Cayman Islands??

[maggiesmom]

DH & I would love to stay in the Cayman Islands in 2013. Would like to use II to exchange . Any thoughts on which resort. And when is the best time(season) to go??, is May good time to go??. We don't know much about the Caymans, but love the pictures we've seen in magazines. Would like to avoid crowds with Spring Breakers. Any help would be appreciate (I looked at the Resort review and I would like to know from someone who was just there .
Must haves: 1 Bedroom ( Ocean view - would be heaven )
Full Kitchen (I love to cook)
W/D in Unit
Shuttle to town - low fee
Nice restaurants near by( If we could walk to would be great)
DH love to snorkel
Thanks in Advance

maggiesmom

 

[classiclincoln]

We're going Xmas week to the Ramada Grand Caymanian. Will give you some info when we return. When we put in our request, we put in for all the gold seal resorts in II.

 

[lprstn]

I went 2 times during Nov while on cruise and it was amazing and beautiful at that time of year.

 

[maggiesmom]

We have it narrowed down to 2 Resorts - the Reef Resort or Ramada Grand Caymanian (I like the Ramada). I was thinking of going in Nov 2013- what about hurricanes at that time??.Please let me know if there are any fees or taxes - are these Resort considered AI's??, I could not find it on the II list. Is it best to take a taxi to the Resort or Rent a car??. If you can think of anything else let me know. TIA

maggiesmom

 

[dixie]

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. The first unit they gave us ground floor and not desireable.

Another year we stayed at the Morritts Grand. It was very nice. At that time, all their units were ocean front and were really grand. We were there one April and the pools were very chilly. It was also very windy which we were told is common in April. they have built a grocery store now down by those resorts.
I was in the Caymans recently on a cruise and swam with the stingrays. The water temperature was nice.
I think most spring breakers will be over on the 7 mile beach area.

 

[caribbeansun]

Hurricanes aren't an issue in Nov

There is a $10/night timeshare tax imposed by the government.

The Reef - there may be fees for electricity, they are not AI, a car is required.

Cayman is not a spring break destination by the way.

We have it narrowed down to 2 Resorts - the Reef Resort or Ramada Grand Caymanian (I like the Ramada). I was thinking of going in Nov 2013- what about hurricanes at that time??.Please let me know if there are any fees or taxes - are these Resort considered AI's??, I could not find it on the II list. Is it best to take a taxi to the Resort or Rent a car??. If you can think of anything else let me know. TIA

maggiesmom

 

[LouiseG]

We own at Morritt's next door to the Reef. If you stay at the Reef, Barefoot Man entertains there but you definitely need a car to get around. You will be close to Kaibo beach and Rum Point. Dining at Kaibo Yacht Club upstairs is a special treat and so is dinner at Tukka. I understand the Sunday brunch at Tukka is outstanding but we've not had a chance to try it yet. You also would be near to the Botanical gardens. But cabbing it around the island is pricey so you might as well rent a car. The island is left hand drive so you need to be aware of that when you rent a car.
The Ramada is at the other end of the island near 7 mile beach and has a lot of easy access to restaurants, the turtle farm, shopping, lots of beaches etc. May is a great time to be on the island, the weather is perfect and no threat of storms. GC is not a great Spring Break place I think. I don't know of any resorts on the island that are AI so having a kitchen is a good idea as restaurants are pricey as there is very little farming and all supplies are shipped in. You might want to buy your liquor at the duty free as the liquor prices on the island have increased considerably over the past few years. Whichever you choose, I know you'll have a wonderful time.

 

[maggiesmom]

Found this on RCI :
Resorts:
Morritt's Grand Resort(#5930)
Morritt's Tortuga Club (# 2082)

(Click on Available Units - Bright green box)
Found this at the bottom of the page
( this is too much money to have to cough up)


Exchange Fee* can be Exchange Fee with or without taxes or Fixed Fee

Urgent Information
Mandatory Fees
Tourist Tax is 10 U.S. dollars.
Government Tax of approximately $10 dollars per day applies.
Security deposits is 500 U.S. dollars.
Security deposit of $500 is due at check in.
Utility surcharge is 60 to 250 U.S. dollars.
A Utility surcharge is based on usage and can range from $US 60 to $US 250. based on usage.
Resort Fees
Key fee is 25 U.S. dollars.
A US$25 refundable key deposit is required upon check in.
Policy Restrictions
1 in 4 rule applies.
Urgent Information
Fees charged for some utilities.
Security deposit required upon check-in at the resort.
Resort cannot honor unit upgrades or moves.



