PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

Don't expect luxury of the marble-floors or gilded-chandeliers variety -- this is what is lovingly referred to as \"barefoot elegance\" -- and be prepared to live without television, radio, and even air-conditioning. This is the high life of an entirely different sort, the kind where you and a lucky few others are securely ensconced on a private island paradise. The Meridian Club is one of the TCI pioneers, having been established on 324-hectare (800-acre) Pine Cay way back in 1973. To get here, you either take a 30-minute boat ride from Leeward Marina or fly in to the tiny island airstrip used by Meridian Club guests and the island's homeowners. The island has no cars: To get around, you either hoof it or, if you're in a hurry, tool around in an electric golf cart. The beach in front of the resort is simply extraordinary, and sand dollars float up without fail on the tawny sands of Sand Dollar Point, mere yards away. The snorkeling in the coral gardens offshore is satisfyingly good. The meals -- included in the rates -- are hearty, nutritious, plentiful, and insanely tasty -- like good home-cooked food, which it basically is. The rooms have spacious bathrooms, a screened-in porch, and outdoor patios with decadent outdoor showers. If you require still more privacy, opt for the Sand Dollar Cottage, a six-sided \"hut\" with a flagstone floor and lots of light from the louvered windows, set apart from the other rooms and almost directly on the beach.

It's all wonderful, with one minor complaint: The decor in the rooms and dining area is a tad stale and dated. Perhaps this is something the new management team -- which includes Butch Clare, former chairman of the TCI Tourist Board, and the folks from the Royal West Indies resort in Provo -- will address in the coming months. Check the resort website for the latest packages and special offers. Note: Children under 12 are only allowed as guests in the months of May and June.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Portable Turks and Caicos, 1st Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

Find Hotel Deals on Yahoo Travel»