Cayman Islands??

[Quimby4]

Having read through all of the posts and suggestions I love how the Reef has great diving and snorkeling, but is there a resort that is closer to 7 mile beach that also has great snorkeling?

We don't like to drive much on vacation, eat in the room for 2 meals a day then eat out for 1. We like to hang in the water boogie boarding and snorkeling all day long. 2 boys, 10&12
We are accustomed to Maui Marriott, Westin Kaanapali, Marriott Waiohai.

Where should we stay in Grand Cayman?

We orginially were thinking of STT or St. John, but it seems easier to fly to Grand Cayman from LAX.

Many Thanks!!

 

[Weimaraner]

One option to consider as a Marriott owner is that you can use MR points for the Ritz or the Marriott on 7 Mile Beach. We used points for a Ritz stay this past January for the Cayman Cookout (BTW it was amazing!!). They upgraded our room and put a small fridge in upon our request. There is a grocery within walking distance where we bought fruit, deli sandwiches, breakfast items to snack on when we didn't feel like going out for a meal. I love Grand Cayman!

 

[dbmarch]

There are 2 timeshares south of the Marriott on SMB. One is Plantation Village (which I own 2 weeks there). I think 7 mile beach resort is right next door but I havent stayed there. (may check that out to replace PV when they get sold). The Grand Caymanian Resort is on the west side of the island as well but sits closer to the bay and not on SMB. The Reef & Morritts are on the East side.

I personally like the location of PV as we hang out at the Marriott (small walk on the beach) or at Billy Bones in Treasure Island. PV is very nice but has no "resort like" amenities. It has nice weber grills, 2 pools, beach chairs/umbrellas and tennis courts (which when I go its too hot). Its in walking distance to a number of places to eat and hang out. Everything on SMB and Georgetown is a few minutes away. There are 2 grocery stores that are close by. And yes my electric bill for each week is > $250!!! Sunsets can't be beat on the west side of the island.


Just remember that in Cayman most things are closed on Sunday!


The east side of the island doesn't look far on a map but it can be a long drive. Its a bit more windy on the east side. There are fewer stores so the prices are higher. If you stay on the east side , be sure to go grocery shopping on the west side before you drive to your resort. The diving can be better on the east side. Its more secluded. The resorts are real nice.

Rum point is a drive from either side. You can take a dinner cruise from SMB.

I recommend you stay where you want to play the most as the drive times can add up.

Just MHO. Its all personal preference.

 

[robcrusoe]

[Advertising deleted. - DeniseM Moderator]

 

[somerville]

I own at 7 Mile Beach Resort (SMB). All units are two bedroom and were refurbished after Ivan. It is located on the south end of 7 Mile Beach. It is adjacent to Plantation Village. The Clarion Suites Hotel is on the other side, and the Marriott Hotel is next to the Clarion. There is another condo between SMB and the beach, but you can access the beach via a short path. The three resort buildings overlook the pool. The resort is small, but in a good location for shopping, restaurants, etc. There is an energy charge for all occupants, but I have never paid more than $125 for a week. Each unit is metered separately, and the charge is based on actual usage.

 

[chriskre]

Just got back from Morritt's Tortuga.
Very nice resort but the RCI exchangers get the pool views.:annoyed:
I had a studio and it was in need of quite a few maintenance issues which were slowly remedied with multiple requests. The staff is definitely on island time but overall the resort is beautiful and the snorkeling wonderful.

The restaurant onsite is very good and fairly reasonable for Cayman standards. There is a little Italian restaurant within walking distance in the shopping center where the tiny grocery store and liquor store is located. The food was good but the service, eh. Liquor is quite pricey but the resort does happy hour most days and it's 2 for 1. We bought nice wine for around $10 a bottle so it wasn't totally outrageous if you're flexible in what you're willing to enjoy on vacation.

