JANUARY 27, 2021 – PROVIDENCIALES – The Hartling Group, award-winning owner and operator of The Sands at Grace Bay, The Palms Turks and Caicos, and The Shore Club Long Bay Beach, is pleased that the destination has exponentially increased its COVID-19 testing sites in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new order. The CDC’s updated requirements, that went into effect on January 26, 2021, mandates all air passengers arriving to the United States from a foreign country must be tested no more than three days prior to entry to the United States and present negative results prior to boarding their flights.
Both The Shore Club and The Palms have designated rapid-testing locations within the resort grounds, while guests of The Sands at Grace Bay will utilize the facilities at The Palms Resort. Testing is complimentary for all paying resort guests at The Shore Club and The Palms, and $25 for guests of The Sands at Grace Bay. Tests will also be available to non-guests for a nominal fee of $50 per person, with appointments required. The Hartling Group resorts are working in collaboration with Flamingo Pharmacy, who will be overseeing the testing operations at each resort.
The Hartling Group has worked closely with The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands and other private sector partners to ensure a smooth roll out and can confirm that the destination has well above the capacity to meet the current testing load for visitors and residents alike.
In addition to the CDC’s rules for testing prior to flying to the US, the Turks and Caicos Islands still requires negative COVID-19 PCR test results within five days prior to arrival to the destination as a part of TCI Assured, a quality assurance pre-travel program and portal. The Turks and Caicos government also requires that all arriving guests have valid Travel Insurance that covers COVID-19 related medical treatment, quarantine costs and medivac costs.
The Hartling Group resort family and staff are committed to doing our best to ensure your comfort, safety, and well-being throughout your stay with us. You can learn about the extra precautions and protocols we have established on our websites and what to expect when arriving and enjoying the resort’s common grounds. The Turks and Caicos Islands have received the Safe Travels Stamp from the World Travel Council, which denotes that its existing safety protocols align with the core requirements established by the WTTC. We will do whatever we can to ensure your Turks and Caicos vacation is comfortable, safe, and enjoyable.
Reservations for on-site testing can be booked at the resort at your leisure, and you can visit any of the resorts’ websites, thesandstc.com; thepalmstc.com; theshoreclubtc.com.
About The Sands at Grace Bay
The Sands at Grace Bay is situated on the world-renowned 12-mile crescent of powdery white sand known as Grace Bay Beach. The Sands at Grace Bay continues to gain acclaim showcased by the many awards and positive guest reviews that our resort and dedicated employees continue receiving, including “Best Family Resort” in The Caribbean Journal Travelers’ Choice Awards for 2019; Booking.com “Guest Review Award;” and Family Vacation Critic once again named The Sands as a “2019 Family Favorite Hotel.” The resort is proud to carry the acclaim of TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award recipient for 2020, formerly known as the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, an honor it has carried for nine years now. Plus U.S. News & World Report has named The Sands as one of the 2020 “Best Hotels in the Turks and Caicos”– a commendation the resort has received since 2015.
This 114-room resort offers accommodations ranging from junior suites to full suites with one, two and two-bedrooms plus den that can serve as a third bedroom featuring full kitchens with granite counter tops and stainless-steel appliances and screened patios. Suites vary in size from 1,000 to 1,600 square feet. Suites also come with dining and living room areas, private balconies, washer/dryers and more – all of which combine comfort-focused amenities and spectacular natural surroundings. The Sands at Grace Bay is the home of Hemingway’s Restaurant and Bar – a legendary beach-side venue and local favorite. Spa treatments by Spa Tropique are also available by appointment.
About The Hartling Group
The Hartling Group is a resort management company in Turks and Caicos, specializing in real estate sales and development of luxury Caribbean resorts, condominiums, and villas. Founded by Stan Hartling in 1997, The Hartling Group brings a new level of real estate property development and management services to the Turks & Caicos Islands. The Hartling Group’s mandate includes providing seamless integration of design, development, and management expertise, whereby each element fuses naturally into the other, and the resulting quality of the project surpasses the sum of its individual parts. The Hartling Group Resorts in Turks and Caicos include The Sands at Grace Bay, The Palms Turks and Caicos and The Shore Club Long Bay Beach.