Flora and Fauna at Harbour Club Villas

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An anole lizard wards off visitors on Harbour Club Villas’ office deck.

Another week of photographing some of the critters wandering through the gardens at Harbour Club Villas along with our beautiful wild orchids that have just started to bloom. I came home the other day to this anole lizard guarding our deck. He wasn’t too pleased to see me but did pose long enough for me to snap a photo or two.

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Cute anole and he had the most gorgeous colours on top of his little head.

 

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A pretty shell house for this little hermit crab……..he didn’t want to go to the pool!

We often find hermit crabs also know locally as soldier crabs ambling on through. Sometimes we even help them by giving them a choice of a new home. There’s also been some strange houses such as PVC pipe, an old film canister and basically they’ll use whatever they can find in the moment. This one had a very pretty shell.

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We often find hermit crabs and I’m sure I’ve photographed many of them.

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Here’s a gorgeous Encyclia Altissima wild orchid.

The wild orchids are blooming all over Providenciales. Found our first Encyclia Altissima orchid today just starting to bloom and what a beautiful scent they have.

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A cluster of wild orchids in the bush by Harbour Club Villas

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A Cuban tree frog ……….. look at those suction pads.

This little Cuban tree frog is not native to the Turks and Caicos Islands but they are spreading rapidly throughout.

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Pretty amazing to see how far they can jump!

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A yellow bellied sap sucker………this is a new bird for me and really exciting to see.

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Here he is pecking holes in our coconut palms.

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A row of old holes and then the new ones.

It was thrilling to catch sight of and photograph the yellow bellied sap sucker. Definitely not easy to do as they are very shy birds and hard to get a photo of them.

Hoping we can show you some of the local critters around Harbour Club Villas…lots of birds, lizards, geckos and some beautiful flowering plants and shrubs.

Marta

Bananaquits Bath Time

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Bananaquit enjoying the water droplets.

Harbour Club Villas has quite a few birds now and this is an never ending source of photos for me. Another hot, sunny day on island and so I sprayed down our pepper and tomato plants. Within minutes all kinds of birds showed up to enjoy fluttering about in the droplets on the small palms and Washingtonians. They would fluff up their feathers to expose bare skin and rapidly flick their wings in the droplets collected on the fronds. Tough to try and get photos that are in focus because they were moving so fast. Here’s a selection of bananaquit photos.

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A Washingtonian palm frond makes a perfect bird bath.

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A lot of hopping about from frond to frond

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Two little bananaquits enjoying a bath on a hot Provo day

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Love this photo of a bananaquit on a palm frond

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Fluttering wings picking up water droplets

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A natural bird bath

Providenciales has numerous birds and the bananaquit is perhaps one of the more colourful small birds. I love to watch them especially around Harbour Club Villas pool area where many of our guests and bird watching guests can sit, enjoy and capture them in their photographs.

Call us for more information.

Marta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A New Look for Harbour Club Villas

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Harbour Club Villas and Marina …… a beautiful location between Flamingo Lake and Cooper Jack Bay on Provo’s south shore.

Our six rental villas are in a beautiful, tranquil setting just perfect for a great vacation on Providenciales. Rent one villa or rent them all for your next group holiday or event such as a family wedding. We are only a five minute drive from Grace Bay beach too. We’ve been here for 15 years and know all the best spots, things to do and will send you to many amazing beaches to explore and enjoy.

We have recently given our villas a new look with bright Caribbean colours. Windows are screened and louvered so guests can enjoy the cooling tropical breezes. Let me show you through our villas.

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Comfortable queen sized beds in our villas

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Bright, open living rooms

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Villas can sleep extra people on a sofa bed

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Lots of couches and a dining room area overlooking the lake

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Flat screened TV and a fully equipped kitchen

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New colours of blue, green and yellow to brighten up the villas

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High ceilings and a large living area for our guests comfort

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Dining room table and seating for four and all with a view

Come and enjoy what we have to offer at Harbour Club Villas and Marina. We have six, one bedroom villas with fully equipped kitchens providing everything that you could wish for in lodging in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Turks and Caicos Birds Eye View

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Flying over Harbour Club Villas and Marina….a beautiful 6 villa vacation rental complex on the south side of Providenciales

 

Over the years, I’ve snapped several photos while flying to our sister islands or Miami. There’s nothing more wonderful than seeing our amazing turquoise and blue waters from the air and islands and cays strung out like small jewels ……… it’s truly breathtaking! Here’s a selection for you to enjoy and I’ve started it off with Harbour Club Villas and Marina which has been our little resort in the sun and built over 15 years ago. The first and only vacation rental estate on the beautiful and more tranquil south side of Providenciales.

