mainland to a private island escape; an appealing factor for families looking to disconnect and reconnect or couples looking for an intimate getaway. The resort utilizes the 1,000-acres of private island to create space for guests with their dispersed beach house villas offering private allotments of white sand beachfront, as well as plunge or infinity pools. The vibe is decidedly barefoot luxury while the service suggests that employees have known you for years rather than minutes. From the attentive and welcoming staff to the minimalist yet warm details of the accommodations, nothing about the property feels stuffy or uninviting. It’s easy to spend hours and hours doing nothing but listening to the sounds of the ocean directly outside your room. The hotel has a variety of accommodations from rooms that have both beach views and garden views to beach houses that can host anywhere from 8-10 guests. Beach Houses, villas and private residences (with a variety of bedroom configurations) come with personal butler, private pool, full kitchen including a fridge stocked with beverages of your choice, outdoor shower, soaking tub and direct access to the beach.
The adult pool at COMO Parrot Cay
The resort also has a full gym with state-of-the art equipment for both strength training and cardio. Next to the gym, you’ll find a private Pilates and yoga studio which hosts semi-private classes daily. If a traditional gym experience isn’t your exercise of choice, you can book a tennis lesson with one of the pros. After your workout, make your way to the COMO Shambhala Retreat where you can experience the signature COMO massage, a technique created with both relaxation and tension release in mind. Post massage, you can stay at the spa, sip their house made ginger tea while soaking in the hot tub or simply relax in their quiet area taking in the calm of the island. You can choose to enjoy your meals at Lotus, Terrace or COMO Beach Club with every-changing menus from chefs from around the world. It’s truly immersive without the pomp and circumstance of fine dining. COMO emphasizes wellness and, while many resorts do, this passion for wellness is so seamlessly integrated into the pulse of the property that from the moment you enter, you’ll feel cleansed and renewed. Want a green juice or a light salad with fresh locally-caught fish? The COMO Shambhala wellness menu is offered at every restaurant all day so you will never be without the healthful items you crave.
DuJour spoke with the property’s managing director, Tapa Tibble, to discover what makes it so special.
What’s the most requested room at the property?
All of our beachfront categories. These are truly a “feet in the sand” experience. For a romantic getaway our one bedroom Beach House is hard to beat.
What makes it so special?
The one bedroom Beach Houses are stand alone at the Northern tip of Parrot Cay. This is the entry category for our COMO Butler Service. The location has a slight elevation with incomparable views and provides complete privacy and an infinity pool. Our COMO Butler Service is intuitive and personalized.
What is the nightly rate for this room?
One bedroom Beach House start at $4,000
An ocean-facing room at COMO Parrot Cay
What’s an interesting tidbit about the hotel that speaks to its status as an icon?
Historically the island of Parrot Cay was known as Pirate Cay. It is rumored that the island was the outpost of two infamous female pirates, Mary Read & Anne Bonny, who operated in the Caribbean in the early 18th Century. The remains of a stone cottage still exist and is believed to have been the pirate’s house.
What’s your personal favorite room? Why?
Our new COMO Villas. These are large three bedroom villas located at our beachfront and are the first hotel villas with a second-floor primary bedroom. They provide a private residence experience within walking distance of all resort facilities–a space to truly relax and engage with those you hold most dear.
What’s your favorite design element on property?
The design aesthetic is pared back, understated and enduring. The intention is to create a place that feels comfortable and a home-away-from-home. Simplicity and nature are key and remain at the forefront of everything we do. Nowhere exudes this feeling more than the COMO Beach Club.
The adult pool at COMO Parrot Cay
What special perk or amenity do you offer that no one knows about?
As part of our environmental stewardship program, guests have the opportunity to plant a coconut, named for their family, in our coconut farm. We have many guests who return to COMO Parrot Cay and during their stay visit their tree to check on its progress.
How about one more fun fact about the property?
We have a new Director of Sustainability & Marine Research who is tasked with not only overseeing the continued development of our terrestrial sustainable practices but will be conducting vital marine research in association with the public and private sector. To support this, we are in the process of forming a new charitable trust.
