I’m the kind of person whose travel plans can really be influenced on a whim. Case in point: My recent trip to Grand Cayman, which transpired simply because of a single podcast episode, wherein the host gushed about her five-day stay on the island. Forget that I don’t know this podcaster personally, let alone whether she’s the same kind of traveler as me — I’m just a sucker for a good rec.
The Cayman Islands are made up of three (Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, which is even littler), with Grand Cayman being the most tourist-friendly. And that had capped off my knowledge of the British territory, save for its supposed popularity among those looking to open an overseas bank account and the fact that Elizabeth Chambers basically absconded there after that whole…thing with ex-husband Armie Hammer.
But Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman’s main stretch of sand, looks immaculate from photos online, and I was due for a “sun and sand” vacation — i.e. eat, sleep, beach, repeat.
And if that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll be tickled pink during a trip to Grand Cayman. However, if you’re more of an adventure-seeker, or even someone who just needs some stimulation on vacation (which I’ve discovered I am), your time may be better spent elsewhere. Here’s my breakdown of the great, good and left-to-be-desired elements of Grand Cayman.
The Beautiful: The Beach
I’ll have to limit my review in this area to Seven Mile Beach, since I failed to rent a car during my trip and really only had access to the main stretch. But it was plenty! Everything you imagine for a Caribbean beach, Seven Mile is it. Wave-less, cerulean blue ocean water laps onto sand so smooth you forget what a rock even looks like, somehow just the right temperature that simultaneously cools you off and keeps you comfy enough to never want to emerge.
Now, my one warning in this “Beautiful” section is that I was not prepared for the power of the Caymanian sun. I could chalk it up to my New England skin simply being much too fragile after a long winter, but the majority of tourists I encountered were southern Americans, who are decidedly plenty used to the sun, and even they sported gnarly sunburns.
So, don’t be shy to hide in the shade of your resort-provided beach umbrella with just small spurts of sun exposure. Trust that it’ll be hot enough to make a dip in the ocean more than welcome.
The Good: The Hospitality
Heading down to the Caribbean basically demands that you swing for a resort, and Grand Cayman has no shortage! Higher up Seven Mile Beach are the IHG properties — the Kimpton Seafire and the newer Hotel Indigo — and you’ll find Marriott and Ritz-Carlton resorts situated more at the beach’s midpoint, plus independent and boutique-style hotels scattered throughout. But wherever you land, the Caymanian hospitality industry is absolutely unmatched.
It was easy to get the impression that the island runs according to the schedules of its tourists. Upon arriving at our resort, the concierge team was waiting to greet us with cold towels (necessary — that heat and humidity I mentioned doesn’t let up for a second) and tropical mocktails, prepped and primed to give us a tour of the property and handle our luggage. As the days went on, we noticed the welcome party arrive and depart from the lobby almost like clockwork — which it was, timed to the few flights that arrive from the U.S. daily.
Meanwhile, the bellhops were quick on the bag-grabbing draw, someone was available to hail a cab at any time of day and the pool attendant never let me so much as lift a corner of my towel. And the same could be said for anyone who waited on us at a restaurant. The service industry on this island was at least a few notches above anything I’d experienced prior. But, somehow, it never felt performative. Which of course, it was — anything is when someone is being paid to provide a service. Still, if you’re looking to feel welcomed by a community, this was it.
So, why is this only filed under “Good”? Well…
The Bad: The Cost
Listen, Grand Cayman has a reputation for being expensive. And I knew that going in! What they don’t tell you is why. Before our trip, I took some time looking at tour prices and restaurant menus and thought the pricing was perhaps slightly elevated, if not comparable, to what I typically experience in the city I live in. And I glazed over the exchange rate – 1 Cayman dollar = 1.25 USD – thinking that it was about the same as the conversion for a British pound.
What you fail to understand beforehand is that everything is advertised in Cayman dollars, without the exchange rate added in prior. So, when you arrive on Cayman soil, whatever your bill is at the end of the day, add 25% to it. And that… adds up, before an additional automatic 18% on everything from a five-star meal to a lowly muffin from the hotel cafe.
The other hidden cost to a Grand Cayman vacation? Taxis. Unless you rent a car (which I’d have to recommend, at this point), you’ll find yourself pretty much stationed where your resort is. I wouldn’t call the island very walkable, so taxis are really your only option to explore or grab a bite anywhere beyond your hotel. Uber was banned on the island to promote a healthy taxicab industry… and healthy it is, with a fixed-rate-per-route system that’ll see you coughing up $30 USD for a 5-minute ride. No hate to the cabbies — they deserve their due — but let’s just say I wasn’t aching to leave the resort after one or two dinners off-property.
So, yeah, the service around Grand Cayman is top-notch, the resorts gorgeous inside and out. But you’ll sure pay for it!
TL;DR
If you’re a sun-soaker who has no problem blowing her vacation budget solely on resort food, and you can’t get enough of a beautiful stretch of sand and good people, this is your trip! Otherwise, find your beach somewhere with more options for direct flights.