Sibonne Beach Hotel – A Secret Gem on Grace Bay Beach
By Tim Cotroneo
The original owners of Sibonne Beach Hotel faced an interesting dilemma in 1989. They had to choose where to build a hotel on the virgin Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales. Little did they know that this 5-mile stretch on the Caribbean Sea would become what’s annually ranked as the best beach in the world.
Grace Bay’s first-ever hotel would originally be known as Le Deck. The French theme would continue when the name transitioned to Sibonne. In French, Sibonne means “so good.” These two words capture what returning guests feel about this modest, 30-room hotel that’s been a guest favorite for over 30 years.
Fast forward to today, and the question is, “How valuable is the land and the view that Sibonne guests enjoy?” The resorts on either side of Sibonne charge hundreds and even thousands of dollars more for the same ocean view.
A Million Dollar View
If you’ve figured out that Sibonne’s loyal guests would like to keep this hotel’s value proposition a secret, you’d be right. When a guest is sitting out on their room balcony with a cup of coffee or a cool drink they are thinking, “This is a fabulous million dollar view!”
So this begs the question, how have the proprietors kept this steady hotel operation humming for almost four decades? Today there are two Providenciales island stalwarts who are a bridge to the past and are leading the way to the future.
Owner Keith Burant arrived in Providenciales in 1994. This Canadian-born finance, investment, and mortgage strategist felt like he’d found a forever home on Provo. Burant’s Sibonne alliance was triggered several years ago when two separate investors came to Burant asking for counsel on the possibility of buying the hotel. At the last minute, both backed out. After all the due diligence Burant had done, he decided to add the hotel to his island business portfolio that also includes his capital management company, a charter boat company, and even a rugby stadium.
The second key figure in Sibonne’s ongoing success is Stacy who is stationed at the front desk. If you ask Stacy how long she’s worked at Sibonne, she’ll reply, “It seems like my whole working life.” This personable Sibonne ambassador started first at the neighboring Bay Bistro Restaurant, and then she came on board at Sibonne. There’s a 90 percent chance that Stacy will be the one to reply to your reservation inquiry, or the first person you’ll meet when checking in.
Our Little Secret
A lot has changed on Providenciales since Burant arrived at the Turks and Caicos’ most inhabited island. In the early 90s, the island population was around 4,000 and there were only three hotels on amazing Grace Bay Beach. At the time, in addition to Le Deck, there was Club Med, and also a hotel named the Island Princess.
Today, 40,000 residents live in Providenciales, and there are over 20 hotels on the beach that TripAdvisor readers voted The Best Beach in the World. In addition, there are two more new Grace Bay Beach hotels on the way, both just a stone’s throw from the treasured vantage point that the original Sibonne hotel deemed the best ocean view in Providenciales.
For now, Sibonne guests love their little slice of paradise. They only ask one thing from newcomers looking to book at their favorite island getaway…. Please keep this charming hotel gem a secret! https://www.sibonne.com/
