pastyp

Hi all, looking to book a condo through the site grandcaymanvillas.net. HAs anyone ever used them or heard of them? They are seem to be a broker acting on behalf of condo owners. Never rented a condo before - they are looking for 50% up front and then 50%, 60 days prior to arrival. Is it normal in condo rentals to ask for all the money up front?


Many thanks in advance.

Pastyp

virginia

hi patsy, the money arrangement is normal.
i recently rented thatch hill (villa near rum point). i did not realize until we were on island that we'd actually gone through 3 layers of agencies. one in calif, one in ?? and cayman villas on gc. we had some issues with the house and thus i got to know cayman villas ppl rather well. their reps were always polite, prompt with their assistance and very professional. i can not say the same for ppl in cal & ??. so to answer your question. yes i've dealt with them, and would be very happy to again. in fact were i to rent again on gc i would skip the other 2 agencies and book directly with cayman villas. their office is quite convenient to the airport and easy to find.
advise you use andy's car rental, which is just a 3 min walk across the street from the airport. then go pick up your condo keys and make a stop at fosters grocery (liquor store next door if needed) - couple min drive from cayman villa office.
there is another small grocery called chilsoms about 10 mins from rum point. also a small version of fosters about 30 mins drive at mini mall near the reef resort on the east end. (also has liquor store)
pools of the kai is in a very nice, very quiet spot.
we liked the kaibo beach bar, but thought the dining room upstairs was a bit over rated. we thoroughly enjoyed dinner at the real restaurant at rum point. did not try their beach food, but had beachbar cocktails that were plenty strong & tasty. their sunset is very potent, the pink sand beach was refreshing in the heat.
another fun place to grab breakfast or lunch is - on the edge, which you will pass on your way to pools of the kai.
be sure to go to the end of the kaibo road to ivory sands arch. go through the arch and snorkel along the beach to the left to see tons of starfish. go back & out to the end of the point for sunset (with a cocktail in hand).
if you haven't already you should tour the botanical gardens. you'll pass it on the north sound road (left that cuts through middle of island to get to rum pt.) really beautiful gardens and landscaping and they have several cayman parrots in residence as well as the blue iguana. (my standard advice: go early and take water)

pastyp

Thanks Virgina, for all your advice and reassurance. Condo rental is a new venture for us, always have stayed in beach resort hotels before now.

Your reply is very much appreciated, especially the reassurance about grandcaymanvillas.net

pastyp

Virginia, just one question - was it caymanvillas.com or grandcaymanvillas.net that you used?

Thanks for your help

CaymanSue

Jim Leavitt (of grandcaymanvillas.net) is highly respected in the condo and villa management business in Grand Cayman. He owns several properties himself and I know of several owners who would LOVE to be included on his site.

pastyp

CaymanSue - Many thanks for your message of reassurance. We will be booking with Jim for November.

virginia

well i had to look through some paperwork but in fact it was cayman villas that i dealt with. i am so sorry for misspeaking.
as for condo/villa life - i think you'll like it - unless you don't like to cook. find out from prop manager if you will have a grill.
we always stay in villas and find that preplanning your meals at home helps. we arrive with a complete shopping list and always shop on the way to the villa. (we also take a frozen cooler with prepared foods like marinated chicken for our ceasar salad, choc chip cookie dough, etc) when you shop you might get a dozen bottles of water. freeze at night to take onto your beach the next day. cayman grocery is very well stocked.

CaymanSue

pastyp,
Glad to be of help. One of the things I like about Jim's site is the clear definition given about the location of the condo/villa. Is it ocean front, sound front, canal front, lagoon front? His site gives a very honest description of each property. We have found that to be key in renting our condo. If folks know what they are renting, they won't be disappointed, and are more likely to be return renters. Just my opinion.

pastyp

Where would we be with out this site and the fodorites that inhabit it!!!!! Have been steared in the right direction so many times by the helpful advice here. Thank you both.