Parrot Cay

Parrot Cay
Sunset at Parrot Cay
Location of Parrot Cay within the Turks and Caicos Islands
Parrot Cay is located in Turks and Caicos Islands
Parrot Cay
Parrot Cay
Parrot Cay is located in Caribbean
Parrot Cay
Parrot Cay
Geography
LocationAtlantic Ocean
Coordinates21°55′56″N 72°03′29″W / 21.93222°N 72.05806°W / 21.93222; -72.05806
ArchipelagoLucayan Archipelago
Administration
United Kingdom
British Overseas TerritoryTurks and Caicos Islands
Demographics
Population131 (2012)[1]
Additional information
Time zone
 • Summer (DST)
ISO codeTC
COMO Parrot Cay
Map
General information
LocationTurks and Caicos islands
Opening1998
ManagementCOMO Hotels and Resorts
Other information
Number of rooms74
Number of restaurants2
Website
www.comohotels.com/parrotcay

Parrot Cay is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The island contains about 1,000 acres (405 ha) of land, a mile-long beach and features a high-end beach resort with 61 rooms.[2] Parrot Cay became a private island resort in 1998. It is located about 575 miles (925 km) south east of Miami, and can be reached by a 35-minute boat ride from Providenciales, the main island in Turks and Caicos.

History

Parrot Cay was originally created by a Kuwaiti family in 1988, who built the large structure that now functions as the resort's main building.[3] The Gulf War affected the finances of this family,[3] and it remained empty until it was bought over and remade into a resort in 1998 by Singaporean hotelier Christina Ong for her COMO Hotels and Resorts group.[4] It is said that her daughter Melissa Ong discovered the island during a diving trip.[5]

In more recent times, Parrot Cay has become a luxury travel destination, featuring on the AWE network's Private Islands. Parrot Cay's main resort contains 61 rooms, including beach houses and villas. Two restaurants are located on the island: the south-east Asian inspired Lotus and the Italian-Mediterranean Terrace. In addition to the resort's rooms, there is a collection of private villas and beach houses located a short distance from the resort in a location called Rocky Point.[6] Prices for villas start at US$10 million,[7] while the beach houses start at US$5 million.[8] Owners of private homes in Parrot Cay include Keith Richards,[9] Donna Karan[10] and Bruce Willis.[11] Bruce Willis sold his home in 2019.[12] Richards has been quoted as saying he'd relocate his family to his Parrot Cay retreat if he knew his death was coming, and just "hang out".[13]

Because of its secluded location and the privacy it provides, Parrot Cay has become very popular with many celebrities. Guests have included Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, Barbra Streisand, Penélope Cruz, Julia Roberts and Phil Collins,[4][14] and it has also hosted the weddings of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner in 2005.[15]

Celebrity death hoaxes

Parrot Cay is frequently featured as the location of an ongoing celebrity death hoax on fake news site Global Associated News. The fake news report would claim that a celebrity had died after sustaining injuries in a jet-ski accident in Parrot Cay. Celebrities that have supposedly died in Parrot Cay according to this hoax include Ted Nugent, Ja Rule, Chad Kroeger and Vince Vaughn.[16][17][18]

References

  1. ^ "Population 2012 census". Government of Turks and Caicos. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Parrot Cay Fact Sheet" (PDF). www.comohotels.com.
  3. ^ a b Fabrikant, Geraldine (9 April 2000). "Relaxing like a celebrity". The New York Times.
  4. ^ a b "Fantasy Island". Forbes. 22 October 2002.
  5. ^ Walther, Gary (30 June 2005). "Ultimate spas: Parrot Cay". NBCNews.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  6. ^ "Villa ownership". www.comohotels.com.
  7. ^ "Island villas". www.comohotels.com.
  8. ^ "Beach houses". www.comohotels.com.
  9. ^ Malle, Chloe (18 July 2012). "Anything Goes: Keith Richards and Patti Hansen". Vogue. Archived from the original on 20 July 2013.
  10. ^ Rotunno, Anthony; Mathews, Dana (10 August 2012). "Where I go: Donna Karen". Vanity Fair.
  11. ^ Davidson, Carol Ann (19 January 2012). "Parrot Cay: Why it must appeal to Keith Richards, Bruce Willis, Donna Karen". Toronto Star.
  12. ^ "Bruce Willis sells island estate". Homes and Property. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Keith Richards plans to retire in the Caribbean". Toronto Sun. 17 June 2013.
  14. ^ "Where the Stars get married". AOL.
  15. ^ "Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner wedding". Celebrity Bride Guide. Archived from the original on 2019-08-17. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  16. ^ "Ja Rule victim of death hoax". www.GossipCop.com. 31 March 2012. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  17. ^ "Musician Chad Kroeger died while in a personal vacation in the Turks and Caicos". www.crazyasabagofhammers.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-11. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  18. ^ Burrows, Jeff (15 June 2013). "Ted Nugent dead? Rocker becomes victim of Internet death hoax". www.canadasrock.ca.