The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman

The day we arrived, the outer bands of a hurricane impacted the island. Boredom was not an issue as the hotel was so well organized with activities scheduled for all interests. They had lovely bars & lounges with games set out, afternoon tea. pub lunch (very fancy ones) & even movies & children's indoor nature programs, not to mention the beautiful spa & state of the art fitness cent. All this comes with a huge price tag. Plan on spending a fortune here! Drinks for two by the pool were at least $* CD & breakfast for three was never less than $* CD. What made the trip so nice for us was the general helpfulness & cordiality of everyone we interacted with at this property. At first I felt that people were nosy. I came to realize that Cayman people & Ritz Carleton employees here in particular are just friendly & genuinely interested in their guests. We plan on returning & will stay here again.

Type:Dining Distance: Requires transportation

Keeping costs down here

Buy a bottle of duty free rum early in the trip & make your own rum & cokes or whatever to help keep the bar tab down. We didn't have a single bad meal anywhere on the island. It saved a lot of money to eat at least one meal a day off property. Even the salad with grilled fish in a plastic takeaway on the beach was delicious & only cost $57 CD for 4 with 4 soft drinks.

Sooo.. a friend and i traveled to Grand Cayman for a week we stayed at the Ritz for the first 4 nights (we were on a photo assignment) anyway...what can i say.. it's a Ritz and exactly what you would expect from a Ritz Carlton.. beautiful.. a bit old sckool.... refined with the very best service.. world renown chefs that have amazing restaurants...great artwork..Tiffany jewelry in glass cases... but it's the exact same thing as any other Ritz.. and don't we travel to experience other cultures and to relax in an atmosphere that is completely different from where we're from.. now i may be a bit spoiled living in southern California (originally a southern girl) but this hotel was blahhhhhh... same ol..same ol.... we decided to visit a non-chain..non..commercial hotel next door for lunch and fell in love! We checked out as soon as we could and moved into our new digs..ahhhhhh finally we felt like we were in the middle of the Caribbean! local music...bright colored walls..seashells..a local chef from the island..the sun felt better on our skin, the cocktails were sweeter (and 1/2 the price... a margarita at the Ritz pool cost $20 without tip, just thought you should know).. so as much as i love the Ritz Carlton back home in the states...always knowing you can trust that you will get the same things...all good..when you check in.. YOUR IN GRAND CAYMAN for GODS SAKE... live a little and go experience some local culture and save the Ritz for your trip to Laguna Beach... thanks for letting me vent.. pura vida! PS: go see the stingrays.. it's life changing!

Type:Area Attractions Distance: Requires transportation

the Stingrays are soooo cool ;-)

Everyone told us to take the boat tour that allows you to swim with the stingrays... we were a bit hesitant because it seemed like a "touristy" thing to do..and to be completely honest a bit scary.. but we went and thank God! It was amazing!! They are soo majestic, gentle & beautiful as they cascade through the crystal clear ocean all around you.. a MUST SEE!!!

What a great place to enjoy the beach,pool, water sports or simply tour the city. Extremely helpful and friendly staff to accomodate your every need. Some what of a friends re-union we shared a 4 b/r beautiful Villa that was outstanding in every way. Kids are also very welcomed and have plenty of activities to keep them happy while the parents enjoy some quiet time. Such luxury, thank you Ritz Carlton !\nI'd recommend this hotel to anyone wishing to live like a royal family for even a short while.

Type:Area Attractions Distance: Requires transportation

Transportation

If you want to go out and about to tour the area you really do need a rental car but be extremely carefull as to staying on the "correct side" of the street when driving :). Local taxi's negotiate rates and are based on per person but are reasonable. Travel light as you don't need much but "money" lots of it. For those who dive its a gem of an area.

Very relaxing and Romantic...can't wait to go back!

Our trip was perfect. The hotel was great! Service was like a fairytale and the views were to die for. People, food, room service, hotel, the whole island was awesome!