Offer includes only accommodations and specifically excludes travel costs and other expenses that may be incurred.

I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the terms and conditions stated in the Urgent Information

 

[Larry]

Hurricanes aren't an issue in Nov

There is a $10/night timeshare tax imposed by the government.

The Reef - there may be fees for electricity, they are not AI, a car is required.

Cayman is not a spring break destination by the way.

Hurricane season runs through the end of November . We were scheduled to go to Grand Cayman in the beginning of December several years ago when Hurricane Ivan hit the Island in November and it was so bad that it closed down many resorts for months and we were canceled on our trip to Morritt's Grand as the resort did not re-open for over a year.

 

[mecllap]

There are some other threads on here about Grand Cayman -- including info about both resorts you've mentioned. The Grand Caymanian (GC) is no longer branded as "Ramada GC" (which I am grateful for, as an owner there). For both, it is helpful (but not required) to have a car (altho I highly recommend getting a rental car). The GC is much closer to town and 7 mile beach, than the Reef (which is 45 or so minutes away, with few if any street lights). The Reef does have better beach access, but I think all the GC rooms have at least some ocean view (it has "imported" sand, but not really a beach, but 7MB is 2 miles away, and easy to get to. GC does have a shuttle at a small cost to town and 7MB.

(Sorry I'm not on my own computer, so not easy to link you to the spot in my travel blog that is about my last trip there). I will also be there over the holidays and plan to do a better blog than my previous one.

Happy researching, and planning your trip -- Grand Cayman is a wonderful place to visit (too bad I can't afford to live there).

 

[winedown]

Hurricanes in the Caymans

Hurricanes in November in the Caymans are very rare.

Hurricane Ivan struck Grand Cayman September 11, 2004

 

[caribbeansun]

Ivan hit in early September NOT November.

While hurricane seasons runs from June to Nov you are at the extreme edge of the season and the odds of having an issue are extremely remote.

[edit - I see winedown said the same as me...]

Hurricane season runs through the end of November . We were scheduled to go to Grand Cayman in the beginning of December several years ago when Hurricane Ivan hit the Island in November and it was so bad that it closed down many resorts for months and we were canceled on our trip to Morritt's Grand as the resort did not re-open for over a year.

 

[pefs65]

Grand Caymans is awesome. I have been there twice. Once just this past March. We stayed on an exchange at Morritts Grand. It was one of the best family vacations we ever took. My kids are still talking about it. Great memories.
Rum point was excellent. Tukkas was excellent and is very kid friendly.
The sting ray tour and dolphin tour that Morritts sets you up with were awesome. It was great to rent a car and drive around that beautiful little island. We just love the Grand Caymans and Morritts Grand.:whoopie:

 

[classiclincoln]

If anyone is interested, I posted a review in the Resort Review section of the Marketplace. Had a blast at the Grand Caymanian and would definitely return.

 

[Carta]

We have it narrowed down to 2 Resorts - the Reef Resort or Ramada Grand Caymanian (I like the Ramada). I was thinking of going in Nov 2013- what about hurricanes at that time??.Please let me know if there are any fees or taxes - are these Resort considered AI's??, I could not find it on the II list. Is it best to take a taxi to the Resort or Rent a car??. If you can think of anything else let me know. TIA

maggiesmom

I may get blasted 4 this but,,,, Reef Resort is very nice, but waaaaaaaaaaay too far from 7Mile Beach. (35 mins. away)... And 7MB is a MUST... Grand Caymanian is located on the Sound.. You can walk to 7MB; but a rental car is the way to go in Grand Cayman... There are many restaurants near Grand Caymanian Resort... Not too many near Reef... Basically, U R secluded when going to Reef..

