Grand Cayman: thoughts on location?

[sueoz]

Hi - We are about to head to Grand Cayman for a week on Marriott points at the Marriott on 7 mile beach. We want to think about doing a timeshare next time and would like to research a little while we're there. We exchange through Interval. We are not divers but love to shore snorkel - our main activity while there.

Are the resorts on the East End near enough good snorkel spots to make it a good spot for people like us? We love the idea of a quieter, more laid back area, but don't want to drive an hour every day to snorkel. We have been to the Reef to snorkel before but wonder what other areas are good as we like variety and would not be satisfied snorkeling in the same place every day. I think I just need some perspective.

If anyone has any thoughts on the pros and cons of the Interval timeshares on 7 mile beach and North side I would appreciate it.

Thanks for any thoughts.
Sue

 

[somerville]

If you are staying at the Marriott, all you have to do is walk south and you will be at the two timeshares located on SMB. The Comfort Suites is next door to the Marriott, and next is Seven Mile Beach Resort and Club and next to that is Plantation Village. Grand Caymanian is about 2 miles northeast of the Marriott but is on the North Sound. Coral Sands, the only RCI resort, is located closer to George Town and on the water, but it doesn't have much of a beach. There are no timeshares on the North side.

 

[caribbeansun]

Here's a small list of snorkel locations on the island. There's plenty around the Reef.

There aren't any TS on North Side BTW.

The pro and con are the same depending on your perspective - as you've already said East End is quiet and removed from the crowds the flip side of which is that SMB is busy and has lots of restaurants and shopping handy but you have to deal with the traffic.

 

[sueoz]

Thanks so much for the location information. We will check them out.

CaribbeanSun - my main concern was snorkeling locations. I have the list you linked and it still looks like most of them are towards the west end. When you say there are plenty of places near the Reef to snorkel - are they listed or just places we could find out from the resort or the locals? I always love those because the average tourist never bothers!

Thanks again!
Sue

 

[mecllap]

I just back from two weeks on GC -- one at Seven Mile Beach Resort (7MB) and one at the Grand Caymanian (GCR). 7MB did not seem to have any TS sales activity going on -- not much of any activity; I wrote a review but I don't think it's been posted yet. It was a pleasant, comfy place to stay, a short walk to the beach, with fewer amenities/activities than some TS have. GCR is our home resort and we love it -- it is a couple of miles away from West Bay road, so its quiet, but access is pretty easy once you get the hang of it (car recommended). There wasn't much, if any, TS sales activity -- they are working on selling fractional ownerships and the new building is supposedly going to be more like a hotel operated by Ramada/Wyndham (the units are the same as the TS building).

My trip report is at: http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/mecllap/ (I'm still working on getting more photos added).

The Plantation Village had a banner sign up on West Bay road, and the beach side that they had TS weeks for $2995 (for a 2BR, I think) -- you could just drop into the office. It appeared to be pretty large and very nice, right on the beach -- an easy walk down from the Marriott.

There are lots of places to snorkel, even close to shore you will see fish, and in many places the reef isn't very far away (altho farther than my old body wants to go these days).

 

[caribbeansun]

Appreciate that most lists will be biased towards the west end due to volume of travelers staying there.

There is a public beach just south of the resort with sites off of it and if you go around the corner to the north there's a fair bit of activity there as well and the reef is closer to shore. They aren't necessarily named nor advertised.

CaribbeanSun - my main concern was snorkeling locations. I have the list you linked and it still looks like most of them are towards the west end. When you say there are plenty of places near the Reef to snorkel - are they listed or just places we could find out from the resort or the locals? I always love those because the average tourist never bothers!

Thanks again!
Sue

 

[trevorr77]

Hi - We are about to head to Grand Cayman for a week on Marriott points at the Marriott on 7 mile beach. We want to think about doing a timeshare next time and would like to research a little while we're there. We exchange through Interval. We are not divers but love to shore snorkel - our main activity while there.

Are the resorts on the East End near enough good snorkel spots to make it a good spot for people like us? We love the idea of a quieter, more laid back area, but don't want to drive an hour every day to snorkel. We have been to the Reef to snorkel before but wonder what other areas are good as we like variety and would not be satisfied snorkeling in the same place every day. I think I just need some perspective.

If anyone has any thoughts on the pros and cons of the Interval timeshares on 7 mile beach and North side I would appreciate it.

Thanks for any thoughts.
Sue

I love it out at Morritts. I stayed at the Marriott a couple years ago on my honeymoon, its nice rooms are kinda small and so is the beach space there. There is plenty of snorkling at Morritts...in fact you'll have to drive less there to see some good stuff than you would on the west side if you ask me. With all the people in the water on the west side, a lot of the coral and pretty stuff is pretty ragged. The east side IS much more relaxing and the snorkeling is more pure and less worn out in my opinion.