Taking the boat out to your own floating bar. Hiking to ancient ruins. Stepping onto the sand toward your private plunge pool with nothing but turquoise sea beyond.
This is Ambergris Cay — a private-island resort where luxury feels wild and unbounded. Spread across 1,100 acres of untouched Turks and Caicos beauty, it’s a destination that redefines the all-inclusive, trading buffets and crowds for intimacy, adventure, and absolute seclusion.
A Private Island Arrival
Flying into Ambergris Cay is unlike any other arrival in the Caribbean. Guests are met in Providenciales and board one of the resort’s private fleet of aircraft for the 20-minute journey to the island. You land on Ambergris Cay’s own 5,700-foot runway — one of the longest in the region — before being whisked by golf cart to your villa or beachfront bungalow. The separation is instant. No lines, no transfers — just the beginning of something entirely different.
Villas and Bungalows
Accommodations are designed for space and seclusion. Beachfront pool suites open directly to the sand, with heated plunge pools and walls of glass framing the sea. Expansive villas, some with up to 10 bedrooms, come with butler service, private chefs, outdoor showers and infinity pools. Every detail is curated, but never overdone — the emphasis is on privacy, comfort, and views that pull you outside.
All-Inclusive, Elevated
Ambergris Cay’s all-inclusive experience is more than dining and drinks. Gourmet meals are served at Calico, the island’s signature restaurant overlooking the water, or at Club House, an open-air gathering spot with a lively bar and lounge. Premium spirits, fine wines and craft cocktails flow freely, whether it’s a sundowner on the terrace or a toast beneath the stars.
The inclusions also stretch to experiences: castaway picnics, boat excursions, non-motorized water sports, yoga sessions, tennis, pickleball, even a daily spa treatment — a reminder that here, luxury means ease. And did I mention one of the nicest gyms I’ve ever seen?
The Hangover Bar
And then there’s The Hangover Bar — Ambergris Cay’s floating bar, and perhaps the most iconic spot on the island. Set adrift in the turquoise shallows, it’s not just a place to sip cocktails — it’s an adventure in itself. Guests take a short boat ride across the water to reach it, stepping onto a wooden deck surrounded entirely by sea.
There’s no crowd here, just the sound of lapping waves and the warm breeze carrying the scent of salt. Drinks are mixed strong and cold: rum punches, chilled rosé, or whatever your bartender knows you love. You can dive straight into the water between sips, float lazily in the shallows, or perch at the bar with nothing but endless blue around you.
It’s playful and indulgent, but it’s also pure Ambergris Cay — an experience that could only happen on a private island where luxury means freedom. For many guests, a lazy afternoon at The Hangover Bar becomes the highlight of their stay, the moment they tell their friends about when they say Ambergris Cay is unlike anywhere else.
Island Adventures
Ambergris Cay invites you to explore. Trails lead to old stone ruins hidden in the scrubland, reminders of another era of island life. Nature is all around: iguanas sunning on rocks, seabirds wheeling overhead, reefs teeming with life just steps from shore. Days can be as quiet or as adventurous as you want — a guided hike, a starlit bonfire, or a slow drift in the shallows.
The Villas
The villa collection is the pinnacle of Ambergris Cay’s luxury. Each one is a world of its own, blending indoor and outdoor living with sweeping views of the Caribbean. Private infinity pools melt into the horizon. Spacious terraces become the stage for alfresco dinners prepared by your chef. Bedrooms open onto decks where sunrise feels like it belongs only to you.
The crown jewel is the Dream Villa, an expansive estate that embodies the island’s promise of exclusivity. With multiple bedrooms, a sprawling pool deck, and uninterrupted views of the sea, it’s the ultimate setting for families or groups of friends who want every element of their stay tailored. Butler service, private dining, and curated excursions make it less a villa and more a private resort within a resort.
How to Get There
Reaching Ambergris Cay is seamless. Guests fly into Providenciales, where they are met and escorted to one of the resort’s own planes. In less than half an hour, you’re stepping off the aircraft onto Ambergris Cay’s private airstrip, with customs and immigration handled right on the island. From there, it’s a short ride to your villa — a transition from travel to tranquility that no other resort in the Caribbean quite matches.
Why Ambergris Cay
For travelers who think they’ve seen it all, Ambergris Cay delivers something rare: the scale of a private island with the service of a top luxury resort. It’s exclusive without feeling pretentious, indulgent without losing its natural soul. It’s the Turks and Caicos at its most refined — and one of the Caribbean’s most extraordinary all-inclusive experiences.
I’ve stayed at all-inclusive resorts all over. This place is special. It really is a different experience — both for Turks and Caicos and for the Caribbean.
