Holistic Design Perfection – Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos

Since real estate developers and investors hire me to advise them in creating a holistic experience that incorporates the mind, body and spirit in every aspect from marketing to design details, and I teach interior designers and renowned architects these concepts, I tend to notice every detail from subtle to grand.  Sometimes this can be troublesome – as instead of relaxing, I am mentally making a list of ways things can be improved. And then there are other rare times, like on my recent visit to Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos when I was enveloped in the understated superfluity of the COMO Hotels and Resorts experience. You can find glowing reviews online that go into every outstanding detail and easily understand why it’s voted the #1 Hotel in the Caribbean by Condé Nast Traveler, Elite Traveler and also Travel + Leisure this year  – and I agree with every single accolade its been given. But, I am going to share with you a specific characteristic that takes Parrot Cay above and beyond the many other resorts that herald themselves with the often overused “luxury” label and how Parrot Cay deeply connects all the right dots in creating a holistic experience in every aspect of their resort. It starts with a description you might not find in the advertising materials or typical guest reviews, but here it is… it’s their humbleness.

Mind: The Psychological Influences

You may not notice some of these details immediately, or even at all, but your subconscious sure does.  It starts with what you don’t see. Scuffs and wall marks are common in a hotel room, but not here. After almost every visit, rooms are touched up where needed which creates a brand new freshness to the resort. Signs and loud consumer packaging are subliminal visual clutter. There is a refreshing lack of unnecessary signage that pervades the COMO Hotel and Resort experience, which allows the pure beauty of the environment and the journey of discovery to take center stage. The resort presents like a humble friend with quiet confidence whose beautiful attributes you discover on your own as they are revealed over time. From the unmarked front entrance of the resort to a screened in hut overlooking the marsh that my husband and I found just by chance during a long walk – there is such joy in unanticipated discovery this magnificent.

One morning my husband took a jog back to that isolated, unmarked hut and was surprised to see that an employee was there tidying up and uncovering the daybed that had been “put on sleep mode” (covered up) the night before. Who knows if any other guests even found that hut while I stayed there – but there it was, just waiting to be found and ready to accommodate whoever might encounter it. Walkways throughout the resort have no signage either, but when it’s absolutely necessary, you’ll find it, tastefully and discreetly showing you the way. The underplayed grandeur leads to a more profound connection where guests feel a respect and admiration that beautifully unfolds in the same manner as the moniker of one of their restaurants; Lotus.

Body: The Physical Characteristics

The somatic attributes come in the form of inconspicuous design details, physical activities and stealth services that are simultaneously over-the-top and under-the-radar. Stand out employees like Manager Keyona Coward who has a presence that immediately feels like a warm hug and our normally broad smiling waiter, Wijaya who looked slightly horrified as he spotted a spilled glass of our wine on the floor. He swiftly cleaned it up, righted our wobbly table and then returned with a new bottle of wine that he quietly put on his own account.

Daily, inclusive classes in Pilates or Yoga occur in either the Yoga Pavilion or on the beach. Teachers are top notch; they take your personal ailments into consideration as well as the class aptitude and they remember your name when you come back. Classes leave you feeling recharged afterwards and a tinge-sore-in-a-good-way- the following day.

And finally, whenever I noticed a clever design feature– whether it was a folded reading light on the nightstand or a conveniently placed shelf next to the claw foot tub to hold shampoo or a glass, I was told it was the keen design brilliance of Don Diaz.

When I first met the dapper fellow who manages the beach houses and villas, he was checking the perimeter of one of the absolutely incredible two bedroom beach villas in anticipation of new arrivals. Just making sure that everything looked flawless, I suppose. He modestly smiled as I gushed about his thoughtful insights and told me he “watches a lot of HGTV.”

Spirit: The Energy of The Resort

The Spirit is the atmosphere, unseen energies, sacredness, flow of the layouts and reverence of the land. All of these “invisible” components foster a nearly tangible, genuine feel that can’t be manufactured.  The land and the guests are greatly respected in Parrot Cay. General Manager Grant Noble’s admirable dedication to honoring the land (according to one employee, he won’t allow any of the indigenous trees to be cut down – even if it opens up a coveted ocean view) is just as dedicated to every guest that he leaves a handwritten personalized greeting for upon room arrival. Recyclable water bottles are left on each nightstand, nature walks are mapped out for guests and a palm tree planting and naming project from last Christmas ensures a lower carbon footprint with a personalized twist.

Nature is revered here and whether it is an errant crab on your path or the yellow crested heron perched outside my porch every day (look closely near the center of photo below), at Parrot Cay you feel that you are genuinely

ensconced in it all – not plunked in a manmade milieu.

My favorite touch, which adds to the unseen continuity, is the scent of the resort.

Burning votives strategically placed from the front desk to the COMO Shambhala Spa heat up oil burners of the intoxicating scent “Invigorate” which gently infuse the air. This signature scent is also found in the shampoo, conditioner and soaps that each guest receives in their room.

If instead the resort would have chosen a multitude of varying scents from airborne to body lotion, the olfactory clash would have been vexing and disruptive.

Nearly the entire resort layout is in alignment with the energetic flow of the environment, which further enhances a synergistic feeling between nature and guests.

And when it comes to the intimate environment of your own room,  candles are strategically placed though out the beach houses and villas which greatly add to a sanctified atmosphere.

Whether you are in tune to the energies or the particulars of your environment or not, you will enjoy the subtle as well as the obvious ways that Parrot Cay weaves a well thought out experience throughout every aspect of their resort. Each one of these specific details of mind, body and spirit all connect together to provide a holistic encounter which then leads to a greater, deeper, more fulfilling experience.

And for that, I am deeply grateful and humbled by.