Morritt's charges $10 a day taxes to RCI inbounds and also an energy surcharge depending on use. We paid $60 for 6 nights and we were careful not to leave anything running or on when we left the room. Not sure if they just ballpark it but if $60 is for sparing use watch out if you run the AC all day. The taxi from the airport is $55 for one person or $80 for 2 people. The resort has a shuttle back to the airport for $40 for one or $50 for two. I believe you can also pick up the same shuttle at the airport. I didn't rent a car so it limited us to just the East End area which was just fine for us. If you are adventurous you can take a shuttle to town every day at 9am which returns at 3pm. There is public bus service for around $2-$3 each way but it's not scheduled so you'll still have to make your way to town on the shuttle.

The 1 in 4 may keep me out of Morritt's for a while, so hopefully when I return I'll exchange into Morritt's grand or just head to the Reef next time. The restaurant at the Reef was terrible so don't waste your money there.
Warning that the energy surcharge at the Reef is pretty pricey as well and is a flat rate regardless of how much you run the AC. Friends paid $300 for a 2 bedroom for the week.

Morritt's is starting construction this week on the new building so it's probably gonna be dusty and noisy for a while. Lucky for me RCI doesn't want me to go back til the construction is over.

 

[Gary & Susie]

The $10 per day is an island tax, not Morritt's tax. Each hotel and timeshare is charged this per night.

 

[pianodinosaur]

We were there in January 2012 as part of a Royal Caribbean cruise. It was very nice and the water was perfect.

 

[Quimby4]

Having read through all of the posts and suggestions I love how the Reef has great diving and snorkeling, but is there a resort that is closer to 7 mile beach that also has great snorkeling?

We don't like to drive much on vacation, eat in the room for 2 meals a day then eat out for 1. We like to hang in the water boogie boarding and snorkeling all day long. 2 boys, 10&12
We are accustomed to Maui Marriott, Westin Kaanapali, Marriott Waiohai.

Where should we stay in Grand Cayman?

We orginially were thinking of STT or St. John, but it seems easier to fly to Grand Cayman from LAX.

Many Thanks!!

I am still not sure as to which II properties I should request for next summer.
I do not have Marriott Rewards to stay at a Ritz Carlton or similar.

 

[SteveChapin]

Mortitts Tortuga is on the other side of the island. Not on/near 7 miles beach. We have stayed there before. If you are not an owner and there on a trade, they put you in a unit that is not waterfront.

Not necessarily; we exchanged into Morritt's Tortuga 4 years ago, and they put us in a penthouse in the wooden oceanfront building. At the time we didn't own. We liked that stay so much that I hunted around and last year scooped up one of those units on eBay. Our first reservation starts Sunday, but sadly, it will be my wife's sister and her family going, not us :-(

As to the Reef, they have AI options if that's what you want. When we were there in 2008, Tom (the manager then; not sure if he is now) gave us a tour and talked extensively about the AI options, which most of their Euro patrons love.

 

[caribbeansun]

None fit your criteria or what you are accustomed to.

The Ritz is the only thing on the island that would be comparable to the places you stay at in Hawaii.

I am still not sure as to which II properties I should request for next summer.
I do not have Marriott Rewards to stay at a Ritz Carlton or similar.

 

[BENWAU]

Morritt's Grand Resort

Does anyone know about the construction starting up at the Morrit's ?
Will be there at the end of April.Their web seems to be down. :zzz:
Have they added a new bldg. to the Grand & does it have the same view?
Shirley

 

[BENWAU]

Grand Morritt's Cayman Is.

Does anyone know about the construction starting up at the Morrit's ?
Will be there at the end of April.Their web seems to be down. :zzz:
Have they added a new bldg. to the Grand & does it have the same view?
Shirley

Would like a little help with this question.First time on this page.

 

[classiclincoln]

Quimby4,

Go to the II website and check out the Grand Caymanian. Also check out the review I did on TUG.

 

[Quimby4]

Quimby4,

Go to the II website and check out the Grand Caymanian. Also check out the review I did on TUG.

I read on Trip Advisor that the beach had recently been washed away from a big storm and that the beach was generally not swim able at the resort, due to rough conditions....But I guess rough is relative...

I think that it is sad that we are so spoiled with Maui and Kauai that we are looking to venture out. Perhaps ofter our June trip to the Maui Marriott my husband will vote for Maui again for 2013.

