Acclaims & Reviews

Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report*, January, 2012

"This is the crown jewel of the Turks and Caicos for those seeking the relaxing and timeless spirit of the old West Indies, the intimate resort fringed by crystal-clear aquamarine waters and one of the Caribbean’s last great untrammeled beaches...for romantic beach-lovers who yearn to truly get away from it all in a uniquely unspoiled Robinson Crusoe setting, nothing quite compares."

BING Travel - No.1 White-Sand Beach in the world, December, 2011
 
"The sparkling white beaches of Pine Cay made this little isle one of the first to be developed for tourism, and today the original Meridian Club is still where guests stay for the best access to sand, snorkeling and diving. Walking paths line the private island, and people get around by bicycle, on foot or by golf cart. Leave your stress — and your shoes — at home." by Heidi Schuessler, Bing Travel

Poetry of Food - DINNER At EIGHT, May, 2011
 
"Despite my ridiculously fair complexion, I am a beach person. When S and I need to drop out, we head to The Meridian Club on the private island of Turks and Caicos. A bundle of Eres suits, some tees and a couple of good books and spf500 and I'm packed for a week of idyllic beach living. On the plane over, I anticipated the deserted white sand beaches, the sparkling turquoise sea and the gentle tropical breezes. As I daydreamed about our holiday, I noticed that, like Pavlov's dog, I was salivating. And I knew why: Amy Caffarel's Key Lime Pie." (Click here to read entire story by Rita Silvan)

MOTHER NATURE NETWORK, Feb 2011
 
Sleep green - "The Meridian Club on the island of Pine Cay is one of the Caribbean's original earth-friendly resorts. They have been using electric vehicles (golf carts) to traverse the cay for more than three decades. The club's lodgings are built using strict guidelines. Features like rainwater collection and storage and solar-powered water heaters add to the island's overall eco-friendliness. Island-goers have easy access to bicycles and environmentally friendly motorboats." (Click here to read entire article by Josh Lew)

DISCOVER TURKS AND CAICOS MAGAZINE, Vol. 12, 2011
 
"Remember a time when the Caribbean meant an understated old world charm? ...A time before amiable service was replaced by its obsequious counterpart. And before high rises shot up like meerkats in the desert and confined the horizon to a distant memory.

When the world moved on and got itself in one big rush, it left Pine Cay behind, This idyllic two mile long private island...is just a short boat ride from the tourist hub of Providenciales. While the breakneck speed of development has prompted a wealth of well-heeled travelers to sample the rest of the tiny British territory's delights, Pine Cay has maintained its marvelously esoteric status.

There are no paved roads, no cars, no TV and no radio - barely anything to signify there's an outside world at all...

The cay's north side boasts a two mile stretch of pristine white sand as fine as talcum powder...Pine Cay is one of the last places on earth where it's safe to stroll the beach day or night...

Apart from the hotel and a smattering of privately owned homes, the 800-acre (3.23 sq km) isle is pure, undisturbed nature. Most of the land is green space, much of it designated parkland... This insouciant sanctuary, with its anachronistic charms and just the right mix of luxury and home comforts, is precisely what the doctor ordered." (Click here to read entire article by author Gemma Handy)

Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report*, September, 2010

Recipient of 2010 "Readers' Choice Award" as number 12 in the "Top 20 Beach Resorts" in the world and number 14 in the "Top 20 International Hideaways" - The only Turks and Caicos resort to be honored in either category..

Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report*, June, 2010

"Delightfully informal resort on an 800 acre private island skirted by a spectacular two-mile deserted white sand beach..."

Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report*, September, 2009

Recipient of Reader’s Choice Special Award as one of the “Top 20 Beach Resorts” in the world - the only resort in the Turks and Caicos Islands to be so honored.

Frommer’s Portable Turks and Caicos, 2nd Edition, 2009:

Don't expect luxury of the marble-floors or gilded-chandeliers variety -- this is what is lovingly referred to as "barefoot elegance"…… 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 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 ….. It's all wonderful, and the rooms have even been refreshed, each with a spacious bathroom, screened-in porch, and patio with a decadent outdoor shower….

