On Location: Perfect in Paradise at Wymara Villas

Each bedroom enjoys oceanfront balconies.

The view from the living room.

In my 13 years with Unique Homes, I’ve been fortunate to travel to so many amazing places for this On Location feature. Yet a recent visit to the Wymara Villas in Turks and Caicos provided the most luxurious accommodations I’ve experienced yet.

What are the truly affluent seeking in a Caribbean property? Seclusion. Safety. Sophistication. Convenience. High-end finishes, amenities and technology. And on-site personnel who provide an unsurpassed level of service. You’ll find it all here.

After a less-than-four-hour direct flight to Providenciales from New York City, we arrived midday Friday for lunch on the pure, white sand of Grace Bay beach at the Wymara Turks and Caicos (a Wymara Resort). Once settled on the other side of the island at our $4.75 million Atlantic Ocean-front villa — only a short, 10-minute shuttle ride away — we felt at home.

A Maldives-inspired design with Greek island architectural elements is both modern and timeless, breathtaking and comforting. Part of an exclusive six-villa site designed to take advantage of unique topography and stunning elevated sea views, the indoor/outdoor feel is exhilarating and the high ceilings are invigorating. We didn’t want to leave the infinity pool or multiple decks — one with steps directly into the ocean — but Brendan O’Neill of The Agency insisted on touring us around the island.

“We don’t have really high density. We’ve managed to find this niche. People really want to come here. There’s a real brand for Turks and Caicos,” he says as he shows us how manageable the island is. “No nightclubs stay open late. The people who are here embrace what is great about the place.”

The Turks and Caicos brand is one that can’t compete with Jamaica or the Dominican Republic for volume or lower-spending clientele — nor does it want to. The island uses U.S. currency, has no limitation on foreign ownership (unlike the Bahamas), and has no limitation on how long you can work in residence (unlike the Caymans and the Bahamas). Private schools, private jet FBOs and a population of less than 40,000 add to the draw for the likes of Bruce Willis, Donna Karan, Dick Clark and Prince, all of whom have owned property or spent significant time on the islands.

Before returning to the U.S. on Monday, we experienced an array of memorable moments: blissful beach time, the most relaxing massages ever at the resort’s Spa (and we have had our share of great massages), snorkeling at the third largest barrier reef in the world, and unique encounters on Iguana Island (Little Water Cay) chief among them. But without a doubt, the most romantic and unimaginably indelible aspect of our escape was the villa itself. Impressive.