Vacances dans un paradis turquoise à Plum Wild 2BR villa sur Grace Bay Beach

My wife booked Plum Wild for our 20th anniversary trip and absolutely loved the villa and the location. It was our first time in Turks ans Caicos so we didn't know exactly what to expect. The location was perfect. Only a short drive to the shops and dining at Grace Bay and secluded enough for a romantic get away. There are several other villas in Turtle Cove and next door to Plum Wild but the villa offered plenty of privacy.

The upper level pool was an excellent feature. Being right off the kitchen, it was easy to fix food and drinks and enjoy them right in the pool. The elevation of the pool also offered great views sunrise or sunset and more privacy than pools on ground level. The only negative of the upper level pool is that it didn't offer direct access to the beach. It didn't bother us at all, but I could see where it may be an issue if there were kids staying in the villa as they would have to go through the villa to get back and forth from the beach to the pool.

The interior of the villa was tastefully decorated and comfortable. The sliding doors opened wide allowing a nice breeze to flow through the second level. We didn't need to run the A/C during the day due to the breeze. The third level is an outdoor sitting and observation level which was a great place to have a glass of wine at the end of day. Both of the showers and the tub our outdoor. The showers and tub offered plenty of privacy, but you should know they are outside before booking.

Smith's Reef is right out the back door and offered some great snorkeling. We rented snorkeling gear from Provo Turtle Divers in Turtle Cove Marina which was cheaper than the dive shops at Grace Bay. We snorkeled every day and saw lots of fish and a Spotted Eagle Ray.

If you stay at Plum Wild, take a day and go to Sapodilla Beach over near Chalk Sound. It's a little hard to find but well worth the trip. The beach is fairly secluded and absolutely beautiful. The water of Chalk Sound is unbelievable, something you have to see in person to appreciate. Take a morning and book a horse ride on the beach with Provo Ponies. I don't like horses so I was reluctant to do this but it was something my wife really wanted to do. It turned out to be one of the best experiences of our trip. The horses will actually get in the water and swim with you riding them.

All in all we loved the villa and will definitely book Plum Wild for our next trip to TCI.

The property is outstanding! The views, the design, and the location (right on Smith’s Reef) are absolutely fantastic! The beach is rocky but does have plenty of sandy areas. If you’re going enter the water, I’d recommend reef shoes. All the furniture was in great condition, the beds were comfortable, and the supplied linens (with the exception of one pool towel) were clean and soft. They do meter the A/C usage but we found that simply opening the doors front-and-rear allowed use of the tradewinds - we never even turned on the upstairs A/C. The kitchen was well stocked and the outside propane BBQ grill got quite a bit of use. The pool was fantastic! It was great for cooling off during the day and had just the right amount of shade.

The Bad:

Contrary to the description here, there is NO bathtub in the second master bath. The only tub is in what we were calling the ‘primary’ bedroom. There is also a disturbing lack of hooks scattered around the property to hang things…no hooks by the pool to hang a wet towel and only one towel rack in each bath. Speaking of bathrooms, it’s worth noting that the shower in the second master is FAR outside the main bath…when the property next door is built (and they appear to be working on that now) you’ll have almost no privacy in that shower. Additionally, there is NO outside faucet or hose that would allow you to clean the sand off upon returning to the beach. As such, this second shower is the best option…so much so that, the drain is completely clogged with sand. NO beach furniture at all - if you wished to visit the beach and have a place to sit, your only option is a rock. The primary shower also has issues – specifically, there’s absolutely NO pitch on the floor, so the water as you shower simply runs in all directions and you’ll have to walk through water to get back into the house. Also, the landscaping in the rear of the house needs serious work. The pictures on the website show a clear, smooth access but the area is about 90% overgrown with vegetation…in fact, the stepping stones leading to the beach are completely covered with growth and WICKED sticker plants! The A/C in the primary bedroom dripped condensation during the morning hours and never really cooled the room. Finally, the stairs are a bit steep and SLICK w/wet feet - be careful!

Overall, I'd highly recommend this property, but be aware it's not perfect and in my opinion, it should be at this price.

