T+L’s Hotel Review of Como Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos

The benefits of a private island vacation abound: exclusivity, seclusion, and, if we’re being honest, the hope of a celebrity sighting or two.

But as my husband I boarded the quick speed boat ride to Como Parrot Cay—a 1,000-acre islet in Turks and Caicos, with an A-list guest list that includes Sofía Vergara and Keith Richards—I wasn’t thinking about any of that. On this vacation, my third at the resort, I was anticipating all the great food I knew was on the other side. Leaving the preparation of nourishing, healthy meals in the hands of a professional is among the greatest luxuries for travelers today.

A wellness-focused resort with Asian sensibilities and a Caribbean soul, Como Parrot Cay opened in 1998, long before our current obsession with juices, vegan fine-dining, and gluten-free everything. The mile-long, pristine white stretch of sand, backed by that endless horizon of blue water, was always the main draw—a reality that hit me once again as we checked into our spacious beachfront villa, with its clean, pared-down design and private pool. Sitting outside, with the soundtrack of crashing waves and bird chatter on loop, I felt teleported to more distant shores. And it was hard to believe that the hum of the main island of Providenciales, or Provo, was a short shuttle away.

My first visit to Parrot Cay was a little over a decade ago, when the idea of elevated resort dining was still in its infancy. Around this time, and under the care of Singapore-based Como Hotels & Resorts and its founder, Christina Ong, guests started to think beyond the beach and take notice of the hotel’s culinary programs. Como’s signature Shambhala Cuisine–which emphasizes local ingredients whenever possible, organic vegetables, wild-caught fish, and free-range meats, all in the name of cleansing the system and maintaining a balanced diet–can be found at both of the restaurants, Lotus and the Terrace.

This is some of the most consistently excellent food I’ve ever tasted at a hotel, and it is now a brand signature (Como has properties in Fiji, France, the Maldives, and Italy, among other places). In the morning, we would order extraction-based juices such as the “blood builder,” a mixture of apple, beetroot, ginger, and turmeric, meant to aid circulatory flow. But my personal favorite became “muscle mylk,” a gluten- and dairy-free concoction of banana, young coconut water, cinnamon, almond milk, flax seeds, dates, coconut oil, and cocoa: the ultimate adult milkshake. Lotus, which sits poolside, focuses on Asian flavors, and offers “Como Simple” dishes such as amberjack in coconut milk with cassava crackers, or vegetable maki and light-as-air summer rolls, which we thoroughly enjoyed in the hot sun.

Of course, cocktails and pastas and pizzas are all also on the menu, which makes Parrot Cay one of those rare retreats where you can indulge one day, and then be more mindful the next. It is also supremely family-friendly: I’ve watched large, multigenerational groups gather for dinner in the evening, then split off to find their own corner of paradise the following day. Years ago, we brought our then-infant son, Bobby, to the resort–and just like that, a high-chair was set up for us at Lotus during lunch, with specially pureed baby food brought to the table.

On this trip, as we settled into an easy routine of reading paperbacks and walking the shoreline, I once again marveled at how the island’s dense mangrove forests give the resort shelter and texture. And with the built environment tucked discretely among these acres of green, your eye is constantly drawn to anything bright—like the pink bougainvillea outside the spa, or the flamboyant red trees lining the main path.

Here is what it is like to stay at Como Parrot Cay.

The Rooms

Marble and flash are not the style here. Como Parrot Cay offers a wide range of accommodations, 42 of which are scattered in a series of eight, two-story buildings ringing the airy main house, where you’ll find reception, a bar, a small gift shop, and the Terrace restaurant. I find the aesthetic to be very simple: natural woods, linen-covered couches, and four-poster beds with voile draping. The 24 entry-level terrace rooms start at 645 square feet, with spacious balconies overlooking the garden; the 14 Upper Terrace rooms, one floor up, are the same size, but considered ocean-facing, given the elevated viewpoint. If you’re traveling with a child, I recommend one of the four 1,292-square-foot Como Suites for the separate living area. Not springing for a separate bedroom was a new parent mistake I made years ago–and one I’ll never forget.