Times of the Islands, Spring, 2009 :
 
You don’t have to travel far (from Providenciales) to find adventure...., we decided to make reservations for lunch at The Meridian Club on Pine Cay. Hotel staff picked us up at Walkin Marina in a comfortable new boat and we traveled across the Caicos Banks to the dock on Pine Cay. One of the first things we noticed is that, in a country graced with stunning beaches, Pine Cay boasts has one of nicest and least trafficked. The Meridian Club is a quiet, secluded hideaway. The only vehicles allowed on this private island are electric golf carts. The resort has just 13 beachfront hotel rooms, a large club house with a restaurant and a pool - relaxing has never been so good! And the food - superb - was surpassed only by the setting. From an article by Ramona Settle entitled "Day Trippin' "

Islands Magazine April/May 2009:

Best Private Islands: Turks & Caicos' Pine Cay

Islands Magazine, in an issue rating private island resorts, lists The Meridian Club on Pine Cay as one of the 12 best such resorts in the world. Editor Chris Tauber interviewed us to find out exactly what makes The Meridian Club on Pine Cay so delightful.

"Other places say they're "Old Caribbean"; the Meridian Club on Pine Cay means it. Of course, there's a lot that's new about the resort: new room upgrades, a new fleet of boats, new chefs and new environmentally conscious initiatives. The vibe, though, hasn't changed since the resort's inception some 35 years ago. That means a longtime staff, an unspoiled natural environment and a classic island lifestyle (no crowds, no TV and please, no cell phones). Enjoy any of the 13 suites right on the beach of this 1¼-square-mile island, or truly make yourself at home in a secluded rental.

Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report*, June 2007:

Listed as one of eight “Hot” resorts based upon readers’ reports.
Comments include:
“An unpretentious, non-glitzy Caribbean Oasis”
“warm staff … fine new managers”
“the most fabulous deserted beach”

National Geographic Adventure Magazine, February, 2007 :

"The state of mind here? In a word, unplugged ….. set in one of the most pristine curves of white-sand beach you’ll ever leave prints on. "

Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report*, October, 2006,

Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report*, September, 2006 :

Rated 5th best International Hideaway with 50 or fewer rooms.
Rated 17th best International Resort

Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report*, September, 2005 :

Rated 13th best International Hideaway with 50 or fewer rooms.

Caribbean Travel & Life January/February 2005 :

Pine Cay is one of the featured locations in Caribbean Travel & Life's January/February 2005 Ultimate Beaches issue, which highlights 50 of the very best beaches in the Caribbean. Pine Cay made the cover and the lead article on “Eight Beaches that will Leave You Speechless”:

"Sand Dollar Point, Pine Cay: It's a two-mile hike from one end of Pine Cay's beach to the other, along a great crescent of white set between low-lying dunes and the clearest, most inviting water you've ever waded into. The most intriguingly beautiful spot is Sand Dollar Point, where the shoreline threads its way into the turquoise shallows and you can walk, Being There-like, on water. And you have it practically to yourself because the beach is the preserve of the Meridian Club, an exclusive but low-key resort on its own 800-acre islet in the Turks and Caicos, with a sprinkling of 30 cottages, a modest 12-room hotel snuggled into the dunes and 13 tiki huts on the beach. No TV, no radio, no bright lights other than the stars, no cars, no pollution, no noise: At Pine Cay you have all the time and space in the world to contemplate pure, natural beauty. In fact, there's not much else to do except bonefish, ride bikes, watch birds and snorkel - there are corals and sponges galore in water six to 15 feet deep. It's so serene as to be not of this world. " Ian Keown.

* About Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report - Free of advertising since its inception in June 1979, Hideaway Report is a private monthly publication for sophisticated travelers. The selection of hotels, resorts and restaurants for inclusion in this publication is made on a completely independent basis, with Andrew Harper, Inc. paying full rate for all meals, lodging and related travel expenses. Andrew Harper and his editors travel incognito to write opinionated and unbiased travel reviews for a private membership service, which provides personalized travel-planning assistance, bespoke tours and valuable travel privileges to its members.