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View of Cooper Jack Marina and Five Cays Bay (top) with the canal system feeding into Turtle Lake.

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Turtle Lake bonefishing flat is just down the road from our villas

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Five Cays bay is a beautiful ocean flat where bonefishing guests at Harbour Club Villas always make a stop for some wading and fishing.

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Five Cays Bay just around the corner from Harbour Club Villas and Marina

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Harbour Club Villas and Marina and Caicos Marina development as we fly past and over the start of Five Cays bay. Juba salina in the background.

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Two huge villas (one of which is Prince’s) on the marina and each has it’s own beach. Before development, we used to wander in the shallows and send our guests down to this scenic spot.

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The colours and cays of Chalk Sound are so spectacular and distinctive….beautiful.

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Chalk Sound with Sapodilla and Taylor Bays looking towards the South West tip of the island.

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Beautiful homes line the shores of Chalk Sound… ,imagine waking up to this every morning!!

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Turtle Cove Marina is a short five minute drive from the villas at Harbour Club and this aerial shows the entrance and Babalua Beach in the foreground.

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Turtle Cove Marina with Smith’s Reef , the coral reefs and deep blue ocean.

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I think this is coming into South Caicos and wow, the colours are amazing.

 

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The Big South…………South Caicos full of historical buildings and large developments on going.

 

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Stunning view of South Caicos with one of the large developments of East Winds Resort.

 

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The tip of South Caicos looking towards East Caicos.

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Uninhabited East Caicos was pretty colourful on this fly past.

 

 

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The beautiful island of Salt Cay is a little jewel of a place….love the history.

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Salt Cay in the far distance as we fly onto Grand Turk.

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Grand Turk island is the seat of government of the TCI.

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Cruise Ship port in Grand Turk…….an amazing view as we head back home to Harbour Club Villas on Providenciales.

 

 

And so the end of my whirlwind journey and tour of our beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands from a bird’s eye view. What stands out the most is the colour of our amazing waters from the air. It’s even better though when seen from on the ground and on the beaches. We’re waiting for you to visit so give us a call at Harbour Club Villas and book your vacation with us on Provo in the fabulous Turks and Caicos Islands.

See you soon,

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

The Fool’s Regatta 2014

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The 24th Annual Fools Regatta………what an amazing day out on the water.

The 24th annual Fool’s Regatta was the place to be on Saturday. All our Harbour Club Villas guests were taking in the fun at the beach with a full day of racing ahead, hobie cats, picos, big boats, caicos sloops and man made rafts were all racing. The day was as perfect as it could be, hot and sunny with a breeze blowing and lots of refreshments and food.

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Waiting for the races to begin at the Bight Children’s Park

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The wind was steady and the seas were calm.

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Neck and neck as the sailors took to the race course.

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The start of the big boats race………….there’s Capt Tim and Beluga who have been in every race for several years.

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Some of the youngsters from the Provo Sailing Association getting ready for their heat.

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Lovely shot of the kids skimming along over the water.

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Time for a break and to cool off in the water.

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Ready for the raft race with the Turks and Caicos flag.

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Let the raft race begin………….and off they go.

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Paddling for home and all the rafts stayed afloat! Well done everyone.

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Looks like they are taking on water but everyone finished the race.

Another successful Fool’s Regatta and the revival of the Great Raft Race. Mark your calendars for next year especially if you decide to come to the Turks and Caicos in June. We let all our guests at Harbour Club Villas know that this is a “must see and do” event. I look forward to it every year as it is filled with excitement and racing entertainment. Well done to all the volunteers and participants. Can’t wait to see you again next year.

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Harbour Club Villas and Marina Dramatic Skies

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Sunset out over the Marina at Harbour Club Villas and Cooper Jack Bight

The last few nights have been pretty spectacular…..beautiful vibrant colours of the sunsets along with some dramatic skies. Here’s a selection of photos.

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Over the roof tops of the villas at Harbour Club, the skies over the lake explode with colour.

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Harbour Club’s Marina with mast and stunning sunset skies

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Dramatic skies this afternoon in anticipation of some rain………..it’s been so dry.

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The sun hangs over the horizon in a fire filled orange sky

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An island sunset in the Turks and Caicos ….. hard to beat!

Harbour Club Villas is on the south side of Providenciales that’s a five minute drive away from Grace Bay beach. You’ll be able to enjoy the quiet beauty and natural scenery found in our area. Call us and book your next holiday or vacation on Provo soon.   Marta   http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Old Man Cactus Flower

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Old Man Cactus with flower bud ready to blossom.