For even more space, and in some cases, a slightly more updated look, there are the Beach Houses. The newest in the collection have a studio layout with a lower-level living area and an upper-area bedroom, which then leads to a spacious bathroom with an outdoor shower. If I was a honeymooner, this would be my first choice accommodation.

The recently remodeled three-bedroom “Como Villa,” which accommodates up to six, was available during our low-season visit—and I immediately saw why it would be a draw for a large family. The ground level had two generous and equally sized bedrooms, both with their own indoor-outdoor bathrooms; an office and/or bedroom with a full bathroom, ideal if you are traveling with a caregiver; a full kitchen with its own entrance so that the team can come in behind-the-scenes to serve meals; and an open-plan living room with a full dining room table. Upstairs, the primary bedroom had its own balcony with expansive views of the Caribbean Sea and the pool. More homes of various shapes and sizes (the one, two, and three bedrooms range from 1,777 to 3,014 square feet) line the beach, which is only open to guests of the property.

Grander residences are also available to rent; a few of the 10 are owned by boldface names like Donna Karan. Each has a unique aesthetic and some quirks that people fall for: the three-bedroom home “Love Pumpkin,” for example, has an exquisite collection of Balinese furnishings throughout the property, while Donna Karan’s place even has its own private screening room. There are splurge-worthy retreats that make for a highly memorable milestone celebration.

Food and Drink

We were in luck: our arrival on the island coincided with the beginning of lobster season. Tender and with just a hint of salinity, fresh hauls come in from just off the coast and are served brilliantly with salad and spicy butter. The lobster paired well with one of Parrot Cay’s “guilt-free” cocktails like the slim senorita, their take on the skinny margarita (120 calories, if you’re wondering). Not every cocktail had a calorie count next to it, but each menu item did specify a range of characteristics, from “GF” (gluten-free) to “N” (contains nuts) and “SF” (contains seafood). For anyone with dietary restrictions or allergies, this is a boon.

At Lotus, the dinner menu always highlighted a superb selection of sushi, such as tai snapper umaki roll with avocado, cucumber, and pickled daikon, as well as outstanding small plates and snacks. The “KFC” or Korean-fried cauliflower, was served with sesame and gochujang sauce, and would have fit on the menu in any top-tier Manhattan restaurant. We also loved ordering some of the wok-fired entrees, including the Chinese kale and the XO lobster.

The vibe at Terrace, which has both indoor and outdoor seating and spotlights Italian fare, feels a touch more formal. We opted for hearty pastas such as the mafaldine cacio e pepe, or the bucatini alla amatriciana, and a superbly grilled whole branzino, which came accompanied by an herb salad and salsa verde. The service was crisp, the portions were highly generous (don’t miss the breakfast buffet). It all added up to an environment that felt more like an intimate club.

Wellness and Spa

The property is renowned for its spa, known as the Como Shambhala Retreat, which has nine treatment rooms. Tucked away up a hill and out of sight of the beach, it has a glorious outdoor seating area overlooking the mangroves and the North Caicos channel, as well as a Jacuzzi garden and two standalone “spa cottages” for specialty treatments.

Though the locker room area felt a little cramped, the treatment menu itself could not be more extensive, with everything from Indian head massages and Guinot facials to Dead Sea mud therapy and a special selection of Ayurvedic offerings. If you’re looking for a relaxing massage, the signature COMO Shambhala treatment is an excellent choice. Many of the therapists are trained in and hail from Asia.

With that in mind, I wanted to dive into one of the Ayurvedic treatments, which involves a consultation on your general mood and physical attributes, to see what body type you are. (I was in-between vata, or air, and pitta, or fire.) After settling my stomach with the signature honey-and-ginger tea, I was led to one of the houses to experience a Pizhichil treatment, a type of Ayurvedic treatment whereby warm oil is poured over the body to detox and rejuvenate the system. At times, the experience got humorous–the leather bed I was resting on was so slippery with oil that turning over was a challenge–but it was also sublimely relaxing, and different from other treatments I’ve had in the Caribbean.

