The powdery sands of Grace Bay Beach in Provo, Turks & Caicos, are backed by a string of new high-end resorts (The Gansevoort Turks & Caicos, Seven Stars, The Veranda Resort & Residences) but I recently checked into the 5-year-old Regent Palms and it didn't disappoint.

The condo-hotel is quiet, romantic, and refined. Its 72 suites are elegant yet beachy and can be divided into one-bedroom units or studios; the smallest studio offering 640 square feet plus a terrace. My spacious one-bedroom (video preview above) featured a large corner balcony overlooking the ocean and pool area, a full kitchen, dining area, sitting room, powder room, and separate bedroom with master bath (all and all, way more space than your average NYC apartment).  All units feature white marble floors, a creamy color scheme, vaulted ceilings, mahogany four-poster beds, and pretty mosaic-tiled bathrooms. Service is substantially better (faster) than at the neighboring newbies, the restaurant Parallel23 serves tropical-fusion cuisine in the hotel’s lovely coral-stone mansion (with alfresco, oceanview seating available), and the free-form, infinity-edge pool with swim-up bar is hard to top (it also faces the silky, white-sand beach and calm turquoise waters that made Provo famous).

The Regent Spa spans an acre and is anchored around a long reflecting pool, with meditation areas and tented cabanas. Its claim to fame is its signature treatment, the Mother of Pearl Exfoliation which uses crushed conch shells to revitalize and soften the skin, but even just relaxing by the pool (it’s lit by torches at night) and taking a yoga or Pilates class in the water garden studio are worthwhile experiences.

Room rates include continental breakfast and start at $375 in off season (and go up to $750 in high season). Considering the space each unit affords and the topnotch amenities, it’s a great smart-splurge option – especially when compared to nearby resorts which offer less for a higher price.