Caught sight of this the other day and made a point of returning at night to try and catch some photos of the flower. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried over the years and this is only the second time I’ve seen the cactus flower. The Old Man Cactus (local name) is also named the Bahama Dildo. It only flowers at night and has fragrant satiny white flowers. Here’s a selection of photos taken on the hill at Harbour Club Villas and Marina.

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What a gorgeous looking flower with satin like petals.

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The flower attracts butterflies and other insects and there’s one in this photo….a weevil of some kind

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Tufts of white hairy material that looks like an old man’s beard hence the name.

 

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Fragrant and a favorite source of nectar for butterflies and insects.

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The wool is often gathered by birds as it makes an ideal nesting material.

 

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The Dildo Cactus (Cephalocereus millspaughii) is the most common cactus found in the Turks & Caicos.

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A type of weevil feeding on the cactus flower.

I loved seeing this spectacular flower but I must say it was tricky to photograph in the dark. I’m hoping you too will get a chance to see one in bloom. Well worth it though.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

 

Southern Shores

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A flat calm day on the south side of Providenciales and the entrance to the Marina at Harbour Club Villas.

Most of our island visitors miss the most beautiful and tranquil side of the island where you will find Harbour Club Villas and Marina. The shoreline is absolutely beautiful with waters that are shallow and numerous beaches where you can walk for a long ways out before it gets deep. This area off shore is called the Caicos Banks, the domain of the bonefish and flats as far as you can see. The ocean doesn’t get deeper than 15 to 20 feet and as you skim over the surface, you’ll see the bottom not too far below. Here are some of my favourite photos of the area known as Turtle Tail just by the villas at Harbour Club.

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Fishing flats down on Turtle Tail about a mile from Harbour Club.

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Wade the waters of Juba Salina in search of bonefish.

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Views overlooking the turquoise waters of the South side of Provo

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Tidal beaches on Cooper Jack Bight are within a kayak ride from Harbour Club’s villas.

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Take a kayak out and explore the tidal beaches near the villas and just outside the Marina channel.

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Turquoise blue waters that are crystal clear and shallow.

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A lone fisherman motors home as the sun sets.

Hope to see you staying with us at Harbour Club Villas and Marina……we’ll show you our beautiful piece of paradise with numerous beaches and all kinds of sights to see. We’ll point you in the right direction.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

Birds at Harbour Club Villas

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A beautiful Bahama Woodstar hummingbirds flies to the Dwarf Poinciana flowers for nectar.

Activity around the pool at Harbour Club Villas has been amazing. I sit there often trying to capture all our birds coming in to feed from the variety of flowering plants. Our villa guests too are taking photos of the Hummingbirds and Bananaquits that are always there twittering and flying from perch to perch. Our resident Green Heron often comes for drinks and preens himself by the pool. He’ll squawk at you if he doesn’t like you enjoying “his” private pool!! We have Mourning Doves that peck at the gravel under the neem trees at the top of the driveway. They must be finding food there and also seen this week was the Northern Mockingbird.

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Pretty little bananaquit sitting in our Tamarind tree…see the fruit…….found in my favourite Worcestershire Sauce.

 

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We see Mourning Doves every day pecking at something underneath the neem trees.

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The Northern Mockingbird is locally called “Preacher Bird”

 

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Our resident Green Heron preening and grooming by what he thinks is his own private swimming pool!

 

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The Island Honeysuckle attracts many birds to our pool area at Harbour Club Villas.

 

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My first sighting of a Cuban Crow in one of our Palm trees……uncommon to see on Provo and has a bizarre gobbling cackle which is how I tracked him down at the villas.

 

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A baby Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher just learning to fly……….so cute!

 

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The Gray Kingbird comes to the Turks and Caicos to breed in the summertime.

 

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The American Kestrel known as Sparrowhawk is commonly seen here year round.

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The Yellow Warbler male has reddish brown streaks and lives and breeds in the Turks and Caicos year round.

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And just because I love them so much, another photo of the Bahama Woodstar hummingbird that guests can watch daily by the pool at Harbour Club Villas.

Birdwatchers have so many birds they can see when on holiday and staying at Harbour Club Villas. The surrounding area has other water birds as well so have those cameras ready!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harbour Club Villas

Harbour Club Villas and Marina looking out over Flamingo Lake

The six villas at Harbour Club make for a charming vacation hideaway that’s a little removed from the hustle and bustle of Grace Bay but still within a five minute drive.