 

[chriskre]

Does anyone know about the construction starting up at the Morrit's ?
Will be there at the end of April.Their web seems to be down. :zzz:
Have they added a new bldg. to the Grand & does it have the same view?
Shirley

Would like a little help with this question.First time on this page.

The construction was already started when I was there last week. They put up the fences and were getting ready to prepare the ground. The construction is taking place right next to the main lobby/restaurant area and next to the infiniti pool.

I guess this is one time that staying on the Tortuga side would be preferable if you don't want to be bothered by the dust and the noise. :ignore:

I read on Trip Advisor that the beach had recently been washed away from a big storm and that the beach was generally not swim able at the resort, due to rough conditions....But I guess rough is relative...

I think that it is sad that we are so spoiled with Maui and Kauai that we are looking to venture out. Perhaps ofter our June trip to the Maui Marriott my husband will vote for Maui again for 2013.

It's not rough at all and there was a perfectly nice beach. Not sure what the tripadvisors are talking about. Granted it's a reef beach so you'll need water shoes in most parts of it. There is a sandy part near the dock but the beach in front of the Tortuga buildings is all rock and reef with little patches of sand. You're gonna want to snorkel in that area anyway cause there is so much to see below you.

IMO opinion the beaches in Cayman are more swimmable than in Maui and the sand is much prettier. But that's coming from someone who doesn't like cold beaches.

 

[classiclincoln]

Yes, the one down side to the Grand Caymanian is that you can't walk into the water from the beach because of the rocks. However, there is a dock and I walked out to the end of the dock and hopped in. There is a step railing (like a swimming pool) that you can climb down to get to the water. Not deep at all.

However, you are only a 10 minute drive (it takes 5 minutes to get from the resort to the main street) from 7 mile beach.

 

[easyrider]

We like Rum Point

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZJRE-Lu2dc

Rum Point is a really nice place to hang out. You can catch a boat to Stingray City in lagoon across the street or take a jet ski out.

 

[Quimby4]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZJRE-Lu2dc

Rum Point is a really nice place to hang out. You can catch a boat to Stingray City in lagoon across the street or take a jet ski out.

How far is Rum Point from Grand Caymanian Resort?

 

[classiclincoln]

"How far is Rum Point from Grand Caymanian Resort?"

Other side of the island (east I belive). The island is the shape of a whale. Rum Point is kinda near the blow hole on the top of the head and the Grand Caymanian is kinda near the thin part of the tail (across from 7 Mile Beach). A map will give you a better visual.

 

[caribbeansun]

The Grand Caymanian faces the the North Sound and the water is very shallow. For the most part the sea bottom is iron shore or sea grass. The combination of the two makes it less than ideal for swimming. You can however take a short trip to either the main public beach on Seven Mile or Cemetary Beach for great swimming/snorkeling. Having said that it is a nice resort although I've not been there in almost 10 years.

I assumed you were talking about the Caymanian since you quoted about it. If you were talking about Morritt's I'll just say don't believe everything you read on Tripadvisor.

I read on Trip Advisor that the beach had recently been washed away from a big storm and that the beach was generally not swim able at the resort, due to rough conditions....But I guess rough is relative...

I think that it is sad that we are so spoiled with Maui and Kauai that we are looking to venture out. Perhaps ofter our June trip to the Maui Marriott my husband will vote for Maui again for 2013.

 

[caribbeansun]

45 minutes to an hour drive.

How far is Rum Point from Grand Caymanian Resort?

 

[Anne S]

Hurricanes in GC are very rare period. Ivan was the first to hit the island in more than 100 yrs. You may experience some squalls, or Nor'easters, but not likely a hurricane.

Hurricane Gustav hit Grand Cayman on Aug. 29, 2008. We were staying at Morritt's Grand at the time, but they moved us to Morritt's Tortuga, away from the ocean front units. We were due to fly out on Saturday the 30th, but they closed the airport by noon on Friday. Many people had already flown out in the days before the airport closed, but we were not able to get a flight. I had to call US Airways on my dime (800 numbers are not free) to change our flight to Sunday, and was charged a hefty fee. The good news was that Morritt's was allowing people to stay the extra night for free.

