St Barts vs Turks & Caicos: Where to Spend GBP 20K/Week
TLDR
- •St Barts averages 20-30% more than Turks & Caicos for comparable villas
- •St Barts excels in dining, nightlife, and European sophistication
- •Turks & Caicos offers larger properties, better beaches, and more space
- •Both sell out for Christmas/New Year 12+ months ahead
- •St Barts is harder to reach (connecting flights via St Martin)
At the GBP 20,000/week price point, you have two realistic Caribbean options for villa holidays: St Barts and Turks & Caicos. Barbados has its charms, but these two dominate the ultra-luxury segment for different reasons.
St Barts: The European Caribbean
St Barts is technically French, and it shows. The restaurant scene rivals coastal Provence, the boutique shopping includes Hermes and Louis Vuitton, and the island operates with a European sensibility that American-influenced Caribbean destinations lack. Villa prices reflect this exclusivity: a three-bedroom hillside property with pool starts at GBP 12,000/week, and the beachfront properties on St Jean or Flamands run GBP 25,000-60,000/week.
The island is small (25 sq km) and deliberately limits tourism infrastructure. No building over two storeys, no cruise ships, no all-inclusive resorts. This keeps it exclusive but also means limited availability - the best villas are booked by repeat guests year after year.
Turks & Caicos: The Beach Paradise
Grace Bay Beach consistently ranks among the world's best, and Providenciales has developed a luxury infrastructure that rivals St Barts in accommodation quality while offering something St Barts cannot: space. Villas here are larger, beaches are less crowded, and the turquoise water is genuinely unlike anything in the Mediterranean.
At GBP 20,000/week, expect a five to six bedroom beachfront property with pool, full staff, and enough space that multiple families can holiday together without tripping over each other. Dining options are more limited than St Barts, but the quality of the top restaurants (Grace's Cottage, Coyaba) is excellent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get to St Barts?
There are no direct flights from Europe or mainland US. You fly to St Martin (SXM) and then take a short connecting flight (10 minutes) or ferry (45 minutes) to St Barts. The airport runway is famously short, limiting aircraft size. Several private jet services operate from San Juan and Miami. It is part of the exclusivity, but it adds complexity.
Which Caribbean island is better for families?
Turks & Caicos is generally better for families, particularly with younger children. The beaches are calmer, the villas are larger, and the pace is more relaxed. St Barts is better suited to couples and adult groups who want dining, nightlife, and a more sophisticated social scene. Both islands are extremely safe.
When is peak season in the Caribbean for villa rentals?
Peak season runs from mid-December through mid-April, with Christmas/New Year (20 December - 5 January) commanding the highest premiums - often 50-100% above regular high season rates. The shoulder months of November and May offer good weather at 30-40% lower prices. Hurricane season (June-November) sees the lowest rates but carries weather risk.
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