There is also a yoga pavilion and pilates studio next to the spa; complimentary group classes are typically held in the morning. For something more immersive, the resort brings in expert wellness practitioners for week-long retreats.

Accessibility and Sustainability

The Turks and Caicos still imports much of its food, like many destinations in the Caribbean. But to address this challenge, many resorts are now adding their own kitchen gardens to grow herbs and vegetables. Como Parrot Cay created one in December 2022. The culinary team now sources 200 kilograms of produce (eggplant, tomato, bok choy) from the garden a month, and any restaurant waste is composted.

Beach preservation is another concern, one that the resort is mindfully addressing. A decade ago, I was able to lounge on the main beach in an actual chair. After several major storms led to erosion, those seats have been moved up to a little bluff, just in front of the two pools (thankfully, the beautiful view remains the same). Discarded glass is now crushed and made into sand, which is then used to form paving stones throughout the resort—allowing the natural beaches to remain untouched.

Turks and Caicos is renowned for its crystal-clear waters diving, and with that in mind, reef health remains top of mind for all of the destination’s resorts. One afternoon, I spent time with Dr. Ed Butler, the resort’s director of marine science and sustainability. Through the Parrot Cay Marine Conservation Trust, Butler is able to study local oceanic whitetip shark populations.

“These beautiful animals once roamed the open ocean of the world in large abundances, but have been actively persecuted and overfished and are critically endangered,” Dr. Butler told me. “The Parrot Cay Sustainability Foundation has been working with regional partners to satellite tag these animals, allowing us to better understand their behavior.”

When it comes to accessibility, the resort has golf carts to shuttle visitors around the island. As for the rooms, a spokesperson told me: “While Como Parrot Cay is a private island only accessible by boat, the resort’s five Two-Bedroom Beach Houses are the most accessible.”

Activities and Entertainment

This is a place where you could sit and do nothing–and be perfectly at peace. But over the years, there have been tweaks and additions so that kids and adults have all the latest amenities. There are two main pools at Parrot Cay, one of which caters to families. This is the original pool, an infinity-edge spot where, years ago, Bobby would spend hours splashing and then join us at Lotus for lunch. The newest pool, added in 2019, is for adults only. Between the two lies a great outdoor bar, where all are welcome to sit and grab cocktails and snacks.

Tennis is newly popular, and the resort’s courts are in excellent condition. The kids’ club received an overhaul in 2018. Other options for all ages include hiking; riding one of the resort’s free-to-borrow bicycles; or even kayaking among the mangroves in search of sea turtles. We also chartered a boat for a half-day excursion, stopping to snorkel one of the popular reefs and then ride Sea Bobs off a nearby beach.

Location

Parrot Cay is located just off Providenciales, the main tourism hub of Turks and Caicos. Providenciales International Airport (PLS) is easily accessible via most major East Coast cities including Miami, Atlanta, Charlotte, Philadelphia, and New York; there is also regular service from Dallas, Detroit, and Chicago. Once on Provo, a Parrot Cay representative will pick you up from the airport for the 15-20 minute car ride to Parrot Cay’s private dock. From there, it is an additional 30-40 minute boat ride to the island. Private and shared services are available.

Due to the small size of the airport and the volume of passengers now traveling to Turks—particularly during peak season (December through April), when multiple flights land around the same time–I highly recommend using one of the airport’s VIP concierge services upon arrival and departure. Fast Track concierge service allows for expedited movement through immigration and customs, saving you what could be a lengthy wait in line.

Book Now

Como Parrot Cay is part of Comoclub, a loyalty program that allows travelers to accumulate credits to use toward future stays. Como Parrot Cay is also an American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts property, which gets card members complimentary daily breakfast for two and a $100 resort credit, among other perks. Nightly rates at Como Parrot Cay start at $1,499.