Keep this in mind...There is NOTHING inexpensive in Grand Cayman. You even must pay for electricity that you use in ALL condos / timeshares, but it's one of my faves..

 

[scooter]

I may get blasted 4 this but,,,, Reef Resort is very nice, but waaaaaaaaaaay too far from 7Mile Beach. (35 mins. away)... And 7MB is a MUST... Grand Caymanian is located on the Sound.. You can walk to 7MB; but a rental car is the way to go in Grand Cayman... There are many restaurants near Grand Caymanian Resort... Not too many near Reef... Basically, U R secluded when going to Reef..

Keep this in mind...There is NOTHING inexpensive in Grand Cayman. You even must pay for electricity that you use in ALL condos / timeshares, but it's one of my faves..

On the other hand the end of the resort where the reef is has the best scuba diving on the island. But, it's isolated from restaurants and activities. I also stayed at Grand Caymanian while it was under expansion. We loved it even with the constructio9n noise. This is 5 years ago, so I'm sure it's done!

 

[lobsterlover]

We stayed at the Reef last year and loved Cayman Island so much we are going back in a couple months.
Why did we like it? It was some of the best snorkleing we've ever done. Off the Reef shore we saw a shark, baracuda's, etc. It's like being in an aquarium. Didn't even need to go on the ray excursion as we saw many rays come right into the beach at Rum point.
What we didn't like: Hubby says the Reef is more like a 2 star. Matresses were very aged. Nothing luxurious about the place. We've kind of gotten spoiled.
We stayed at the Marriott which is on Seven Mile Beach our last night and loved it there more. Amazing snorkleing there too.
You sound like you may enjoy the isolation of the Reef but there is only one restaurant there and the others you need to drive to.
Also remember a utility bill of $260 for a one bedroom at the Reef.

 

[siesta]

Hurricane season runs through the end of November . We were scheduled to go to Grand Cayman in the beginning of December several years ago when Hurricane Ivan hit the Island in November and it was so bad that it closed down many resorts for months and we were canceled on our trip to Morritt's Grand as the resort did not re-open for over a year.

seems like someones memory is off

 

[caribbeansun]

Yes, it was a real class act to slam the resort on Tripadvisor despite people/owners going out of their way to be of assistance to you on these boards. While you are free to express your disappointment and obviously individual experiences can vary there's also a limit to what's reasonable.

While every resort has it's issues and The Reef certainly has some in different areas to suggest it's a 2 star or the equivalent of a Super 8 is not reasonable and is completely at odds with the vast majority of visitors to the resort.

Enjoy the Marriott.

We stayed at the Reef last year and loved Cayman Island so much we are going back in a couple months.
Why did we like it? It was some of the best snorkleing we've ever done. Off the Reef shore we saw a shark, baracuda's, etc. It's like being in an aquarium. Didn't even need to go on the ray excursion as we saw many rays come right into the beach at Rum point.
What we didn't like: Hubby says the Reef is more like a 2 star. Matresses were very aged. Nothing luxurious about the place. We've kind of gotten spoiled.
We stayed at the Marriott which is on Seven Mile Beach our last night and loved it there more. Amazing snorkleing there too.
You sound like you may enjoy the isolation of the Reef but there is only one restaurant there and the others you need to drive to.
Also remember a utility bill of $260 for a one bedroom at the Reef.

 

[Pappy Mentos]

Not sure if the original poster has finalized travel plans, but we thought we would offer our recommendations also.

We made our first trip to Grand Cayman last year. We ended up at Coral Sands, which turned out to be a perfect resort for us due to its close proximity to 7 Mile Beach, being in walking distance of several restaurants and the shopping in Georgetown and as it was literally across the street from a supermarket. For first-time travelers, we would agree with those who recommend staying on the side by 7 Mile Beach simply because you will have more choices for restaurants, shopping and attractions such as Dolphin Cove, the Turtle Farm, etc.

We also recommend that you rent a car, as its not that expensive and it will allow you to tour the island. Rum Point is a must, but it is so far removed from everything else that it is worth the price of a rental car.