The Good:

The property itself was outstanding! The views from the second and third decks was absolutely fantastic! The design of the home was great, it was very nicely decorated and furnished. The location right on Smith’s Reef was absolutely fantastic if you like to snorkel - we saw sharks, turtles, rays, everything right off the back porch! The beach is rocky but does have plenty of sandy areas. If you’re going enter the water, I’d strongly recommend reef shoes. All the furniture was in great condition, very comfortable, and well designed. The beds were comfortable and the supplied linens (with the exception of one pool towel that was frayed) were of high quality. The second floor living/kitchen was well designed to utilize the wonderful tradewind breezes - we never even turned on the upstairs A/C! The small porch became the place to be during the day for us: shade, breezes, and views of the Turtle Cove harbor. The kitchen was well stocked and the outside propane BBQ grill got quite a bit of use by us. The pool was fantastic! It was great for cooling off during the day and had just the right amount of shade if you so desired.

The Bad:

Contrary to the description here, there is NO bathtub in the second master bath. There is also a disturbing lack of hooks scattered around the property to hang things. Hooks to hang wet towels near the pool would seem to be mandatory to us. The shower in the second master is FAR outside the main bath…while it’s exotic and romantic, offers very little privacy as it is now. There is NO outside faucet or hose that would allow you to clean the sand off upon returning to the beach. As such, this second shower is the best option…so much so that, the drain is completely clogged with sand. There is NO beach furniture, so we bought some and left them on the back porch. Speaking of beach access, the landscaping needs serious work off the rear porch. The pictures on the website show a clear, smooth access but the area is about 90% overgrown…in fact, the stepping stones leading to the beach that have been put in place are covered with overgrowth! There are also some wicked sticker plants that need to be removed. The A/C unit in the primary master didn’t work very well but the other worked fine. We also felt that all the water closets could use some ventilation…an exhaust fan would do the trick. Finally, the stairs are a bit steep and can get slick when wet...which they will.

Plum Wild is an exceptional villa. The location is perfect as we could walk down Grace Bay as well as being on Smith\'s Reef for snorkeling and just behind Turtle Cove for the diving spent the week doing. The design of the villa is amazing. The disappearing wall of glass doors between the main living area and the pool deck made if feel straight out of Architectural Digest. The rooftop deck has a spectacular view and was so comfortable with the two new cushioned couches. Perfect for a glass of wine at sunset which we did every night. Having two master bedrooms and large baths made it very comfortable. Loved the outdoor showers & tub. The gardens surrounding the villa were well planted and lush. No expense spared there. We found there was ample & comfortable outdoor seating on all porches and patios. When the sun was too hot on the ocean side the covered porch off the back of the living room was just right. Although we found this villa perfect for our trip with our daughter to celebrate her graduation from college it would make the perfect choice for a honeymoon or two couples. I would not recommend this for children as the beautiful open wood staircase and the living areas elevated off the ground may pose a risk for tots. We have rented luxury villas all over the caribbean for 25 years and Plum Wild ranks as one of the best.

My wife and I and another couple completed a one-week stay at Plum Wild and enjoyed nearly everything about the villa. The location is excellent and we felt safe and secure at night. An officer from Spence Security was parked outside our villa nearly every night we were there, which added an extra level of safety. The view from the main level is stunning and that level of the house stayed cool when we opened the sliding glass doors on both sides of the house. The breeze was constant enough that we never turned on the AC on the main level. We did run the AC fairly consistently in the two bedrooms but did not go over the $150 allotment for the week. Turtle Cove is about an 8-10 minute drive to the main hub of resorts on Grace Bay and very easy to get to. There are a few restaurants in the marina and some others like Magnolia's and Somewhere on the Beach close by. The third level is also neat with the two couches facing each others and the perfect place to take in the view with a glass of wine.

A few things for potential renters to keep in mind:

1 - The villa does NOT have an alarm even though it is listed in the amenities. This did not turn out to be an issue, but we did expect there to be an alarm when we arrived based on the description of the property.

2 - The stairs from the lower level to the main level are steep and slippery. The construction of the steps is poor as some are uneven. They are dangerous, especially if your feet are wet from the pool.

3 - The AC units in the bedrooms are directly above the bed and will drop moisture on you while you're sleeping if the AC has been on for too long.

4 - The wifi only works on the main level and only inside the house. There needs to be another router on the lower level where the bedrooms are.

5 - While most of the villa is private, there are areas where the neighbors at Beach Kandi villa can see you while you're using the pool if they are outside as well.

6 - The beds were comfortable but a bit firm for our tastes. The bedding and pillows were comfortable.