Kempinski Grace Bay Breaks Ground in Turks and Caicos: Europe’s Oldest Luxury Brand Arrives in the Caribbean

Kingston, Jamaica — 18 November 2025

Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group has broken ground on its first Caribbean property, with Kempinski Hotels and international developer JTRE launching construction on Kempinski Grace Bay, a low-density hotel and branded residential project set across 11 acres of undeveloped beachfront on Grace Bay, Providenciales, in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The groundbreaking ceremony, attended by the territory’s premier, deputy governor, and international project partners, was described by government officials as a defining moment in Turks and Caicos’s evolution as a luxury destination.

The Development

The project will deliver 119 private residences and four oceanfront villas, each positioned for sweeping sea views, across a site designed to preserve open space and maximise coastal outlooks. Interiors draw on a calm palette of limestone, timber, and glass, with an emphasis on indoor-outdoor living. Amenities planned for the development include signature fine-dining and beach-club restaurants, a 3,000-square-foot wine cellar, a European-style spa, an ocean-view fitness centre, tennis and padel courts, a children’s club, and sustainability features including insulated glass, solar systems, and recycled-water irrigation. Construction is expected to continue through 2026, with project completion anticipated in early 2028.

Kempinski Hotels, founded in 1897, currently manages 75 properties across 33 countries. Its arrival in Turks and Caicos marks the brand’s debut in the British West Indies and its first foothold in the Caribbean. For JTRE, the development represents an extension of an award-winning portfolio of real estate projects spanning London, Slovakia, Germany, and Central Europe, with assets under management exceeding 2.3 billion dollars.

A Statement from the Premier

Premier Charles Washington Misick welcomed the development, saying that as global interest in Turks and Caicos continues to grow, Kempinski Grace Bay brings one of the world’s most distinguished hospitality names to the territory’s shores. He described the project as an important step in the islands’ evolution as a world-class destination, offering investors and visitors the chance to experience Turks and Caicos’s cultural heritage and natural beauty through the lens of luxury and impeccable service.

Turks and Caicos: A Residential Resort Boom

The Kempinski Grace Bay groundbreaking is one of several major branded residential resort projects advancing simultaneously in Turks and Caicos. The territory has established itself as one of the Caribbean’s strongest luxury real estate markets, characterised by a no-income-tax environment, a stable British Overseas Territory governance framework, and consistently high demand from North American buyers. S&P lifted the territory’s country risk score in 2025, a further signal of improving perceived investment risk.

The arrival of Kempinski consolidates Turks and Caicos’s position within the upper tier of Caribbean branded residence destinations. For regional real estate markets, the territory’s success in attracting European luxury brands, alongside its established presence of American and Canadian buyers, demonstrates the kind of internationally diversified demand base that the broader Caribbean has been seeking to build across multiple islands. Kempinski Grace Bay sales are represented exclusively by Christie’s International Real Estate Turks and Caicos and Engel and Völkers Turks and Caicos.

Source: Caribbean Journal / Caribbean National Weekly, November 2025