I could go on and on, but the point of this post is that although it is rare for hurricanes to hit hit Grand Cayman one did hit it in 2008, which is considerably less that 100 years.

 

[caribbeansun]

There is a significant difference between a hurricane hitting the island and one that passes by the island. Gustav did not hit the island, it passed by to the east and north of Grand Cayman.

Hurricanes in the Caribbean are a regular occurrence and people should be aware of the dangers and understand what needs to be done in the event one threatens where they are located. It's good to know that Morritt's had a plan and acted upon it.

It is not my intent to diminish the need for people to be aware and prepared for the possibility of a hurricane. The 100 year comment was in reference to how long it had been since a direct hit on the island had occurred.

The island (like the majority of the Caribbean) can and does experience adverse weather from tropical storms and hurricanes that are not direct hits however this is typically limited to high winds, rain and increased storm surge without the devastating effects experienced such as when Ivan hit the island.

I could go on and on, but the point of this post is that although it is rare for hurricanes to hit hit Grand Cayman one did hit it in 2008, which is considerably less that 100 years.

 

[Anne S]

I think we are using the word "hit" somewhat loosely, and perhaps we give it different meanings. What I meant to say, more accurately, is the following: Grand Cayman was hit (or battered) by hurricane-force winds from Hurricane Gustav. Both I and the National Hurricane Center (www.nhc.noaa.gov) are in agreement on this.

I was also curious as to the glossary that the NHC uses. Among them are the terms "direct hit," "indirect hit," and "strike." The definitions for direct hit and strike are rather technical, but the definition for indirect hit is much easier to understand: "Generally refers to locations that do not experience a direct hit from a tropical cyclone, but do experience hurricane force winds (either sustained or gusts) or tides at least 4 feet above normal."

I can personally attest to the fact that Grand Cayman did, indeed experience hurricane force winds the night of Friday, Aug. 29, 2008. No, I did not go out and measure the speed of the wind, but Dutch, the very capable manager of Morritts kept us apprised of the situation by meetings and handing printouts of the bulletins issued by the National Hurricane Center. I had kept them as souvenirs, but finally decided to recycle them. However, they can be found here: www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2008/, if anybody is interested.

While it is true that Gustav did not wreak the devastation that Ivan did, there was no way to know that beforehand, and hurricane preparations were made all over the island. We were strongly encouraged to leave. (The Reef had actually closed.) Cayman Airways was offering to fly people to Miami for $250 a head, and many people did that. We were supposed to leave on Saturday. We tried to change our flight to Friday but our flight was cancelled, and the airport closed down at noon. Dutch strongly encouraged people to go to shelters, and some people did. He moved the people who had been at the Grand to Morritts Tortuga, away from the ocean, and supplied us with flashlights--a good thing, because the power went out at 10PM, after which all hell--I mean Gustav--broke loose. The building was shaking. Let me tell you, it really puts a crimp in your holiday, sitting in the dark, being buffeted by hurricane force winds and hoping that the building can withstand it! Morritt's Tortuga is comprised of rather rickety wooden structures. And many of us know what happened to those oceanfront rickety wooden structures when Ivan came calling ... Luckily the damage was slight: the roof of one building had peeled open like a sardine can, and one tree was uprooted.

In my original post I said that I can go on and on, and it seems that I just have ... Such fun to re-live those vacations! And actually I should be an old hand at Caribbean hurricanes, because we go to the Caribbean at the beginning of hurricane season and also in August (which I consider the real start of hurricane season). We have been to 20+ islands, most of them more than once This particular time was our third in the Grand Cayman. (And no, we are not hurricane magnets! Our vacations are dictated by my husband's schedule.) Frankly, I'm surprised that we haven't experienced more hurricanes. We'll be pressing our luck again: Barbados in June, and two weeks in St. Maarten in August.

On the other hand, one does not have to be in the Caribbean (or Florida, or other hurricane prone areas) to experience a hurricane. Last August we were in Antigua. Our flight was delayed because of a tropical storm. That tropical storm followed us up the coast, turned into Hurricane Irene and caused damage to our house.