As we are not snorklers/divers, we can't offer an opinion on that subject, but we can offer this observation:
While at Coral Sands, we noticed many of the guests of the resort put on snorkel gear and swim straight out from shore. We also noticed how many charter boats would pick up passengers at the cruise ships and then anchor about 100 yards in front of the resort. Finally, we asked one of the other guests who told us that some of the best snorkeling and diving was right in front of our resort, as there was something like a 5000 foot drop in that area with an incredible amount of marine life. We smiled when we realized that some of those cruise ship passengers probably paid more for their several-hour charter then we paid for our room for the week and all we would have needed to do was to spend $50 on the snorkeling gear and we could have had the same experience all week long.So unless you are into exploring undersea wrecks or the like, the best advice is to ask around wherever you stay as the best experience might be right in front of you.

 

[lobsterlover]

Yes, it was a real class act to slam the resort on Tripadvisor despite people/owners going out of their way to be of assistance to you on these boards. While you are free to express your disappointment and obviously individual experiences can vary there's also a limit to what's reasonable.

While every resort has it's issues and The Reef certainly has some in different areas to suggest it's a 2 star or the equivalent of a Super 8 is not reasonable and is completely at odds with the vast majority of visitors to the resort.

Enjoy the Marriott.

I'm chewing popcorn as loud as can be, just for you LOL
Also, now that I read this, Super 8 probably has newer mattresses.

 

[LouiseG]

Hurricanes in November in the Caymans are very rare.

Hurricane Ivan struck Grand Cayman September 11, 2004

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.
Just remember, the best snorkeling is not in sandy areas, and the shore snorkeling is not as good since Ivan, so you might want to plan to do boat trips for water activities.

 

[bccash63]

Not sure if the original poster has finalized travel plans, but we thought we would offer our recommendations also.

We made our first trip to Grand Cayman last year. We ended up at Coral Sands, which turned out to be a perfect resort for us due to its close proximity to 7 Mile Beach, being in walking distance of several restaurants and the shopping in Georgetown and as it was literally across the street from a supermarket. For first-time travelers, we would agree with those who recommend staying on the side by 7 Mile Beach simply because you will have more choices for restaurants, shopping and attractions such as Dolphin Cove, the Turtle Farm, etc.

We also recommend that you rent a car, as its not that expensive and it will allow you to tour the island. Rum Point is a must, but it is so far removed from everything else that it is worth the price of a rental car.

As we are not snorklers/divers, we can't offer an opinion on that subject, but we can offer this observation:
While at Coral Sands, we noticed many of the guests of the resort put on snorkel gear and swim straight out from shore. We also noticed how many charter boats would pick up passengers at the cruise ships and then anchor about 100 yards in front of the resort. Finally, we asked one of the other guests who told us that some of the best snorkeling and diving was right in front of our resort, as there was something like a 5000 foot drop in that area with an incredible amount of marine life. We smiled when we realized that some of those cruise ship passengers probably paid more for their several-hour charter then we paid for our room for the week and all we would have needed to do was to spend $50 on the snorkeling gear and we could have had the same experience all week long.So unless you are into exploring undersea wrecks or the like, the best advice is to ask around wherever you stay as the best experience might be right in front of you.

I currently have a 2 br unit on hold at Coral Sands for check in on 11/24/12. This would be my first trip to the island. Has anyone else stayed at this resort? It would be my sister and I for her 50th bday:whoopie: I also have Chenay Bay Resort, St croix on hold for march 2013 but it is only a studio unit. thanx, Dawn

 

[easyrider]

The last time we were in Grand Cayman we stayed at Morritts Totuga. Tortuge is behind the newer buildings so there isn't much of a view. All balconys face the pool.
Beer was very expensive. Over $50 a case. Same with wine. We buy liquor at the duty free. Steak and groceries are very expensive. You are allowed to bring any meat with the USDA tag on it. We froze a bunch of ribeyes and New York steaks for the trip.
A car is handy. McCurleys will pick you up at the airport and drive you back to the airport. You pick up your car at the resort and leave it there when your done. Driving is on the left lane.

 

[momeason]

We stayed at a small resort in 2009, there was a $200-$300 energy surcharge then. The name of the resort was Plantation Village. It was nice and clean, good location, nice beach but not fancy.