View from Jim Hill looking over Flamingo Lake towards Harbour Club Villas

We have made a name for ourselves marketing the natural beauty and tranquility of the southern shores of Providenciales where the villas are located. Our guests are drawn towards quiet enjoyment of the natural beauty that surrounds us. We have guests coming for the excellent “catch and release” bonefishing in Flamingo Lake and Turtle Lake and the nearby ocean flats, scuba divers that return year after year and leave from our marina docks, birders, photographers and birdwatchers that enjoy the water birds, flamingos, egrets, herons, ospreys that are in our area and kayakers that love to explore the Cooper Jack shoreline and Delou’s beaches.

Six, one bedroom villas with fully equipped kitchens for your vacation rental on Provo’s south shores.

The villas were built in 1998 on the southern shore of Providenciales and comprise six, one bedroom villas, a pool and gazebo, a private marina with several dive companies close by including Flamingo Divers, Caicos Adventures,Ocean Vibes, Provo Turtle Divers and Provo’s newest addition, Aqua TCI. Here’s some photos of Harbour Club Villas and Marina on the south shore of Providenciales.

Gazebo with pool for just lazing around and relaxing.

The Marina at Harbour Club Villas from where several dive companies leave in the mornings for the dive sites at West Caicos and French Cay.

Contact Harbour Club Villas for all your diving needs, dive packages with several dive companies operating out of the marina just a short walk away from the villas.

Bonefishing just steps away in Flamingo Lake right infront of the villas.

The villas are located very close to two bonefishing lakes and flats about a mile down the road. Grab your rod and fish whenever you want to. If you don’t fish, no worries as we are always happy to share our knowledge of this beautiful island paradise especially all our great beaches.

Villa with gazebo and pool with a barbecue/grill for guests to use.

Stone walkways and tropical vegetation.

Poolside ………. relax and read a book and catch some sunshine.

Sheltered gazebo where guests can barbecue and have a drink or two.

Entrance to the pool at Harbour Club Villas

Flamingos in front of the villas in Flamingo Lake…a great spot for other water birds too

Breakfast on your own private patio with lake views

Freshly roasted island coffee for breakfast with a view

Freshly roasted island coffee for breakfast with a view

Villas are spacious with high ceilings and louvered and screened windows that look out over the lake. Bedrooms are air conditioned with a queen sized bed. The living room has a queen sofa bed onto which we place a proper queen sized mattress to make it as comfortable as a regular bed. The villa dining area has seating for four, counter top bar separating living room from a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom with walk-in shower, flat screened cable TV and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Each villa has its own patio area with table and chairs overlooking the lake. We also provide guests with beach chairs, coolers plus lots of pocket novels as well as local books with island type information.

Spacious bedroom with queen sized bed

 

Bathroom with walk in shower, towels and beach towels provided.

Louvered and screened windows, ceiling fan and airconditioning.

Comfortable couches and ample space throughout Harbour Clubs villas

Flat screened TV’s for our guests viewing pleasure and a fully equipped kitchen

Flat screen TV with counter/bar and complimentary WiFi throughout villas and grounds

Comfortable living area with dining table and chairs with views of the lake

The lake is right outside your villa..great for bonefishing

A sofa bed can be pulled out for additional guests or for group bookings such as weddings.

Sofa beds can be made up with a regular queen mattress on top to make it more comfortable

Villas are all spacious with ample room and with fans throughout.

Open and airy with louvered and screened windows to catch the breezes

Open and airy with louvered and screened windows to catch the breezes

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Room for additional guests with the sofa bed pulled out

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Queen mattress is placed onto the sofa bed to make it as comfortable as a regular bed.

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Extra bed in the nook by the windows for additional guests

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Sofa beds are as comfortable with added queen mattresses

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Ample room for a sitting area when the sofa bed is in use.

Flamingo Lake and Harbour Club Villas in the distance.

Bonefishermen love fishing the lake in front of the villas.

 

Harbour Club entrance sign with bonefisherman.

Marina view towards Coper Jack on the south side of Providenciales.

View from Jim Hill a short walk away that overlooks Five Cays and the marina entrance.

The sun sets and the reflections on the lake waters are stunning.

Six, one bedroom villas ……….rent one or rent them all for your next family occasion such as weddings.

Villas can be rented seperately or you might consider several villas for a family occasion such as weddings, reunions, anniversaries or birthdays.

Many weddings have selected the villas as their home away from home.

A beautiful night for a wedding reception at Harbour Club.

Mirror calm reflections on Flamingo Lake right by Harbour Club Villas.

 

One bedroom villas fully self contained for your vacation on Provo.

Harbour Club Villas welcomes any and all inquiries. We hope to see you soon in our beautiful islands of the Turks and Caicos.

 

Marta

 

www.harbourclubvillas.com